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 Ecclefiaftical    Hiftory; 
 
 FROM 
 
 The  BIRTH  of    CHRIST, 
 
 TO    TH  E 
 
 PRESENT        TIME. 
 
 Writtenflfrlginally  in  French 
 
 By        Mr.        F      O      R      M      E      Y, 
 
 Secretary    to    the     Academy     of     Sciences 
 at    BERLIN. 
 
 TO   WrtlCH    IS    ADDED 
 
 An       APPEND!      X, 
 
 Giving  an  Account  of  the 
 
 People    calkd    METHODISTS. 
 
 By    the   T  R  A  N  S  L  A  T  O  R. 
 VOL.      II. 
 
 L    O    N    J)    O    N, 
 
 Printed  for   R.    Davis,    in  Piccadilly;    J.  NKvvBeRY, 
 in    St.  Paul's  Church-Yard  ;    and   L.   Davis    and 
 C.  Reymers,    in  Holborn. 
 
 M  DCC  LXVX. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 OF    THE 
 
 SECOND    VOLUME. 
 
 THE     SIXTEENTH     CENTURY. 
 ARTICLE    I. 
 
 TH  E  pontificate  of  Alexander  the  Sixth, 
 of  Pius  the  Second,  and  of  Julius  the 
 Second.  Councils  of  Pii^i,  and  of  Latran. 
 Pontificate  of  Leo  the  Tenth.  Trafic  of  In- 
 dulgences. 
 
 ARTICLE     II. 
 
 Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  Germany. 
 Luther  oppofes  the  fale  of  indulgences.  The 
 means  he  made  ufe  of  for  that  purpofe.  His 
 conferences  with  Cardinal  Cajetan.  Other  con- 
 ferences and  difputes  of  Luther's.  Bulls  of 
 Leo  the  Tenth  againfl:  Luther.  He  goes  to 
 defend  his  caufe  at  Worms.  He  is  condemn- 
 ed. Works  publi(hed  by  Luther  and  Me- 
 lanclhon.  Succeffors  of  Leo  the  Tenth,  and 
 their  conduct  with  regard  to  the  Reformation. 
 Obftacles  to  the  works  of  the  Reformers. 
 War  of  the  peafants.  Electors  of  Saxony 
 who  prote<5led  the  Reformers.  Origin  of  the 
 name  of  Proteftants.  Conference  of  Mar- 
 bourg.  Confeffion  of  Augibourg.  Firft  reli- 
 gious peace  but  temporary.  Machinations  of 
 A  2  the 
 
IV  CONTENTS, 
 
 the  Popes  againft  the  Proteftants.  War  of 
 Smalcald,  and  it's  flid  iflue.  Formulary  called 
 INTERIM.  It's  fate.  Maurice,  Ekaorof 
 Saxony  takes  the  part  of  the  Protedants.  A 
 firm  peace  concluded  with  them. 
 
 ARTICLE     III. 
 
 Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  SwifTerland. 
 Zwinglius  preaches  the  gofpel  at  Zurich.  In- 
 dulgences gave  place  to  the  Reformation.  It's 
 beginning  at  Zurich.  The  magiftracy  of  this 
 city  approved  the  do6trine  of  Zwinglius. 
 Fruitleis  oppofition  of  the  Pope  and  the  Ca- 
 tholic Cantons.  War  between  the  Cantons 
 on  account  of  their  Religion.  The  alliance 
 of  the  Vandois  with  the  churches  of  Swifler- 
 land.  Reformation  of  Geneva.  Labours  of 
 Calvin. 
 
 ARTICLE    IV. 
 
 Indulgences  fold  in  Sweden.  Beginnings  of 
 the  Reformation  in  this  kingdom.  It's  pro- 
 grefs.  Happy  eftablilliment.  Origin  of  the 
 Reformation  in  Denmark.  It's  intire  intro^ 
 daftion. 
 
 ARTICLE     V. 
 
 Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  France.  The 
 advancement  of  learning  in  that  kingdom  pre- 
 pared the  minds  of  the  people  for  the  recep- 
 tion of  the  gofpel.  It's  progrefs  prevented.  A 
 violent   perfccution,    particularly   againft    the 
 
 Vandois, 
 
CONTENTS.  '  V 
 
 Vandois.  State  of  the  Reformation  under 
 Henry  II.  and  Francis  II.  Charles  the  Ninth^ 
 upon  his  coming  to  the  throne  feems,  at  firfl, 
 well  inclined  to  the  Reformed.  The  preludes 
 to  a  civil  war.  It  broke  out  ;  but  peace  foon 
 put  an  end  to  it.  The  fecond  and  third  wars 
 followed  by  peace  more  advantageous.  Synod 
 of  Rochelle.  The  maffacre  of  St.  Bartholo- 
 mew. The  war  is  renewed,  and  Is  ended  by 
 a  new  peiice.  The  League.  The  war  it 
 caufed,  and  the  dreadful  death  of  Henry  III* 
 Henry  IV.  afcends  the  throne,  and  fettled  the 
 affairs  of  the  Reformed. 
 
 A  R  T  I  C  L  E     VI. 
 
 Hifiory  of  the  Reformation  in  England  and 
 Scotland.  Henry  the  Eighth  introduced  the 
 Reformation,  though  againft  his  inclination* 
 His  quarrels  with  Clement  the  Eighth.  He 
 divorces  his  queen,  and  marries  another.  He 
 Ihakes  off  the  authority  of  the  Pope.  The 
 confequences  of  this  flep.  Edward  the  Sixth 
 openly  prote(fls  the  Reformation.  It  becomes 
 tlie  prevailing  Religion.  Mary  re-eftablifhes 
 popery.  Martyrdom  of  many  Reformed.  Eli- 
 zabeth confirms  for  ever  the  Reform.ation  in 
 England.  Beginnings  of  the  Reformation  in 
 Scotland.  Cruelties  of  Cardinal  Beton,  and 
 his  deferved  puniiliment.  The  Reformed 
 hold  afTemblies  in  Scotland.  They  obtain 
 fome  privileges.  The  Reformation  intirely 
 eftablifhed  in  this  kingdom. 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
vi  CONTENTS. 
 
 ARTICLE     VII. 
 
 Hlliory  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Low« 
 Countries.  The  forerunners  of  the  Reforma- 
 tion in  the  Low- Countries.  The  firft  obftacles 
 they  encountered.  The  cruehies  of  Phihp 
 the  Second.  The  Reformed  feek  for  a  remedy 
 to  thefe  evils.  They  take  arms.  The  event 
 of  this  war.  Union  of  the  feven  provinces. 
 The  Reformation,  eflablilhed.  on  the  lirmeft 
 foundation. 
 
 ARTICLE    VIII. 
 
 Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  Poland,  Hun- 
 gary, and  Tranfilvania.  Preludes  to  a  Refor- 
 mation in  Poland.  It  gains  ground,  notwith- 
 ftanding  the  oppofition  it  met  with.  The  firfl 
 reformed  churches  in  Poland  founded  by  th» 
 brethren  of  Bohemia.  Reformation  of  Lower 
 Poland,  and  the  union  of  the  brethren  of  Bo- 
 hemia with  the  Reformed.  Attempt  for  a 
 re-union  of  the  Reformed  and  the  Lutherans. 
 They  effe(5t  this  re-union.  Profperities  and 
 adverfities  of  the  Reformed  in  Poland.  Ori- 
 gin of  the  Reformation  in  Hungary.  The 
 ilate  of  Religion  under  the  Kings  John  and 
 Ferdinand.  Progrefs  of  the  Reformation.  The 
 number  of  the  Reformed  increafe  in  Hungary 
 and  in  Tranfilvania.  The  liberty  which  they 
 obtain  in  Hungary.  Troubles  caufed  by  the 
 Unitarians  in  Tranfilvania^ 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
CONTENTS.  vii 
 
 ARTICLE     IX. 
 
 Affairs  of  the  Roman  Church  in  this  cen- 
 tury, and  in  particular  of  the  council  of  Trent, 
 and  of  the  fociety  of  the  Jefuits.  Reafons  for 
 defiring  a  general  council.  They  appoint  one 
 at  Trent.  They  hold  it.  But  it  produced 
 nothing  which  they  exped:ed,  and  ferved  for 
 no  other  ufe  but  to  flrengthen  the  power  of 
 the  Popes.  Condudt  of  the  Popes  who  pof- 
 feffed  the  holy  fee  after  the  council  of  Trent. 
 Inftitution  of  new  monaftic  orders.  Society 
 of  the  Jefuits.  The  apoftoiical  labours  of 
 Francis  Zavier.  Other  labours  of  the  Jefuits 
 in  India.  The  learned  men  of  the  Roman 
 Church. 
 
 A  R  T  I  C  L  E    X. 
 
 Of  the  ftate  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  the 
 Churches  of  the  Eaft.  The  miferable  condi- 
 tion of  the  Greek  Church.  There  came  fome 
 Greek  divines  to  Wittemberg,  who  carried 
 back  with  them  the  confeffion  of  Augfbourg. 
 The  correfpondence  of  the  divines  of  Tubin- 
 gen with  the  Patriarch  of  Conftantinople. 
 State  of  the  Neftorians,  Jacobites,  and  Arme- 
 nia^is, 
 
 ARTICLE    XI. 
 
 Hiftory  of  the  divifions  amongft  the  Pro- 
 
 teftants,  Lutherans,  and  Reformed.     Difputes 
 
 A  4  on 
 
viii  CONTENTS. 
 
 on  the  fubjed:  of  the  holy  fupper,  which  pro- 
 duced a  fchifm  in  the  reformed  Church.  Ori- 
 gin of  thefe  difputes.  Carloftadius  pubHfh- 
 ed  fome  books  againft  Luther.  Zwinglius 
 interferes  in  this  quarrel.  Progrefs  of  this  affair. 
 Conference  of  Marbourg.  What  pafled  on 
 this  fubjed:  at  the  diet  of  Augljbourg.  Con- 
 cord agreed  on  at  Witemberg.  Controverfy 
 renewed  after  the  death  of  Luther.  Another 
 on  the  dignity  of  Chrifl's  body  j  as  well  as  on 
 baptifni  and  prededination.  Concord  preferv- 
 ed  during  the  life  of  Melandhon.  The  fate 
 of  the  Philippifls  in  Saxony.  Hiftory  of  the 
 Formulary  of  concord.  The  Philippifls  are 
 expelled  out  of  Saxony. 
 
 ARTICLE    XIL 
 
 Of  the  intefline  diiTenfions  of  the  Lutheran 
 Church.  Controverfy  of  the  Antinomians. 
 Controverfies  of  the  Adiaphorifts  and  Syner- 
 gifts.  Of  the  Marjorifts  and  Flaccians.  The 
 difputes  of  Ofiander  and  Stancarus.  Doctrine 
 of  Iluber. 
 
 ARTICLE     XIII. 
 
 Of  the  divifion   between   the  Epilcoparians 
 and  the  Prefbyterians  in  Great  Britain.     Origin^ 
 of  the   difputes  in  England.     They    increafd' 
 at  the  time  the  Reformed,   perfecuted  in  Eng- 
 land, fled  for  refuge  into  Germany  and  Swif- 
 ferland.     At  their  return  into  England  their  di- 
 vifions  continued.     The  Puritans  and  Prefby- 
 terians 
 
CONTENTS/  i^ 
 
 terians  feparate  themlelves  from  the  cftabliOied 
 Church.  The  evils  which  this  feparution 
 brought  with  it. 
 
 ARTICLE     XIV. 
 
 Of  the  principal  divines,  and  the  mod  cele- 
 brated writers  in  the  Reformed  Church.  Ce- 
 lebrated divines  of  the  Lutheran,  Reformed, 
 and  Englifli  Church. 
 
 A  R  T  I  C  L  E     XV. 
 
 Of  the  fed  of  the  Anabaptifts.  Origin  and 
 character  of  the  Anabaptifts.  Firfl  difturb- 
 ances  they  caufed  in  Germany  and  Swiffer- 
 land.  The  troubles  they  caufed  in  the  Low- 
 Countries.  The  tragical  fcenes  at  Munfter. 
 Hiftory  of  David  Georgii.  Of  Mennon  and 
 the  Memnonites. 
 
 ARTICLE     XVI. 
 
 Of  the  different  feds  of  the  Anti-Trinita- 
 rians. Firft  Dodtors  of  the  Anti-Trinitarians. 
 They  increafe  in  Italy  ;  and  introduce  them- 
 felves  into  SwifTerland.  Arrival  of  the  Unita- 
 rians in  Poland.  Their  feparation  with  the 
 Reformed,  and  their  fate.  Affairs  of  this  fed: 
 in  Tranfilvania.  Socin  becomes  the  principal 
 leader  of  thefe  heretics. 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ARTICLE     XVII. 
 
 Of  the  Jews.  Impollors.  Dodors.  Ca- 
 lamites. 
 
 ARTICLE     XVIIL 
 
 State  of  literature  in  this  century.  Of  fcho- 
 lars  and  critics.  Readers  of  Hebrew.  Law- 
 yers. Hiftorians.  Printers.  Princes,  protec- 
 tors of  the  learned.     Univerfities. 
 
 CENTURY     XVIL 
 
 ARTICLE    I. 
 
 Of  the  ftate  of  the  Chrlftian  Church  in 
 general  ;  it's  acquilitions  ;  and  it's  loiTes. 
 The  extent  and  depth  of  knowledge  in  this 
 century.  Means  employed  by  the  Roman 
 Church  to  propagate  the  faith.  Fate  of 
 Chriftianity  in  the  Eafl -Indies,  and  particular- 
 ly in  Malabar  ;  in  the  kingdoms  of  Bengal, 
 Siam,  Tanquin,  and  Cochinchina.  Chriftia- 
 nity in  Japan  and  China.  Different  opinions 
 on  the  converfions  which  the  Jefuits  made  in 
 China.  Fate  of  the  Chriftian  Religion  in 
 America.  The  apoftolical  labours  of  the  Eng- 
 lifli  in  this  hemifphere.  The  Dutch  imitate 
 the  example.     The  lofles  which  the  Church 
 
 fufFered 
 
CONTENTS.  XI 
 
 fuffered  In  this  century.  Progrefs  of  Atheifm 
 in  Europe.  Deifts  and  Naturaiifts,  their  prin- 
 cipal writers. 
 
 A  R  T  I  C  L  E    II. 
 
 Of  the  ftate  of  the  Roman  Church.  Popes- 
 Monaftic  orders.  Principal  Dodors.  Pliftory 
 of  the  Popes.  Continuation  of  their  hiftory. 
 New  monadic  orders.  The  moft  celebrated 
 men  among  the  Jefuits,  and  other  religious 
 orders.  Other  learned  men  of  the  Roman 
 Church. 
 
 ARTICLE    III. 
 
 Of  the  confiderable  quarrels  the  Popes  had 
 with  the  Princes  and  States  of  their  commu- 
 nion. A  quarrel  between  Pope  Paul  V.  and 
 the  Republic  of  Venice.  Many  Popes  fuffer. 
 A  divifion  with  Portugal.  Affairs  of  the  Popes 
 with  the  Clergy  and  King  of  France.  Differ- 
 ences on  the  fubjed:  of  the  right  regale.  Ge- 
 neral affembly  of  the  clergy  of  France,  and 
 their  divilions.  Other  difputes  of  the  Popes 
 with  the  King  of  France. 
 
 ARTICLE    IV. 
 
 On  the  conduft  of  the  Popes  with  regard  to 
 the  Proteftants,  and  the  perfecutions  which 
 they  raifed  againft  them.  Plots  of  the  Popes 
 in  England.  The  forerunners  and  prelude  to 
 the  war  of  thirty  years  in  Germany.     The 
 
 beginning 
 
ttt  CONTENTS. 
 
 beginning  and  end  of  this  war.  "  Perfecutions- 
 in  Valtiline.  MalTacre  of  the  Proteltants  in 
 Ireland.  Miferies  of  the  Reformed  in  France 
 under  Lewis  the  Thirteenth.  The  laft  and 
 violent  periecution  under  Lewis  the  Four- 
 teenth. Sufferings  of  the  Vandois.  The  Pro- 
 tcftants  perfecLited  in  Hangary. 
 
 A  Pv  T  I  C  L  E     V. 
 
 Of  the  controvcrficG  amongft  the  Roman  Ca* 
 tholics  themfelves.  Controverfy  on  the  fub- 
 jedt  of  the  immaculate  conception.  Queftions 
 on  free-will.  End  of  thefe  difputes.  Origin 
 of  Janfenifm.  It's  progrefs  and  condemnation. 
 Fate  of  this  fed:.  Dodrine  of  the  myflics. 
 It  is  profcribed.     It's  fate  in  France. 
 
 ARTICLE     VL 
 
 Of  the  methods  taken  to  re- unite  the  Ro- 
 man and  Proteftant  Church.  Conferences  ap- 
 pointed to  put  an  end  to  religious  differences. 
 The  artful  methods  to  which  the  Roman  Ca- 
 tholics had  recourfe. 
 
 ARTICLE    VII. 
 
 Of  the  "ftate  of  the  Greek  Church  in  the 
 Eaft.  The  deplorable  fate  of  the  Greek 
 Patriarchs.  Hiflory  of  Cyryllus  Lucar. 
 DiiFerence  between  the  Greek  and  the  Ro- 
 man Churches.  Difpolitions  of  the  Greeks, 
 with  regard  to  the  Prote  (Ian  t  and- like  wife  to 
 
 that 
 
CONTENTS..  xiii 
 
 that  of  the  Roman.     Doctrine  of  the  Greeks 
 on  the  fubjeft  of  the  Real  Prefence. 
 
 ARTICLE     VIII. 
 
 Of  the  (late  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Pro* 
 fperities  and  adverfities  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
 It's  interior  and  exterior  flate.  Celebrated  di- 
 vines, whom  it  produced.  Attempts  to  re- 
 unite the  Lutherans  and  the  Reformed,  AfTem- 
 blies  held  for  that  purpofe. 
 
 A  R  T  I  C  L  E     IX. 
 
 Of  the  difputes  and  inteftinc  divilions  of  the 
 Lutheran  Church.  Difputes  on  account  of 
 Daniel  Hoftman,  Stephen  Prsetorius,  John 
 Arndt,  and  Rathman.  The  divines  of  Gief- 
 £tn  at  war  with  thofe  of  Tubingen.  Contro- 
 verfies  on  fyncritifm  and  pretifm.  IfTue  of 
 their  difputes. 
 
 ARTICLE     X. 
 
 On  the  flate  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
 The  Landgrave  Maurice  of  Hefle-CalTel  joins 
 himfelf  to  the  Reformed  Church.  The  Elec- 
 tor, Joachim,  of  Brandenburg  does  the  fame. 
 Sufferin2;s  of  the  Reformed.  Celebrated  di- 
 vines  of  this  Chureh  in  Germany,  in  Swiffer- 
 land,  and  in  the  United  Provinces.  In  France, 
 and  in  England* 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
xiv  CONTENTS. 
 
 ARTICLE    XI. 
 
 Of  the  inteftine  divifions  of  the  Reformed 
 Church.  The  dod:rine  of  Particularifm  takes 
 the  lead  in  the  Reformed  Church.  Beginning 
 of  Arniinianifm.  Progrefs  of  this  controverfy. 
 Synod  of  Dordrecht.  Fate  of  the  remonftrants 
 nfter  the  fynod.  Beginning  of  the  difpates  on 
 Cartefian  philofophy.  Their  progrefs  and  ilTue. 
 Doctrine  of  Cocceius.  Controverfy  on  that 
 fubject.  Difputes  on  the  opinion  of  Roell. 
 Doctrine  of  Bekker.  Difputes  on  the  impu- 
 tation of  the  adive  obedience  of  J.  C.  Syftem 
 of  Amyrault  on  grace.  Opinion  of  La  Place 
 on  the  imputation  of  Adam's  fin.  Formu- 
 lary of  Confenfus  in  SwiiTerland.     Pajonifm. 
 
 ARTICLE     XIL 
 
 Of  the  Aate  of  the  Church  of  England, 
 State  of  Religion  in  England  under  James  I. 
 tinder  Charles  I.  Sad  fate  of  this  Monarch. 
 Afiemblics  of  the  Independants.  State  of  Re- 
 ligion under  Cromwell.  Under  Charles  II. 
 Principles  of  the  LatitudinarianS'.  Reign  of 
 J.:me5  IL  and  William  III. 
 
 ARTICLE     Xin. 
 
 Of  Enthufiails,  Fanatics,  and  Separatifts ; 
 and  particularly  of  the  Quakers.  Enthufi- 
 afls,  who  pretended  to  have  the  gift  of  pro- 
 phecy.    The  brethren  of  the  Red-Crofs  and 
 
 James 
 
CONTENTS.  XV 
 
 James  Bohm.  Origin  and  fury  of  the  Qua- 
 kers. They  are  lefs  mad,  and  are  tole- 
 rated. Idea  of  their  divinity.  Their  notions 
 on  the  facraments,  on  worihip,  and  on  the 
 gofpel  miniftry.     Their  moraUty. 
 
 ARTICLE    XiV. 
 
 Of  the  fed:  of  the  Mennonites,  or  Anabaptifls. 
 State  of  the  Anabaptifts  in  this  century.  Their 
 different  feds.  Thofe  of  Amfterdam  in  par- 
 ticular. 
 
 ARTICLE     XV. 
 
 Of  the  fed  of  the  Unitarians,  or  Anti-Tri- 
 nitarians. Different  fituations  of  the  Unita- 
 rians in  Poland.  In  Tranfilvania,  in  Germany, 
 and  afterwards  in  the  Low- Countries,  and  at 
 laft  in  England. 
 
 ARTICLE     XVI. 
 
 Of  the  Jewifh  impoltors^  and  of  the  Iearne4 
 men  of  that  nation. 
 
 ARTICLE    XVII. 
 
 Of  the  ftate  of  fciences  and  literature  ia 
 this  century. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF       THE 
 
 RISE,       PROGRESS, 
 
 AND 
 
 DISTINGUISHING     TENETS 
 
 OF       THE 
 
 M     E    T    H     O     D     I    S    T    a 
 
 A  GENERAL  account  of  the  leaders 
 of  this  fed.  Of  Mr.  Wefley.  Goes 
 to  preach  the  gofpel  to  the  Indians  in  Ame- 
 rica. Is  obUged  to  leave  the  country.  Comes 
 to  London.  Is  foon  forbid  to  preach  in  the 
 churches  of  the  metropolis.  Has  recourfe  to 
 iield- preaching.  Pretends  to  have  the  gift  of 
 healing.  He  cads  out  a  devil,  A  fecond 
 likewife.  Works  a  cure  on  himfelf.  Heals 
 both  himfelf  and  horfe.  Recovers  a  man  fup- 
 pofed  to  be  departing.  His  morality.  Lays 
 down  very  ftrid:  rules  for  his  own  condu6l:. 
 Joins  the  Moravians.  Separates  from  them  ; 
 and  why,  Mr.  Welley's  followers  meet  at 
 each  other's  houfes  in  fmall  companies.  Have 
 love-feafts  3  watch-nights.     Mr.  Wefley  com- 
 
 miiTions 
 
CONTENTS.  xvii 
 
 miffions  lay -preachers.  They  have  many 
 large  conventicles.  An  account  of  Mr.  Max- 
 field's  feparating  from  Mr.  Wefley.  His  te- 
 nets. 
 
 A  general  account  of  Mr.  Whitfield.  He 
 goes  into  America.  Builds  an  orphan-houfe. 
 Returns  into  England,  and  preaches  the  Cal- 
 viniilic  notions.  Is  refufed  the  pulpits.  Se- 
 parates from  Mr.  Welly  j  and  why.  He  has 
 a  very  large  fedt. 
 
 The 
 
The  Reader  is  defired  to  correft    the  following 
 Errata  in  this  Volume. 
 
 P«gc  9.  1.  7.  de'c  ji.  P.  7.  1  4.  for  difpcrjed  TCii  t{'f;crf"^.  P.  11.  1  17. 
 dele  itry.  P.  1 1.  1.  g.  tvr  Le  hji  e'er /in  f,  xc:ii  le  exer  afierwardi.  P.  49. 
 I.  27.  tor  injlitutinn  read  intinri^n.  P.  50  1.  2f.  f\>x  jti-f:Jtcd,  xr^A  jubfipirg  ; 
 and  in  the  ntui  line,  for  acquired  read  acjuirimg.  p.  5<;.  I.  11.  foi  Hir- 
 iLrJler  xtdii  li'troftcr.  P.  64.  1.  13.  ioT  freftript  iZ'A  frojrr'qt.  P.  81.  I. 
 a».  after  ,Jr(/irad  /a.  P.  l-\.  1.  lart,  aftfr  wcrji  read  jr.  P.  85.  I,  7.  dele 
 rt^jr.  P.  S9.  1.  36.  dele  ir/».  P.  94.  I.  «he  laft,  for  make  re*d  irtfr/r.  P. 
 115.  1.24.  for  countries  r>-3d  counties.  P.  I  iS.  1.2.  dele  <an</.  P.  128.  1. 28. 
 for  yittenesTcti  Atlei'.  P.  149.  1.  13.  for  n  t  te»H  «/";  and  1.  26.  the  fame 
 paec,  \ox  them  read  ff-«i.  P.  160.  1,  25.  after  but  re^^  •who.  P.  171.  I.  27. 
 i<:\eit,  P.  181.  1.  73.  f  r  w«  rejj  </j.  P.  1S4.  1.  32.  ds'e/o.  P. 211. 
 1    10.  for  Jiji'/  read  %''"•     P-  249.  i.  21.   for  allev'uuue  read  asiexiaiiin. 
 
A  N 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL 
 
 HISTORY. 
 
 ______^ —  ■  ■  ■  —       % 
 
 CENTURY         XVI. 
 
 THIS  century  and  the  following  will 
 be  the  fubjedts  of  this  lid  volume  of 
 our  abridgment,  and  will  furnilh  fuch 
 abundant  matter,  as  we  fhall  find 
 difficult  to  bring  into  the  limits  prefcribed  to  our 
 work.  To  relieve  the  attention  of  our  readers, 
 we  Ihall  divide  thefe  two  centuries  into  articles, 
 the  titles  of  which  fhall  exprefs  the  different  fub- 
 jefts  they  treat  of ;  amongft  them  all,  the  prin- 
 cipal, and  that  to  which  all  the  others  refer,  is 
 the  hiflory  of  the  Reformation. 
 
 ARTICLE        I. 
 
 The  flate  of  Christianity  in  the  West,  before 
 the  Reformation. 
 
 THIS  Reformation,  as  we  have  feen,  though 
 for  a  long  time  earneftly  defired,  and  more 
 particularly  called  for,  in  the  laft  century,  was 
 not  as  yet  begun  in  this. 
 
 The  church  of  Rome,    far  from   taking  any 
 
 fteps  towards  it,  had,  for  it's  chief,  the  moil;  de- 
 
 VoL.  II.  B  icftablc 
 
«      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 teflable  and  infamous  of  men,  Alexander  VI.  who," 
 after  having  been  guiky  of  the  greateft  crimes, 
 in  which  he  was  feconded  by  a  fori  worthy  of  him, 
 Casfar  Borgia,  Duke  of  Valentinois,  died  in  1503. 
 in  the  manner  he  '  deferved. 
 
 Francis  Picolomini  fucceeded  him  under  the 
 name  of  Pius  III.  but  as  he  enjoyed  the  papacy 
 only  twenty-fix  days. 
 
 After  him  the  Cardinal  Julian  de  la  Rovcre  arrived 
 at  that  dignity  by  corrupting  the  Cardinals  with 
 magnificent  prefents  and  great  promifes.  This 
 Pope,  known  by  the  name  of  Julius  II.  put  all 
 Europe  in  a  flame.  The  holy  fee  was  never  fflled 
 by  fo  violent  a  man,  nor  by  one  who  had  fo  ftrong 
 an  inclination  to  war.  The  Venetians  firft  feh 
 it's  effects,  he  formed  againft  them  the  famous 
 league  ''  of  Cambray,  which  v/as  concluded  in 
 1508.  betvifeen  the  Elmperor,  the  Kings  of  France 
 and  Spain,  and  himfelf-,  it  waa  follov/ed  byhof- 
 tilities  which  broke  out  in  the  year  following. 
 Soon  after  the  Venetians  appeafed  Julius  by  the 
 reftitution  of  Romania,  and  he  reconciled  him- 
 felf with  them,  that  he  might  turn  his  arm& 
 againil  the  dutchy  of  Ferrara.  He  afterwards 
 dared  to  attack  the  King  of  France ;  but  the 
 lofs  of  the  battle  of  Ravenna  in  151 2.  repreffed 
 his  temerity,  and  humbled  his  pride. 
 
 The  French,  in  gaining  this  vidory,  had 
 the  misfortune  to  lofe  Gallon  of  Foix,  Duke 
 of  Nemoursj  a  young  hero,  of  very  promiiing 
 hopes. 
 
 «  Almoft  all  the  hiflortans  agree,  in  faying^  that  this  Pope 
 cied  at  a  feftival,  with  the  poifon  which  he  had  intended  to 
 give  to  many  of  the  Cardinals.  Mr.  Voltaire  contefts  the  truth 
 of  this  account.  Sec  his  efiay  on  general  hiftory,  vol.  u. 
 p.  310. 
 
 b  See  the  excellent  hiflory  of  this  league  by  Monf.  I'Abbl 
 dxi  Bos, 
 
 The 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,      j 
 
 The  audacious  enterprizes  and  perfidious  plots 
 bf  thi-s  Pontif  fo  greatly  offended  the  good  King 
 Lewis  XII.  that  he  ordered  feveral  gold  medals  to 
 be  flruck  and  difperfed  with  this  motto  %  Perdam 
 Babylonis  nomen.  An  immortal  teftimony  of  the 
 juft  relentment  of  that  Monarch.  The  affembly 
 of  the  clergy  of  France,  held  at  Tours  in  1510. 
 prove  that  the  Gallican  church  fully  approved  the 
 wife  and  vigorous  meafures  which  Lewis  XII.  op- 
 pofed  to  the  enterprizes  of  Julius  II  ^ 
 
 The  Emperor  Maximilian  I.  was  of  the  fame 
 principles,  and  aded  as  he  did.  When  the  Ger- 
 man nation  prefented  him  in  151 1.  with  the  ten 
 complaints  againlt  the  fee  of  Rome,  he  received 
 them  favorably,  and  promifed  to  take  the  moft 
 eiHcacious  methods  for  their  redrefs. 
 
 Thcfe  two  great  Princes,  the  Emperor  and  the 
 King  of  Fr?.nce,  deflring,  with  equal  ardor,  the 
 good  of  the  Church,  and  the  reformation  of 
 abufes,  ftrongly  preffed  the  Pope  to  affemble, 
 without  delay,  the  general  council,  which  he  had 
 
 «  Perfeiflly  to  underftand  this  medal,  and  the  trde  fenfe  of 
 the  infcription,  we  muft  particularly  read  the  difTertation  of 
 Mr.  Chrilt.  Sigifm.  Liebe,  de  nummis  Liidovici  XII.  &c. 
 This  learned  gentleman  has  given  us  a  print  of  this  medal, 
 which  Mr.  Gerdcs  has  put  in  the  19th  page  of  the  firll  volume 
 of  his  ineftimable  work,  intitled,  Introdu£lio  in  hilloriam 
 evangelii  feculo  xvi.  per  Europam  renovati.  The  medal  is 
 dill  to  be  found  in  the  cabinet  of  the  King  of  Pruffia,  at  Ber- 
 lin. As  it  bears  the  arms  of  France,  we  catinot  doubt  that 
 it  was  ftruck  there.  Some  pretend  there  were  others  difperfed 
 through  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  and  that  they  have  the  arms 
 of  Nnples  and  Sicily ;  and  they  found  this  on  a  paflage  of 
 Monf.  de  Thou,  in  the  firlt  book  of  his  hiftory.  Eat  Mr. 
 Gerdes  has  made  it  appear  in  the  preface  to  the  work  juft 
 cited,  that  the  words  of  this  excellent  hiftorian  are  not  juftly 
 related  in  the  firft  editions;  and  they  ought  to  be  read  accord-* 
 ing  to  the  laft,  .ind  then  it  will  appear,  that  the  medal  of 
 Lewis  is  never  without  the  arms  of  France. 
 
 ^  See  Mr.  Dupin,  bibl.  vol.  xiii,  p.  13.  and  Gerdes  in  his 
 appendix  to  the  above  ciied  work. 
 
 B  2  often 
 
4  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 often  promifed  them,  and  from  which  they  expefted 
 great  things.  But  Julius,  always  taken  up  with 
 .his  military  expeditions,  gave  no  attention  to 
 their  requeil;  which  induced  Maximilian  and 
 Lewis,  affifted  by  fome  of  the  Cardinals,  to  fum- 
 mon  in  151 1.  a  general  council  at  Piia,  where, 
 in  efFec%  it  began,  but  was  foon  removed  to  Mi- 
 lan. The  fathers  of  this  council  foleinniy  prohi- 
 bited to  Julius  the  exercifeof  his  pontifical  ofHce, 
 and  commanded  the  faithful  no  longer  to  obey 
 his  orders.  But  the  Pope,  far  from  being  inti- 
 midated by  thefe  proceedings,  oppofed  to  the 
 council  of  Pifa  that  of  Latran,  which  begun  in 
 1512.  and  continued  for  fome  years.  The  Em- 
 peror being  lliamefully  fubmifTive,  and  having 
 revoked  all  that  had  been  done  by  his  authority, 
 Julius  found  no  difficulty  in  triumphing  over  the 
 council  of  Pifa,  and  recovering  the  rights  of  which 
 they  had  drove  to  deprive  him.  However,  he 
 did  not  fee  the  end  of  the  council  of  Latran,  for 
 he  died  in  1513. 
 
 Julius  was  fucceeded  by  the  Cardinal  of  Medi- 
 cis,  who,  on  being  made  Pope,  took  the  name 
 of  Leo  X.  He  continued  and  concluded  the 
 council  begun  by  his  predeceflbr.  The  King  of 
 France,  freed  by  the  death  of  Julius,  from  a 
 very  dangerous  and  troublefome  enetny,  follov/ed 
 the  example  of  the  Emperor,  in  acknowledging 
 Leo,  and  adhering  to  his  council.  All  the  afts  of 
 the  council  held  at  Pifa  were  annulled  and  condem- 
 ned. They  confidered  likewife  in  the  afTembly  of 
 Latran,  the  pragmatic  fanftion,  eftablifhed  in  the 
 fifteenth  century,  in  the  Gallican  church,  for  the 
 prefervation  of  their  liberties,  which,  from  the 
 beginning,  had  been  very  hateful  to  the  Popes. 
 Leo  X.  taking  advantage  of  this  conjundure, 
 perfuaded  Francis  1.  King  of  France,  who  had 
 juil  then  afcended  the  throne,  entirely  to  abrogate 
 
 the 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.      5 
 
 the  pragmatic  fan(ftion,  and  to  fubftitute  in  it's 
 Itcad  a  new  regulation  of  church  affairs,  which 
 they  called  concordat  \  But  as  this  regulation 
 deprived  the  church  of  many  of  it's  former  liber- 
 ties, particularly  thole  regarding  ele6lions,  which 
 authority  the  King  and  the  Pope  divided  between 
 themfelves,  uiurping  it  from  thofe  to  whom  it 
 naturally  belonged.  The  ftates  of  France  raifed 
 many  difficulties  againft  it ;  and,  at  laft  receiv- 
 ed it  with  manifell  diflike.  Being  compelled  by 
 the  orders,  and  even  menaces,  of  the  King,  the 
 concordat  was  read  in  the  Parliament,  inferted  in 
 it's  regifters,  and  has,  ever  lince,  preferved  the 
 force  of  law. 
 
 To  return  to  Leo  X.  whom  we  may  look  upon 
 as  a  principal  caufe  of  the  Reformation.  He  was 
 a  Prince  of  elegant  tafte  *",  great  generofity,  a  fa- 
 vorer of  learning,  and  a  protedlor  of  learned  men. 
 But  the  whole  tenor  of  his  conduft  during  his  pope- 
 dom, plainly  declares,  he  interefted  himfelf  very 
 little  in  the  concerns  of  chriftianity,  and,  accor- 
 ding to  all  appearance,  defpifed  religion  in  general. 
 Vv^hich  induced  him  to  authorize  the  fcandalous 
 traffic  of  indulgences "  throughout  Germany,  Swif- 
 
 a  By  this  the  King  obtained  the  nomination  of  benefices, 
 and  the  Pope,  by  a  fecret  article,  had  the  firft  fruits  upon  re- 
 rpuncing  mandates,  refervations,  expeftatives,  and  preveri- 
 tions,  prerogatives  to  which  Rome  had  long  pretended. 
 
 ^  See  Mr.  Eayle's  didlionary,  in  the  article  Leo  X.  and  Mr. 
 Gerdes,  p.  66,  &c.  of  his  Hiftor.  Evang.  renov. 
 
 c  That  is,  a  releafe  from  the  pains  of  purgatory,  either  for 
 yourfelf  or  for  your  relations  and  friends.  Offices  of  indul- 
 gences were  opened  in  all  parts,  and  they  were  farmed,  or 
 leafed,  like  cuftom-houfe  duties.  Moft  of  thefe  offices  were 
 kept  in  alehoufes ;  by  which  means  the  preacher,  the  farmer, 
 and  the  diftributer  of  indulgences,  were  all  gainers.  The 
 preacher  declared  openly  from  the  pulpit,  that  all  forts  of 
 crimes  fhould  be  remitted,  nay,  that  even  if  they  were  to  ra- 
 vilh  the  virgin  mother,  he  Ihould  be  forgiven  upon  purchaf- 
 jng  indulgences. 
 
 B  3  ferland. 
 
6      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 (erland,  and  other  European  dates,  to  enable 
 him  the  better  to  fupport  the  incredible  expen,- 
 ces  of  the  grandeur  and  pleaiures  of  his  court. 
 It  is  true,  th^it  other  Popes,  before  Leo,  had 
 found  out  this  expedient  to  enrich  themfslves, 
 though  none  ever  abufed  it  in  fo  impious  and 
 fcandalous  a  manner.  The  title  of  Chief  of  the 
 Church  was  diflionoured  by  the  abufes  and  ex- 
 ceiTes  committed  under  that  name.  But  all  this 
 happened  by  the  wife  difpeniation  of  Provi- 
 dence, which,  after  having,  for  a  long  time,  pre- 
 pared all  things  for  the  great  work  of  the  Re- 
 formation, at  length  brought  it  in  this  century 
 to  a  happy  ilTue. 
 
 ARTICLE        II. 
 
 History  of  the  Reformation  in  Germany. 
 
 TH  E  Popes  feemed  to  have  acquired  a  new 
 degree  of  fplendor  and  power  by  the  coun- 
 cil of  Latran,  which  was  concluded  in  151 7. 
 But  it  pleafed  God  that  this  fame  year  fliould  be 
 remarkable  for  the  beginning  of  a  revolution 
 very  prejudicial  to  the  Roman  fee,  and  extreme- 
 ly favourable  to  the  weftern  church.  This 
 church,  as  vi'e  before  obferved,  feemed  to  have 
 loft  all  hopes  of  the  Reformation,  fo  long  and  ar- 
 dently v/i{l;ed  for  by  all  good  people  -,  when,  of 
 a  fudden,  the  light,  which  before  had  been  hid 
 under  a  buHiel,  now  flione  forth  in  all  it*s  bright- 
 nefs '.     Theie  are  the  principal  circumftances  of 
 
 this 
 
 »  The  fiift  v/ho  wrote  the  hiflory  of  this  happy  reformation, 
 which,  after  it  begun  in  Germany,  fjiread  itfelf  into  all  th« 
 countries  of  Eiirope,  was  John  Sleidau  ;  whofe  moft  elegant 
 and  exadlvvork,  entitled,  De  llatu  religionis  etreipublicsecom- 
 inentaria,  is  known  by  all  the  world.  After  him  many  other 
 writers  have  employed  themfelves  in  compiling  the  fame  hif- 
 Jory,  eitiier  in  v/holp  or  in  part,  from  the  moll  pure  fources 
 
 an4 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.      7 
 
 this  memorable  event.  Leo,  animated  by  the 
 motive  before  mentioned,  as  lie  placetl  no  bounds 
 to  his  infatiable  avarice,  fo  he  placed  none  to  his 
 mad  prodigality,  dilperfed  about  every-where,  his 
 fellers  of  indulgences,  with  charge  to  make  the 
 moll  they  could  of  their  merchandize,  and  to 
 bring  back  to  Rome  all  the  money  the  grofs  ig- 
 norance and  fhameful  fuperftition  of  thofe  times 
 could  furnifh.  The  Pope,  to  account  for  the 
 raifing  of  this  money,  pretended  it  was  to  re- 
 build the  church  of  St.  Peter.  John  Tetzel,  a 
 Monk  of  the  order  of  Preachers,  a  bold  and  art- 
 ful man,  went,  throughout  Germany,  preaching, 
 and  felling  indulgences.  Being  arrived  in  Saxony 
 he  preached  and  afted  in  a  very  extravagant 
 manner,  fliewing  fo  much  contempt  for  the  name 
 of  God,vvhich  he  continually  prophaned,  thatMar- 
 tin  Luther,  of  Eifleben,  a  monk  of  the  order  of  Au- 
 guftines,  and  a  diilinguifhed  Divine  of  the  univerfi- 
 ty  of  Wittenberg,  no  longer  being  able  to  bear  this 
 proftitution,  courageoully  determined  to  oppofe  it. 
 Defpifing  the  dangers  that  threatened  him,  after 
 having,  in  vain,  applied  to  fome  neighbouring  Bi- 
 Ihops,  foliciting  them  to  put  a  ftop  to  this  fcandalous 
 merchandize,  he  caufed  a  thefis  to  be  fixed  up, 
 and  a  public  difpute,  declared  againft  Tetzel  and 
 the  indulgences. 
 
 This  thefis  was  intitled,  Of  the  Virtue  of  In- 
 dulgences :    and    contained  ninety-five   articles, 
 
 isnd  authentic  nionuiwents ;  but  we  muft  fay,  that  there  is 
 no  hiftory  extant  wherein  the  mofl:  minute  occurrences  are  re- 
 lated with  more  care  or  fuccefs.  Amongft  the  great  hiftorians 
 we  muii  firft  mention  Seckendorff,  who  has  immortalized  his 
 name  by  his  excellent  hiftory  of  Lutherianifm.  We  may- 
 mention,  alfo,  the  work  that  Mr.  Salig  has  publifhed,  under 
 the  title  of  Hiftoria  confeffionis  auguftanoe.  Mr.  Gerdes's 
 hiftory,  a  work  which  we  before  mentioned,  is  wrote  with  all 
 the  fidelity  poffible,  as  well  as  enriched  with  many  pieces 
 V£ry  raxf ,  and  very  intcrcfting. 
 
 which 
 
8       ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 which  were  efFedtively  the  fubie<St  of  an  academic 
 difpuce,  maintained  at  Wittenberg  in  the  month 
 of  October  1517.  This  news  was  no  fooner 
 fpread  in  Germany,  than  it  caufed  a  variety  of 
 opinions  among  the  people,  fome  approving,  and 
 excellivel)  praifing  him  for  this  generous  attempt, 
 others  expreffing  the  greateft  indignation  at  the 
 boldnefs  of  a  poor  Monk.  Tetzel  ufed  every 
 means  to  maintain  his  caufe  againft  Luther,  fome- 
 times  by  difputing  with  him  viva  voce,  at  other 
 times  by  writing,  and  particularly  by  ftriving  to 
 intimidate  him  by  threats  •,  but  none  of  thefe 
 "ways  fucceeded.  In  the  following  year,  Tetzel 
 was  feconded  by  three  defenders  of  indulgences, 
 John  Eckius,  a  Divine  of  Ingoliladt,  Sylvelter 
 PrJarius,  a  Roman  Divine,  of  the  order  of  preach- 
 ers, and  James  Hoogftraten,  Inquifitor  at  Cologne. 
 All  the  arguments  they  ufed  in  favour  of  indulgen- 
 ces were  drawn  from  the  vain  opinions  of  the  fcho- 
 laftics,  or  founded  on  the  tenet  of  the  Pope's  in- 
 fallibility and  fupreme  power.  Luther  very  eafily 
 confuted  their  falfe  reafoning,  and  deftroyed  their 
 chimerical  affertions,  by  oppofing  to  them  the  de- 
 claration of  holy  Scripture,  and  the  depofition  of 
 the  pureft  chiirch  antiquities.  Thefe  refources 
 were  as  familiar  to  him  as  they  were  unknown 
 to  his  adverfaries.  The  fame  year,  in  a  gene- 
 ral afiembly  of  the  order  of  Auguftines  convok- 
 ed at  Heidleberg,  Luther  propofed  fome  new 
 thefes  under  the  title  of  Paradoxa  ;  which  he 
 publicly  maintained  with  great  itrength  of  reafon- 
 ing, and  univerfal  applaufe''. 
 
 Till  nov/  Luther  had  defended  his  caufe,  and 
 that  of  the   Gofpel,    with  fuccefs  equal  to   his 
 
 -  It  will  bs  right  to  confult  the  work  of  Martin  Bucer,  en- 
 titled, Relatiode  dilputatione  Heidelbergenfi,  thatMr.  Gerdes 
 has  given,  from  an  original  manufcript,  in  his  appendix  tq 
 the  III.  vol.  of  hisHiil.  Evang.  renov.  n.  li.  p.  175,  ^c. 
 
 courage^ 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.      ^ 
 
 .courage,  both  on  public  occafions,  and  by  feveral 
 writings  he  publiflied.  But  the  Emperor,  Maxi- 
 iian  the  firft,  who  at  the  beginning  dilapproved 
 neither  of  the  proceedings  nor  the  dodlrine  of 
 this  reformer,  now  began  to  exprefs  his  diflike  tq 
 the  length  of  time  thofe  difputes  took  up.  There- 
 fore, to  prevent  the  evil  he  feared  would  refult 
 from  thefe  difputes,  he  determined  to  refer  the 
 decifion  of  the  whole  affair  to  the  Pope.  Leo,  in 
 the  mean  while,  had  already  cited  Luther  to 
 K-ome,  there  to  give  an  account  of  his  late  con- 
 duft.  But  Frederic,  the  Eledor,  pf  Saxony,  who 
 had  a  great  regard  for  Luther,  would  not  fuffer 
 him  to  expofc  himfelf  to  fuch  dangers,  and  fq 
 f;ir  prevailed,  that  the  Cardinal  Cajetan,  who  was 
 then  at  Augfburg,  was  appointed  Judge  in  this  af- 
 fair. Luther  went,  by  the  order  of  his  Sovereign, 
 to  the  place  appointed  in  Odober  1518.  After 
 Several  conferences,  and  the  Cardinal  having  in 
 vain  tried  every  means  to  bring  him  to  a  recanta- 
 tion, Luther  retired  without  any  thing  being 
 concluded  upon ;  but  before  he  retired  he  ap- 
 pealed from  the  Cardinal  to  the  Pope,  and,  in 
 cafe  the  Pope  fhould  ponfirm  his  bull  in  favour 
 of  indulgences,  from  him  to  a  future  coun-» 
 cil\ 
 
 Leo,  finding  it  would  be  very  dangerous  to 
 proceed  openly  againft  Luther,  fo  long  as  he 
 ihould  be  under  the  proteftion  of  the  Eledor  of 
 $axony,  fought  for  milder  methods  in  this  affair, 
 for  it  greatly  diflurbed  him  •,  as  he,  in  pare 
 forefaw  it's  important  and  fatal  confequences:  he 
 therefore  fent  into  Saxony  one  of  his  Chamber- 
 lains, Charles  Miltitz,  a  perfon  of  diftinguifhed 
 family  in  that  eledtorate,  to  endeavour  to  bring 
 
 a  There  is  a  very  excellent  difput^tlon  of  Mr.  Chrift.  Eredi. 
 ^ofther,  De  colloquio  Auguftano  Lutheri  cum  Cajetanq, 
 \yhich  \vas  pri^ntpd  ai  Jjcijjfic  in  172;?. 
 
 back 
 
lo    ECCELSIASTICAL   HISTORY, 
 
 back  Luther,  and  to  gain  him  to  the  interefts  of 
 Rome,  or,  if  that  could  not  be  done,  to  preju- 
 idice  the  Elector  againft  him,  and  deprive  him 
 of  that  Prince's  favour.  Miltitz  was  unfuccefsful 
 in  both  thefe  attempts,  though  he  treated  Luther 
 with  great  refpedt,  and  publicly  difapproved  of 
 Tetzel's  condud.  This  fo  much  fortified  the 
 courage  of  Luther,  that  he  went  with  great  hafte 
 to  Leipfic,  to  be  prefent  at  a  new  difpute  between 
 John  Eckius  and  Andrew  Carloilradius,  which  was 
 to  be  held  at  that  place  in  June  1519.  This 
 difpute  began  between  the  two  antagonills  on 
 the  fubjed  of  free-will  ;  but  Luther  foon  enter- 
 ed the  lifts,  and  powerfully  attacked  the  authori- 
 ty of  the  Pope,  particularly  in  the  affair  of  in- 
 dulgences. Each  party,  as  is  commonly  done 
 on  fuch  occafions,  attributed  the  vjdory  ""  to 
 jthemfelves. 
 
 Whilft  they  were  thus  ftriving  to  reconcile  Leo 
 and  Luther,  the  former,  wearied  out  with  fo 
 many  delays,  and  grieved  to  fee  his  authority 
 thus  difputed,  could  no  longer  retain  his  refent- 
 ment,  and  publifhed,  in  June  1520,  a  bull,  by 
 which  he  condemned  the  dodlrine  of  Luther  as 
 heretical  and  impious,  commanded  that  all  his 
 books  Ihould  be  burned,  and  threatened  to  ex- 
 communicate him,  unlefs,  in  the  fpace  of  fixty 
 days,  he  returned  to  his  duty,  and  acknowledge^ 
 his  errors.  Luther,  far  from  being  caft  down,  or 
 even  ailoniflied,  at  this  blow,  in  the  month  of  De- 
 cember of  the  fame  year,  caufed  the  Pope's  bull, 
 with  the  body  of  canon-law,  and  fome  works  of 
 his  adverfaries,  to  be  burned,  in  prefence  of  the 
 whole  univerfity  of  Wittenberg.    Leo,  having  no 
 
 a  Peter  Mefellan,  who  affilled  at  this  difpute,  has  given  us 
 an  epiftolary  relation  of  it.  Mr.  Gerdes  has  inferted  it  in  the 
 appendix  to  the  vol.  I.  of  his  Hill.  &c.  and  he  has  added  a 
 leiter  of  Philip  Meiandhon,  which  concerns  the  fame  fubjeft. 
 
 Other 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTIJRY.     if 
 
 «ther  means  of  revenging  himfelf  on  Luther, 
 Ibkmnly  excommunicated  him,  his  proteftors, 
 and  followers,  by  another  bull,  in  the  year  152 1  % 
 Maximilian  died,  and  was  fucceeded  in  the 
 Empire  by  his  grandfon  Charles  V.  then  King  of 
 Spain.  This  Prince,  though  young,  thought  him- 
 felf capable  of  performing  the  oflice  of  Judge  in 
 this  affair.  He  therefore  having  convoked  the  diet 
 of  the  empire  at  Worms,  ini52i,  commanded 
 Luther  to  appear  there  and  defend  his  caufe, 
 granting  him  for  that  purpofe  afafe  condu6t.  Lu- 
 ther, fenfible  of  the  great  danger  to  which  he  ex- 
 pofed  himfelf,  was  not,  however,  intimidated;  but 
 went  to  Worms,  to  which  city  he  was  introduced 
 by  the  Herald  of  the  Empire,  and  was  afterwards 
 conduded  by  the  Grand  Marflial  into  the  pre- 
 fence  ot  the  Emperor,  the  Princes,  and  all  the 
 States.  He  fhewed,  on  this  occafion,  a  wonder- 
 ful prefence  of  mind,  and  unfhaken  refolutioDj, 
 anfwering  all  thofe  who  attacked  him  with  as 
 much  fpirit  as  truth.  As  he  had  many  illuftri- 
 qus  and  powerful  protedors  at  this  diet,  it  is  to 
 them,  -without  doubt,  that  he  was  indebted  for 
 the  Uberty  of  making  ufe  of  his  paffport,  fo  that 
 he  could  retire  with  fafety '',  though  he  had  made 
 po  recantation,  nor  had  given  up  even  one  of  the 
 ^controverted  articles.  But  thofe  very  protedors 
 could  not  prevent  this  very  diet  from  iffuing  out, 
 foon  after,  a  decree  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor, 
 
 a  The  two  bulls  of  Leo  X.  againft  Luther,  are  to  be  found 
 in  the  Bullarium  de  Cherubin.  They  are  jnferted  in  Mr, 
 Gerdes's  n.  14.  of  the  appendix  to  vol.  i.  and  n.  4.  of  the  ap-r 
 pendix  to  vol.  ii. 
 
 b  It  is  faid  that  Charles  V.  was  foiicited  by  Alexander,  the 
 Pope's  Nuncio,  to  order  Luther  to  be  feized,  notvvithftanding 
 his  fafe  conduft,  as  Sigifmund  had  delivered  up  John  Hufs, 
 >vithout  regard  to  public  faith  ;  but  to  that  Charles  made  an- 
 swer :  "  He  did  not  chufe  to  have  caufe  to  blufh  like  Sigif- 
 *f  nauod."  See  Voltaire's  eflay  on  univerfal  hill.  vol.  iii.  p.  99. 
 
12    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 by  which  Lutherand  his  followers  were  condemned, 
 as  attainted  and  conviftedof  manifeftherefy.  This 
 ilorm  arifing  at  the  time  Luther  was  on  the  road 
 on  his  return  to  Wittenberg,  the  Eleftor,  fearing 
 he  Ihould  be  taken  up  in  his  journey  by  feme  of 
 his  enemies,  caufed  him  to  be  arrefted,  and  con- 
 duced to  the  caftle  of  Wartenberg,  in  the  neigh- 
 bourhood of  Eifmnach,  where  he  rem>ained  con- 
 cealed for  ten  months.  He  has  ever  fince  called 
 that  place  his  ifland  of  Patmos.  He  was  not  idle 
 during  his  confinement ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
 employed  himfelf  continually  in  waiting  for  the 
 advancement  of  his  great  work. 
 
 During  the  abfence  of  Luther  from  "Witten-: 
 berg,  his  moll  faithful  and  intimate  friend,  Philip 
 Pvlekndhon,  who  likewife  holds  a  diftinguifhed 
 rank  amongft  the  Reformers,  and  may  be  efteem- 
 ed  the  teacher  of  all  Germany,  made  himfelf 
 ksjown,  and  acquired,  in  a  very  fhort  time,  a 
 great  reputation.  He  was  principally  efteemed 
 for  his  theological  hypotypofes  %  which  he  pub- 
 liflied  in  152 1.  This  was  the  firft  abridgment 
 of  proteftant  divinity  that  ever  appeared.  Luther- 
 left  his  exile  after  ten  moaths,  and  returned  to 
 Yv'ittenberg  in  1522,  principally  on  account  of  the 
 troubles  excited  by  fome  fanatics.  At  the 
 fame  time  many  new  innovations  were  attempt- 
 ed by  Andrew  Carloftadius,  which  were  the  firft 
 feeds  of  the  unhappy  divifion  that  afterwards  af- 
 fiicled  the  protedant  church.  Luther  now  pub- 
 lifhed  ^  tr^nflation  of  the  New  Tefbament  which 
 he  made  during  his  retreat,  and  which  Me- 
 lan6thon  revifed  with  particular  attention.     He 
 
 ='  The  learned  not  long  fince  have  queflianect,  whether  be- 
 fore the  editi'n  of  the  hypotypofes  which  appeared  in  n;2i 
 there  had  not  been  one  publilhed  in  1520,  which  was  after- 
 wnrds  fupprelled.  Ccnfult  the  Eiblioth.  Theolog.  of  Mr. 
 Ivratts,  p.  75-  «•  9.  p.  2S9»&c, 
 
 ^  publifhed. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,     ij 
 
 publifhed,  likewife,  leveral  other  writings  :  fome 
 of  them  were  wrote  againft  Henry  VIII.  King 
 of  England  ;  and  all  with  defign  to  forward  the 
 Reformation. 
 
 Leo  died  about  the  end  of  the  year   1521,   and 
 was  fucceeded  in  the  Pontificate  by  Adrian  VI.  a 
 native  of  the  Low -Countries.     He  was  a  worthy 
 man,  and  not  averfe  to  the  neceflary  reformation 
 of  the  church,  though  he  did  not   fully  enter 
 into  all  the  meafures  that  this   great  work  re- 
 quired.    He  expreffed  his  intentions  in  very  re- 
 markable ^  terms,  by  his  Legate  Francis  Chere- 
 gat,  who  affifted   at  the  diet  of  Nuremberg,  be- 
 gun in    1522   and  continued  in    1523  ;  but   he 
 complains  that  the  edidt  of  Worms  againft  Lu- 
 ther was  generally  negledled,  and  even  defpifed 
 in  Germany.     The  ftates  of  the  Empire,  on  their 
 fide,  prefented  to  Adrian,  by  his  Legate,  a  hun- 
 dred complaints  of  the  German  nation  againft  the 
 tyranny  of  the  fee  of  Rom.e  ^  requiring  immediate 
 redrefs.   They  likewife  very  earneftly  defired  that  a 
 free  council  might  be  immediately  aflembled  in 
 Germany.     The  Pope  died  in  the  intermediate 
 fpace,  andClement  IX.  fucceeded  him,  and  fent,  in 
 quality  of  Legate  to  the  new  diet  of  Nuremberg, 
 in  1524,  the  Cardinal  Laurence  Campejius,  with 
 charge  to  infift,  in  the  ftrongeft  terms,  on  the 
 ftricl  obfervation  of  the  edidt  at  Worms.     This 
 demand  received   new  weight  from  the  edi6t  of 
 the  Emperor,  who  was  then   in  Spain,  and  en- 
 joined the  fame  thing  of  the  States  of  the  Em- 
 pire.    They  returned  very  near  the  fame  anfwer 
 to  Clement  VII.   that  they  had  before  given  to 
 Adrian   VI.  and  referred,  at.  the  fame  time,  all 
 the  deliberations   to  the  diet,  that  was  foon  to 
 be  held   at  Spire,  although   it   was  againft  the 
 
 a  See  Sleidan,   lib.  iv.   p.  39  of  the  folio  edition. 
 ^  They  are  to  be  found  in  the  Catalogus  textuum  veritatls. 
 
 Emperor's 
 
t4    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Emperor's  fatisfaftion,  and  the  ftates  themfelves 
 were  divided  upon  the  fubjeft. 
 
 The  gofpel  preached  in  it's  ancient  purity^ 
 had,  till  this  time,  been  joyfully  received  in 
 Germany,  SwifTerland,  and  the  neighbouring 
 countries.  But  many  dbftacles  now  arofe  againit 
 it,  Ibme  from  without,  and  fome  even  from  the 
 bofom  of  the  Reformed  churches.  Both  the  one 
 and  the  other  greatly  injured  it,  and  (topped  the 
 progrefs  of  the  Reformatioili  Very  fevere  edifts 
 "Were  publilhed  againft  this  ne^y  do6trine,  in  Hun- 
 gary, in  the  Low-Countries,  in  England,  in 
 France,  and  the  capital  punifbments  commanded 
 by  thefe  edid:s,  were  inflided  in  their  utmoft  ri- 
 jgor. 
 
 Some  people  in  Germany  abufing  Luther*3 
 dodrine  on  free-will,  incited  the  peafants  whc» 
 found  themfelves  loaded  with  very  heavy  taxes,- 
 to  a  revolt,  which,  in  a  fhort  time,  became  very 
 violent.  Thefe  rebels,  like  to  fome  furious  ani- 
 mal when  provoked,  attacked  their  lawful  mafteri 
 in  Suabia,  Franconia,  Alface,  Lorraine,  and 
 Thuringia,  leaving  every  where  behind  them  molt 
 fatal  traces  of  their  violence.  They  v/ere  at  laft 
 fuppreffed  •,  and,  after  having  been  defeated  on 
 many  occafions,  were  obliged  to  return  to  their 
 duty.  But  nothing  v/as  ever  of  greater  hurt  to 
 the  gofpel  caufe,  than  the  unhappy  divifion  that 
 feparated  Swiflerland  and  Germany  ;  and,  of 
 what  ought  to  have  been  but  one  church,  made 
 two  churches,  and  two  communions,  and  caufed 
 a  hatred  between  them  which  no  endeavors 
 could  overcome,  and  which  rendered  every  effort 
 to  reconcile  them  inetfedual.  We  fnall  hereafter 
 have  occ;ifion  to  fpeak  more  fully  on  this  fubje6t. 
 
 During  this  time  died  the  worthy  proteftor  of 
 Luther,  Frederic,  the  Eleftor  of  Saxony.  This 
 Frince,    had   not  entirely  broken  off  with  the 
 
 church 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  'i$ 
 church  of  Rome,  nor  formally  renounced 
 the  religion  of  his  fathers.  This,  however, 
 was  done  by  John,  his  brother  and  fuGceffor,  who, 
 on  all  occafions,  adhered  to  the  Reformation.  It 
 was  under  his  proted.ion  that  Luther  and  Melanc- 
 thon  laboured  at  the  firm  eftablifhment  of  the  gof- 
 pel  church,  and  gave  it  the  form  it  hasfince  preferv- 
 ed.  They  were  particularly  careful  not  to  appoint 
 any  perfons  to  the  government  of  the  church,  but 
 fuch  as  were  learned,  pious,  and  truly  capable  of 
 this  important  charge. 
 
 The  greateft  number  of  the  other  Princes  and 
 ftates  in  Germany  imitated  this  example,  and  pro- 
 pofed  to  ferve  God  according  to  the  didtates  of 
 their  own  confciences,  and  conformably  to  the 
 precepts  of  the  gofpel,  receding  the  vain  in- 
 ventions and  impious  fliperftitions  of  the  church 
 of  Rome.  By  thefe  united  efforts  the  Reforma- 
 tion foon  extended  itfelf,  and  became  very  flour- 
 iiliing. 
 
 The  enemies,  to  whom  thefe  fuccefies  gave 
 great  uneafinefs,  were  not  however  idle.  The 
 Emperor,  who  v/as  yet  in  Spain,  wrote  to  his  bro- 
 ther, the  King  of  Hungary  and  Bohemia,  ftrongly 
 recommending  to  him,  the  ftridt  execution  of  the 
 edi6l  of  Worms,  againft  Luther  and  his  adherents. 
 But  in  the  diets  held  at  Augfbourg  and  at  Spire 
 in  1525.  and  1526.  the  advice  of  the  Eledor  of 
 Saxony,  and  of  Philip,  the  Landgrave  of  HefTe, 
 prevailed;  and  it  was  decided,  that  the  execu-- 
 tion  of  the  edid  of  Worms  fhould  remain  fuf- 
 pended,  and  the  entire  decifion  of  this  affair  be  re- 
 ferred to  the  next  free  council.  At  the  fame 
 time,  the  evangelical  ftates,  .in  order  to  their 
 more  perfed  fecurity,  formed  in  1526.  at  Tor- 
 gaw,  a  confederacy,  by  which  they  reciprocally 
 engaged  in  a  league  offenfive  and  defenfive.  The 
 Emperor,  ftill  abfent,  continued  to  fend  very  fe- 
 
 verc 
 
i6     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 vere  orders ;  which  made  fo  much  impreffion  ort 
 the  diet  held  at  Spire  in  1529.  that  the  flate? 
 made  a  new  lav;-,  by  which  the  abolition  of  mafs 
 was  forbid  in  every  part  of  the  empire,  and  they, 
 at  the  fame  time,  revoked  all  that  the  preceding 
 diets  had  done  in  favour  of  the  evangelicals.  The 
 Princes  and  the  ftates  of  that  religion  immediately 
 took  meafures  for  their  defence.  For,  even  at 
 that  fame  diet,  they  made  a  folemn  proteft  againfr 
 the  edidt  given  againft  them,  and  made  an  appeal 
 to  the  future  council  •,  they  afterwards  took  care 
 that  this  proteft  and  appeal  ilioiild  be  prefented 
 to  the  Emperor  himfeif,  who,  having  been  into 
 Italy,  was  arrived  at  Placentia.  At  that  time  they 
 gave  to  the  evangelicals  the  name  of  Proteftants, 
 which  they  have  ever  fmce  preferved. 
 
 Every  terrifying  circumftance  feemed  to  be  now 
 united.  The  Emperor,  who,  by  a  long  courfe  of 
 profperity,  was  become  extremely  powerful,  and 
 had  attained  very  great  reputation  by  the  wifdom 
 and  conftancy  with  which  he  purfued  all  his  de- 
 ftgns,  and  the  fuccefs  which  ever  attended  him, 
 had  now  entered  into  alliance  ^  with  the  Pope,  in 
 order  to  put  an  end  to  all  religious  difputes  in  Ger- 
 many. Charles  V.  certainly  intended  to  treat  them 
 with  miklnefs.  They  were  in  daily  cxpe6lation 
 of  his  arrival  in  Germany,  and  of  the  immediate 
 execution  of  his  defign.  The  Proteftants,  terri- 
 fied at  the  approaching  danger,  held  fuccefTively 
 many  afremblies- ''  at  Rotach,  capital  of  the  prin- 
 cipality of  Coburg,  at  Salfeld,  at  Schleitz,  at 
 Schwoback,    at  Smalkald,  and  at  Nuremberg: 
 
 a  Confult  the  work  of  Mr.  Eineft  Solomon  Cyprian,  en- 
 titled, Hiftoria  confeffionis  Auguftana:,  cap.  v.  and  that  of 
 Mr.  Salig,  which  has  the  fame  title,  lib.  ii.  cap.  2. 
 
 b  There  is  an  account  of  all  thefe  afiemblies,  in  a  book  of 
 Mr.  John  Joachim  Muller  hiitoria  Proteftationis  &  appellatio- 
 lais  ordinis  Evangeliccrum. 
 
 but, 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,     i; 
 
 but,  from  the  diverfity  of  their  opinions,  they 
 always  feparated  without  concluding  on  any  thing. 
 The  chief  obftacle  to  their  unanimity  was  the  un- 
 happy divifion  between  Germany  and  SwifTerland, 
 which  had  already  lafted  fome  years.  The  Land- 
 grave of  Hefle,  hoping  to  reconcile  thefe  differ- 
 encs,  fummoned  an  afiembly  of  divines  of  both 
 parties,  to  hold  a  conference  atMarbourg,  in  1529. 
 Luther  and  Zwinglius  affifted  at  it  with  fome  of 
 their  friends  and  followers.  This  conference  was 
 not  abJblutely  unfuccefsful,  though  it  was  far 
 from  anfwering  the  expedlations,  and  ardent 
 willies  of  all  well-difpofed  perfjns. 
 
 The  Emperor,  perceiving,  by  the  converfation 
 he  had  with  the  Pope,  that  it  would  be  difficult 
 to  obtain  of  him  a  council,  fuch  as  the  Protefl- 
 ants  defired,  he  chofe  rather  that  the  affair  Ihould 
 be  treated  of  in  the  diets  of  the  empire.  He, 
 therefore,  convoked  a  diet  at  Augfbourg  in  1530. 
 which  was  opened  in  June.  The  Emperor  him- 
 felf  prefided,  and  Ferdinand  King  of  Hungary, 
 with  the  greatefl  part  of  the  Electors  and  Princes, 
 and  the  deputies  from  the  cities  of  the  Empire, 
 affifted.  It  was  before  this  folemn  affembly  that 
 the  Proteftants  prefented  the  celebrated  confefTion 
 of  Augfbourg,  drawn  up  by  Melandhon,  affifted 
 with  the  advice  and  diredion  of  Luther,  and 
 many  other  of  their  moft  celebrated  divines. 
 The  proteftant  ftates  figned  this  confeffion,  as 
 being  a  faithful  fummary  of  their  dodrine  ;  and, 
 having  prefented  it  to  the  Emperor,  they  obtain- 
 ed leave  to  have  it  publicly  read  in  the  affembly. 
 Four  cities  which  had  embraced  the  doftrine  of 
 Zwinglius,  concerning  the  holy  facrament,  pre- 
 fented iikewife  to  the  fame  diet,  and  to  the  Empe- 
 ror, a  confeffion  different  from  that  of  Augfbourg, 
 and  which  was  called  Tetrapolitan.  Befides  thele 
 two  confeffions,  Zwinglius  lent  a  third  in  his  own 
 
 YoL.  11.  C  name. 
 
«S      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 name.  Some  time  after  this,  Charles  V.  canfed 
 to  be  read  before  the  whole  diet,  a  refutation  of 
 the  confeflion  of  Augfbourg,  made  by  feme  di- 
 vines of  the  church  of  Rome.  At  length,  after 
 many  proceedings  of  both  parties,  and,  notwith- 
 llanding  the  ftrenuous  efforts  made  by  the  Pro- 
 teftants,  the  Emperor  gave  an  edicb,  by  which 
 all  innovation  in  matters  of  religion  was  prohi- 
 bited •,  and  by  which  it  was  injoined,  that  all 
 things  in  v/hich  they  had  any  v/ays  deviated  from 
 the  ancient  cuftoms  and  laws  of  the  Roman 
 church,-  fhould  be  again  put  upon  their  old 
 footing.  Ihefe  orders  were  accompanied  with 
 threats  of  the  fevereft  punifhment  againft  whofo- 
 ever  fliouid  difobey  them. 
 
 This  feverity  of  the  Emperor  reduced  the  Pro- 
 teftants  to  the  1  ait  extremity;  they aflembled  at 
 Smalkald  in  the  fame  year,  1530.  and  there  drew 
 up  a  plan  of  a  defenfive  alliance,  as  a  m.eans 
 of  preventing  their  intire  ruin ;  which  plan,  in 
 their  following  aflemblies,  was  at  length  brought 
 toperfeftion. 
 
 The  Emperor,  furprifed  at  the  refolution  of 
 the  proteftant  dates,  confidered  on  methods  more 
 gentle  than  thofe  he  had  before  made  ufc  of. 
 And,  after  having  held  many  councils  on  this 
 affair,  to  which  the  Proteflants  were  admitted, 
 he  publicly  granted  to  them  at  Nuremberg,  in 
 IS  12.  the  firil  rehgious  peace,  on  condition  that 
 it  fhould  be  but  for  a  time.  The  principal  mo- 
 tive that  induced  Charles  V.  to  this  concefTion, 
 was,  the  need  he  had  of  the  affiftance  of  the  pro- 
 teftant Princes  againfl  the  Turks,  and  that,  during 
 the  war  with  that  people,  it  was  his  interefl  to 
 preferve  the  flates  of  the  empire  in'  union  with 
 each  other,  and  to  refer  all  religious  difputes  to 
 the  next  council,  or  to  another  diet.  This  agree- 
 able news  had  fcarcely  reached  the  ears  of  John, 
 
 Eleftor 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  19 
 Eleftor  of  Saxony,  before  this  pious  Prince  died, 
 and  left  the  Eledorate  to  his  Ton,  John  Frederic, 
 the  heir  of  all  his  virtues,  and  who  was  the  moll 
 zealous  and  conflant  proteftor  the  gofpel  ever 
 met  with,  and  who  had  expofed  himfelf  to  many 
 and  very  great  adverfities  in  her  defence. 
 
 Pope  Clement  IX.  foon  as  he  heard  the  de- 
 crees of  the  diet  of  Nuremberg  in  favour  of  the 
 Proteftants,  began  to  fear  it  would  affe6t  his  au- 
 thority •,  for  which  reafon  he  now  willingly  lillen- 
 ed  to  the  propoials  of  holding  a  council,  to  which 
 before  he  was  fo  very  averfe,  and  even  conferred 
 on  this  fubjesSl,  both  with  the  Emperor  and  the 
 proteftant  States.  But  he  forefaw  what  in  effedt 
 foon  after  happened,  that  the  Proteftants  would 
 never  acquieibe  in  a  council  fuch  as  he  fhould 
 propofe  to  them.  Death. put  an  end  to  all  his 
 defigns.  Paul  III.  fucceeded  him,  under  whofe 
 aufpiees,  with  much  difficulty,  the  council  of 
 Trent  at  length  alTembled  in  1545.  In  the 
 mean  time  the  Ernperor  granted  many  confir- 
 mations of  the  religious  peace,  which  were 
 given  at  Cadan  in  Bohemia  in  1534.  at  Frank- 
 fort in  1539.  at  Ratifoon  in  1541.  at  Spire  in 
 1542  and  1544.  &c.  hoping,  that  during  this 
 time  a  reconciliation  might  be  made  betv/een  the 
 two  churches,  by  the  means  of  fome  amicable  con- 
 ferences between  the  Divines  of  both  parties* 
 Thefe  amicable  conferences  were  held,  but  with- 
 out fuccefs,  at  Worms  in  1540.  and  at  Ratifoon  in 
 1 54 1  and  1546.  As  during  the  whole  courle  of 
 thefe  neg  tiations  the  aifairs  of  the  Proteftants 
 were  in  a  very  bad  fituation;  the  moft  fenfible 
 amongft  them  ardently  wiftied  thefe  inteitine 
 quarrels  might  ceafe,  and  peace  be  eftablilhed 
 amongft  themfeives.  The  moft  worthy  part  of  the 
 clergy  in  Swiflcrland  and  Saxony  iiftened  to  tl^elc  de- 
 fires ;  and  it  is  to  their  indefatigable  labours  we  owe 
 C  2  the 
 
10    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 the  celebrated  work  entitled  the  Concord,  that  was 
 drawn  up  and  publfncd  at  Wittenburg  in  1536. 
 We  fhall,   in  another  place,    fpeak   of  it  more 
 fully. 
 
 The  religious  peace,    as  we  have  before  fcen, 
 was  defigned  to  be  but  temporary,  and  till  they 
 had  found  out  proper  means  of  pacifymg  Germa- 
 ny, by  putting  an  end  to  their  differences  on  the 
 fubjecA  of  religion.     The  Pope  and  Emperor  pro- 
 poled   many  things  for  this  purpole,  but  none 
 were  acceptable,  and,  confequently,  not  produc- 
 tive of  the  defired  effc6l.     Thofe  who  maintained 
 the  ancient  religion,   thought  no  means  could  be 
 now  effeftual  but  that  of  arms  to  reunite  the  Pro- 
 teftants  to  the  church  of  Rome.     The  Emperor, 
 continually  folicited  by  the  Pope  to  enter  into  this 
 fcheme,  at  length  cunfented,  and  fuflfered  his  de- 
 figns  to  be  perceived.     The  Proteftants  on  their 
 fide,  who  always  expeded  this  iflue  to  their  affairs, 
 took  every  means  they  thought  could  any  ways 
 contribute  to   their  fafety  and  defence.     Thus, 
 every  one  was  in  continual  expedbations  of  fee- 
 ing a  moll  cruel  war.    Before  it  broke  out  Luther 
 attained  the  end  of  his  moft  glorious  life  in  the 
 month  of  February,    1546.  and  had  not,  confe- 
 quently, the  grief  of  feeing  the  melancholy  fate 
 to  which  his  church  was  expofed.      This  war, 
 called  Smalkald,   began  in  July  of  the  fame  year, 
 by  the  prefcription  of  the  Elector  of  Saxony  and 
 the  Landgrave  of  Heffe  j  however,  this  fentence 
 was   given  under   another  pretext,    though  it's 
 real  caufe  was  religion.     The  event  of  this  war, 
 maintained    at  firft  with  equal  vigour  on  both 
 fides,  became  at  laft   fatal  to  the  Eleflor  John 
 Frederic,  who   being  defeated  near  the  Elbe  in 
 April   1547.    was  made   prifoner,    and    carried 
 about -as  ilich  for  fome  years  in  the  Emperor's 
 
 train ; 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  21 
 train  •,  they  likewifc  deprived  him  of  his  elecflo- 
 rate,  and  gave  it  to  Maurice,  his  relation.  Philip, 
 Landgrave  of  Hefle,  fuffercd  the  fime  treatmcnr, 
 for  being  deceived  by  the  ambiguous  promiles, 
 or  by  Ibme  other  deceits',  either  ot  the  Emperor 
 or  the  Bilhop  of  Arras,  he  had  lubmicted,  and 
 delivered  himfelf  into  their  power. 
 
 Charles  was  then  at  the  lieighth  of  his  glory  \ 
 all  Germany  had  fubmitted  to  him.  But,  not- 
 wichilanding  this,  his  mind  was  far  from  being 
 eafy  ;  he  was  agitated  with  lb  many  cares,  that 
 he  acknowledged  it  was  abloluiely  neceflary  tor 
 him  to  make  a  Iblid  and  durable  peace  with  the 
 Proreltants.  He  was  fenfible  that  the  foundation 
 of  his  prolperities,  great  as  they  were,  could  ne- 
 ver be  well  eftablilhed  till  all  the  people  were 
 united  in  their  religious  lentiments.  He  hoped 
 to  attain  this  end  by  the  means  of  a  new  tor- 
 mulary,  equally  adapted  to  the  Proteftants  and 
 the  Roman  Catholics,  and  which  he  comman- 
 ded to  be  received  throughout  all  Germany.^ 
 The  compolition  of  this  work  was  confided  to 
 Julius  PHug,  Michael  Sidonius,  and  a  Proteltant 
 Divine,  called  John  Agricola,  they  being  ail  three 
 
 a  All  hiftorians  relate,  that  the  Emperor  had  promifcd  thr 
 LanJgrav*.,  that  in  cale  he  would  fuiiriit  he  (hould  be  free 
 trom  all  pnfon  ;  but  Anthony  Perrcnot  de  Granvehc,  then 
 Bilhop  ot  Arras,  and  Minifter  to  Charles,  by  changing  one 
 fingle  letter  in  the  words  ot  the  promiic,  gave  them  a  quite  dif- 
 ferent meaning  ;  according  to  which  the  Landgrave  was  only 
 aflured  of  not  being  condemned  to  a  perpetual  prifon.  Sucii 
 a  change  is  certainly  very  ealy  in  the  words  of  the  German 
 language  ;  which,  it  is  faid,  they  made  ufe  of  on  this  occa- 
 iion.  But  many  perfons  well  verfed  in  the  hillory  of  thefe 
 times,  look  upon  this  relation  as  fi'"iitious.  Sec  the  epiltolary 
 dilfcitation  of  Mr.  Peter  PlcfKCnius,  printed  at  Gottin^en  in 
 1750,  entitled,  Utrum  Carnli  V.  dolo  vox  cinigcr  in  tuigcr, 
 in  dccrcto  dc  Philippi  magnanimi  captivitate  mutata  fuillc 
 lalfo  dicitur  ? 
 
 C  ^  men 
 
22  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY 
 men  of  great  knowledge,  prudence,  and  rpode- 
 ration.  Thefe  Dodors,  to  comply  with  the  will 
 of  the  Emperor,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  their 
 own  inclinations,  colieded  all  the  articles  of 
 the  Chriilian  religion  into  one  body,  of  which 
 they  formed  a  writing  which  has  fmce  been  very 
 much  celebrated,  under  the  name  of  Interim. 
 The  contents  of  this  work  were  entirely  conform- 
 able to  the  principles  of  the  Roman  church,  and 
 fuited  to  it's  worlliip,  two  articles  only  accepted, 
 which  they  gave  up  in  favor  of  the  Proteftants, 
 the  communion  in  both  kinds,  and  the  marriage 
 of  the  Clergy.  The  Emperor  caufed  this  Inte- 
 rim to  be  read  at  the  diet  of  Auglburg,  and  com- 
 manded it  to  be  received  as  a  law  throughout  the 
 Empire. 
 
 Far  from  being  to  every  one's  tafte,  this  new 
 Formulary  did  not,  in  reality,  pleafe  one  perfon. 
 The  court  of  Rome  itielf,  though  it's  interefts 
 had  been  principally,  and  almoft  iblely,  attended 
 to,  was  very  much  difpleafed  that  any  one  fhould 
 arrogate  to  himfelf  the  right  of  judging  upon 
 Clatters  of  doctrine  and  religion,  which  they  look- 
 ed upon  as  a  pren  gative  of  the  Popes.  There 
 was  not  amonglt  the  Proteftants  one  perfon  of 
 judgment  to  be  found  who  approved  of  this  plan 
 of  reconciliation  ;  but  amongft  the  Princes,  and 
 even  the  Clergy,  there  were  fome  v/ho,  either 
 through  fear,  or  from  refped  to  the  Emperor, 
 or,  perhaps,  from  fome  remains  of  attachment 
 to  their  ancient  ceremonies,  were  of  opinion, 
 that  for  the  prefent  they  ought,  in  indifferent 
 things,  to  accommodate  themfelves  to  the  times, 
 and  to  comply  with  the  Emperor's  commands. 
 Thefe  fentiments  procured  them  the  name  of 
 Adiaphorifts,  and  caufed  new  divifions.  The 
 greateft  number,  hov/ever,  prefering  their  duty 
 and  conicience  to  all  temporal  advantages,  de- 
 clared openly,  that  they  would  not  obey  thefe 
 
 commands. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    2j 
 
 commands.  The  Emperor  iifed  every  poffible 
 means  for  the  lliccefs  of  this  enterprife  •,  fome- 
 times  he  preffed  the  one  party,  fometimcs  the 
 other ;  he  employed  the  nioft  perfuafive  folicita- 
 tions  and  mod  flattering  promifes,  fometimes  the 
 ftrongeft  intreaties  and  fevertil  menaces  ;  at  laft, 
 finding  ail  thefe  efforts  ineffeftual,  he  had  re- 
 Gourle  to  open  violence.  But  he  met  v/ith  the 
 mortification  of  failing  likewife  in  this  ;  for  God 
 raifed  up  to  the  Proteftants  a  deliverer  whom  they 
 could  not  exped. 
 
 Maunce  become  Eleclor  of  Saxony,  through 
 the  favour,  or  rather,  the  gratitude  of  Charles  V. 
 ■who  was  more  indebted  to  his  fervices  than  to 
 thofe  of  any  one  for  the  fupreme  power  in  Ger- 
 many, at  length  quarreled  with  the  Emperor, 
 and  ufed  every  endeavor  to  reftore  the  Proteftanc 
 Princes,  who  were  detained  prifoners,  to  their  li- 
 berty. For  which  end  he  made  a  fecret  alliance 
 with  Henry  II.  King  of  France,  and  with  fome 
 Princes  of  Germany,  raifed  troops,  and  having 
 unexpeftedly  attacked  the  Kmperor  in  1552.  the 
 latter  was  cbliged,  with  his  brother,  Ferdinand 
 King  of  Hungary,  to  fly  into  Tirol,  and  was 
 there  in  extreme  danger  from  the  power  of  Mau- 
 rice. Charles  V.  greatly  affed:ed  with  this  fud- 
 den  revolution,  renounced  for  ever  the  dcfign  of 
 oppofing  the  progrefs  of  the  gofpel  dodrine.  Im- 
 mediately, and  from  his  own  inclination,  he  re- 
 ftored  to  liberty  the  Eledor  of  Saxony  and  the 
 Landgrave  of  Hefie,  and  was  ferioufly  determined 
 to  procure  for  Germany,  in  affairs  of  religion,  a  fo- 
 lid  and  durable  peace.  Such  was  the  end  of  lo  ma- 
 ny troubles,  difputes,  and  wars.  After  the  num- 
 berlefs  afflictions  and  calamities  the  Protefl:ants 
 had  fuffered,  they  at  iafl:  obtained  the  free  and 
 fecure  exercife  of  their  religion  in  Germany.  Thefe 
 advantages  were  at  firll  promifed  them  by  the 
 C  4  peace 
 
24    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 peace  of  PalTau  in  1552.  and  afterwards  confirm- 
 ed by  the  diet  of  Augfbourg,  in  1555.  The 
 Emperor,  inftruded  and  convinced  by  the  various 
 events  of  his  life,  of  the  frailty  of  all  human  en- 
 joyments, and  the  nothingneis  of  grandeur,  re- 
 folved,  after  having  feen  the  great  affair  of  religi- 
 on happily  terminated,  to  abdicate  the  imperial 
 dignity  in  1550.  and,  in  1555.  that  of  King  of 
 Spain  ;  defigning  to  end  his  life  in  a  private  con- 
 dition. It  is  faid,  that,  in  his  laft  years  he  fhew- 
 ed  an  inclination  to  Proteftantifm. 
 
 ARTICLE        III. 
 
 History  of  the  Reformation  in  Swisserland. 
 
 W""  H  I  L  S  T  Luther  was  employed  in  re- 
 forming Germany,  Zwinglius  and  Haller 
 who  were  preceded  by  Thomas  Wittenback,  of 
 Bienne%  laboured  at  the  fame  work  in  SwiiTer- 
 land^  Huldric  Zwinglius,  born  in  1484.  at 
 Wildenjiaus,  in  the  county  of  Tockenbourg, 
 may  juftly  be  called  the  Reformer  of  SwilTerland. 
 After  having  preached,  with  great  fuccefs,  the 
 pure  gofpel  doArine,  in  feveral  places,  fince  the 
 year  15 16.  Zwinglius  was  called  in  1519.  to  Zu- 
 rich, to  take  upon  himfelf  the  office  of  principal 
 paftor.     His  only  occupation,    as  fuch,    was  to 
 
 *  Zwinglius  ftiidied  under  Wittenbach,  in  the  univerfity  cf 
 Bafil.  There  is  a  good  life  of  Wittenbach  in  the  mufeum 
 Bernenfe,  a  German  work,  printed  at  Berne  in  1740.  in  2 
 vols  8vo. 
 
 •>  Among  numbers  of  writers  who  have  treated  of  the  Refor- 
 mation of  SwifTerland,  we  may  diftinguifh  John  Henry  Hot- 
 tinger,  to  whom  wc  are  indebted  for  three  volumes  in  quarto, 
 in  German,  intitied,  Afta  ecclcfias  Helvetiae.  Mr.  Ruchart 
 has  alfo  given  us  a  very  ufeful  work  on  the  fame  fubjeft, 
 printed  at  Geneva,  in  6  vol.  8vo..  The  work  cf  Gerdes, 
 which  we  have  fo  often  quoted,  contains  alfo  many  things  very 
 interelHng,  with  refpeil  to  this  Reformation. 
 
 explain 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     25 
 
 explain  to  his  hearers  the  truths  of  our  holy  reli- 
 gion, taken  from  the  word  of  God,  their  pure 
 and  only  fource,  free  from  all  human  tradi- 
 tion. 
 
 The  beginning  of  the  Reformation  in  Swifler- 
 land  was  very  nearly  the  fame  with  that  of  the 
 Reformation  in  Germany.  In  151 8.  a  fliort  time 
 before  Zwinglius  was  called  to  Zurich,  Bernard 
 Samfon,  an  ignorant  and  arrogant  man,  being 
 charged  with  the  fale  of  indulgences  from  the 
 court  of  Rome,  acquitted  himfelf  of  his  fhame- 
 ful  commiffion  in  fuch  a  manner  as  caufed  great 
 troubles  in  Swifferland.  Zwinglius,  who  had 
 already  openly  preached  many  doftrines  proper  to 
 enlighten  the  minds  of  the  people,  publicly  op- 
 pofcd  Samfon  •,  and  Hugens,  Bifliop  of  Conftance, 
 did  not  difapprove  this  Paftor's  zeal  againft  in- 
 dulgences. The  latter  was  fcarcely  eftablifhed  at 
 Zurich,  when  the  Monk  arrived  at  that  place,  and 
 expofed  his  merchandize  to  fale.  But  Zwinglius 
 fo  ftrongly  reprefented  the  enormity  of  fuch 
 abufes,  that  Samfon  was,  not  only  driven  out  of 
 Zurich,  but  even  from  all  Swifferland,  and  that 
 by  the  order  of  LeoX.  to  whom  the  Swifs  had 
 reprefented  their  juft  complaints.  This  was  the 
 firft  ftep  to  a  Reformation  in  Zurich  and  Swif- 
 ferland  in  general :  and  which  paved  the  way  for 
 thole  which  followed  foon  after. 
 
 Zwinglius  had  already  drawn  great  advantages 
 from  his  difpute  with  Samfon  :  it  fhewed  him  the 
 general  difpofition  of  the  people,  who  waited  but 
 for  a  favourable  opportunity  to  Ihake  off  the  yoke 
 of  fuperftition.  Seeing  then,  that,  by  continu- 
 ing his  labours  for  the  Reformation,  he  might 
 almoft  depend  on  fuccefs  :  he  confecrated  to  it  all 
 his  time,  preaching,  teaching,  and  writing,  with 
 indefatigable  zeal.  He  obtained,  in  1529.  of  the 
 fenate  of  Zurich,    that  all  preachers  fhould  be 
 
 commanded 
 
i6    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 commanded,  fof  the  future,  never  to  make  ufe 
 of  any  traditions,  or  commands  of  men,  but  to 
 adhere  flridlly  to  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  to  preach 
 publicly  the  true  doftrine,  v/ithout  any  alteration 
 or  addition.  In  confequence  of  which  declaration 
 the  Zuiiccans  immediately  renounced  the  fafts, 
 and  many  other  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  Rome  •, 
 this  very  much  difpleafed  the  Bifhop  of  Conftance, 
 and  gave  him  a  diilike  to  Zwinglius,  whom  he  had 
 before  favoured  in  the  affair  of  indulgences.  This 
 prelate,  having  uniuccefsfuUy  exhorted,  in  1522. 
 the  Zuriccans  to  avoid  all  innovation  in  matters  of 
 religion,  and,  having  caufed  a  conference  to  be  held 
 in  the  fame  year,  between  Z'^'inglias  and  John  Fa- 
 ber,  with  the  fmieill  fuccefs,  he  branded,  not  on- 
 ly Zwinglius,  but,  likewife,  all  the  inhabitants  of 
 Zurich,  with  the  name  of  Innovators,  infeded  with 
 capital  herefies,  and  reprefented  them  as  fuch  to  all 
 the  other  cantons. 
 
 The  vehement  and  repeated  attempts  of  that 
 Biihop,  and  the  intrigues  of  the  Monks  in  the 
 city  of  Zurich,  were  lome  impediment  to  the 
 progrefs  of  the  Reformation,  but,  however,  they 
 did  not  prevent  the  fenate  of  that  city  from  ap- 
 pointing, for  the  month  of  January,  1523.  a  pub- 
 lic difpute  on  the  controverted  articles  between 
 the  divines  of  both  parties.  The  Doftors  and 
 Preachers  of  the  ftate  were  all  called  upon  to  at- 
 tend it.  The  Bifhop  of  Conftance  was  likewife 
 invited  to  this  conference  •,  he  having  the  fpiritual 
 government  of  the  church  of  Zurich,  but,  not 
 choofmg  to  go  himfelf,  he  fent  his  Vicar,  the 
 fame  Faber,  who  had  before  difputed  with. 
 Zwinglius.  The  Reformer  prefented  fixty-fe- 
 ven  propofitions,  in  which  were  contained  the 
 principal  gofpel  truths  oppofed  to  the  abufes 
 of  the  church  of  Rome  •,  and  he  proved  them  fo 
 clearly,  from  texts  of  fcriprure,  that   the  fenate 
 
 ratified 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.      27 
 
 ratii^rd  them,  with  it's  approbation,  by  a  public 
 adt,  and  commanded  the  miniilers  of  all  the 
 chui'^^hes  to  conform  to  rhem.  There  was  held, 
 in  the  month  of  September,  in  the  fame  year, 
 another  conference,  .at  which  a  great  number  of 
 divines  afiifted.  The  Bifhops  of  Conftance,  of 
 Coire,  and  of  Bafil,  were  invited  to  it,  but  they 
 thought  it  was  not  becoming  them  to  be  prefenr. 
 A  third  was  held  in  January,  1524.  and  the  good 
 caufe  on  all  thefe  occafions  triumphed  over  error. 
 
 The   labours    of     Zwinglius    were     confined 
 to   the   little  canton   of    Zurich,    but  his   fame 
 fpread  itfelf  throughout  the  neighbouring  coun- 
 tries, and   reached  even    to  the  Pope.      Adrian 
 VI.  who,  at  that- time  pofTefTed  the  lee  of  Rome, 
 •was  a  Pontif  of  a  mild  dilpofition,  and,  hoping  to 
 bring  back  Zwinglius  by  gentle  treatment,  fent  a 
 legate    into  Swifierland,  charged   with  letters  to 
 him,  by  which  he  oj&ered  him  great  advantages, 
 provided  he  would  return  to  the  profelTion  of  the 
 faith  of  his  fathers  •,  but  thefe  offers  had  no  effed. 
 However,  the  other  cantons  afted  conformably  to 
 the   Pope's   intentions  -,  for,  perceiving  that  the 
 Zuriccans  would  very  foon  openly  feparate  them- 
 felves  from  the  church  of  Rome,  they  made  a  de- 
 cree forbidding  any  change  to  be  made   in   religi- 
 on, in  the  alTembly  they  held  at  Lucern,  in  1524, 
 and  hke  wife  lent  deputies  to  Zurich,  to  flop  the  pro- 
 grefs  of  the  Reformation  in  that  place.     But  their 
 endeavours  were    unfuccei'sful.      The   lenate   of 
 that  city  remained  immoveable  in  their  pious  in- 
 tentions, and   began  the  fame  year  to  abolifh  all 
 ancient  iuperftitions.  They  ftrdngly  recommended 
 to  all  their  miniilers  the  preaching  the  word  of 
 Ood,  with  confidence  and  truth. 
 
 In  the  year  1524.  Andrew  Carlofladius  be- 
 ing banilhed  from  Saxony  came-  to  Strafbourg 
 and  Bafil,  and  there  railed  a  controverfy  refpeding 
 
 the 
 
28     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 the  manner  in  which  Jefu'-  Chrift  is  prefent  in  the 
 holy  flicrament  •,  the  difpute  foon  became  violent ; 
 Carloftadliis  had  deUvered  his  opinion  on  this 
 fubject,  in  a  work  which  he  divided  into  fix  books, 
 and  clandeitinely  printed  at  Bafil.  1  he  report  of 
 this  novelty  being  arrived  at  Zurich,  alarmed  the 
 fenate,  who  took  meafures  to  prevent  the  fale  of 
 Carloftadius's  book  in  that  canton.  But  Zwing- 
 lius,  who  was  already  of  opinion,  that  the 
 words  in  the  inflitution  of  the  holy  facrament 
 ought  to  be  taken  in  a  figurative  fenfe,  though 
 he  did  not  otherwife  adopt  the  opinions  of 
 Carloftadius,  perfuaded  the  fenate,  both  in  pri- 
 vate converfation  and  by  his  fermons,  that  they 
 might  fafely  grant  to  every  one  the  liberty  of 
 reading  the  writings  of  that  Divine.  This 
 was  the  fignal  for  the  fatal  facramental  war  of 
 which  we  fhall  give  an  account  in  a  book  let  apart 
 for  that  purpofe.  This  affair  caufed  great  trou- 
 bles to  Zwinglius,  even  in  Zurich.  But  he  freed 
 himfelf  from  them  all  by  his  refolution,  and 
 brought  things  to  fuch  a  point,  that,  in  April, 
 1525.  mafs  was  intirely  abolifhed  in  that  city,  di- 
 vine worfhip  properly  regulated,  and  the  church 
 Reformation  perfedly  completed. 
 
 Some  other  of  the  Swifs  cantons  imitated  the 
 example  let  them  by  that  of  Zurich  Wolfgang 
 Fabricius  Capiton  had  Ibwn  in  Bafil  the  feeds  of 
 the  pure  dodlrine.  He  was  fucceeded  by  John 
 CEcolampadius,  one  of  the  moll  worthy  labourers 
 the  1  ord  had  fen^  into  his  vineyard,  and  whofe 
 memory  is  juftly  refpefted  by  the  Bafilians. 
 
 About  the  year  1522.  Sebaftian  Hoffmeifter 
 preached  the  gofpel  firil  at  Schaf-houfe,  and,  af- 
 terwards, at  St.  Gal,  with  great  fuccels. 
 
 The  Bafilians  were  iikewife  inftrudled  in  the 
 truth,  about  the  fame  time,  by  Bertold  Haller. 
 The  Reformation  feemed  daily  advancing  in  the 
 
 cities 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     29 
 
 cities  of  Swiflerland,  but  twelve  of  the  c  ntons 
 remaining  firm  in  their  ancient  belief,  regarded 
 the  innovations  as  facrilegious,  and  veryftrongly 
 oppofed  them. 
 
 This  hatred  to  the  Zuriccans,  and  the  hopes  of  pre- 
 venting others  from  coming  to anopen  rupturewith 
 the  church  of  Rome,  induced  them  tofummonthe 
 clergy  at  Baden,  in  1526.  to  maintain  a  public  dis- 
 pute on  religious  fubjedls.  They  invited  Zwinglius, 
 but  he,  knowing  they  had  defigns  on  his  perfon, 
 thought  fit  not  to  appear.  The  fenate  of  Zurich 
 were  of  the  fame  opinion,  but  GEcolampadius 
 went  to  the  place  appointed.  The  difpute  being 
 over,  the  Roman-Catholics,  with  great  arrogance, 
 attributed  the  viftory  to  themfelves,  declaring 
 Zwinglius  worthy  of  excommunication,  as  author 
 of  the  new  dofirine  in  Swilferland,  and  com- 
 manded every  one  to  adhere  to  the  ancient  reli- 
 gion. The  Bernefe,  far  from  being  intimidated 
 at  thefe  decrees,  continued,  with  great  fpirit, 
 the  work  they  had  begun,  and,  in  the  month  of 
 January,  1528.  they  caufed  another  difpute  to  be 
 held  at  Berne,  at  which  Zwinglius  afTifted,  and 
 the  gofpel  dodrine  openly  triumphed.  The  ma- 
 giftrate  foon  after  commanded  the  mafs,  the  al- 
 tars, and  all  other  remains  of  fuperftition  to  be 
 intirely  abolifhed  throughout  the  city  and  the  can* 
 ton  of  Berne.  The  fame  things  were  done  at 
 St.  Gal,  in  that  year,  and  the  following,  1529. 
 in  which  John  GEcolampadius  completed  the  Re- 
 formation at  Bafil  •,  that  of  Schaf-houfe  bears  the* 
 fame  date. 
 
 The  catholic  cantons,  enraged  at  all  thefe 
 changes,  thought  it  their  duty  to  take  up  arms 
 for  their  church.  Five  of  thefe  cantons,  namely, 
 thofe  of  Schweitz,  Uri,  Underwald,  Zug,  and 
 Lucern,  would  have  come  in  the  year  1529.  to 
 an  open  war  with  the  Bernefe  and  the  Zuriccans, 
 
 if 
 
50    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORJ. 
 
 if  they  had  not  been  appealed  and  reconciled  by 
 the  other  cantons,  to  which  the  city  of  Stralljourg 
 joined  itfelf.  This  reconcihation  was  but  for  a 
 time,  and  the  war  was  rather  differred  than  end- 
 ed, for,  in  about  two  years,  it  again  broke 
 out.  The  five  catholic  cantons,  after  having 
 given  frequent  caufe  of  complaint  to  thofe  of 
 Zurich  and  Berne,  who,  on  their  fide,'  had  pro- 
 hibited all  commerce  with  their  adverfaries,  allem- 
 bled  their  army,  and  fuddenly  and  unexpectedly 
 attacked  the  Zuriccans,  on  the  1 1  th  of  Odober  ^ 
 who,  being  betrayed  by  one  of  their  own  party, 
 were  eafily  routed.  Zwinghus,  who  had  always  ad- 
 vifed  peace  to  his  countrymen,  loft  his  life  in  this 
 battle,  at  which  he  was  obliged  to  be  prefent,  by 
 the  command  of  the  magiftrate  his  intimate 
 friend.  (Ecolampadius,  the  firil  Paftor  of  Bafil, 
 did  not  furvive  him  long,  for  he  died  the  Novem- 
 ber following,  aged  forty-nine.  The  Bernefe,  and 
 fome  other  Proteftant  cantons,  joining  themfelves 
 to  the  Zuriccans,  rendered  them  foon  able  to  op- 
 pofe  their  enemies  •,  and  fortune  was,  for  fome 
 lime,  favourable  to  them.  But  the  Reformed, 
 being  divided  amongft  themfelves,  adied  impru- 
 dently, and  foon  gave  another  battle,  which  was 
 as  unfortunate  for  them  as  the  firft,  and  it's  con- 
 fequences  feemed  to  threaten  their  inevitable  de- 
 ftrudion.  However,  the  Swifs^  forefeeing  the 
 fatal  efteils  of  fuch  divifions,  concluded,  foon  af- 
 ter, a  happy  peace,  by  which  the  Proteftants 
 obtained  intire  fafety,  and  full  liberty  of  con- 
 fcience. 
 
 The  fame  of  what  had  been  done  by  the  Pro- 
 teftants in  Swiiferland  and  Germany  having  reach- 
 ed the  ears  of  the  Vaudois,  who,  for  many  cen- 
 turies paft,  had  dwelt  in  fome  of  the  vailies  of 
 Piedmont,  Dauphiny,  and  Provence,  they  fent, 
 in  1530.  two  of  their  Pallors,  George  Morel,  and 
 
 Peter 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  31 
 Peter  Latomus,  or  Maflbn,  to  Berne,  to  Bafil, 
 and  to  Straibourg,  to  confer  with  the  Proteftant 
 divines  of  thefe  cities,  to  relate  to  them  the  reli- 
 gion of  the  Vaudois,  and  to  inftru6l  themfeives  in 
 that  of  the  Reformed.  It  appeared  from  the  let- 
 ters of  thefe  good  Vaudois,  that  they  were  firmly 
 attached  to  the'  religion  taught  them  by  their  an- 
 ceftors,  and  that  they  had  the  greatcil  averfion 
 for  the  abufes  and  fuperftitions  of  the  Roman 
 church ;  but  that  they  lived,  at  the  fame  time, 
 in  great  fimphcity,  and  had  not  the  leaft  know- 
 ledge of  the  belles-lettres,  upon  which  account 
 fome  errors  had  imperGeptibly  crept  in  amongft 
 them.  '  CEcolampadius  and  Bucer,  with  great 
 modefty  and  gentlenefs,  foon  convinced  them 
 of  their  errors  ;  after  which  they  refolved,  at  a 
 fynod  which  they  held  at  Angron  in  1532.  to 
 form  a  ftrift  affociation  with  the  churches  of 
 SwiiTerland.  William  Farel  and  Anthony  Sau- 
 nier,  who  had  been  of  great  fervice  to  the  Preform- 
 ed churches  in  France  Germany  and  Swifferland, 
 afiiiled  at  this  fynod,  and  principally  contributed 
 to  put  a  happy  end  to  this  negotiation.  They 
 pubiifhed,  in  the  fame  fynod,  a  fhort  confeffion 
 of  faith  of  the  Vaudois,  and  Peter  Robert  Olir 
 vetan  was  appointed  to  tranflate  the  Bible  into 
 French.  This-  verfion  was  afterwards  printed  at 
 Neufchatel,  in  1535.  at  the  expence  of  the 
 Vaudois  churches. 
 
 We  are  now  come  to  fpeak  of  the  Reforma- 
 tion of  Geneva.  This  city,  and  republic  of 
 the  fame  name,  from  the  year  1529.  had  ex- 
 prefled  a  great  defire  for  this  happy  change,  par- 
 ticularly upon  account  of  th-e  depraved  manners 
 of  the  clergy,  whole  exceffes  were  carried  beyond 
 all  bounds.  William  Farel,  of  a  noble  family  in 
 Dauphiny,  and  one  of  the  moft  faithful  fervants 
 of  the  Lord,  begun  to  preach    the  true  gofpel 
 
 dodrine 
 
32    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 do(5tiine  at  Geneva  in  1532.  and  was  heard  with 
 pleafure,  and  even  with   profit ;  but  the  party  of 
 the  Biihops  at  that  time  prevailing,  he  was  loon 
 after  obliged  to  leave  the   city.     Anthony  Fro- 
 ment  immediately  followed  him  in  this  pious  un- 
 dertaking, and  had  alfo  the  fame  fate.     However, 
 the  number  of  thofe  who  wifhed  well  to  the  Re- 
 formation increafed,  and,   upon  this  account,  a 
 divifion  arofe  among  the  citizens,  fome  of  whom 
 inlifted  that  the  word  of   God  fhould   be  freely 
 preached,  whilft  others  obllinately  defended  their 
 ancient   religion.     The  council,  the  clergy,  and, 
 particularly,  the  Bilhops,  joined  with  the  latter, 
 their  interefts  were  likewife  ftrongly  recommended 
 by  the  Friburgenfes,  allied  to  the  Genevans.    The 
 people  of  Berne,  on  the  contrary,  fupported  with 
 all  their  power  the  Reformed  party.     In  the  midfl 
 of  thefe  altercations  the   Bilhop   made  fome  at- 
 tempts to   extend  his  rights  and  jurildiftion  be- 
 yond their  lawful  bounds  -,  m  which  he  was  pow- 
 erfully oppofed    by  the  magiftrates.     Things  at 
 laft  came  to  a  point,  the  Bifhop  was  obliged,  in 
 1533.  to  quit  the  city,  to  the  great  fatisfadlion  or 
 the  Reformed.     In  the  following  year  Farel  and 
 Froment  were  recalled,  and  were  joined  by  a  third 
 companion,    highly  worthy  to  be  engaged  with 
 them  in  fuch  a  work,  Peter  Viret.     Thefe  faith- 
 ful  minifters   mutually  endeavoured   to  free  the 
 church  of  Geneva  from    the  errors  and  abufes  of 
 that  communion  which  fhe  had  forfook  :  and  God 
 fo  profpered  their  labours,  that  in  1535.  the  work 
 was  completed,  with  the  approbation  of  the  ma- 
 giftracy,  who  then  interpoled  their  authority. 
 
 Thus,  by  Divine  goodnefs,  the  republic  of  Ge- 
 neva was  delivered  from  the  opprefTion  of  the 
 Bifhop,  and  all  the  remains  of  popery  intirely  va- 
 nifhed.  However  this  new  church  was  ftill,  in 
 many  refpedts,    very  defective.     It's  form   was 
 
 neither 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  ^3 
 neither  regulated  in  worfhip  or  difcipline.  It 
 was  not,  however,  long  before  {he  acquired  thefe 
 advantages.  In  1536.  John  Calvin,  of  Noyon 
 in  Picardy,  whofe  name  was  already  well  known 
 in  France  and  Swifferland,  happened  to  pafs 
 through  Geneva  on  his  return  from  Italy  into  his 
 own  country.  Farel  and  Viret  hearing  of  his 
 arrival,  went  immediately  to  folicit  his  flay  :  this 
 requeft  he  for  a  long  time  refufed,  but  was  at  laft 
 prevailed  upon  to  grant.  Knowing  his  un- 
 common talents  and  great  capacity,  they  were 
 very  anxious  to  join  tlieir  labours  and  counfels 
 with  his,  in  order  to  bring  that  work  to  perfec- 
 tion in  which  they  had  fo  zealoully  laboured. 
 Calvin,  overcome  by  their  importunities,  confe- 
 crated  the  rcfb  of  his  life,  to  the  fervice  of  the 
 church  of  Geneva,  and  upon  that  account  is  look- 
 ed upon  as  her  Reformer.  It  is,  indeed  true, 
 that  in  1538.  he  had  fome  little  difputes,  which 
 obliged  him  to  leave  the  city  in  company  with 
 Farel.  He  chofe,  for  the  place  of  his  retreat, 
 Strafburg,  where  he  was  offered  the  appointments 
 of  Paftor,  and  ProfefTor  in  Divinity.  During  his 
 ilay  he  lived  in  ftrift  union  v/ith  Bucer  and  Capi- 
 ton.  Thefe  three  great  men,  both  in  public  and 
 private,  very  ably  defended  the  caufe  of  the  Ger- 
 man Proteilants  againll  the  Roman  Catholics. 
 The  Genevans  foon  perceived  the  lofs  they  hac^ 
 from  the  abfence  of  Calvin,  and  very  ftrongly  fo- 
 licited  his  return  ^  but  thefe  folicitations  were  very 
 often  repeated  before  he  would  come  back  ;  and 
 even  when  he  did,  he  fnewed  it  was  rather  againft 
 his  Inclination  :  hov/ever,  in  the  following  year 
 there  was  no  fubjed  of  complaint.  He  had  the 
 foie  management  of  all  ecclehaftical  affairs  ;  and 
 his  fame  fo  greatly  increafed,  that  numbers  of 
 Ifrangers  came  from  all  parts  to  profit  by  his  in- 
 Itrudions.  .  He  lived  to  fee  the  church  of  Geneva 
 
 Vol,:  II.  D  completely 
 
34    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 completely  regulated  and  firmly  eftablifhed.  The 
 form  of  her  conttitution  was  fo  greatly  approved 
 by  the  other  Reformed,  that  in  France,  Ger- 
 many, the  Low-Countries,  and  Scotland,  they 
 formed  their  own  upon  the  fame  plan.  After 
 having  fupported  incredible  fatigues,  rendered 
 more  painful  from  his  very  infirm^  conftitution, 
 this  incomparable  man  yielded  up  his  foul  to 
 God  on  the  27th  of  May  1564.  in  the  fifty-fifth 
 year  of  his  age.  Upon  his  death  the  firft  place 
 both  in  the  church  and  academy  was  conferred 
 on  Theodore  Beza,  of  V^efelay  in  Burgundy,  who 
 had  been  till  that  time  an  affiftant  to  Calvin.  He 
 alfo  diftinguillied  himfelf  by  his  underftanding, 
 learning,  and  piety,  and  the  fervices  he  did  reli- 
 gion to  a  very  advanced  age,  not  dying  till  the 
 year  1605. 
 
 ARTICLE        IV. 
 
 History  of  the  Reformation  of  the  kingdoms 
 of  Sweden   and  Denmark. 
 
 THE  pure  light  of  the  gofpel,  after  hav- 
 ing rapidly  fpread  itfelf  throughout  Ger- 
 many, foon  penetrated  into  the  moft  dillant  coun- 
 tries, and  even  to  the  extremity  of  the  north. 
 Denmark  and  Sweden,  after  fome  difficulty,  en- 
 joyed this  benign  light.  The  fate  of  thefe 
 churches  at  fi-rll  refembled  that  of  the  churches 
 of  Saxony  and  Swifierland.  John  Angelo  Archin- 
 baud,  a  Legate  of  Pope  Leo  X.  in  Sweden,  like 
 
 a  He  was  extremely  lean,  an3  much  inclinable  to  a  con- 
 fumption,  greatly  troubled  with  the  head-ach,  and,  for  the 
 five  lad  years  of  his  life,  had  an  ulcerous  diforder,  which 
 caufed  him  frequently  to  i'pit  blood.  See  a  very  good  life, 
 together  with  the  will,  of  this  excellent  man  in  vol.  iv.  of  the 
 Chriftian's  Magazine,  p.  195.  —  246.  where  the  reader  will 
 find  many  inflrcftive  lives  of  the  firil  Fathers,  and  moft  emi- 
 nent Reformers  of  the  church,  compiled  with  great  care  by 
 :hs  aujhori  of  that  ufcful  work. 
 
 the 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     3^ 
 
 the  reft  of  thofc  vile  traffickers,  made  an  open  fale 
 of  indulgences.  This  Legate,  in  concert  with 
 fome  fadious  Bifliops,  confiderably  favoL7red  the 
 ufurpation  of  the  cruel  Christian.  When  this 
 tyrant  was  deprived  of  his  kingdom,  which  was 
 conferred  on  Guftavus,  the  Senators  perceiving 
 that  the  the  clergy  was  much  too  powerful,  re- 
 prefented  to  the  King  that  this  power  was  very 
 prejudicial  to  the  ftate.  This  was  the  firft  caufe 
 that  withdrew  the  attachment  of  a  great  number 
 of  people  from  the  ancient   religion. 
 
 Guftavus,  on  his  fide,  during  the  time  he  had 
 fpent  at  Lubeck  in  a  kind  of  exile,  had  conceived 
 a  great  inclination  for  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
 formation. He  dared  not,  however,  publickly  to 
 declare  it,  until  two  of  his  fubjeds,  Olaus  and 
 Lawrence  Petri,  brothers,  came  from  Wittenberg, 
 where  they  had  ftudied  for  fome  time  under  Lu- 
 ther;  the  firft  of  thefe  brothers  was  afterwards  a 
 Clergyman  at  Stockholm,  and  the  other  was  made 
 Archbiftiop  of  Upfal.  Thefe  two  brothers  great- 
 ly forwarded  the  intentions  of  the  King  They 
 communicated  at  firft  only  to  their  friends  the 
 dodlrine  they  had  brought  with  them  from  Ger- 
 many, and  afterwards,  by  degrees,  they  fpread  it 
 more  openly.  Thofe  who  had  the  Pope's  autho- 
 rity at  heart  oppofed  the  truth  •,  but  Guftavus 
 without  paying  any  regard  to  their  murmurs,  al- 
 lowed his  fu^ccts  not  only  free  liberty  to  read 
 the  works  of  Luther,  but  he  even  fent  for  Minifters 
 from  Wittenberg. 
 
 This  Prince,  who  had  a  very  fmcere  attach- 
 ment to  the  true  religion,  took  care,  by  means 
 of  his  Chancellor,  Laurence  Andrea,  and  the  two 
 Petris  %  to  have  the  New  Teftamcnt  at  firft,  and 
 afterwards    the  whole  Bible,    tranllated  into  the 
 
 a  See  the  Biblioth.  facr.  du  P.  de  Long.  Partii.  p.  293. 
 D  2  vulgar 
 
30    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 vulgar  tongue  for  the  benefit  of  his  fubjedls.  Alf 
 things  being  thus  difpofed,  and  the  people's  minds 
 fufficiently  prepared,  the  King  cauled  a  pubh'c 
 conference,  or  difpute,  to  be  lield  on  matters  of 
 religion  at  Upfal  in  1526.  Olaus  Petri  fupported 
 the  caufe  of  the  Reformed,  and  Peter  Gallius  that 
 of  the  Roman  church.  As  it  was  not  permitted 
 for  either  party  to  quote  any  other  authority  than 
 that  of  the  Holy  Scripture^  the  good  cauie  eafily 
 prevailed. 
 
 The  King,  that  he  might  make  a  prudent  ad- 
 vantage of  fuch  fuccefs,  convoked,  in  the  fame 
 year,  the  States  of  the  kingdom  at  Upfal,  and  on 
 the  follovving  at  Arofen,  and  declared  to  them  the 
 delign  he  had  formed  of  procuring  a  Rreforma- 
 tion  of  the  church.  In  the  fiiil  of  thefe  affem- 
 blies  the  BiHiops  feditioufly  oppofed  the  King,  and 
 ftirred  up  the  Dalecarlians  ^  to  make  a  tumult, 
 which  was  foon  fupprefled.  But  in  the  fecond,, 
 upon  the  King's  telling  them,  that  if  they  continued 
 to  oppofe  his  defigns  he  would  abdicate  the  throne, 
 all  the  orders  in  the  kingdom  threw  themfelves 
 at  his  feet,  conjured  him  not  to  abandon  them, 
 and  they  would  engage  faithfully  to  perform 
 his  will.  From  that  moment  the  clergy,  loft  all 
 the  power  they  had  ufurped.  The  Bifhops  were 
 obliged  to  deliver  up  to  the  Kiug  the  ftrong  places 
 they  pofTefTcd.  One  part  of  the  revenues  of  the 
 clergy  were  applied  to  the  wants  of  the  ftate,  or 
 reftored  to  the  great  men  who  had  been  deprived 
 of  them,  and  the  Reformation  took  place  on  the 
 intire  deftru6tion  of  Popery.  At  length  the 
 Clergy  themfelves  confented  to  thefe  changes, 
 and  in  a  diet  held  at  Orebro  in  1529.  an  edict 
 was  publifned,  which  for  ever  difTolved  the  Pope's 
 dominion,  and  confirmed,  in  the  mofl  irrevocable 
 manner,  the  Reformation  of  Sweden. 
 
 a  A  wild,  unpoliflied  people,  who  inhabited  the  mountains 
 of  a  province  in  Sweden,  called  Dalecarlia. 
 
 Let 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     37 
 
 Let  us  pafs  on  to  Denmark  \  Chriflian  II,  ion 
 of  a  fifter  of  Frederic  the  wife.  Elector  of  Saxony, 
 a  Prince  of  a  very  cruel  and  inhuman  charadler, 
 imbibed,  however,  very  favourable  notions  of  the 
 Reformed  religion,  and  requefted  the  Saxon 
 Princes  to  fend  into  his  kingdom  fome  of  their 
 clergy.  That  which  principally  opened  the  eyes 
 of  Chriftian,  was  the  fcandalous  conduct  and 
 odious  traffic  of  the  legate  Archimbaud.  A  tran- 
 flation  of  the  New  Teflament  into  Danifh,  was 
 undertaken,  which  was  publifhed.  Frederic, 
 Duke  of  Holftein,  uncle  to  Chriftian  by  the  Fa- 
 ther's fide,  being  called  to  the  throne,  upon  the 
 expulfion  of  his  nephew,  fhewed  the  fame  favou- 
 rable inclination  to  the  Reformation ;  and  al- 
 lowed the  difciples  of  Luther,  particularly  George 
 Johannis,  and  John  TauiTon,  full  liberty  to  preach 
 the  gofpel  doftrine.  The  Bifliops,  who  had  then 
 amazing  power  in  the  kingdom,  very  greatly  op- 
 pofed  the  defigns  of  the  King,  but  they  could 
 not  prevent  their  fuccels,  for,  in  the  year  1527. 
 the  authority  of  this  Prince  was  decided  at  the 
 diet  of  Odcnfee,  and  every  perfon  was  allowed  full 
 liberty  to  profefs  his  religion. 
 
 This  decifion  of  the  diet  was  foon  followed  by 
 a  great  revolution  m  the  ftate  of  religion  in  Den- 
 mark ;  however,  to  bring  things  to  the  defireci 
 point,  a  great  deal  was  to  be  done,  and  many 
 difficulties  to  be  furmounted.  This  happinefs 
 and  glory  were  referved  for  Chriftian  III.  who  af- 
 cended  the  throne  of  his  father  in  1534.  but  had 
 
 »  There  is  a  hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  Denmark,  in 
 French,  by  Conrad  AliXcus  which  Mr.  SeckendorfF  mentions 
 as  no  defpicabie  v.oik,  but  we  very  feldoni  meet  with  it.  It  is 
 rot  long  lince  Mr.  i'^ntoppidan,  Bifhop  of  Bergen  in  Norway, 
 publiihed  a  very  complete  and  excellent  work,  on  this  fubjetS, 
 called  the  Annalcs  Ecclefias  Danicse  deplomata,  in  4  vol.  410. 
 printed  at  Copenhagen.  See  alfo  in  Mr.  Geddes's  Hilloria 
 Evang.  the  hiilory  of  the  Reformation  in  Denmark. 
 
 much 
 
38     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 much  difficulty  to  attain  the  inheritance  he  was  in- 
 titled  to  by  his  birth.  As  foon  as  he  found  himfelf 
 confirmed  in  it,  he  began  to  reprefs  the  attempts  of 
 the  refractory  Billiops,  and  greatly  diminifhed  the 
 authority  they  had  abufed  to  his  prejudice.  He  fent 
 afterwards  from  Wittenberg,  in  1537.  ^^^  ^"  ^^" 
 cellent  divine,  born  in  Pomerania,  named  John 
 Bugenhagen,  an  intimate  friend  and  collegue  of 
 Luiher  •,  to  this  clergyman  he  gave  the  power  of 
 regulating  every  thing  that  concerned  religion,  a 
 talk  which  he  performed  with  indefatigable  zeal, 
 and  great  fuccefs.  He  had  alfo  the  honour  to 
 crov/n  the  King  and  Queen.  At  length,  at  the 
 diet  of  Odenfee,  held  in  the  year  1539.  the  laft 
 hand  was  put  to  this  ufeful  work  of  the  Refor- 
 mation, the  fenators  of  the  kingdom  fully  con- 
 firming and  folcmnly  ratifying  every  thing  that 
 had  been  done  in  this  affair. 
 
 ARTICLE        V. 
 
 History  of  the  Reformation  in  France. 
 
 TH  E  genuine  gofpel  dodtrine  preached  by 
 the  Reformers  in  Germany  and  SwiiTerland, 
 v/as  foon  carried  into  France  %  where  it  met 
 with  a  very  favourable  reception,  principally  upon 
 account  of  the  tafte  of  Francis  I.  for  letters,  and 
 His  great  liberality  to  men  of  learning.  Thisdif- 
 pofition  of  the  Prince  being  well  known,  brought 
 many  flrangers  into  France,  amongft  whom  were 
 a  great  many  promoters  of  the  Reformation,  and, 
 
 a  The  hiilory  of  the  Reformation  in  France,  which  is  full  of 
 moft  remarkable  events,  has  been  written  by  many  very  ex- 
 cellei^t  authors,  moll  of  whom  are  fo  well  known  that  it  would 
 be  unnecefTary  to  enumerate  them.  Confult  alio  Mr.  Salig,  in 
 hi-^  Hiitor.  ConfelT.  Auguil.  lib.  v.  ch.  q.  and  the  4th  of  Mr. 
 Gcddes's  work,  where  he  has  carried  this  hiftory  to  the  death 
 of  i'  rancis  i.  and,  Mr.  Sali?  to  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
 Charles  IX. 
 
 as 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     39 
 
 as  the  firft  Reformers  wrote  with  infinitely  more 
 elegance  and  learning  than  they  had  been  accuf- 
 tomed  to  in  thofe  times,  their  writings  had  an  ex- 
 traordinary run  in  this  kingdom,  and  were  read 
 with  all  imaginable  eagernefs.  Thefe  books  fully 
 convinced  many  fenfible  perfons  of  the  neceffity  of 
 a  Reformation,  and  infpired  ihem  with  the  moil  ar- 
 dent defire  of  a  revolution  to  take  place,  which 
 had  been  for  a  very  long  time  much  expedled,  and 
 earneftly  willied  for. 
 
 The  univerfity  of  Paris  had  indeed  pronounced 
 in  1 52 1,  a  very  fevere  cenfure  ^  on  Luther  and 
 his  writings ;  hovvever,  amongd  even  the  learned 
 themfelves,  there  were  many  who  greatly  favoured 
 the  doftrine  contained  in  the  writings  of  this  Re- 
 former and  thofe  of  Melan6lhon.  The  firft  be- 
 ginnings of  the  Reformation  were  at  Meaux,  near 
 to  Pans,  where,  under  the  prote<51:ion  of  William 
 Briflbnet,  Biiliop  of  that  city,  James  le  Fevre  de 
 Etaples,  "William  f  arel,  Gerard  le  Roux,  and 
 Ibme  others,  endeavoured  to  bring  to  light  the 
 errors,  fuperftitions,  and  fcandalous  abufes  of  the 
 Roman  church  ;  and  they  formed  in  this  city  an 
 aflfembly  or  church  of  the  Reformed.  The  report 
 of  this  novelty  being  foon  fpread  throughout  all 
 France,  the  Parliament  thought  it  neceffary  to 
 take  cognizance  of  it  in  1523.  and  to  proceed  to 
 a  fevere  examination.  John  ie  Clerk,  who,  they 
 fay,  was  formerly  a  Wool-comber,  was  then  the 
 Minifter  of  this  new  church  •,  him  they  feized, 
 whipped,  marked  v/ith  a  hot  iron,  and  baniilied 
 the  city.  He  fought  an  afylum  at  Metz,  where  he 
 foon  afcer  fuffcred  death.  The  reft  of  the  church 
 of  Meaux  was  diiperfed  throughout  all  France. 
 The   Bifliop,    in  order  to  free  himfelf  from  the 
 
 a  The  cenfure  is  inferted  in  the  appendix  to  the  IVth  vol, 
 of  Mr.  Geddes,  n.  2.  p.  10.  It  ib  inticled  Determ.  Facul. 
 Theol.  Parificn'fis  luper  dodrina  Lutheiana, 
 
 danger 
 
40    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 danger  threatened,  aflembled  a  fynod,  in  which  he 
 condemned  the  opinions  of  the  Reformed.  James 
 le  Fevre  and  Gerard  le  Roux  endeavoured  to  fave 
 themfelves  by  flight,  and  went  to  Margaret  Qiieen 
 of  Navarre,  filler  to  Francis  I.  This  Princefs,  for 
 whom  the  King  her  brother  had  a  great  aff'eftion, 
 very  much  favoured  the  Reformed,  many  of  whom 
 file  protected . 
 
 Under  her  aufpices,  the  number  of  the  promo- 
 ters of  the  true  doctrine  greatly  increafed  in  Berne 
 and  Guienne,  and  many  churches  were  there  found- 
 ed with  a  regular  form  of  worfhip  and  lawful  Mi- 
 nifters.  The  Bifliops  of  France  fo  greatly  com- 
 plained of  the  proceedings  of  Margaret  to  the 
 King,  that  he  called  his  hfter  to  hear  her  on  this 
 fubjed:.  At  firft  he  feemed  to  liften  very  favour- 
 ably to  the  projefls  Ihe  offered  to  him  for  a  Re- 
 formation, and  to  confent  to  treat  with  mildnefs 
 all  thofe  whom  (he.  recommended.  But,  after- 
 wards, principally  upon  the  inftigation  of  Cardi- 
 nal de  Tournon,  the  Monarch  changed  his  mea- 
 fures,  and  ferioufly  commanded  Margaret,  for  the 
 future,  to  fhun  thefe  innovators.  He  even  carried 
 his  rigour  fo  far  as  cruelly  to  punifh  the  Luthe- 
 rans, for  fo  they  called  all  thofe  who  receded  from 
 the  dodlrine  of  the  Roman  church.  The  Protef- 
 tant  Princes  interceded  in  their  favour,  but  with- 
 out any  fuccefs.  Piles  were  prepared  and  lighted 
 throughout  all  France,  and  many  generous  mar- 
 tyrs expired  in  the  midft  of  flames. 
 
 The  heat  of  this  perfecution  again  revived,  when, 
 in  1534.  fome  of  the  Reformed  had  the  impru- 
 dence to  fpread  about  little  billets,  in  which  the 
 mafs  was  pardcularly  attacked,  and  fixed  them 
 even  on  the  gates  of  the  palace  where  Francis 
 ufually  refided.  The  cruelties  exercifed  on  the 
 defenders  of  this  new  do6lrine  then  redoubled,  and 
 Jafl:ed  during  the  life  of  that  Monarch,   Thofe  who 
 
 became 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     41 
 
 became  particularly  the  vidims  of  thefe  cruelties, 
 were  the  Vaudois  difperfed  and  concealed  in  the 
 mountains  of  Languedoc  and  Provence,  where 
 they  thought  themfelves  fecure  of  finding  a  fafe 
 retreat.  Thefe  were  the  fame  Vaudois  whofe 
 aflbciation  with  the  Swifs  we  before  mentioned. 
 The  Catholics  attacked  them  with  great  fury  in 
 154':;.  and  I'preading  themfelves  in  the  villages 
 where  they  dwelled,  the  principal  of  which  were 
 Merindol  and  Cabrieres,  they  made  fo  frightful 
 a  (laughter,  that  Francis  I.  on  his  death  bed,  felt  a 
 real  horror  for  thefe  exceffes,  and  charged  his 
 fucceffor  to  make  a  very  exaft  inquiry  into  the 
 affair. 
 
 This  fucceffor  was  Henry  11.  who,  conformable 
 to  the  requeft  of  his  father,  proceeded  according 
 to  law  againft  the  principal  authors  of  the  maffa- 
 cre  of  the  Vaudois,  and  punilhed  them  with  all 
 the  rigour  their  crimes  deferved  -,  but,  notwith- 
 ilanding  that,  the  innocent  confeffors  of  the  gof- 
 pel  were  as  much  difturbed  and  tormented,  as 
 under  the  reign  of  Francis  I.  Some,  even  of  the 
 counfellors  of  the  parliament  of  Paris,  felt 
 the  effeds  of  this  animofity  againft  the  true  reli- 
 gion ;  and  the  King  was  juft  projecting  a  bloody 
 execution  of  them,  when  a  period  was  put  to 
 his  life  by  the  v;ound  he  received  at  Tournay  in 
 1559.  In  the  n.idit  of  all  thefe  perfecutions,  the 
 number  of  the  faithful  greatly  increafed,  and  many 
 churches  were  eftablilhed  in  the  different  pro- 
 vinces of  the  kingdom  of  France  upon  the  plan 
 of  the  church  of  Geneva,  founded  by  Calvin. 
 
 Many  of  the  principal  bifhops  of  the  Galilean 
 church  favoured  this  do6lrine,  and  even  fome 
 Princes  of  the  blood,  and  many  Nobles  of  the  firft 
 quality,  made  no  fcruple  openly  to  profefs  it :  Such 
 were    ii.nthuny  of  Bourbon,    King    of  Navarre, 
 
 Lewis 
 
42      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Lewis  Prince   of  Conde^  his  brother.    Admiral 
 Coligny,  the  Duke  of  Rohan,  &c. 
 
 A  little  time  after  the  death  of  Henry  11.  the 
 reformed  churches  of  France  held  their  lirll  na- 
 tional fynod  at  Paris  %  and  there  drew  up  their 
 confefTion  of  faith  ^. 
 
 Francis  II ".  the  eldeft  fon  of  Henry,  fucceeded 
 to  the  throne,  a  young  Prince,  weak  both  in  body 
 and  mind  -,  during  whofe  reign  the  government 
 was  entierly  in  the  hands  of  his  mother,  Catherine 
 of  Medicis.  Thofe  who  had  the  moil  influence 
 in  the  councils  were  the  Dukes  of  Guife  uncles 
 by  the  mother's  fide,  to  Mary  Stuart,  Qiieen  of 
 Scotland,  and  wife  to  Francis  II.  The  Princes  of 
 the  blood  were  jealous  of  the  power  of  the  Guiles, 
 thinking,  with  great  juftice,  that  the  adminiftra- 
 tion  of  affairs  ought  rather  to  belong  to  them 
 than  to  Princes  of  a  foreign  race,  the  (iuife's  be- 
 ing of  the  houfd  of  Lorrain.  Thefe  were  the  pre- 
 ludes of  the  long  troubles,  and  the  bloody  civil 
 wars,  which  delolated  France.  The  Guifes,  un- 
 der pretence  of  fupporting  the  ancient  religion, 
 attended  folely  to  their  own  intereft,  and  the 
 maintenance  of  their  authority.  Things  at  laft 
 came  to  a  point,  the  Princes  of  the  blood,  and 
 the  principal  Reformed  Nobles,  having  at  their 
 head  Lewis  of  Bourbon,  Prince  of  Conde,  made 
 an  alTociaticn,  commonly  called  the  league  or 
 conl'piracy  of  Amboife,  from  the  place  where  it 
 was   concluded,  in  which  they   propofed  to  take 
 
 ^  The  afts  of  this  fynod  are  to  be  found  in  the  fynodes  na- 
 tlonaux  des  Eglifes  de  France,  by  Mr.  Amyon,  Vol.  I.  &c. 
 
 *>  This  is  the  fame  they  have  inferted  into  the  colle6lion 
 des  confeffions  de  foi,  printed  at  Geneva  in  1654.  Parti,  p. 
 77.  .At  the  end  of  the  Sth  and  9th  of  this  coUeftion,  they 
 have  put,  b}'  a  falfe  iniprefiion,  the  year  1569.  inftead  of 
 1589. 
 
 c  See  the  elegant  dramatic  work  of  Mr.  Prefident  Henault, 
 called  Francis  II. 
 
 thfe 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     43 
 
 the  King  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Guifes,  and  in- 
 tirely  to  crufli  them  :  But  by  the  difcovery  of 
 this  projed,  ahnofl  all  thofe  who  were  engaged 
 in  it,  loft  their  lives,  and  even  the  Prince  of 
 Conde.had  much  difficulty  to  fave  his.  He  was- 
 detained  in  prifon  ;  but  by  '-he  death  of  the  King, 
 which  happened  foon  after,  he  regained  his  li- 
 berty, and  the  face  of  things  was  intirely 
 changed. 
 
 Charles  IX.  brother  to  the  deceafed,  fucceed- 
 cd  to  the  throne  by  hereditary  right ;  but  he 
 being  no  more  than  ten  years  old,  the  power 
 ftill  remained  in  the  hands  of  Catherine.  We 
 cannot  exprefs  how  fatal  to  France  the  govern- 
 ment of  this  woman  was,  one  of  the  moft  artful 
 and  perfidious  that  ever  exifted.  However,  Pro- 
 vidence direded  things  in  a  manner  favourable 
 to  the  intereft  of  the  Reformed  party.  In  effed, 
 the  Qiieen  Mother,  who  was  become  jealous 
 of  the  exceflive  power  of  the  Guifes,  and,  fear- 
 ed them,  embraced,  though  conftrained  indeed 
 by  a  kind  of  neceffity  the  party  of  the  Bour- 
 bons, and  Admiral  Coligny,  ferved  herielf  at 
 their  counfcls,  and  treated  favourably  thofe  whofe 
 ■caufe  they  fupported.  To  do  them  fervice,  fhe 
 held  a  conference  at  Poifly,  at  which  the  King, 
 ■with  his  whole  Court,  afTifted.  The  defign  of 
 this  conference  was  to  find  out  the  moft  likely 
 means  to  conciliate  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Pro- 
 teftant  churches.  1  hofe  of  the  Reformed  party 
 who  came  there,  were  Theodore  Beza,  Peter 
 Martyr,  Auftin  Marlorat,  and  fome  others  :  The 
 Catholic  caufe  was  fupported  by  the  Cardinals 
 Tournon  and  Lorrain,  (econded  by  the  Dodors 
 Claude  de  Efpance,  and  Claude  Santys,  and  by 
 James   Leinez,  General  of  the  order  of  Jefuits  ^ 
 
 a  The  hi ftory  of  this  famous  conference  is  to  be  found  \xi 
 the  works  of  many  writers,  particularly  in  Mr.  Salig's  hiftor. 
 <:onf.  Aug.  Vol.  111.  Lib.  lo.  Ch.  VII. 
 
 The 
 
44    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 The  controverly  refpecfted  many  points,  fo  that 
 this  conference  was  not  intirely  unprofitable  -, 
 however  they  could  not,  by  this  means,  obtain 
 either  for  the  prefent  or  future  the  re-eftablilh- 
 mentof  the  defired  concord.  When  the  Reformed 
 were  retired,  the  Prelates  in  the  intereft  of  the 
 x:ourt,  that  they  might  not  appear  wholly  unat- 
 tentive  to  the  demands  that  had  been  made,  re- 
 quefted  the  Pope  to  permit  the  communion  to  be 
 celebrated  in  both  forts,  and  to  allow  the  Clergy 
 to  marry.  The  Pope  rejcdled  theie  propofitions, 
 and  they  were  not  better  received  at  the  council 
 of  Trent,  which  was  then  affembled  -,  neither  did 
 they  pay  any  regard  to  them,  notwithftanding  the 
 folicitations  of  thefe  creatures  of  the  French  court. 
 All  they  would  allow  the  Reformed,  were  two 
 edi6ls  for  their  fecurity,  the  firit  of  which  was 
 called  the  edidt  of  July,  becaufe  it  was  given  in 
 that  month  in  156 1.  and  the  fecond  that  of  Janu- 
 ary, becaufe  it  was  dated  in  this  month  1562. 
 Thefe  edids  granted  them  fome  privileges  with 
 relation  to  the  liberty  of  their  confciences,  and 
 the  exercife  of  their  religion. 
 
 Thefe  advantages  redoubled  the  jealoufy  and 
 hatred  of  their  enemies.  To  oppofe,  and,  if  it 
 was  pofiible,  to  deftroy  objects  fo  odious  to  them, 
 three  of  the  principal  Catholic  Lords,  the  Con- 
 ftable  of  Montmorency,  the  Duke  of  Guife,  and 
 the  Marchal  of  St.  Andrew  formed  a  kind  of 
 league  or  triumvirate,  which  Anthony  of  Bour- 
 bon, King  of  Nava-re,  who  had  been  till  then 
 the  Chief  of  the  Reformed,  had  the  weaknefs  to 
 join.  Their  defign  was,  by  thus  uniting  all  their 
 ftrcngth,  to  extirpate  what  they  called  herefy. 
 Lewis  Prince  of  Conde,  and  brother  to  the  King 
 of  Navarre,  and  Admiral  Coiigny,  one  of  the 
 greateft  men  whom  ever  France  produced,  and 
 who  .had  great  authority   throughout  the  whole 
 
 kingdom, 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     45 
 
 kingdom,  took  meafures  to  oppofe  thele  violent 
 attempts,  and  to  maintain  the  rights  and  liberties 
 of  the  Reformed.  Things  continued  for  fome 
 time  in  fufpence,  but  in  iuch  a  (late  of  fermenta- 
 tion that  muft  infalHbly  end  in  a  civil  war.  The 
 fignal  was  given,  by  the  tragical  fcene  of  the  maf- 
 facre  of  Vaily,  in  v/hich  fixty  perfons  of  the  Re- 
 formed church  of  the  little  city  of  Champaign, 
 during  the  time  of  divine  worfiiip,  were  miferably 
 cut  to  pieces  in  1562.  by  the  foldiers  of  the  Duke 
 of  Guife,  and  under  the  very  eyes  of  that  cruel 
 Prince. 
 
 Both  parties  took  arms,  and,  in  the  courfe  of  a 
 year,  they  fought  a  bloody  battle  near  Dreux. 
 The  Reformed  were  defeated,  and  the  Prince  of 
 Conde  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  ;  and 
 they  on  their  fide  loft  the  Marchal  of  St.  Andrew, 
 who  was  killed  in  the  adion,  and  the  Conftable 
 of  Montmorency  was  taken  prifoner,  and  brought 
 to  Orleans.  A  little  time  before,  the  King  of 
 Navarre,  who  was  now  become,  as  we  have  al- 
 ready obferved,  the  chief  of  the  Catholics,  took 
 the  great  and  opulent  city  of  Rouen,  then  full  of 
 the  Reformed,  whom  he  treated  in  a  moft  un- 
 worthy manner  ;  he  there  loft  his  life.  In  the 
 beginning  of  the  year  1533.  the  Duke  of  Guife 
 laid  fiege  to  the  ciry  of  Orleans,  which  was  the 
 principal  place  of  the  Reformed  ;  but  whilft  he 
 was  vigorouQy  purfuing  the  fiege,  an  alTaflin, 
 named  Poltrot,  put  a  period  to  his  days.  He  ad- 
 vifed  the  Queen,  when  he  was  dying,  to  make 
 peace,  which  foon  after  followed,  and  granted  to 
 the  Reformed  the  free  exercife  of  their  religion, 
 which  they  had  once  before  obtained. 
 
 Unfortunately  they  did  not  enjoy,  for  a  long 
 time,  this  return  of  public  Tranquility.  The  Re- 
 formed having  conceived  juft  fufpicions  that 
 France  was  uniting  with  Spain,  in  order  to  op- 
 
 prefs 
 
4S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 prefs  and  deftroy  them,  took  arms  in  1567.  and 
 not  without  fuccefs.  The  battle  of  St.  Denis, 
 near  to  Paris,  fought  in  the  ccurfe  of  this  war, 
 was  very  bloody  ;  and  though  the  Prince  of 
 Conde,  being  inferior  in  number,  was  obHged  to 
 retreat,  yet  the  Catholic  party  received  a  fatal 
 blow  in  the  lofs  of  their  chief,  the  Conftablc  of 
 Montmorency,  the  laft  of  the  Triumvirs.  In  the 
 year  1568.  peace  was  again  reftored,  they  be- 
 ing willing  to  flop  the  progrefs  of  the  Reform- 
 ed, who  had  taken  many  very  important  places  ; 
 amontl  others  Rochelle,  and  they  vvere  upon  the 
 point  of  having  Chartres  fall  into  their  hands. 
 This  peace  lalted  only  for  three  years,  when 
 it  was  followed  by  a  third  war.  The  Reform- 
 cd  were  defeated  at  Jernac  and  Moncontour,  the 
 Prince  of  Conde  was  cowardly  killed  in  the  firil 
 of  thefe  adions  j  and  all  appeared  to  tend  to 
 the  ruin  of  the  party,  if  they  had  not  found 
 in  Admiral  Coligny  llifiicient  refources,  not  only 
 to  fupport  their  caufe,  but  even  to  put  things 
 /en  fo  good  a  footing,  that  in  1570.  the  Ca- 
 tholics were  obliged  to  conclude  a  new  peace, 
 in  which  all  that  had  been  before  granted,  was 
 again  confirmed,  and  they  allowed  the  Proteftants, 
 for  their  more  certain  fecurity,  four  fortified  places, 
 namely,  Rochelle,  Montauban,  Cognac,  and  la 
 Charite. 
 
 Whilfl  peace  thus  feemed  to  be  fettled  on  the 
 mod  folid  and  durable  foundation,  the  Reformed 
 found  themfelves  on  the  declivity  of  a  moll  fright- 
 ful precipice,  from  which  they  foon  fell.  They 
 had,  however,  dill  time  to  alTemble  one  of  their 
 mod  celebrated  national  fynods  %  which  was  held 
 at  Rochelle  in  1571.  and  at  which  Theodore  Beza 
 prefided,    whom  they  fent  for  from  Geneva  for 
 
 *  See  tlie  colkftioacf  Amyon,  lefore  cited. 
 
 that 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  47 
 that  purpofe.  The  confefTion  of  faith,  which  the 
 Reformed  churches  of  France  had  drawn  up  in 
 1559.  was  there  confirmed  and  figned  by  all 
 thofe  who  affifled  at  the  fynod  ;  amongit  others 
 by  the  Qaieen  Jane  of  Navarre,  by  Henry  of 
 Bourbon,  afterwards  King  of  France  and  Na- 
 varre, by  the  Prince  of  Conde,  by  the  Count 
 Lewis  of  NalTau,  and  by  Admiral  Coligny,  and 
 by  many  other  Nobles.  At  the  fame  time.  King 
 Charles  IX.  expreiled  a  particular  regard  for  the 
 Admiral,  and  for  other  confiderable  perfons  among 
 the  Reformed  •,  but  the  event  foon  declared,  tliac 
 thefe  fair  profeffions  were  only  a  cover  for  the 
 moft  odious  of  all  perfidies,  and  that  they 
 endeavoured  to  deceive  them,  that  they  might 
 afterwards  more  eafily  furprife  and  exterminate 
 them. 
 
 The  marriage  of  Flenry,  King  of  Navarre,  with 
 Margaret,  filler  to  Charles  IX.  being  concluded, 
 Coiigny,  and  the  principal  of  the  Reformed 
 throughout  the  kingdom  were  invited  to  the  cele- 
 bration of  the  nuptials.  All  thefe  unfortunate 
 vidtims  came  in  confidence  to  the  altar,  which 
 was  foon  afterwards  to  be  waihed  with  their  blood. 
 St.  Bartholomew  was  the  day  fixed  for  the  executi* 
 on  ;  a  horrid  day  that  ought  never  to  be  mention- 
 ed in  the  annals  of  France.  Upon  a  certain  fignal, 
 a  party  of  vile  afi^aflins,  at  the  head  of  whom  was 
 Henry,  fon  of  Francis,  Duke  of  Guife,  attacked 
 at*once  all  the  Reformed  difperfed  throughout  the 
 whole  city  of  Paris.  The  firft  vidim  of  their 
 brutality  was  Admiral  Coligny,  to  whom  the  King 
 for  fome  time,  and  particularly  for  the  days  pre- 
 ceding, had  Ihewn  every  mark  of  efleem  and  con- 
 fidence, calling  him  father.  This  great  man, 
 whole  very  countenance  at  firft  infpired  the  exe- 
 cutioners with  refpeft,  became  a  prey  to  their  rage, 
 as  his  body  did  to  a  vile  populace,  who  treated 
 
 it 
 
4S     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 it  with  every  kind  of  indignity.  After  the  de- 
 plorable fate  of  this  hero,  fix  thoufand  others 
 were  put  to  death,  without  diftindion  of  age, 
 fex  or  rank.  It  was  with  difEculty  that  ITenry 
 of  Navarre,  brother-in-law  to  the  King,  and 
 his  coufin  Henry,  Prince  of  Conde,  efcaped  this 
 danger  •,  and  that  only  by  abjuring,  greatly  againft 
 their  confciences,  the  religion  they  had  till  then 
 profelTed.  In  virtue  of  thefe  orders  of  the 
 King,  all  the  other  cities  of  France,  where  there 
 were  any  of  the  Reformed,  became  a  fcene  of 
 horror,  wliich  lafted  for  two  months,  and  de- 
 ilroyed  more  than  thirty  thouland  people.  The 
 Catholics  themielves,  at  leaft  thole  who  had  any 
 principles  of  humanity  and  religion,  have  al- 
 ways detefted  this  molt  odious  attempt :  But  the 
 court  of  Rome  publicly  triumph  in  it,  being  in 
 their  opinion  a  mofl  heroic  and  pious  adion. 
 
 The  Reformed  were  not  call:  down  at  this  un- 
 expected blow.  Their  affairs  loon  prolpcred,  and'. 
 their  power  fo  greatly  increafed,  that  they  v/ere 
 able  to  renew  the  war  in  the  following  year 
 1573  \  The  King  immediately  publiflied  edi6ts, 
 in  wlfich  he  exhorted  them  to  continue  quiet, 
 promifing  them  fecurity,  and  a  free  exercife  of 
 their  religion ;  but  experience  had  proved  to 
 them  how  little  they  could  trult  to  fuch  promifes. 
 Attentive  now  to  their  prefervation,  they  forti- 
 fied (till  better  the  places  ceded  to  them  by  the 
 peace,  and  the  new  ones  they  had  taken,  they 
 put  like  wife  into  a  Itate  of  defence.  All  the^ 
 firatagems  their  enemies  put  in  pradtice  to  dif- 
 pofiels  them  of  thefe  places,  were  inefFe6tual ; 
 to  that  the  court  at  length  refolved  to  proceed  to 
 • 
 
 a  The  Abbe  Cavclrac  has  dared  very  lately  to  juftify  the 
 affair  of  St.  Bartholomew,  in  his  apology  of  Lewis  XIY.  &c.- 
 biit  chis  violent  writer  terrified  all  thofe  who  read  him,  and. 
 was  himfelf  banilhed  in  recompence  for  his  zea.1. 
 
 violence.. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    49 
 
 violence.  They  railed  an  army,  and  gave  the  coni- 
 mand  of  it  to  the  Duke  of  Alcnfon,  bmthtr  to 
 the  King.  The  cities  of  Sancerre  and  llochelle, 
 which  were  befieged  by  this  army,  endc^'-eo,  with 
 incredible  patience,  the  horrors  of  the  moft  dread- 
 ful famine,  and  all  the  attacks  of  the  enemies, 
 a  great  number  of  whom  alfo  perifhed.  Happily 
 for  the  Reformed,  during  the  fiege  of  Rochelle, 
 the  throne  of  Poland  became  vacant,  and  the 
 Diike  of  Alencon  was  ofrered  the  crown  ;  this 
 brought  about  a  new  peace  for  the  Proteftant 
 party,  which  was  in  efi^eft  concluded.  In  the 
 year  following,  1574.  war  would  certainly  have 
 broke  out  again,  if  the  death  of  Charles  had  noc 
 intervened. 
 
 Upon  the  death  of  this  Monarch,  Henry  III. 
 returned  from  Poland  into  France.  Upon  his 
 arrival,  the  necefTity  of  his  affairs  obliged  him  to 
 treat  with  the  Reformed,  and  to  grant  them  in 
 1577.  a  more  advantageous  and  honourable  peace 
 than  any  of  the  preceding.  They'  had  then  rea- 
 foli  to  hope,  that  the  Reformed  religion  would, 
 for  the  future,  flourifli,  and  be  firmly  eftabliflied, 
 but  the  Catholics,  at  the  inftigation  of  the  Pope, 
 and  under  the  protection  of  the  Guifes,  in  con- 
 tempt of  the  royal  authority,  entered  into  an  affo- 
 ciation,  which  the  hiftorians  of  that  time  called  the 
 League  ;  the  principal  inftitution  of  which  was 
 the  iupport  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  and 
 the  intire  deilrudion  of  herefy.  This  fatal  league 
 was  a  fource  of  infinite  troubles.  Though  the 
 Reformed  religion  was  odious  to  it's  authors, 
 yet  the  motive  of  their  aftions  was  not  fo  much  a 
 zeal  for  religion,  as  the  defire  of  raifmg  them- 
 felves.  The  Guifes  had  long  indulged  the  am- 
 bitious hopes  of  afcending  the  throne,  by  the 
 cxtinclion  of  the  race  of  Valois,  and  the  exclu- 
 fion  of  that  of  Bourbon,  to  whom  it  belonged 
 
 Vol.  II.  E  bx 
 
50     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 by  the  right  of  fucoefllon.  Henry  III.  v;as  ac- 
 quainted with  all  thefe  intrigues,  and  fenfible  of 
 what  he  had  to  fear  from  them  ;  but  this  Prince 
 had  neither  the  prudence,  nor  the  lelblution  ne- 
 ceflary  to  avert  the  ilorm  that  was  forming 
 againft  him. 
 
 He  conceived  however,  that  it  was  his  intereft 
 to  a£t  mildly  with  the  Reformed,  v/hich  induced 
 him  to  make  the  peace  before  mentioned,  that 
 was  concluded  at  Bergerac.  Finding  their  ene- 
 mies continually  violated  the  treaty,  about  three 
 years  after,  the  King  of  Navarre,  and  the  Prince 
 of  Conde  again  took  arms,  but  Plenry  III.  fearing 
 the  entrance  of  the  German  troops  into  his  do- 
 minions, whom  they  had  called  in  to  their  afTift- 
 ance,  offered  tl\em  peace  a  little  time  after  upon 
 the  conditions  of  the  lafi  treaties,  the  public 
 tranquility  was  eafily  reftored  in  the  courfe  of 
 the  fame  year  1580.  Thmgswenton  very  qui- 
 etly for  fome  of  the  following  years  ;  but  the 
 minds  of  each  party  being  equally  foured,  and 
 the  league  not  only  {till  fubfifted,  but  every  day 
 acquired  new  ftrength,  the  Reformed  thought 
 themfelves  alfo  obliged  not  to  negled  any  thing 
 that  could  procure  for  them  full  lecurity.  The 
 means  that  both  parties  took  to  arrive  at  their 
 different  ends,  foon  produced  a  new  war,  which 
 was  renewed  with  more  vigour  than  ever  on  both 
 fides.  The  King  of  Navarre,  the  chief,  and  foul 
 of  the  Reformed,  gained  a  glorious  viftory  over 
 the  Roman  Catholics,  near  to  Courtras,  in  1587. 
 The  King  of  France  himfelf,  convinced  that  thefe 
 leaguers  were  no  better  friends  to  them  than  to 
 the  Reformed  i  and,  having  often  experienced 
 their  underhand  defigns,  took  at  laft,  though 
 much  too  late,  a  firm  refolution  to  oppofe  in  per- 
 fon,  and  to  deilroy  fo  dangerous  a  fadlion.  How- 
 -  3pver,  he  took  a  ftep  that  was  vaftly  more  contrary 
 
 than 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    51 
 
 than  favourable  to  his  defigns,  which  was  tha 
 airafTination  of  the  two  principal  heads  of  the 
 league,  Henry  Duke  of  Guile,  and  the  Cardi- 
 nal his  brother,  at  the  ftates  of  Blois,  whom  he 
 cauled  to  be  murdered  in  the  very  palace  where 
 they  lodged.  He  himlelf  foon  after  experienced 
 the  i'ame  fate  •,  coming  in  1589.  to  lay  fiege  to  the 
 capital,  which  refufed  to  fubmit  to  him,  he  was 
 ftabbed  in  his  tent  by  an  emiflary  of  the  leaguers. 
 The  family  of  the  Valois  ceafed  in  Henry,  and 
 the  right  of  fuccelTion  was,  as  we  before  obferv- 
 ed,  in  the  houfe  of  Bourbon.  Henry,  King  of 
 Navarre,  was  the  head  of  this  family,  a  Prince 
 detefted  by  the  Guifes,  and  difliked  by  the  Ca- 
 tholics in  general,  upon  account  of  his  religion. 
 This  great  Monarch  fupported  for  four  years  his 
 rights  againil  the  leaguers  with  amazing  va- 
 lour and  prudence.  But  notwithilanding  his  ef- 
 forts, and  the  goodnefs  of  his  caufe,  religion 
 formed  fuch  a  barrier  to  the  throne,  as  could 
 never  be  got  over  ;  which  determined  him  at  lail, 
 in  1593.  to  embrace  the  Roman  Catholic  reli- 
 gion, in  the  profeflion  of  which  he  ever  after- 
 wards continued.  He  however  protefted  his  old 
 fjriends  the  Reformed,  by  granting  them  in  1  ;^gS. 
 the  celebrated  edi6t  of  Nantz,  by  which  their 
 rights,  the  liberty  of  their  confciences,  and  the 
 exercife  of  their  religion  were  fettled,  and  con- 
 firmed in  the  mod  authentic  manner,  which  ought 
 to  have  been  inviolable,  as  that  good  King 
 gave  it  the  title  of  the  perpetual  and  irrevoca- 
 ble edia. 
 
 E2  ARTICLE 
 
52     ECCLESIASTICAL  mSTORY, 
 
 ARTICLE    VL 
 
 History    of  the  Refohmation    in  En^gland 
 and  Scotland. 
 
 TH  E  ifland  of  Great-Britain%  as  well  as  the 
 other  countries  of  Europe,  had  the  hap- 
 pinefs  to  receive  that  heavenly  light  which  was 
 deftined  to  remove  the  darknefs  of  ignorance  and 
 fuperftitjon,  and  which,  though  Ihe  at  firfl.-  had 
 much  difficulty  to  difpel,  yet  (he  at  lail  accom- 
 plifhed  it  in  the  moft  happy  and  complete  manner. 
 The  Reformation  began,  and  extended  itlelf  in 
 Germany  and  SwifTerland,  at  the  time  Henry  VIII. 
 polfefTed  the  throne  of  England.  This  Monarch 
 was  at  jBrft  difplealed  at  this  apparent  innovation. 
 He  wrote  a  work  againll  Luther,  for  which  Pope 
 Leo  X.  gave  him  the  title  of  Defender  of  the 
 Faith.  He  went  ftill  farther,  and  invented  the 
 moft  cruel  puniihments  for  thofe  who  would  in- 
 troduce any  change  in  matters  of  religion.  But 
 the  difference  he  had  afterwards  with  Pope  Cle- 
 ment VII.  obliged  him,  though  againft  his  will, 
 and  when  he  leaft  intended  it,  to  open  the  door 
 to  the  Reformation. 
 
 Henry,  when  young,  had  married  Catherine 
 ,of  Arragon,  the  widow  of  his  brother  Arthur, 
 with  whom  he  had  lived  for  along  time  in  perfecft 
 union  ;  but  having  afterwards  conceived  fome 
 diilike  to  her,  making  fern  pies  ofconfcience  his 
 pretence,  he  demanded  with  much  importunity, 
 
 *  BiOiop  Burnet's  liiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  England 
 is  well  known.  The  reader  will  likewife  find  a  very  clear 
 and  good  account  of  this  important  point,  as  well  as  the 
 church  hiftory  of  England  in  general  in  Dr.  Warner's  Eccle- 
 fialUcal  Hiftory  of  England. 
 
 of 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  53. 
 of  Clement  V^il.  in  1527.  a  difpenfation  for  a 
 divorce. 
 
 The  Pope  would  readily  have  agreed  to  the 
 requefl:  of  this  Prince  who  had  done  fo  many  con- 
 fiderable  fervices  to  the  Roman  church,  if  he  had 
 not  feared  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  to  whom  the 
 Queen  of  England  was  aunt  by  the  mother's  fide. 
 He  found  himfelf  much  embarrafled,  wifhing 
 greatly  to  retain  the  efteem  and  good-will  of  the 
 Englilh  Monarch.  He  therefore  flattered  and 
 amuied  him  by  giving  him  the  moft  favourable 
 hopes  ;  at  the  fame  time,  lengthening  out  the 
 affair  as  much  as  pofiible,  and  raifmg  continually 
 new  incidents,  fo  that  the  King  was  for  many 
 years  kept  in  fufpence,  without  being  able  to  ob- 
 tain a  decifion, 
 
 Whiift  Henry  was  wearying  himfelf  in  folicit- 
 ing  the  court  of  Rome,  Thomas  Cranmer,  a 
 Cambridge  divine,  found  a  method  to  bring  the 
 affair  to  a  fpeedy  iffue  •,  this  was,  not  to  give 
 themfelves  any  farther  trouble  about  the  judg-- 
 ment  of  the  Pope,  which  they  could  never  ob- 
 tain, but  to  apply  themfelves  to  the  moft  cele- 
 brated divines,  and  the  principal  univerfities  of 
 Europe  for  advice. 
 
 The  King  was  pleafed  with  the  thought,  and 
 refolved  to  follow  it.  Cranmer  at  the  flime  time 
 wrote  a  work  tending  to  prove  that  the  King's 
 marriage  was  null  and  void.  He  went  alio,  by 
 order  of  his  mafter,  into  France,  Italy  and  Ger- 
 many, to  carry  on  the  affair  for  which  the  King 
 had  given  himfelf  fo  much  trouble,  but  which, 
 at  laft,  turned  out  to  his  fatisfadion.  Cranmer 
 having  occafion  to  confer  in  Germany  with 
 fome  Proteftant  divines,  became  confirmed  in 
 the  difadvantageous  ideas  he  had  conceived  of 
 the  Roman  church.  They  add,  that  at  Nurem- 
 berg he  contra6led  an  intimate  friendfliip  with 
 E  3  Andrew 
 
54    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Andrew  Ofiander,  whole  fifter  he  privately  mar- 
 ried. Whilft  he  was  on  his  travels,  Warham, 
 Archbifhop  of  Canterbury  died,  and  the  King 
 having  ordered  Cranmer  to  return  immediately, 
 conferred  on  him,  in  1533.  the  primacy  •,  to  which 
 he,  at  firft,  made  fome  objedions,  and  did  not  at 
 lail"  accept  it  without  having  raifed  many  diffi- 
 culties The  King,  on  his  fide,  difpleafed  with 
 the  proceedings  of  the  court  of  Rome,  had  al- 
 ready divorced  Catherine  of  Arragon  to  marry 
 Ann  of  Boulogne,  a  young  lady  with  whofe- 
 beauty  he  was  highly  charmed.  But,  however, 
 that  he  might  oblerve  all  the  requifite  formali- 
 ties, a  fenrence  v/as  pafled,  whereby  the  divorce 
 cf  the  King  was  ratified,  and  his  firft  marriage 
 declared  unlawful  and  void. 
 
 The  whole  tranfaction  of  the  affair  of  the  di- 
 vorce had  fully  alienated  the  mind  of  Henry  froni 
 the  Pope  and  the  court  of  Rome.  Nothing, 
 then,  could  be  more  agreeable  to  him  than  the 
 title  given  him  of.  Supreme  head  of  the  Englilh 
 church,  by  the  whole  clergy  of  the  kingdom  affem- 
 bled  in  convocaucn,  according  to  ancient  cullom. 
 He  accepted  it  not  only  with  great  readinefs,  but 
 enjoined  all  his  fubjefts,  under  a  feyere  penalty, 
 to  acknowledge  him  as  fi|ch.  And  to  make  the 
 nieaning  of  this  title  more  generally  known, 
 Henry  publifhed  a  law  in  1533.  by  which  the 
 power  and  authority  of  the  Pope  was  intirely 
 abolifhed.  This  law  was  more  fully  ratified  by 
 the  Parliament  in  1534.  In  1535.  and  the  fol- 
 lovving  years,  they  vifited  the  monafteries  and 
 religious  houfes,  the  number  of  which  they  at 
 firfl  greatly  diminiflied,  and  at  lalt  totally  fup- 
 prefTed.  Henry  gave  permifTion  for  the  Bible 
 to  be  tranflated  into  the  Englifh  language,  and 
 to  be  dilperfed  among  the  people,  that  it  might 
 become  of  generaUuility.    In  1541.  he  publilhed 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     55 
 
 in  edid,  by  which  he  ordered  every  church  to 
 have  an  Engliih  Bible,  the  reading  of  which  was 
 allowed  to  every  perfon  who  could  do  it  in  a  pro- 
 per and  decent  manner. 
 
 After  this  time  many  things  fell  out,  which 
 forwarded  an  intire  Reformation.  The  King  did 
 the  firft  part,  the  reft  was  the  work  of  the  Bi- 
 jliops,  who  did  many  things  to  promote  this 
 change,  which  Henry  did  not  oppofe,  though  he 
 at  the  fame  time  publicly  declared,  that  he 
 would  never  depart  from  the  faith  of  his  anceftors. 
 Of  this,  he  gave  an  authentic  proof  by  the  fix 
 famous  articles  which  he  propofed  in  1539.  ^"^ 
 which  he  abfolutely  commanded  his  fubjedts  fliould 
 look  upon  as  a  law.  By  this  fingular  manner  of 
 thinking  and  afting,  it  often  happened,  that  at 
 the  fame  time,  and  at  the  fame  place,  the  partifans 
 of  the  Englidi  church,  and  it's  oppofers  were 
 treated  with  the  fame  rigour,  and  condemned  to 
 the  moft  cruel  puniihments.  It  was  obferved, 
 that  for  the  three  laft  years  of  tliis  reign  the  work 
 of  Reformation  was  rather  retarded  than  advan- 
 ced, though,  at  the  famt;  time,  there  was  reafoa 
 to  beheve  that  Henry,  a  little  before  his  death, 
 had  formed  a  defign  of  abolifliing  the  mafs,  and  of 
 fubftituting  in  it's  place  the  holy  Eucharift.  Such 
 was  the  ftate  of  the  Engliih  church  during  the 
 life  of  this  Monarch. 
 
 Henry  died  in  the  year  1547.  and  his  fon  Ed- 
 ward VI.  fucceeding  him,  the  Reformation  again 
 took  place,  and  eftablifhed  itlelf  in  the  moft  com- 
 plete manner.  The  new  King  was  very  young, 
 being  but  nine  years  old ;  but  his  knowledge, 
 his  prudence,  the  maturity  of -his  judgment,  and 
 his  many  other  excellent  qualities,  both  of  head 
 and  heart,  were  greatly  fuperior  to  his  time  of 
 Irife.  Much  attached  to  the  true  religion,  he 
 E  4  followed. 
 
S6    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 followed,  in  every  thing,  the  counlels  of  Cran« 
 mer,  who  was  a  truly  refpeftable  man,  and  ha4 
 much  at  heart  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom 
 of  God,  which  he  procured,  in  effedl,  with  the 
 greateft  fuccefs,  notwithftanding  the  many  obfta- 
 cles  he  had  to  furmount. 
 
 To  attain  this  end,  he  employed  the  fervices  of 
 Martin  Bucer,  Peter  Martyr,  and  of  Paul  Fagius, 
 whom,  for  this  purpofe,  he  invited  from  Ger- 
 many into  England.  In  this  reign  Cranmer  was 
 principally  feconded  by  three  Bilhops,  Ridley  of 
 London,  Latimer  of  Winchefter,  and  Hooper 
 of  Gloucefler. 
 
 It  was  to  the  ardent  zeal  and  indefatigable  la- 
 bouf-s  of  thefe  wife  and  pious  men,  that  Eng- 
 land was  indebted  for  the  readinefs  with  which, 
 after  the  death  of  Henry  Vill.  the  images  were 
 removed  from  the  churches  ;  auricular  confefiion 
 and  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy  were  abolifhed  ; 
 in  a  word,  all  the  fuperftitions  of  Popery  removed. 
 They  compofed  a  new  liturgy  for  the  public  wor- 
 iliip,  which  was  correfted  at  difterent  times. 
 When  the  public  worfiiip  was  regulated  in  a  pro- 
 per m.anner,  Cranmer  and  Ridley  publifhed  a 
 confefiion  of  faith  for  the  Engliih  church,  but 
 not  before  it  had  been  revifed  and  confirmed  by 
 the  other  Bifhops.  Whatever  was  done  in  the 
 eilablifhment  of  the  Reformation  was  not  only 
 examined  and  approved  by  the  clergy,  but  rati- 
 fied by  parliament.  When  every  thing  thus  wore 
 the  moft  favourable  appearance,  an  unexpeded 
 lofs  brought  a  total  change  •,  this  was  the  fudden 
 death  of  the  young  King,  which  happened  in 
 J  553.  before  he  had  arrived  at  his  fixteenth  year. 
 
 Though  this  Prince  had  ordered  things  very 
 differently  before  his  deceafe,  and  had  publicly 
 declared  his  will ;  yet,  after  his  death,  Mary,  the 
 daughter  of  Catherine  of  Arragon,  fucceeded  to 
 
 the 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     57 
 
 the  crown.  A  Prtncefs  intirely  devoted  to  the 
 iuperftitions  of  the  Roman  church,  and  who,  be- 
 fides  that,  v/as  of  a  very  cruel  difpofition.  The 
 iirll  thing  fhe  did,  as  foon  as  flie  found  her- 
 felf  Qiieen,  was  to  have  the  marriage  of  Henry 
 VIII.  with  his  firft  wife  declared  lawful  •,  and  as 
 .Cranmer  had  been  the  principal  inftrument  in 
 the  fetting  afide  this  marriage,  he  was  thrown 
 into  prifon.  Mary  afterwards  revoked  all  that 
 Henry  and  Edward  had  done  to  the  detriment  of 
 the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  with  the  utmoft 
 ardor.  The  laws  made  by  Edward  for  the  autho- 
 rifing  the  eftabliiliment  of  the  Reformation  were 
 totally  annulled.  They  took  every  necelfary  ftep 
 to  reconcile  the  kingdom  of  England  with  the 
 court  of  Rome,  and  Cardinal  Pole,  who  came 
 for  that  purpofe,  in  quality  of  legate  from  the 
 Pope,  v/as  made  Archbifhop  of  Canterbury.' 
 '  When  the  Queen  and  her  Popifli  minifters 
 thought  they  had  done  every  thing  necefiary  for 
 the  fecurity  of  their  religion,  they  began  to  per- 
 fecute  all  who  adhered  to  the  Reformation.  Many 
 Germans  *  who  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
 Edward  had  left  their  country  to  fettle  in  Lon- 
 don, and  there  founded  churches  and  obtained 
 confiderable  privileges,  were  obliged  to  leave 
 the  kingdom  inftantly,  together  with  John  u 
 Lafco,  a  Poliili  gentleman,  who  bore  the  firfl  ec- 
 ciefiafiical  ofBce  amongft  them.  Other  ftrangers, 
 who  for  the  free  profeffion  of  their  religion  had 
 fought  an  afylum  in  England,  fuffered  the  fame 
 fate.  And  of  all  the  dillinguifhed  clergy  whom 
 Cranmer  had  brought  from  Germany,  to  aflift 
 iri  the  affiiirs  of  the  Reformation,  only  Peter 
 Martyr  was  permitted  by  the  Queen  to  return  in 
 fafcty.     They  did  not   even  fpare   the  afhes    of 
 
 »  See  Neale's  hiftory  of  the  Puritans,  pag.  64 — 90. 
 
 the 
 
£§     ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORl. 
 
 thofe  who  had  ah^eady  ended  their  lives  in  Eng.. 
 land. 
 
 .Throughout  the  kingdom  flames  were  prepared 
 for  thole  who  would  not  return  to  the  bofom  of 
 the  church,  without  any  diftindtion.  Dreadful 
 tortures  ended  the  lives  of  the  mofl  illuftrious 
 Reformers  of  the  Englifh  church,  in  particular 
 the  three  Bifnops  whom  we  have  already  named, 
 Ridley,  Latimer  and  Hooper.  And  Cranmer 
 himfelf,  the  firft  mover  of  the  Reformation  of  his 
 country,  expired  at  the  ilake.  He  Ihewed,  at 
 firft,  fome  want  of  refoludon,  being  tempted,  by 
 the  fear  of  death,  to  deny  both  by  word  of  mouth 
 and  by  writing,  what  he  had  faid  and  done  for  the 
 intereftof  the  true  religion  ;  but,  foon  recollefting 
 himfelf,  he  expiated  this  weaknefs  by  a  fmcere 
 repentance  %  and  futfered  with  the  moft  perfe6t 
 conftancy,  a  glorious  martyrdom.  Thefe  tra- 
 gical fcenes  were  not  of  long  duration.  God 
 delivered  his  church,  and  put  a  period  to  the 
 cruel  reign  that  oppreiTed  it,  by  the  death  of 
 Mary,  which  happened  in  the  year  1558. 
 
 The  reign  of  Elizabeth  was  different,  in  every 
 refpefl,  from  the  preceding  one.  Infinitely  glo- 
 rious for  the  nation,  it  was  nolefs  advantageous 
 for  the  true  religion,  which  it  eftabliihed  in  the 
 moil  complete  manner.  As  the  new  Qiieen  had 
 imbibed,  in  her  earlieft  infancy,  the  principles 
 of  the  Reformation,  fhe  thought  it  her  iirft  duty, 
 and  her  firft  bufinefs,  to  rellore  the  perfed  know- 
 ledge, and  the  free  exercife  of  it  throughout  her 
 kingdoms,  for  this  end  fhe  called  in  the  affi- 
 Jlance  of  many  pious  Divines  who  had  efcaped  the 
 
 ^  As  foon  as  he  was  come  to  the  ilake,  and  being  tied  faft, 
 snd  the  iirekindled,  he  extended  his  right  hand  into  the  flames, 
 never  drawing  it  back,  but  once  to  wipe  his  face,  till  it  was 
 confumed  :  la\ang  ^uen,  "  this  unworthy  hand,  this  hand 
 '■'  iiath  pirended." 
 
 fury 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    59 
 
 fury  of  Mary,  and,  in  particular,  that  of  Mat^ 
 thew  Parker,  whom  fhe  appointed  Archbifliop 
 pf  Canterbury,  though  he,  for  a  longtime,  feri- 
 oully  refuicd  to  accept  that  dignity.  God  granted 
 to  Elizabeth  a  very  long  reign,  which  gave  her 
 time  perfedlly  to  complete  the  great  and  arduous 
 work  of  the  Refcrmation,  which  Ihe  effeded 
 with  the  moft  admirable  v/ifdom,  notwithftand- 
 ing  fhe  met  with  the  greateft  oppofition  from  the 
 fubtle  machinations  of  the  Pope  and  his  dange- 
 rous emifTaries,  who  were  continually  employed 
 in  England  in  forming  plots  moft  fatal  to  reli- 
 gion, and  the  authority  of  it's  protetStrefs, 
 
 At  that  time  Scotland  was  not  under  the  fjb- 
 jefbion  of  the  Englifti  Monarchs,  which  was  the 
 reafon  that  the  Reformation "  did  not  take  place 
 there  at  the  fame  time,  nor  was  effeded  by  the 
 fame  means.  The  noife  of  the  Reformation  in 
 Germany  and  SwiiTerland  having  reached  to  Scot- 
 land, feveral  young  men,  excited  more  by  piety 
 than  curiofity,  went  into  Germany,  that  they 
 themfelves  might  be  eye-witneffes  of  what  they 
 heard.  Amongft  them  was  a  young  nobleman  of 
 royal  blood,  Patrick  Hamilton,  who  had  ftudied 
 at  Marbourg  under  Francis  Lambert,  and  had, 
 \n  1527.  publicly  defended  fome  thefes  agree- 
 able to  th,e  golpel  doclrine.  Upon  his  return  to 
 his  own  country,  he  boldly  and  faithfully  pro- 
 pagated theinftruftions  he  had  received.  But  in 
 the  following  year,  all  the  clergy  rifmg  up  againft 
 hinq,  he  fell  a  vidim  to  their  fury,  and  received 
 the  firft  erowq  of  martyrdom,  being  burned  alive 
 
 3  George  Buchanan  J  in  his  hiflory  of  Scotland,'  has  given 
 a  very  exad  account  of  the  Reformation  in  that  country. 
 Bifhop  Burnet  likewife  treats  in  his  hiftory  of  the  Reforma- 
 tion of  the  Reformation  in  Scotland,  aa  well  as  of  that  of 
 ^ngland. 
 
 i)efore 
 
fo    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 before  the  church  of  St.  Andrew  ^  James  V. 
 wiio  then  reigned  in  Scotland,  bHndl)'  followed 
 tjie  violent  counfels  of  his  PopiHi  priefts,  and  ex- 
 crcifed  the  grcatCLt  cruelties  upon  all  thofe  who 
 were  jndifFerently  called  by  tlie  name  of  Luthe- 
 rans. By  his  order  a  moft  ilri6t  and  fevere. 
 karch  was  made  for  all  thofe  who  were  the  leaft 
 i\ifpe£led  of  herefy  ;  and  they  violently  pro- 
 ceeded againft  every  one  who  perfifted  in  a 
 profeffion  of  his  opinion.  In  virtue  of  thele  pro- 
 ceedinf^smany  were  condemned  to  the  flames,  and 
 others  kept  in  pnfon.  Amongfb  the  latter  was 
 GcQige  Buchanan,  an  elegant  poet  and  celebrated 
 hiftorian.  The  ftate  of  religion  and  of  the  Re- 
 formation continued  upon  this  footing  in  Scot- 
 land till  the  death  of  James,  which  happened  la 
 tiie  year  1542. 
 
 He  left  jjy-  his  widow,  Mary  of  Lorrain,  a 
 daughter,  only  feyen  days  old,  who  was  heiref^ 
 to  his  kingdom,  and  was  known  afterwards  by 
 the  name  of  Mary  Stuart.  According  to  the  an- 
 cient cuitom  of  Scotland,  a  Regent  was  appointed, 
 and  James  Hamilton,  Earl  of  A-rran,  a  relation 
 to  the  young  Queen,  was  raifed  to  that  dignity. 
 This  nobleman,  before  he  was  made  Regent,  had 
 approved,  and  even  profefTed,  the  truth  of  the 
 Reformed  doftrine  ;  but,  when  he  took  the  reins 
 of  government,  the  fear  of  the  RomiHi  clergy, 
 and  more  particularly  of  Cardinal  Beton,  Arch- 
 biiliop  of  bt.  Andrew's,  made  him  abjure  the 
 true  faith.  Although  the  number  of  the  Re- 
 farmed  was  very  great,  and  daily  increafmg,  yet 
 
 a  Very  good  hiftorians  place  this  faft  in  the  year  J  5 30.  but 
 Francis  Lambert,  under  whom  Hamilton  ftadied  in  his  re-; 
 treat  at  Marbourg,  in  his  dedication  t  J  his  explication  of  the 
 Apocalyps,  a  very  fcarce  work,  fays,  that  this  noble  martyr 
 fu(Fv.rcd  death  in  the  coiirfe  of  the  fanjs  year  in  which  thii 
 "■work  wa~  piibliilied,  i.  e.  in  1528. 
 
 the 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTIJRY.     6f 
 
 the  greateft  part  of  them  v/ere  afraid  of  making  a 
 public  profefljon  of  their  opinions,  upon  accounc 
 of  the  exceffive  cruelty  of  the  clergy,  and  the 
 almoft  abfolute  authority  of  the  Cardinal  of  St. 
 Andrew's,  who,  ?s  long  as  he  lived,  hindered  the 
 progrefs  of  the  Reformation.  But  the  Divine  ven> 
 geance  foon  overtook  him,  and  he  fuftered  the 
 punifhment  he  had  fo  much  deferved  •,  for,  having 
 condemned  fe  veral  confeffors  to  the  mofc  cruel 
 tortures,  he  attacked  a  venerable  old  man,  whofe- 
 name  was  William  Sephocard  %  whofe  extraordi- 
 nary virtue  rendered  him  very  dear  to  the  people,, 
 and  after  having  ufed  various  artifices  to  deftroy 
 him,  he  at  length  had  him  brought  to  the  Hake, 
 and  flood  himlelf  at  the  window  of  his  palace  to 
 feaft  his  eyes  with  this  inhuman  fpeftacle.  Some 
 gentlemens'  indignation  being  raifed  at  this  at- 
 rocious adlion,  they  furprifed  the  Cardinal  the 
 fame  year,  1546.  in  the  midft  of  his  palace,  and 
 having  given  him  many  wounds,  threw  him  from 
 the  fame  window  where  he  had  viewed  the  martyr- 
 dom of  Sephocard. 
 
 The  Regent,  after  the  death  of  the  Cardinal, 
 not  only  fhewed  himlelf  more  mild  to  the  Re- 
 formed, but  foon  after  joined  their  communion  j 
 and  his  example  was  followed  by  mofl  of  the  no- 
 bility. This  was  the  reafon  that  when  the  Queen 
 Mother,  Mary  of  Lorrain,  took  the  government 
 of  the  kingdom  upon  herlelf,  in  the  name  of  her 
 daughter,  ihe  could  not,  though  (he  was  a  great 
 enemy  to  the  Reformation,  hinder  it's  progrefs. 
 And  when  John  Knox,  who  may  be  looked  upon 
 as  the  principal  Reformer  of  Scotland,  exerted 
 himfelf,  with  all  his  power,  againft  the  mafs, 
 and  the  mofl  grofs  fuperflitions  of  Popery,  the 
 Reformed  became  more  bold,  and  began, 
 in    1555.    to   form   alTemblies,    and    to    found 
 
 *»  Bifhop  Burnet  calls  him  Wifliart, 
 
 various 
 
6t      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 various  churches.  Yet,  the  Biiliops  having  ftill 
 much  power  in  the  kingdom,  Knox  was  forced 
 to  fly  from  their  perfecutions,  and  to  retire  into 
 Germany  •,  from  thence  he  went  to  Geneva. 
 
 The  cruelty  of  the  clergy  ferved  greatly  to 
 forward  the  work  of  the  Reformation.  In  truth,- 
 it  was  the  very  caule  that  the  great  people  and 
 nobles,  in  order  to  oppofe  the  fatal  evils  that 
 threatened  the  country,  afiembled  themfelves  in 
 1558,  under  the  name  of  Congregation  (a  name 
 which  the  church  of  Scotland  hath  ever  fmce  re- 
 tained) and  refolved,  reciprocally,  to  defend  them- 
 felves with  all  their  ftrength,  even  by  force  of 
 arms.  This  aflbciation  foon  produced  very  happy 
 cffefts.  The  Reformed  procured,  or  rather  ob- 
 tained by  violence,  in  the  fame  year,  a  fort  of 
 fecurity  and  liberty  of  confcience  from  the  Qiieen 
 Regent,  notwithftanding  all  her  oppofition. — But 
 ihe  did  not  fcruple,  foon  after,  to  break  her  word 
 with  them  ;  however,  even  this  a£tion  did  not  at 
 all  prejudice  the  advancement  ot  the  true  religion. 
 The  Queen  faw  herfelf,  in  1560.  obliged  to  quit 
 the  regancy  and  died  foon  after,  not  without  hav-^ 
 ,  ing  repented  of  her  conduft,  and  fhewn  fome 
 refped  to  the  truth  fhe  had  perfecuted. 
 
 The  young  Queen  of  Scotland  having  married 
 Francis  II.  King  of  France,  was  out  of  the  king- 
 dom, which  induced  Knox  to  leave  Geneva  and 
 return  to  his  country,  with  the  defign  of  eftab- 
 lifhing  there  the  fame  form  of  worfhip,  and  eccle- 
 liaftical  difcipline,  which  he  had  fo  much  liked 
 in  Geneva.  Having  ftrongly  recommended  this 
 form  to  the  congregation  of  Scotland,  it  was 
 adopted  by  all  the  orders  of  the  kingdom,  and 
 folemnly  confirmed  by  the  parliament,  after  the 
 death  of  the  Queen  Mother,  in  1560.  By  this 
 means   Popery   was  intirely  abolifhed,   and   the 
 
 Reformation 
 
-THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURV.    6^ 
 
 keformation,  founded  on  the   laws  of  the  king- 
 dom, univerfally  received. 
 
 When  Mary  returned  into  Scotland,  after  the 
 death  of  her  hufband,  in  1561.  flie  fhewed  a  dif- 
 pofition  greatly  averfe  to  the  Reformation-,  but 
 fhe  could  be  of  no  fervice  to  the  Catholics,  as 
 their  party  was  intirely  ruined.  This  Princefs 
 had  even  much  difficulty  to  obtain  permiflion  to 
 have  mafs  laid  in  her  private  chapel.  You  will 
 find  in  hiftory  an  account  of  the  dreadful  mif*- 
 fortunes  of  Mary  Stuart,  who,  after  many  un- 
 happy adventures,  was  kept  in  prifon  for  a  long 
 time  in  England,  and  was  at  lall  beheaded  by 
 the  hand  of  an  executioner  in  1587.  James 
 Stuart,  her  fon  and  fucceflbr,  was  faithfully  at- 
 tached to  the  Reformed  religion,  which  he  pro- 
 tefted  in  his  kingdom,  and  even  defended  by  his 
 writings.  In  1603  he  reunited  to  his  hereditary- 
 kingdom  thofe  of  England  and  Ireland,  which 
 came  to  him  by  the  death  of  Elizabeth  j  and 
 fince  that  time  the  Reformed  has  been  tlifi 
 cftablilhed  relis-ion  in  thefe  three  kino-doms. 
 
 ARTICLE        VII. 
 
 History  of  the  Reformation    in   the   Lowj 
 Countries. 
 
 IN  no  part  of  the  world  did  the  Reformation 
 meet  with  fo  many  difficulties,  and  fuch  great 
 oppofition  as  in  the  Low-Countries  \  It's  firfl 
 feeds  were  walhed  in  the  blood  of  martyrs,  but 
 the  fruits  they  produced,  in  length  of  time,  were 
 beautiful,  and  abundant.  The  pious  endeavours 
 of  the  great  men,  who  laboured  at  this  important 
 
 a  Gerard  Brand's  hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Low- 
 Countries,  is  the  moft  celebrated,  it  has  been  tranflated  into 
 Englifli.  Mr.  Gerdes  has  alfo  enlarged  on  this  fubjcdl,  ia 
 the  3d  Vol,  of  his  Hill.  Evan.  Renov. 
 
 work. 
 
64  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 ■work,  at  lad  produced  the  admirable  republic  of 
 the  United  Provinces  ;  the  foundation  and  pre- 
 fervation  of  vi'hich  has  been  attended  with  many 
 vifible  marks  of  protection  from  on  high.  For 
 fome  centuries  pall,  th'::re  provinces  had  furnifhed 
 many  glorious  witneiTes  of  the  truth,  who  pub- 
 licly exclaimed  againft  the  corruption  that  was 
 introduced  into  the  moft  pr-e  and  holy  of  all 
 religions,  by  the  partifans  of  the  church  of  Rome. 
 Gieat  numbers  of  the  Vaudois  who  had  fuffered 
 very  grievous  perfecutions,  took  refuge  in  the 
 Low-Countries,"  where  their  dodrine,  although  at 
 firft  greatly  oppofed,  was,  in  the  end,  of  much 
 fervice  to  the  caufe  of  truth.  So  that  when  the 
 Reformation  fpread  with  fuch  rapidity  through 
 Germany  and  SwifTerland,  many  perfons  were 
 found  in  the  feventeen  Provinces  who  ardently 
 wiihed  to  enjoy  the  fame  advantage. 
 
 Their  defires  at  firft  met  with  no  obftacles,  and 
 every  thing  feemed  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
 revolution  that  had  taken  place  in  the  neighbour- 
 ing countries  ;  when,  by  the  condemnation  pro- 
 nounced againft  Luther  in  1521.  and  theprefcrip- 
 tion  which  followed  it,  the  fpirit  of  perfecution 
 pafted,  as  it  were,  by  cbntagion  into  the  Low- 
 Countries,  which  were  under  the  dominion  6f 
 Charles  V.  As  foon  as  the  perfecution  begun,  it 
 became  violent  -,  and  it's  rigour  was  redou-bled 
 by  the  fedition  of  the  Anabaptifts.  During  the 
 reign  of  this  Emperor,  it  is  fuppofed  there  pe- 
 rilTied  no  lefs  than  fifty  thoufand  men  by  revolts 
 and  executions. 
 
 Philip  II.  who  was  become  King  of  Spain,  and 
 Sovereign  of  the  Low-Countries,  by  the  death  of 
 his  father,  was  a  very  cruel  and  mercilefs  Prince  ; 
 and  thefe  provinces  fuffered  during  his  reign  very 
 great  hardfliips.  Upon  quitting  the  Low- Coun- 
 tries to  return  into  Spain,  he  gave  the  govern- 
 ment 
 
TflE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    6^ 
 
 mentof  that  flate  to  his  fifler  Margaret  of  Parma  ; 
 and,  aniongft  other  inflrudions,  he  commanded 
 her  to  make  ufe  of  every  means  to  extirpate  the 
 lieretics,  and  to  eftabhfli  the  dreaded  tribunal  of 
 the  inquifition.  Charles  V.  had  made  many  efforts 
 to  introduce  this  hateful  tribunal,  but  all  were 
 ineffe6lual ;  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  Low-Coun- 
 tries held  it  in  juft  abhorrence.  Thofe  who  go- 
 verned the  provinces,  fought  to  deprive  them  of 
 the  confiderable  rights  and  privileges  they  en«- 
 joyed,  and  greatly  valued.  The  Flemings  then 
 folicited  the  Princefs  in  the  moft  preiTing  manner 
 to  deprive  Anthony  Perrenot,  Cardinal  of  Gran- 
 ville, the  firft  Miniiler  to  Margaret^  of  the  ma- 
 nagement of  affairs,  he  being  the  perfon  who  gave 
 the  moff  pernicious   councils  againfl  them. 
 
 They  obtained  their  requefl,  but  foon  found 
 they  had  gained  very  little  by  it,  their  affairs  ftill 
 remaining  on  the  fame  bad  footing.  Upon  which 
 account  more  than  four  hundred  of  the  Nobles 
 formed  a  confederacy  for  the  defence  of  their 
 rights  and  liberties,  and  gave  to  it  the  name  of 
 the  Compromife. 
 
 In  1566.  they  prefented  to  the  Princefs  a  pe- 
 tition in  which  they  demanded  the  revocation  of 
 all  the  decrees  that  had  been  given  againfl  the. 
 Proteilants,  and  the  redrefs  of  all  their  com- 
 plaints. The  anfwer  they  received,  contained 
 only  vague  promifes,  on  which  they  could  not  at 
 all  depend.  Nay,  they  even  ridiculed  them, 
 giving  them  the  title  of  Beggars,  as  if  they  had 
 been  men  of  the  meaneft  extra6tioru  Notwith- 
 llanding  this,  the  Reformed  in  the  city,  excited 
 and  encouraged  by  the  example  of  the  Nobles, 
 affembled  publicly  to  celebrate  their  worlliip ; 
 but  unfortunately  amongft  the  lower  people,  who 
 are  always  violent,  there  were  many  who  infulted 
 the  Catholics,    and  brutally   difturbed   them  in 
 
 Vol.  II  F  the 
 
66    ECCLESIASTICAL  I41STORY. 
 
 the  celebration  of  their  religious  ceremonies. 
 The  confequences  of  thefe  feditions  at  firft  feem- 
 cd  favourable  to  the  Protellants,  as  \t  procured 
 them  fome  concefTions  f^jm  the  Princels,  who 
 thought  it  necefiary  to  yield  to  the  times,  in  or- 
 der to  prevent  a  general  iniurreftion.  But  foon- 
 after  this,  the  Nobles  depending  on-  the  promifes 
 they  had  received,  prefied  the  execution  of  them, 
 and  demanded  the  free  exercife  of  their  religion^ 
 in  a  new  petition  they  prefenied  to  the  King  •,  but 
 this  he  pofitively  refufed.  This  Monarch,  at  the 
 fame  time,  difov/ned  all  that  his  fifler  had  done 
 or  promifed,  during  the  commotion. 
 
 The  Flemings  found  it  necefiary  to  have  re- 
 courfe  to  other  methods  for  tlieir  fecurity  •,  and 
 whilft  they  were  deliberating  on  what  they  fhould 
 be,  Philip  gave  ihem  a  new  Governor  in  the  per- 
 (on  of  Ferdinand  of  Toledo,  Duke  of  Alba,  a 
 great  Captain,  but  a  man  totally  void  of  huma- 
 nity. Ferdinand  arrived  in  the  Low-Countries 
 in  i5^j.  with  orders  to  reduce  to  obedience,  by 
 the  force  of  arms,  thole  whom  the  court  of 
 Spain  regarded  as  rebels  •,  and  much  exceeded  his- 
 conimiiTion.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  he  arrefted 
 the  Counts  of  Egmont  and  of  Horn,  the  two 
 fiTft  Noblemen  of  that  country,  who  were  great- 
 ly dilfinguiihed  for  their  exploits  in  war,  and 
 whofe  crime  confided  only  in  nobly  defending  the 
 rights  and  privileges  of  their  country.  After 
 having  kept  them  for  fome  time  in  prifon,  he  had 
 their  caufe  read,  and  they  loft  their  heads  on  a 
 fcaffbld.  The  Duice  of  Alba  efliablifiied,  at  the  fame 
 time,  a  new  tribunal,  call  the  Council  of  Trou- 
 bles '' ;  before  which  all  thofe  were  carried  who^ 
 did  not,  in  every  thing,  conform  to  the  new 
 Laws.     Eighteen  thoufand  people,  at  the  lovveft 
 
 *  It  has  been  very  properly  called  the  council  of  blood. 
 
 computation^ 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     ^^ 
 
 complication,  perifhed  by  the  hands  of  the  exe- 
 cutioner, by  the  order  of  thefe  fanguinary  judges. 
 Thefe  extremities  reduced  the  Flemings  to  take 
 up  arms.  They  ele<5led  for  their  Chief  William 
 Prince  of  Orange,  a  hero,  whofe  wifdom  equalled 
 his  valour,  and  who  conducted  all  things  with 
 fo  much  prudence  and  fuccefs,  that  the  Duke  o£ 
 Alba  was  defeated  in  all  his  deceitful  fchemes  and 
 wicked  enterprifes.  The  Reformed  then  laid 
 the  foundation  of  that  liberty,  which  they  after- 
 wards gained  at  the  expence  of  many  lives. 
 
 Under  the  aufpices  of  this  Prince,  not  only 
 very  powerful  cities,  but  intire  provinces  fnook 
 off  the  yoke  of  Spanifli  tyranny  %  and  had  the 
 happinefs  of  finding  themfelves  for  ever  freed 
 from  it.  Philip  hoping  to  recover  his  dominion, 
 over  them,  granted  in  1577.  the  pacification  of 
 Gande,  by  which  he,  in  great  part,  reftored  to 
 the  Low- Countries  their  rights  and  liberties,  but 
 he  never  intended  to  fulfil  this  engagement  :  for 
 he  foon  violated  it,  and  the  war  again  broke  out. 
 The  confederates  being  powerfully  fupported  by 
 the  Proteftant  Princes  in  Germany,  Elizabeth, 
 Queen  of  England,  and  even  by  Henry  III.  King 
 of  France,  maintained  their  ground,  and  would 
 have  been  ftill  more  fuccefsful,  but  for  the  envy 
 fome  great  perfons  had  to  the  Prince  of  Orange, 
 and  the  difputes  that  arofe  amongfl  themfelves 
 about  religion,  which  weakened  them  very  con- 
 fiderably. 
 
 However,  five  of  thefe  provinces,  namely, 
 Gueldres,  Holland,  Zealand,  Friefland  and 
 Utrecht,  in  1579.  fo^'med  a  new  aflbciation,  by 
 which  they  engaged,   under  the  aufpices  of  Wil- 
 
 «  The  reader  will  find  the  hiftory  of  this  memorable  war  in 
 the  annals  of  Holland,  written  by  the  celebrated  Grotius. 
 gvery  body  alfo  knows  the  works  of  Strada, 
 
 F  2  fiaw, 
 
68     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 Ham,  to   defend  the  liberties  of   their  country, 
 which  they  continued  to  do  till  1581.  when  they 
 Iblemnly  declared,  they  would  no  longer  acknow- 
 ledge the  King  of  Spain  to  be  their  Sovereign. 
 
 Thefe  five  provinces  were  foon  joined  by  two 
 others,  thofe  of  Groningue  and  OveryfTel,  and 
 united  with  them  their  efforts  for  the  mainte- 
 nance of  that  liberty  which  they  at  length  per- 
 feftly  eftablillied.  But  whilil  they  were  bufied 
 in  concluding  this  great  work,  they  loft  their 
 Proteftor,  who  perillied  by  the  hands  of  a  de^ 
 teftable  affaffin,  at  Delft,  in  1584.  Maurice,  his 
 worthy  fon,  followed  his  fteps  ;  and  having  con- 
 tinued the  war  with  the  fame  fuccefs,  the  Spa- 
 niards were  obliged  to  conclude  a  truce  in  1609. 
 with  the  new  Republic  of  the  United  Provinces, 
 which  had  been  very  powerful  from  its  origin, 
 and  was  at  the  peace  of  Weftphalia  publicly 
 acknowledged  as  a  fovereign  and  independent 
 ftate. 
 
 Thefe  generous  citizens  who  had  exprelTed  fo 
 much  zeal  for  the  prefervation  of  their  liberties, 
 and  the  defence  of  their  country,  were  no  k-fs 
 anxious  for  the  eftablifhment  of  the  true  religion. 
 The  gofpel  was  preached  amongft  them  with 
 great  fuccefs  in  feveral  provinces  of  the  Low- 
 Countries,  by  preachers  from  Wittenberg,  Zu- 
 rich and  Geneva.  Francis  Junius,  a  native  of 
 Geneva,  was  one  of  their  firlt,  and  mofl  diftin- 
 giiiflied  divines.  Several  perfons  of  prudence- 
 and  underftanding  fought  earneftly  to  re-eftablifh 
 peace  between  the  two  Proteftanc  communions, 
 but  all  in  vain.  However,  the  number  of  the 
 Reformed  increafed  \'o  confiderably  throughout 
 the  United  Provinces,  that  their  religion  became, 
 and  continued  to  be,  the  prevailing  one  in  that 
 country. 
 
 They 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     69 
 
 They  publifiied  in  1561.  a  confeffion  of  faith, 
 which  they  frequently  repeated  afterwards  •,  and 
 which  being  at  length  revifed  by  the  fynod  of  Dor- 
 drecht, was  confirmed  by  the  unanimous  confent 
 of  all  the  churches  in  Holland.  In  1572.  feveral 
 of  the  Reformed  cluirches  aflbciated  themfelves, 
 and  adopted  both  in  doctrine,  worfliip  and  difci- 
 pline  the  conftitution  ot  the  cliurch  of  Geneva. 
 The  univerfity  of  Leyden,  founded  in  1575. 
 under  the  protection  of  William  Prince  of  Orange, 
 was  of  great  fervice  to  religion  in  thole  countries. 
 This  univerfity  was  endowed  with  great  privileges, 
 and  was  very  celebrated  from  it's  beginning.  The 
 States  General  have  never  fince  then  ncgledlecj 
 any  thing  that  could  poITibly  tend  to  the  increafe 
 and  firm  eftabliQiment  of  the  Reformed  religion  ; 
 but  at  the  fame  time  refleding  on  the  fatal  effeds 
 of  intoleration,  from  which  their  provinces  hacj 
 lately  fuffered  fo  much,  under  the  dominion  of 
 the  Spaniards,  they  granted  the  free  exercife  of 
 all  religions  throughout  their  dominions. 
 
 ARTICLE        VIII. 
 
 History    of  the  Reformation  in    Poland, 
 Hungary  and  Transylvania. 
 
 IN  the  centuries  preceding  th^t  of  the  Refor- 
 mation, Poland*,  though  covered  with  the 
 thjckeft  veil  of  ignorance  and  fuperftition,  had 
 ftill  preferved  fome  fparks  of  the  ancient  gofpel- 
 dpftrine,  that  even  the  barbarity  of  thofe  times 
 was  not  able  intirely  to  extinguifh.  Some  folr 
 lowers  of  John  Hufs,  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
 Poland,  to  efcape  the  violent  perfecution  that  was 
 raifed  againft  them  in  Bohemia,  infpired  many  per^ 
 
 »  Sec  Wengelfius  Hiftor.  Ecclef.  Sclavon.  in  B.  J.  C.  8. 
 
 B  s  fon% 
 
70  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 fons  with  an  ardent  defire  for  the  Reformatian  ^ 
 as  we  may  infer  from  the  number  of  priefts  who, 
 towards  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century,  were 
 found  in  Poland  adminiflering  the  iacrament  to 
 their  flocks,  according  to  our  Saviour's  inftitu- 
 tion,  that  is  to  fay,  without  depriving  thenr  of 
 the  cup.  The  Nobility  of  Upper  Poland  like- 
 wife  affembled  at  Poifen,  in  1500.  demanded,  in 
 the  molt  preiTmg  terms,  that  the  communion 
 lliouldbe  celebrated  in  both  kinds. 
 
 The  fame  of  the  labours  and  fucceffes  of  Luther 
 and  Zwingilus  being  fpread  throughout  all  Eu- 
 rope, pope  Adrian  VI.  commanded  King  Sigif- 
 mund,  by  his  legate  in  Poland,  to  ufe  all  poflible 
 means  to  preferve  his  kingdom  from  the  conta- 
 gion of  new  herefies.  Jn  confequence  of  which, 
 the  King  publifhed  in  1523.  and  renewed  in  1524, 
 tn  edict,  by  which  the  introduction  or  printing 
 of  any  fufpedted  or  dangerous  book  in  Poland, 
 was  ifridly  prohibited.  This  was  not  hov/ever 
 fufficient  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  gofpel 
 into  that  country  * :  for  even  in  the  fame  year 
 1523.  and  the  follovving  ones,  there  were,  in  ftvc- 
 ral  parts  of  the  kingdom,  peifons  who  taught  the 
 true  gofpel  dodlrine.  Some  of  them  were  ftrangers,, 
 and  Ibme  natives  of  the  place  :  but  they  cannot 
 properly  be  faid  to  have  founded  any  churches 
 before  the  years  1549.  and  1550.  It  was  in  the 
 firft  of  thefe  two  years,  that  thefe  Protellan^ 
 miniilers  held  at  Pinczow  in  the  diflrid  of  Cra- 
 covia,  the  firft  Reformed  fynod  of  Poland. 
 
 The  brethren  of  Bohemia  being  expelled  in 
 the  beginning  of  the  War  of  Smalcalde   in  Ger- 
 
 *  Befides  the  work  of  Wengerfcius,  the  reader  will  find  a 
 long   account  of  the   Reformation  in  Poland  in  Mr.  Salig. 
 
 hilt,   confefiionis  auguftanae,  Vol.  II.    Lib,  6. Staniflaus 
 
 Lubienlki's  hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  Poland,  is  nothing 
 more  than  a  hiflory  of  the  feft  of  Unitarians. 
 
 many 
 
THE  SIXTEEx\TII  CENTURY.  71 
 many  by  Ferdinand  I.  King  of  the  Romans,  and 
 afterwards  Emperor,  from  all  his  kingdoms,  re- 
 tired in  1548.  to  Poffen  in  Upper  Poland  and  it's 
 environs,  and  there  formed  the  firll  church  that 
 had  ever  exlfted  In  Poland.  From  thence  they 
 ■went  to  Pruflia,  feveral  of  their  brethren  having 
 chofen  that  country  for  iheir  place  of  retreat. 
 This  country  would  have  been  an  happy  afylum  for 
 them,  if  the  importunity  of  the  Biiliop  of  Pofien 
 had  not  prevailed  on  Sigifmund  Auguftus  to 
 drive  them  out  of  the  kingdom.  Some  of  them 
 who  went  into  Pru0ia,  being  forced  to  return 
 to  Poffen  on  account  of  their  health,  formed 
 there  an  affembly,  which  in  time  became  fo 
 confiderable  as  openly  to  take  upon  itfelf, 
 in  1553.  the  title  of  the  Church  of  the  Confef- 
 fion  of  Bohemia.  This  church  was  the  mother 
 of  fome  others,  which  were  fucceflively  eftablifhed 
 in  the  neighbouring  diftridls.  Many  religious 
 perfons  attached 'themfelves  to  their  interefts. 
 Amongft  which  number  we  find  leveral  great 
 rnen  of  the  kingdom,  and  fome  of  the  principal 
 nobility.  They  were  encouraged  in  thefe  pro- 
 ceedings by  feeing  that  King  Sigifmund  Au- 
 guftus had  no  real  averfion  to  the  true  do<ftrine, 
 although,  he  v/as  obliged  by  the  clergy,  from 
 time  to  time,  to  publilh  fevere  edidts  againft  it, 
 God  having  thus  freely  beftowed  his  bleffing  on 
 the  pious  labours  of  the  Bohemian  brethren,  the 
 ancients  of  their  churches  eftablifhed  a  firft  paf- 
 tor,  or  fuperintendant  of  the  churches  in  Upper 
 Poland,  George  Ifrael,  who  had  greatly  contri- 
 buted to  the  foundation  of  thefe  churches,  was 
 invefted  with  this  dignity  in  i  i^^y, 
 
 Whilft  the  Bohemian  brethren  were  employed 
 
 in  bringing  to  perfedion  the  churches  they  had 
 
 formed  in  tipper  Poland,  the  light  of  the  gofpel 
 
 F  4  penetrated 
 
72  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 penetrated  into  Lower  Polrind,  and  as  far  as  Li' 
 thuania,  as  we  may  judge  from  the  fynod  of  Pinc- 
 zow,  before- mentioned,  held  in  1549.  We  may 
 juftlv  give  the  firft  place  amongft  the  Reformers 
 of  thele  provinces  to  Francis  Liimannius  of  Corfu, 
 ^vho  was  Chief  provincial  of  the  Francifcans  in 
 Poland,  and  chaplain  to  the  Dowager  Qiieen  Bona, 
 mother  to  Sigifmund  Auguftus.  This  Divine  had 
 very  much  profited  by  the  books  publifhed  by 
 the  Reformers  in  Saxony  and  Swifierland  to  ex- 
 plain and  defend  the  true  gofpel-dodtrine  ■  he 
 pa'"ticularly  applied  himfelf  to  the  ftudy  of  Cal- 
 vin's inliitutions,  and  recommended  the  attentive 
 perufal  of  them  to  the  King.  He  taught  the  doc- 
 trine he  found  in  thefe  works,  and  made  many  dif- 
 ciples,  who  afterwards  became  men  of  great  repu- 
 tation amongfl:  the  Reformed.  Liimannius,  fome 
 time  after,  being  lent  into  Italy  by  the  King,  his 
 place  was  fupplied  by  Francis  Stancarus  of  Man- 
 tua, a  follower  of  Zv/inglius.  Being  commanded 
 by  the  Bifnop  of  Cracow  to  teach  the  Hebrew 
 language,  he  embraced  this  opportunity  of  in- 
 ftrucling  his  pupils  in  proteftantifm  •,  for  which 
 he  was  thrown  into  prifon.  But  being  foon  after 
 delivered  from  thence,  he  retired  to  a  city  of  Du- 
 brcczko,  which  was  under  the  government  of 
 StaniQaus  Stadricki,  likewifea  follower  of  Zwino-- 
 lius.  Stancarus  had  a  fchool  of  three  hundred 
 pupils  in  that  city,  the  greateit  part  of  whom 
 were  of  noble  families.  This  learned  man  con- 
 tributed, in  many  other  things,  to  the  Reforma- 
 tion of  thefe  countries  •,  but  he,  in  fome  meafure, 
 fullied  the  luftre  of  his  good  adions,  and  difho- 
 noured  hunfelf  by  one  grofs  error,  of  which  we 
 fhall  have  occafion  to  ipeak  hereafter.  We  fhall 
 here  only  confme  ourfelves  to  his  ufeful  works  ; 
 he  had,  for  companion  in  his  labours,  Felix  Cru- 
 
 ciger. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  73 
 tiger,  who  afterwards  leaving  Stancarns  on  the 
 dilcovery  of  his  errors,  was  elefted  lenior  or  fu- 
 perintendant  of  the  churches  in  Lower  Poland. 
 He  adopted  and  followed  the  doctrine  and  form 
 of  worfliip  of  the  Zwinglian  Proteltants. 
 
 The  churches  of  Lower  Poland  were  of  the 
 Inme  communion  with  thofe  of  Swiflerland.  In 
 1554.  Lifmannius,  by  the  order  of  Sigifmund 
 Auguilus,  went  into  Swifferland  to  purchafe 
 fome  books  for  that  Monarch,  and  at  the  fame 
 time  to  confer  with  the  principal  divines  of 
 that  country  on  matters  of  religion.  This  pro- 
 duced a  new  bond  of  friendihip,  and  more 
 clofely  united  the  churches  of  Poland  and 
 "Swifferland.  The  divines  of  both  parties  held  a 
 very  interefting  correipondence  by  letters  with 
 each  other,  which  ferved  very  much  to  confirm 
 the  Reformed  of  that  part  of  Poland  in  the  reli- 
 gion they  had  lately  embraced.  There  was  fome 
 difference  between  the  Reformed  of  the  two 
 churches,  both  as  to  their  original,  and  their 
 confeffion  of  faith,  thofe  of  the  Upper  Poland 
 being  attached  to  the  doftrine  and  ecclefiallical 
 rites  of  the  Bohemian  brethren,  whilft  thofe  of 
 the  Lower  Poland  formed  themfelves  on  the  mo- 
 del of  the  church  of  Zurich.  Several  learned 
 and  worthy  perlbns  of  the  two  communions  fear^ 
 ing  left  any  divilion  ffiould  arife  between  them  on 
 this  account,  which  would  be  greatly  detrimental 
 to  the  progrefs  of  the  truth,  laboured  with  great 
 zeal  and  fervor  to  unite  them.  George  Ifrael 
 was  the  firft  who  attempted  this  work  ;  and  his 
 endeavours  proved  not  altogether  ineffeduai.  A 
 fynod  was  afterwards  held  for.  the  fame  purpofe 
 at  Chrencick,  a  market-town  in  Lower  Poland  5 
 at  which  the  divines  of  both  communions  affem- 
 bled  in  1555.    The  deliberations  of  this  affembly 
 
 were 
 
74    ECCLESIASTICAL  HJSTORY. 
 
 were  renewed  that  llime  year  at  Golnchow  in  Up» 
 per  Poland,  under  the  aufpices  of  Count  Raphael 
 LecfinPfvi.  At  length,  this  union  ib  longind  ar- 
 dently vvifhed  foi:,  was  happily  concluded,  and 
 firmly  eliablillied.  Since  that  time,  the  Re- 
 formed churches  of  Poland,  part  of  thole  of 
 the  confeflion  of  Bohemia,  and  thofe  of  that  of 
 Svvifferland,  have  formed  but  one  body,  and  have 
 had  paftors  in  common. 
 
 But  there  were  alfo,  amongft  the. Reformed  in 
 Poland,  particularly  in  Upper  Poland,  feveral 
 perfons  attached  to  the  conteiTion  of  Augfbourg, 
 ,vfho  were  defirous  of  profeffing  the  Reformed 
 religion  after  the  exjft  manner  in  which  it  had 
 been  eftabliQied  by  Luther  in  Saxony.  The  Re- 
 formed of  the  two  communions,  that  were  lately 
 united,  thought  nothing  would  be  more  defirable 
 than  to  incorporate,  if  it  was  pofiible,  their  bre- 
 thren of  the  confeilion  of  Augfbourg  into  their 
 re-union.  A mongtf  the  latter,  there  were  many 
 who  fincereiy  wiilied  it.  Frequent  councils  were 
 held  on  this  fubjeft  fo  important  to  all  the 
 churches  of  Poland,  in  the  years  1557.  1560, 
 and  is^7'  But  fome  perfons,  who  were  governed 
 by  the  fpirit  of  party,  by  tjieir  prejudices  and 
 pafiions,  got  the  better  ;  and  by  continually  op- 
 pofmg  all  projetls  of  re-uniting  them,  for  a  long 
 time  prevented  this  happy  effed.  But  when  the 
 divines  of  Wittenberg  declared  that  they  did 
 not  difapprove  the  project  of  the  le-union  be- 
 tween the  Reformed,  and  the  Lutherans  of  Po- 
 land, thofe  who  had  till  then  oppofed  it,  no  lon- 
 ger dared  to  do  it  openly. 
 
 Every  thing  now  feemed  to  tend  to  the  fpeedy 
 accomplifhment  of  this  good  work.  The  prepa- 
 ratives having  been  dijcufied  and  regulated  in 
 the  fynods  of  Pollen,  and  of  Vilna,  both  held 
 
 in 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     75 
 
 in  1570.  they  again]  convoked  in  the  fame  year 
 another  general  council  of  Tendomir  "  to  put  the 
 finirning  llroke  to  the  eftabliPament  of  concord. 
 The  event  perfectly  anfwered  the  favourable 
 hopes  they  had  conceived  of  it.  After  fome  dif- 
 putes  concerning  the  merit  of  the  three  confef- 
 fions  of  Bohemia,  Swiflerland,  and  of  Augfbourg, 
 they  wifely,  and  with  general  approbation,  de- 
 termined, that  each  communion  Ihould  retain 
 it's  own  confefTion  ;  and  that  a  new  confeflion 
 lliould  be  drawn  up  for  the  common,  fuch  as  all 
 might  fign  ;  which  was  done  with  great  fuccefs, 
 and  with  the  approbation  of  all  who  were  inte- 
 refted  in  the  affair.  This  confeflion,  called  Con- 
 fenfus,  was  again  approved,  and  confirmed  in 
 feveral  fynods  held  at  PolTen,  Cracow  and  Petri^ 
 cow.  And  the  complete  ratification  of  it  was  mad© 
 in  the  general  fynod  of  Thorne,  in  1595.  No- 
 thing could  be  better  founded,  nor  could  appa- 
 rently be  more  likely  to  lait,  than  this  union : 
 but  hov/ever  it's  ftrength  continued  no  longer 
 than  the  life  of  Erafmus  Gliczner,  the  firfl:  fuper- 
 intendant  the  Lithurians  had  in  Poland,  and  a 
 man  of  great  virtue  and  wifdom.  Immediately 
 after  his  death,  the  bands  of  concord  were  infen- 
 fibly  loofened,  and  at  length  wholly  deftroyed.^ 
 
 No  one  could  have  imagined,  that  the  Reform- 
 ed in  Poland,  after  having  been  fo  ftrongly  op- 
 pofed  from  their  original,  iliould  ever  arrive  at 
 the  confiderable  eftablifhment,  and  happy  fecu- 
 rity  they  at  length  enjoyed  :  for  from  the  firft  their 
 writings  and  dodtrine  had  been  profcribed  by 
 the  moll  fevere  edicts,  and  themfelves  banilheci 
 the  kingdom.     But  notwithftanding  all  thefe  ob- 
 
 *  The  reader  will  find  a  very  full  account  of  this  affair  in 
 Mr.  Jablonlki's  hiftoria  confenfus  Lifm^ncjorenfis — and  Mr. 
 Saljp's  above-m«nti«ned  works. 
 
1^  ecclp:siastical  history. 
 
 ftacles,  the  Bohemian  brethren,  in  the  Upper 
 Poland,  and  the  Reformed  of  the  Svviflerland 
 communion  in  the  Lower,  continuing  ta  preach 
 the  pure  gofpel,  made  many  profelytes,  even 
 amongft  the  principal  nobility  of  the  kingdom, 
 who  powerfully  llipported  them  againit  the  Popes, 
 and  particularly  againft  the  attacks  of  the  Bifhops 
 of  the  kingdom.  It  is  certainly  true,  that  the 
 King  Sigifmund  Auguftus  himfelf  inclined  to 
 ihem,  and  did  not  difapprove  their  doctrine. 
 Even  fome  of  the  Billiops  openly  confefled  they 
 had  no  diilike  to  the  pure  gofpei-doclrine,  which 
 prevented  the  other  prelates,  who  were  of  different 
 opinions,  from  raifing  perlecutions  againft  thofe 
 they  called  Heretics'-.  The  Reformed  got  the  bet- 
 ter in  many  diets.  In  that  of  Petricow,  held  in 
 1564.  Sigifmund  Augullus  approved  their  con^ 
 feffion,  and  gave  his  proteftion  to  thofe  who  had 
 figned  it,  by  granting  to  them  many  confiderable 
 privileges.  After  the  death  of  this  Prince,  the 
 general  alliance  of  all  orders  made  at  Warfaw  in 
 J  573.  took  every  precaution  neceffary  for  the  pre- 
 fervation  of  the  liberty  of  the  citizens,  even  in 
 matters  of  religion.  This  alliance  was  inferted 
 with  the  unanimous  confent  of  the  fame  orders, 
 into  the  Pada  Conventa  made  with  the  new  King 
 Henry  Duke  of  Anjou,  and  folemnly  confirmed  by 
 an  oath,  which  was  aftei wards  alfo  taken  by  the 
 Kings  Stephen  and  Sigifmund  III.  From  this  time 
 the  Reformed  in  Poland  might  have  enjoyed  a 
 happy  peace  during  this  whole  century,  had  they 
 not  been  troubled  by  the  Unitarians,  of  whom 
 v/e  fl:iall  have  occafion  to  fpeak  hereafter. 
 
 »  Confult  on  thefe  matters  a  work,  publifhed  in  folio  at 
 Berlin  in  1706.  intitled.  Jura  &  libertatcs  reffidentium  in 
 regie  Poloniie.  Jablonfki,  the  father,  i^  the  author  of  it, 
 though  it  does  not  bear  his  name. 
 
 We 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  7^ 
 We  mud  now  turn  our  view  towards  Hungary ". 
 Even  before  the  time  of  the  glorious  Reforma- 
 tion, and  whilll  the  whole  weftern  church  re- 
 mained buried  in  the  profoundeft  darknefs,  fome 
 rays  of  the  apoitolic  dotilrine  had  enlightened 
 that  country.  Several  of  the  Vaudois,  who  had 
 retired  there  fome  centuries  ago,  fpread  amongfl 
 them  the  feeds  of  the  Reformation  •,  and  in  the 
 fifteenth  century,  the  HulTites  fettling  in  many 
 of  the  Hungarian  provinces,  brought  with  them 
 their  dodrine.  It  is  true,  the  violent  perfecu- 
 tion  of  the  Emperor  Sigifmund,  to  whom  Hun- 
 gary was  fubjed,  obliged  them  foon  to  quit  that 
 place  •,  but,  in  all  probability,  the  fmcere  de- 
 fire,  and  love  they  had  for  the  true  religion 
 ftill  aftuated  many  people  ;  fo  that  it  is  no 
 wonder,  the  news  of  the  Reformation,  Luther 
 had  made  in  Saxony,  fhould  raife  the  attention 
 of  the  Hungarians.  The  writings  of  Luther 
 were  at  firll  fought  for  with  great  eagernefs,  and 
 very  foon  fpread  throughout  all  Hungary  and 
 Tranfylvania.  From  that  time,  feveral  young- 
 people,  thole  defigned  for  the  church,  as  well  as 
 thole  of  other  employments,  and  even  fome  of 
 the  Nobility,  frequented  the  univerfity  of  Wit- 
 tenburg  to  hear  Luther,  and  the  other  Protef- 
 tant  divines.  Amongft  thofe  who  ftudied  at  that 
 univerfity,  we  may  diftinguilli  Martin  Cyriacus, 
 who  afterwards  became  the  firft  pallor  of  the 
 church  of  Lentfl<:ow,and  who  had  many  followers. 
 The  fevere  edids  of  King  Lewis  againll  the  Lu- 
 
 *  Mr.  Frederic  Adolphus  Lampus,  printed  at  Utrecht  in 
 1728.  Pauli  E,  hiftoria  ecclefis  Reibrniata-  in  Hungaria  & 
 Tranfylvania. — Mr.  Salig  has  alfo  given  a  very  good  account 
 of  this  Reformation  in  Vol.  II.  Lib.  66.  Ch,  6.  o{  his  con- 
 fcff.  auguft. 
 
 thcrans. 
 
^8     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 therans,  and  the  perfecutions  they  fufTered,  did  not 
 at  all  extinguifh  their  zeal.  Theperfecution  conti- 
 ^nued  during  the  life  of  this  monarch,  '  But  how- 
 ever the  number  of  the  Reformed  daily  increafed, 
 the  churches  multiplied,  both  in  Hungary  and 
 Tranfylvania,  and  many  of  the  principal  Nobles, 
 attached  themfelves  to  their  party. 
 
 King  Lewis  having  loll  his  life  in  a  deplorable 
 manner  at  the  unfortunate  battle  of  Mohacz  in 
 1526.  the  affliirs  of  the  Reformed  took  a  more 
 favourable  turn.  As  many  Bifhops  died  on  the  field 
 of  battle,  great  numbers  of  the  Nobility  were  in- 
 duced to  join  the  Reformed,  hoping  by  that  means 
 more  eafily  to  appropriate  to  themfelves  the 
 wealth  of  the  clergy.  Mary,  widow  to  the  late 
 King,  and  filter  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  had 
 acquired  the  knowledge  of  the  gofpel-truths  from 
 her  Chaplain  John  Hencknel,  v/ho  had  perfuaded 
 her  to  read  the  writings  of  Luther.  If  Lewis 
 had  lived  longer,  the  Qiieen  would  undoubtedly 
 have  induced  him  to  be  miore  favourable  to  the 
 Reformed.  But  the  Emperor,  his  brother,  after 
 the  death  of  the  King  of  Hungary,  fent  for 
 her  to  come  to  him  in  1530.  and  appointed  hct 
 governefs  of  the  Low-Countries.  John  Czepufs, 
 Prince  of  Tranfylvania,  whom  the  LIungarians 
 had  juft  then  eleded  for  their  King,  out  of  fear 
 of  the  Catholics,  publiihed,  in  1527.  a  mod 
 violent  edid  againfl:  the  Proteftants,  by  which  he 
 confirmed  all  thofe  of  the  fam^e  kind  Lewis  had 
 given  •,  but  this  Prince  was  foon  driven  out  of 
 Hungary  by  Ferdinand  the  lav/ful  Sovereign  of 
 that  kingdom,  and  the  edicft  remained  unexe- 
 cuted. Ferdinand  treated  the  Reformed,  under 
 his  dominion,  with  great  mildnefs,  which  in- 
 duced the  Germans  to  fend  Proteftant  minif- 
 ters  into  Hungary.     Their  labours  were  fuccefs- 
 
 ful, 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  ^<^ 
 ful,  and  the  number  of  churches  dally  multi- 
 plied. The  principal  ones  were  in  five  free  ci- 
 ties of  Upper  Hungary,  namely,  Caffovia,  Leut- 
 fchow,  Eperies  Hermanftadt  and  Leuventz  ,  to 
 which  was  added  the  county  of  Saros.  Thefe 
 churches  prefented  to  Ferdinand  in  1530.  a  con- 
 fefTion,  which  was  afterwards  adopted  and  ac- 
 knowledged as  conformable  to  their's  by  the 
 churches  of  the  confeiTion  of  Augfbourg.  Du- 
 ring this  time,  the  dethroned  Prince,  feeing  no 
 other  means  to  re-eftablifh  his  affairs,  demanded 
 afliftance  from  the  warlike  Solyman,  Emperor 
 of  the  Turks,  and  obtained  by  degrees  fulficient 
 fuccours  to  retrieve  them  in  1529.  and  fome  fol- 
 lowing years.  This  enlivened  the  zeal  of  fome  of 
 the  Bifhops,  and  other  favourers  of  Popery,  again 
 to  dlfturb  the  Proteftants,  and  Ibmetimes  even  to 
 treat  them  with  much  rigour.  The  greateft  fufferer 
 by  them  was  r4atthias  Devay,  an  illuftrious  Re- 
 former of  Hungary,  who  publifhed  many  very  ex- 
 cellent works,  and  did  infinite  fervice  to  his  coun- 
 try. He  v^as  called  the  Luther  of  Hungary.  After 
 having  been  im.prifoned  at  Buda,  he  was  removed 
 from  thence  to  another  prifon  in  Vienna,  were 
 he  remained  for  a  long  time  in  daily  expedation 
 of  death.  He  was,  however,  at  laft  reilored  to 
 liberty.  Whilft  Devay  was  preaching  the  gofpel 
 in  Hungary,  John  Hunter  likewife  preached 
 it  in  Tranfylvania.  He  was  the  firfl  Protef- 
 tant  Paftor  eftablifhed  by  the  magiftracy  at  Cron- 
 fladtin  1533.  and  the  Reformation  of  that  diftri(fL 
 was  intruded  to  his  care.  The  zeal  and  induftry 
 he  exerted,  on  this  occafion,  was  attended  with 
 fo  much  fuccefs,  that  when  the  Princefs  Eliza- 
 beth, widow  of  John  Czepufs,  who  died  in  1540. 
 came  into  Tranfylvania,  flie  faw,  with  great  af- 
 tonifhment,  the    Reformation'  prevailing    almoft' 
 
 throughout 
 
So      ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOiVi. 
 
 throughout  the  whole  country.  She  was  indeed 
 folicited  by  George  Martinuiius  to  perlecutc  the 
 Proteftants  •,  but  it  was  impofllblefor  her  to  pre- 
 vent the  progrefs  of  their  doctrine.  The  Saxons, 
 who  were  in  Tranfylvania,  made  a  pubHc  pro- 
 feflion  of  the  Proteftant  faith  ni  1 544.  Li  the 
 year  following,  the  Proteftants  held  their  firit 
 lynod  at  Media  ;  and  all  thole  who  aiTifted  at  it, 
 adopted  the  rites  of  the  Saxon  church,  by  figning 
 the  confeflion  of  Augfbourg.  Many  lynods  were 
 likewife  held  in  Hungary,  the  a6LS  of  which  be- 
 ing figned  by  molt  of  the  clergy,  is  fiilticient 
 proof  that  the  gofpel  greatly  prevailed  in  that 
 country.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Reformatioxi 
 in  Hungary,  and  in  Tranfylvania,  the  gofpel 
 was  preached  indifferently  by  the  minifters  of  the 
 ConfelTion  of  Auglbourg,  or  by  thole  of  the  con- 
 feffion  of  Swilferland,  although  the  number  of 
 the  former  were  much  the  moil  confiderable. 
 Matthias  Devay,  whom  we  have  before  menti- 
 oned, was  one  of  the  mofl  celebrated  amongfk 
 the  latter-,  from  the  year  1530.  or  even  before  than 
 time,  he  conlecrated  his  whole  time  and  attention 
 to  the  Reformation  of  the  church  of  Buda.  But 
 from  the  year  1550.  the  Proteftants  of  Hungary 
 and  Tranfylvania  became  ftill  more  united  with 
 thole  of  Swilferland  than  they  had  before  been, 
 and  many  great  perfons  came  into  their  commu- 
 ftion,  and  openly  profeffed  their  dodtrine.  The 
 moft  celebrated  amongd  them  were  Stephen 
 Zegedin,  Peter  Milius,  and  Martin  Caiman- 
 chibi.  They  publilhed  in  1568.  a  confeflion 
 ff  aith,  which,  with  that  of  Swilferland,  was 
 received  in  all  the  churches  \  and,  in  1^66.  the 
 mmiilers  of  the  Reformed  churches  in  Hungary 
 figned  the  confeffion  of  Geneva,  drawn  up  by 
 Theodore  Beza.  They  likewife  figned  that  of 
 Swiflerland,  fuch  as   it   had  appeared  that  year, 
 
 but 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  8i 
 hut  more  fully  and  cxa(5i:]y  explained.  From  that 
 time,  although  the  Reformed  churches  grew  very 
 numerous,  the  Protcftants  of  the  two  commu- 
 nions were  in  perfeft  friendfliip  with  each  other, 
 infomuch,  that  the  fludents  of  divinity  among  the 
 Proteftants  preferred  the  univerfiry  of  Witten- 
 berg to  any  other  in  Germany.  But,  being  treated 
 by  the  divines  of  that  city  with  too  much  feverity, 
 they  quitted  Wittenberg  in  1590.  and  went  to 
 Heidelberg,  which  cauled  fome  coolnefs  betvv^,een 
 the  two  communions. 
 
 It  was  not  without  much  trouble,  and  many 
 perfecutions,  that  the  gofpel-doftrine  was  pro- 
 pagated, and  firmly  eftabliflied  in  Hungary  and 
 Tranfylvania.  But,  however,  God  granted  fre- 
 <quently  to  thoie  churches  times  of  peace  and  tran- 
 quility. King  Ferdinand  I.  feeing  the  Reform.a- 
 tion  fo  far  advanced  in  his  kingdom,  granted  the 
 free  exercife  of  that  religion  to  five  free  cities  in 
 Upper  Hungary,  to  fourteen  cities  of  the  county 
 of  Czepufs,  to  fome  others  in  Lower  Hungary, 
 and  all  the  Nobles  of  the  kingdom.  John  Si- 
 gifmund  granted  the  fame  liberty  to  the  Tranfyl- 
 vanians  in  1563.  and,  in  the  following  year  fome 
 cities  of  Flungary  obtained  the  fame  privilege 
 from  the  King  Maximilian,  fon  to  Ferdinand.  At 
 length,  in  1606.  Rodolphus,  Emperor  and  King 
 of  Hungary,  having  concluded  the  peace  of  Vi- 
 enna with  Stephen  Betfkai,  Prince  of  Tranfyl- 
 vania, he  granted  to  the  Proteftants  an  inviolable 
 -religious  peace.  Their  privileges  were  not  only 
 confirmed  to  them,  but  confiderably  increafed  by 
 King  Matthias  in  1608.  whofe  example  was  fol- 
 lowed by  ail  his  fuccefTors. 
 
 The  profperity  of  the  Reformed  in  Tranfyl- 
 vania was  unfortunately  difturbed  by  the  fed  ot 
 Unitarians,  who  occafioned  them  much  trouble. 
 George  Blandratus,  a  phyfician,  whom  John  Si- 
 
 VoL.  II.  G  gifmund, 
 
82     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 g'fmund.  Prince  of  Traniylvania,  had  invited  to 
 that  place  in  1563.  was,  at  lirft,  'the  chief  of  that 
 party.  The  Prince  always  followed  his  advice 
 in  ecclefiaftical  affairs.  The  great  faVouf  which 
 Blandratus  enjoyed,  induced  Francis  Davidis,  a 
 perion  very  much  efteemed  amongfl  the  Re- 
 formed, to  enter  into  the  party  of  the  Unitarians, 
 which  fe6l  the  Prince  alfo  joined,  after  having 
 heard  many  conferences  between  them  and  the 
 Proteftants.  Upon  this  important  acquifition, 
 they  obtained  feveral  very  extenfive  privileges. 
 But  the  ftate  of  their  affairs  was  greatly  altered 
 on  the  death  of  John  Sigifmund  in  1571.  and 
 the  fucceffion  of  Stephen  Bathori ;  for  he  being 
 of  different  fentiments  from  the  late  Prince,  their 
 credit  very  much  decreafed.  We  fhall  take  ano- 
 ther opportunity  of  giving  a  full  account  of  this 
 iect. 
 
 ARTICLE        IX. 
 
 'Affairs  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  parti- 
 cularly of  the  Council  of  Trent,  and  the 
 Society  of  the  Jesuits. 
 
 W^  E  have  feen,  in  the  hiflory  of  the  pre- 
 ceding centuries,  the  ftate  of  the  Ro- 
 man church  before  the  Reformers  began  that 
 great  work,  which  God  enabled  them  fo  hap- 
 pily to  complete.  This  church,  weakened  by 
 the  continual  attacks  it  received  from  all  parts, 
 was  approaching  to  it's  ruin  ;  infomuch,  that  the 
 Popes,  with  their  adherents,  were  forced,  earneft- 
 ly,  to  feek  means  for  it's  lupport.  If  the  Chrif- 
 tian  Princes  had  lent  an  ear  to  their  advice,  the 
 means  they  vv^ould  have  imployed  would  have 
 been  thofe  of  fire  and  the  fword.  But  moft  of 
 the  Princes,  particularly  thole  ©f  Germany,  ftronp-- 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     8g 
 
 1y  "difapproved  of  thefe  violent  meafures,  hav- 
 ing alieady  found  by  experience,  in  many  coun- 
 tries of  Europe,  particularly  in  France,  England, 
 Scotland,  and  the  Low-Countries,  that  the  vio- 
 lence of  perfecution  was  lb  far  from  deftroying 
 the  true  religion,  that  it  contributed  to  it's  pro- 
 pagation and  increafe.  The  Popes,  therefore, 
 were  obliged  to  feek  for  other  remedies  to  thefe 
 evils.  None  prefented  themfelves  more  appa- 
 rently efficacious  than  the  convocation  of  a  gene- 
 ral council.  This  had  been  the  lad  refource  of 
 the  Popes,  on  many  former  occafions,  in  their 
 greatelt  e^ctremities.  The  Proteftants  of  Ger- 
 many had  likewife  earneftly  requeiled  it  at  the 
 beginning  of  the  Reformation  ;  and  the  Emperor 
 Charles  V.  had  frequently  advifed  the  Popes  to 
 confent  to  fo  lawful  and  univerfal  a  requeft.  But 
 they,  confcious  that  their  influence  was  no  longer 
 what  it  once  was,  were  unwilling  to  allow  of  the 
 convocation  ;  and  it  was  almoft  by  force  that 
 their  confent  was  obtained.  The  Proteftants,  in- 
 deed, demanded  a  council ;  but  it  was  only  under 
 certain  conditions,  which  were  truly  juft  and 
 eciuitable.  Such  a  council  could  never  be  agree:- 
 able  to  the  Popes  •,  for  which  reafon  Clement 
 VIL  obftinately  rejefttd  it  ;  and,  upon  repeated 
 intreaties  of  the  Catholic  Princes  on  the  fjbjecl, 
 he  propoied  to  them  very  different  conditions, 
 and  fuch  as  were  fo  palpably  unjuft,  that  he 
 knew  the  Proteftants  could  not  accept  them. 
 Pope  Clement  died  in  1534.  before  this  affair  was 
 concluded.  His  fucceffor  Paul  III.  feeing  it 
 would  be  vain  to  attempt  the  raihng  of  new  diffi- 
 culties that  might  at  length  caufc  a  general  In- 
 furreftion,  feigned  a  great  deftre  for  this  council, 
 Vv^hich  he  at  firft  appointed  at  Mantua,  after- 
 wards Vicenta,  and  at  laft  at  Trent,  on  the  con- 
 G  2  fines 
 
84  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 fines  of  Germany.  Three  years  however  pafied 
 before  the  preluninaries  could  be  fettled  •,  and 
 this  fo  long  wifhed  for  council  was  not  held  till 
 the  month  of  December  I545^  They  had  in  all 
 but  twenty-five  fefTions,  eight  of  which  were  held 
 under  Paul  III.  at  Trent,  in  the  years  1545.  15+^. 
 and  1547.  In  1547.  it  was  transferred  to  Bo- 
 logna, at  which  place  the  ninth  and  tenth  fefTions 
 were  held.  Julius  III.  v/ho  became  Pope  after 
 Paul,  was  obliged  to  bring  back  the  council  to 
 Trent,  where,  in theyears  1551.  and  1552.  they  held 
 feven  feffions.  During  this  time,  there  came  to 
 Trent  fome  divines,  and  other  deputies  from  the 
 Froteflants,  who  feconded  the  intentions  of 
 Charles  V.  flriving  to  accommodate  things  on 
 a  folid  and  lafting  footing.  But  before  both  par- 
 ties could  agree  in  what  manner  thefe  deputies 
 lliould  be  received  and  treated  by  the  council, 
 there  arofe  afudden  revolution  in  Germany,  which 
 put  the  fathers  of  the  council  to  flight,  and  inter- 
 rupted the  fefTions.  Frequent  delays  prolonged  this 
 interruption,  and  it  was  not  till  1562.  that  the  fef- 
 fions were  again  opened  by  the  order  of  Pius  IV. 
 They  continued  until  the  council  v/as  fully  ter- 
 minated, which  happened  in  December  1564. 
 
 Many  learned  perfons,  even  of  the  church  of 
 Rome,  were  truly  defirous  to  obtain  the  end  for 
 which  this  council  had  been  convoked  ;  and  the 
 necefTity  of  which  the  Popes  themfelves  Teem- 
 ed to  acknowledge.  The  Reformation  of  the 
 church,  both  in  it's  faith  and  manners,  in  it's 
 chief  and   mem.bers,  was  the   only    means  fully 
 
 *  Father  Paul's  hiftory  of  the  council  of  Trent  is  weli 
 known.  F.  Courayer's  edition,  printed  in  2  vols.  410,  at  Am- 
 fterdam  in  1736.  is  the  beft  and  moll:  corredt.  The  preface 
 to  this  edition  is  very  excellent.  Salig  alfo  has  given  a  very 
 good  hiAory  of  this  fiinie  coimcii  in  Latin,   in  3  vols.  410. 
 
 to 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     85 
 
 to  appeafe  thofe  fatal  troubles  that  had  for  fo 
 long  a  time  diftreffed  the  churches  of  Europe. 
 But  when  it  came  to  the  point  of  employing  thefe 
 only  necelTary  means  to  arrive  at  this  end,  the 
 Popes,  though  they  before  appeared  willing  to 
 condefcend  to  them,  now  afted  differently,  def- 
 troyed  all  the  meafures  that  they  had  been  taken, 
 and  reduced  things  into  their  former  confufion. 
 We  might  truly  fay,  that  the  whole  duty  of  their 
 office  feemed  to  confiii  in  anathematizing  the 
 dodlrine  of  the  Proteftants,  and  defending  againft 
 them  the  abufes  and  fuperftitions  of  the  church 
 of  Rome.  It  is  true,  in  the  council  of  Trent, 
 they  examined  all  the  matters  of  controverfy  be- 
 tween the  Catholics  and  the  Proteftants ;  but 
 they  decided  them  folely  by  the  fuffrages  of  the 
 former,  and  on  the  principles  of  the  fcholaltic 
 divinity.  The  confequences  of  thefe  difcuffions 
 were,  that  the  church  of  Rome  now  made  arti- 
 cles of  faith  of  ibme  of  her  do6lrines,  that  before 
 Hie  never  dared  to  propofe  as  fuch.  Neverthelefs, 
 the  Pope,  for  the  fake  of  appearance,  and  fearing 
 to  expofe  himfelf  too  much  to  the  reproaches  of 
 all  Chriftians,  charged  the  fathers  of  the  council 
 to  place  amongft  the  fubjeds  of  their  delibera- 
 tions the  principal  abufes  that  had  crept  into  the 
 church  dilcipline,  and  to  point  out  the  means  of 
 redreffing  them.  We  need  oaly  caft  our  eyes 
 upon  the  a6ls  of  this  council,  or  read  the 
 hiftory  of  thofe  times,  to  fee  how  very  little 
 was  done  on  this  fubjedl.  At  firft,  none  of  the 
 Popes  ever  affifted  in  perfon  at  the  fefTions  of 
 the  council,  they  only  fent  their  Legates,  giv- 
 ing them  fuch  inftruftions  as  tended  rather  to 
 prevent  than  forward  any  propofals.  At  thefe 
 councils,  all  things  palTed  by  intrigues  and  mean 
 artifices,  unbecoming  the  dignity  and  holinefs 
 of  fuch  an  aflembly.  The  opinions  v/ere  never 
 freely  given  ^  for  every  one  who  deviated  from 
 G  3  the 
 
86    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY". 
 
 the  principles  of  the  papal  hierarchy,  was  fevcrc- 
 ly  reproved,  and  totally  rejefted.  Nothing  was 
 brought  on  the  carpet,  but  v/hat  was  propofed 
 by  the  Legate  according  to  the  Pope's  connmand  ; 
 and  no  decree  was  formed  that  had  not  before 
 been  propofed  in  fome  private  afiembly,  intirely 
 dependant  on  the  Legate.  This  celebrated  coun- 
 cil was  therefore  fo  far  from  anfwering  the  uni- 
 verfal  expe6lations,  and  the  ardent  defires  of  all 
 good  people  ;  that,  on  the  contrary,  it  lerved  only 
 to  envenom  the  wounds,  and  render  them  incura- 
 ble, by  fixing  a  kind  of  leal  on  the  fhameful  fu- 
 •perftitions  of  the  Roman  church,  and  the  infup- 
 ■portable  tyranny  of  the  Popes.  The  decrees  of 
 this  council  greatly  difpleaicd  many  of  the  Ca- 
 tholic churches  ;  and  the  Galilean  church,  even 
 to  this  day,  has  conftantly  refuied  to  receive  them 
 on  the  footing  of  a  perpetual  law,  confirmed  by 
 the  public  authority,  notwithllanding  the  tenets 
 that  were  defined  and  eftablifhed  by  this  alTembly, 
 are  thofeofthe  whole  Roman  church.  PopePiusIV. 
 lived  but  a  fhort  time  after  the  end  of  this  coun- 
 cil of  Trent,  and  was  fucceeded  in  1565.  by  Pius 
 V.  formerly  called  Michael  Ghifleri  ;  a  man  of  a 
 melancholy  andfevere  difpofition.  By  his  orders, 
 they  took  from  the  decrees  of  the  council  of 
 Trent,  the  work,  intitled.  The  Catechifm  of  that 
 Council.  He  publifhed  a  bull  of  excommunica- 
 tion againil  Elizabeth,  who  then  reigned  in  Eng- 
 land, pronouncing  her  degraded  from  her  roy- 
 alty, and  exhorting  her  fubjedls  to  revolt  againil 
 her.  He  is,  however,  the  fame  Pope  whom  his 
 "fuccelTors  have  fince  canonized.  We  are  the  lefs 
 furprifed  at  this,  when  we  fee,  amongft  thele 
 Popes,  Gregory  XIII.  of  the  family  of  Buon- 
 Gompagno,  who  openly  commended  the  infa- 
 mous malTacre  of  St.  Bartholomew  *.     The  fee 
 
 "  This  is  the  fame  Pontiff  who  reformed  the  Julian  Ca- 
 lendar. 
 
 of 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTtJRY.  87 
 of  Rome  was  afterward^  filled  by  the  famous  Fe- 
 lix Montaltus,  whom  lame  immortalized  under* 
 the  name  of  Sixtus  Qiiintus.  This  Pontifi\,  al- 
 though of  mean  extraction,  poffeffed  a  mod 
 haughty  mind  •,  the  eifetls  of  which  was  expe- 
 rienced by  molt  of  the  Chriftian  Princes.  It  was 
 he  who  caufed  the  verfion  of  the  Bible,  called 
 Vulgate,  corrected  by  the  council  of  Trent,  to 
 be  printed  in  1589.  commanding  that  it  (liould 
 be  regarded  as  the  only  authentic  one.  Never^ 
 thelels,  although  it  was  thus  commanded  by  a 
 law  to  which  he  gave  a  perpetual  force,  Clement 
 VIII.  at  the  end  of  a  few  years,  publifhed  ano- 
 ther edition  of  the  Vulgate  of  Sixtus  V.  more 
 exaftly  revifed  and  correfted  than  the  former*, 
 ordering  likewile,  that,  for  the  future,  it  Ihould 
 be  the  only  one  made  ufc  of  and  acknowledged. 
 The  immediate  lucceiTors  cf  Sixtus  V.UrbanVilL 
 Gregory  XIV.  Innocent  IX  held  the  fee  but  lome 
 days,  or  Ibme  months,  and  did  nothing  worthy 
 to  be  tranfmitted  to  pofterity.  Clement  Vill.  will 
 appear  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  century. 
 
 The  refped  formerly  paid  to  the  monallic  life, 
 had  very  much  decrealed  fmce  the  Reformation, 
 as  that  had  expofed  to  full  view  their  crimes  ai-d 
 debaucheries.  The  monks  were  attacked  by  fe- 
 veral  very  able  men,  even  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
 but  to  mention  Erafm.us  alone,  will  be  fufficient. 
 It  was  impofiible  to  be  longer  ignorant  of  the  dif- 
 orders  that  pafied  not  only  within  their  convents, 
 but  of  which  the  whole  fociety  were  accufed. 
 Notwithftanding  this,  fome  men  were  yet  fo  bold, 
 or  fo  fanatic,  as  to  found  new  orders.  Others,  lefs 
 blameable,  employed  themfelves  in  reforming 
 the  old  ones,  and  correcting  the  errors  into  which 
 they  had  infenfibly  fallen  fe|^.  By  which  means 
 it  frequently  happened,  that  from  the  divifion  of 
 one  order,  two  or  threeothers  were  produced.  That 
 G  4  of 
 
g  S     E  C  C  L  E  S I A  S  T I C  A  C  H  IS  T  ORY. 
 
 of  the  Minorites  or  Fiancifcans,.  for  example,  be- 
 Game  thefl-em  from  which  fprung  cut,  as  lb  many 
 branches,  the  ^  Recollets,  the ''  Capucins,,  and' 
 the  Penitents.  The  Carmelites  likewife  gave  rife 
 to  another  order  that  diilinguiflied  itfelf  by  the  epi- 
 thet of  Dechauiles,  or  without  Ihoes.  It  is  needlefs 
 to  enter  upon  an  enumeration  of  theirorders.  As  to* 
 their  nev/  ones,  that  of  the  Theatins  %  was  inlli- 
 tuted  by  John  Peter  Caraffus,  then  Bifhop,  bus 
 afterwards  Pope,  under  the  name  of  Paul  lY. 
 The  Barnabites  were  fo  called  from  the  church  of 
 Milan,  which  they  were  permitted  to  ufe,  and 
 which  was  dedicated  to  St.  Barnabas.  We  mufl 
 not  omit  the  fathers  of  the  oratory'',  founded  by 
 Philip  ofNeri;  which  fociety  has  produced  many 
 learned  and  famous  men.  The  laft  we  fhall  men- 
 tion, and  that  which  has  ever  been  unequaled  in- 
 fame,  numbers,  power  and  riches,  is  that  called 
 the  Society  of  Jefus  ^  It  was  founded  by  a  Spa- 
 niard, Ignatius  of  Loyola  •,.  he  was  at  iirft  a  fol- 
 difef,  but  became  at  length  the  mod  fuperftitious 
 of  all  fanatics*.     This  order  borrowed  many  of 
 
 the 
 
 a  So  called,  from  that  fpirit  of  recolleftion,  by  which  they 
 pretended  to  have  the  ability  to  revive  the  rule  and  difcipline 
 of  St.  Francis. 
 
 b  Tiiey  had  this  name  from  their  wearing  a  fharp-pointed 
 capuche  or  cowl,  in  imitation  of  St.  Francis. 
 
 c  The  Theatins  are  a  religious  order  of  regular  Roman  Ca- 
 tholic priefts  :  their  founder  was  St.  Cajetan  of  Thiene  ;  and 
 Caraffa,  Biihop  of  Theate,  having  been  their  firll  fuperior, 
 they  take  their  name  from  thence. 
 
 d  There  are  many  things  curious  in  the  inlHtution  of  this, 
 order  in  the  Perroniana,  p.  259.  to  which  we  may  add  many 
 parts  of  the  life  of  Baronius,  by  Jerom  Barnabosus. 
 
 e  The  beft  hiftory  of  the  fociety  of  the  Jefuits  is  that  of 
 Rodolphus  Hofpenian,  printed  at  Zurich,  in  Folio.  Michael 
 Geddes  has  given  us  a  ihort  hiftory  of  the  Jefuits  in.  his  brevis 
 hiftoria  ordinum  monafticorum. 
 
 <■  Ignatius  Loyola  was  born  in  1 491.  in  Guipufion  in  Spain-. 
 He  ferved  in  the  armies  of  Ferdinand,.  King,  of  Spain,  and  was. 
 
 wounded 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.      ^ 
 
 the  rules  of  it's  inftitution  from  that  of  the 
 preachers,  which  was  founded  in  the  13th  cen- 
 tury. Pope  Paul  III.  publicly  approved  and  con- 
 firmed the  order  of  the  Jefuits  in  1540.  They 
 profefied  an  intire  devotion  to  the  will  of  the 
 Popes,  and  the  interefts  of  the  court  of  Rome-,  and 
 thofe  amongft  the  Jefuits  who  bear  the  name  of 
 Profefied,  add  to  the  other  vows  of  the  Monks, 
 a  fourth  vow,  relative  to  the  general  obedience 
 they  are  obliged  to  obferve  to  the  Pope  alone. 
 This  order,  therefore  may  be  juftly  regarded  as 
 one  of  the  principal  fupports  of  the  papal  power. 
 The  occupation  of  the  Jefuits  confided  chiefly  in 
 the  inftruftion  of  youth,  and  the  preaching  of 
 the  gofpel  to  infidels,  even  in  the  remoteft  parts 
 of  the  earth  \     On  the  whole,  there   appears  fo 
 
 much 
 
 wounded  and  taken  by  the  French  at  the  Siege  of  Pampelona, 
 During  his  confinement  and  illnefs,  he  read  the  lives  of  the 
 faints,  and  feme  other  books  of  devotion,  which  occafioned 
 his  firlt  refoliuion  of  devoting  himfelf  wholly  to  God.  He  af- 
 terwards made  a  pilgrimage  into  the  Holy  Land.  Being  re- 
 turned to  Spain,  he  began  to  ftudy  grammar  at  Barcelona,  and 
 afterwards  went  through  his  courfes  of  phiiofophy  and  divinity 
 at  Alcala.  His  fame  increafing,  the  number  of  thofe  who  came 
 to  hear  his  inftruftions  increafed  likewife.  Ignatius  had  then 
 four  companions,  who  were  in  a  brown  woollen  habit,  and 
 applied  themfclves  to  the  fame  exercifes.  This  giving  um- 
 brage to  the  inquifitors,  he  was  taken  up  and  imprifor.ed  for 
 fome  time  ;  but,  upon  the  recovery  of  his  liberty,  he  went  to 
 Paris,  and  was  there  fupported  upon  charity.  Here  he  formed 
 alittle  fociety  of  ten  men,  who  fet  out  for  Rome,  in  1597.  to 
 prefent  themlelves  in  a  body  to  the  Pope,  in  the  quality  of 
 Pilgrims,  who  intended  to  travel  to  jerufdem.  Upon  the 
 road,  they  pretend  Ignatius  had  a  vifion,  in  which  he  favvje- 
 fus  Chrift,  bearing  liiscrofs,  who  faid  to  him,  "  I  will  be  fa- 
 vourable to  thofe  of  Rome."  From  that  time,  Ignatius  form- 
 ed the  defign  of  founding  a  new  order. 
 
 ^  It  is  furprifing  how  much  this  order  increafed  in  a  fliort 
 time.  In  1540.  the  Jefuits  in  all  were  eighty-one.  In  1545 
 they  had  tenhoufcs  ;  in  \^-\g  they  had  two  provinces,  one  in 
 Spain,  and  the  other  in   Portugal.     In  1556.  vThen   Ignatius 
 
 died. 
 
90     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 much  art  and  fagacity  in  all  the  ftatutes  of  the 
 Loyolites,  that  n©  one  can  attribute  the  plan  of 
 this  inftitution  to  fo  unlearned  and  injudicious  a 
 man  as  Loyola  ^  undoubtedly  was  ^. 
 
 No  fooner  had  this  new  fociety  of  the  Jefuits  ob- 
 tained the  Pope's  confirmation,  than  Francis  Xa- 
 vier,  aPortuguefe,  commonly  called  the  Apoflle  of 
 the  Indies,  fat  out  from  Lifbon  in  the  month  of 
 April,  1 54 1.  He  was  the  hrlt  v/ho  ever  made  the 
 Voyage  to  the  Eaft-Indies  for  the  converfion  of 
 Iniidels  •,  he  landed  there  in  May  1542.  From 
 the  Indies  he  went  to  Japan  in  1549.  and  from 
 thence  would  have  gone  to  China,  had  not  death 
 prevented  him.  Xavier  was  indefatigable  in  his 
 labours,  and  expofed  himfelf  to  many  dangers  in 
 the  propagation  of  the  gofpel  Several  thou- 
 fand  men  were  baptized  by  him,  and  inftructed 
 in  the  Chriftian  faith.  The  writers  of  his  life 
 have  attributed  to  him  many  miracles,  which  are 
 certainly  fictitious,  as  we  may  infer  from  his  own 
 epiftles.     Some  other  Jefuits,  fmce  Xavier,  have 
 
 died,  they  Tiad  twelve  province?  ;  in  1608  they  had  twenty- 
 nine  provinces,  two  vice-provinces,  twenty-one  profeffed 
 houfes,  two  hundred  ninety-  three  colleges,  thirty-three  houfes- 
 of  probation,  and  ten  thoufand  five  hundred  and  eighty-one 
 Jefuits.  In  the  catalogue  printed  at  Rome  in  1 709.  there  were 
 thirty-four  provinces,  two  vice-provinces,  thirty-one  profefled 
 houfes,  five  hundred  and  feventy-eight  colleges,  forty-eight 
 houfes  ©f  probation,  eight  feminaries,  one  hundred  and  fixty 
 refidences,  one  hundred  and  fix  miffions  ;  in  all  feventeen 
 thoufand  fix  hundred  and  fixty  five  Jefuits. 
 
 ^  This  is  fufficiently  manifeft  from  the  hiftory  of  the  order 
 itfelf,  from  the  fecreta  monita  focietatis  Jefu.  They  confift 
 of  private  admonitions  or  inilruftions  for  promoting  the  inte- 
 refts  of  the  order,  which  are  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  fu- 
 periors,  and  by  them  communicated  only  to  a  few  of  the  pro- 
 feflbrs,  under  the  ftrifteft  ties  of  fecrecy. 
 
 ^  Seethe  coliedlion  of  letters,  in  titled,  Francis  Xaveriepif- 
 tolse.  Lib.  I.  Ep.  1. 
 
 continued 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     95 
 
 continued  to  preach  the  gofpel  in  the  Indies,  Ja- 
 pan and  China,  but  with  very  indifferent  luccels  \ 
 The  natives:  of  the  country  being  ftrongly  at- 
 tached to  the  worfhip  of  their  falfe  Gods,  the  Je- 
 fuits  found  all  endeavours  for  their  converfion 
 ineffedual,  which  induced  them  to  form  another 
 projed,  that  of  bringing  back  the  Neftorians*"  to 
 their  former  obedience  to  the  Roman  fee.  In  this 
 country  there  were  many  churches  of  that  fefl, 
 founded  for  feveral  centuries  pad,  and  equally 
 remarkable  for  the  fimplicity  of  their  worfhip,  as 
 for  the  purity  of  their  dodrine.  The  Jefuits  fuc- 
 ceeded  in  this  enterprize,  partly  by  their  in- 
 trigues, but  more  particularly  by  means  of  the 
 authority  of  the  little  fovereigns,  on  whom  the 
 Neftorians  depended.  The  affair  was  fully  termi- 
 nated in  the  fynod  held  at  Diamper  in  1599. 
 
 The  miilionary  Jefuits,  upon  their  firfl  arrival  at 
 Japan,  were  received  by  the  natives  with  the  great- 
 efl  marks  of  efleem  and  good  will  -,  and  in  a  very 
 .fhort  time  engaged  to  the  profefFion  of  Chriflia- 
 nity,  not  only  many  of  the  common  people,  but 
 feveral  even  of  the  principal  perfons  of  the  flate. 
 This  vafl  kingdom  feemed  on  the  point  of  follow- 
 ing thtir  example  ;  but  the  Jefuits,  through  their 
 own  fault,  made  themfelves  fufpefted  by  them, 
 and  thus  loft  the  abundant  harveft  they  had  be- 
 fore reafon  to  exped,  as  we  fhall  fee  in  the  hiftory 
 
 a  See  the  accounts  they  fent  to  their  fuperiors  of  their  apo- 
 ftolical  labours.  Thefe  letters  make  a  great  work,  and  have 
 been  printed  in  five  Vols.  Folio  at  Rome  in  1663.  under  the 
 title  of  Danielis  Bartoli  hiftoria  Geftorum,  per  Jefuitas  in 
 Afia. 
 
 k  We  may  have  a  very  juft  idea  of  all  this  affair  from  read- 
 ing the  afts  of  the  fynod  of  Diamper  by  Anthony  Govea,which 
 has  been  tranflated  into  Englifh,  and  enriched  with  fome  very 
 learned  notes,  which  have  been  put  at  the  end  of  the  hiftoria 
 ecclefiee  Malabaricce,  per  Michael  Geddes.— Upon  the  whole, 
 we  cannot  refer  to  a  better  work,  than  the  well  known  hifloire 
 du  chriltianifme  dei  Indes,   bv  Mr.  La  Croze. 
 
 of 
 
92     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 of  the  17th  century.  Their  eftablifhments  iri 
 China  f>jcceedcd  much  better.  One  amongil: 
 them,  Matthew  Riccio  an  Italian,  being  com- 
 pletely verl'ed  in  the  mathematics,  gained  by  that 
 means  the  favour  of  the  great,  and  even  of  the 
 Emperor  himfelf.  This  procured  his  brethren 
 the  liberty  of  preaching  openly  the  Chriftian 
 doflrine.  But  in  the  next  century  we  (hall  lee 
 them  abufing  this  liberty,  by  altering  the  holy 
 truths  of  religion,  and  condefcending  to  the  ido- 
 latrous rites  of  the  Chinefe,  the  better'to  infinuate 
 themfelves  into  their  favour,  and  to  maintain  a 
 credit  which  they  employed  folely  to  the  advance- 
 ment of  their  temporal  concerns'". 
 
 We  Ihall  place  here  the  names  of  fome  divines, 
 and  other  learned  men  of  the  Roman  church, 
 who  were  famous  in  this  century,  and  whofe  writ- 
 ings are  ftill  greatly  efteemed.  Such  were  Jofs  or 
 Jodacus  Clichtoveus,  John  Faber,  Biihop  of  Vi- 
 enna in  Auftria,  John  Eccius,  or  Eckius,  John 
 Cochlsus,  Albert  Pighius,  Ambrofe  Catharinus, 
 Melchior  Canus,  George  Caffandrus, Laurence  Su- 
 rius,  James  Pammelius,  Michael  Bajus,  and  many 
 others.  The  facred  college  likewile  had  fome 
 Cardinals  who  fignalized  themfelves  by  their  Elo- 
 quence and  learning,  as  Thomas  de  Vio  Cajeta- 
 nus,  Reginald  Polus,  Cafpar  Contarenus,  James 
 Sadolet,  &c.  Many  perfons  applied  themfelves 
 very  fuccefsfully  to  the  ftudy  of  the  Greek  and 
 Hebrev/  languages,  and  from  them  publifned 
 tranflations    of  the  holy  Bible.     We  have  before 
 
 *  See  the  epiflolas  Senicse,  written  by  Nicholas  Trigault, 
 and  by  divers  other  Jefuits.  But  the  reader  will  find  abun- 
 dantly the  moil  fatisfaftion  refpeding  China,  and  of  the  ftate 
 of  Chriftianity  in  that  country,  in  the  defcription  de  TEm- 
 pire  de  la  Chine,  byP.  duHalde.  This  work  is  tranflated 
 into  Englilh. 
 
 mentioned 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     93 
 
 iiientioned  Erafmus  %  as  one  of  the  greateft  lights 
 of  this  century,  we  may  add  to  them  Francis 
 Vatablus,  John  Ferus,  Ifidorus  Clarius,  Alphon- 
 fus  of  Caftro,  Sixtus  of  Sienna,  Claudius  of  Ef- 
 pence,  John  Maldanat,  Alphonfo  Salmeron,  and 
 Arias  Montanus. 
 
 A    R    T    I    C    L    E    X. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  of 
 the  Eastern  Churches, 
 
 TH  E  Greek  church   being   in  the  laft  cen- 
 tury obliged  to  fubmit  to  the  dominion  of 
 the  Mahometans;  it's   fituation  became  very  de- 
 plorable.    The   Patriarch  of  Conftantinople,   the 
 chief  of  that  church,  was  forced  to  purchafe  that 
 dignity  at  an  exceifive  price'',  and  annually  to  pay 
 a  confiderable  tribute,  in  order  to  remain  pofTef- 
 for  of  it.     The  clergy,  and   aU  the  people  were 
 alike  diftrefifed  by  the  moft  heavy  taxes,  the  pub- 
 lic fchools  could  no  longer  fubfift,  and  every  other 
 means  of  inftruftion  failing,  the  remains  of  know- 
 ledge that  till  then  fubfillcd  in  Greece,  were  quite 
 deftroved.     From  thence,  by  degrees,   arofe  that 
 barbarity,  which  at  length  totally  abforbed  the 
 Greek  church,  and  occaiioned  the  extreme  igno- 
 rance of  religion  in  fome,  and  the  contempt   of 
 it's  holy  doftrine  in  others.     This  we  have  great 
 reafon  to   believe   was    the  cafe,    when   we    fee 
 that  there  always  was  amongft  the  Greeks  many 
 pretenders  to  the  Patriarchate,  who  would  offer 
 
 »  Tlie  life  of  tills  great  man  has  been  lately  written  by  the 
 learned  Dr.  Jortin,  in  which  life  the  reader  will  find  many 
 judicious  remarlvson  the  Reformation  in  general,  and  many  cu- 
 rious anecdotes  of  the  lives  of  the  great  men  who  brought 
 about  that  work. 
 
 ^  Confult  on  the   above  Mr.  Arnold,  hill.  hser.  Vol.  II. 
 
 p.    i^OI, 
 
94    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 great  funis  to  the  Turks,  that  they  might  ufurp 
 that  dignity.  They  have  Ibmetimes  carried 
 things  to  fuch  extremes,  as  even  to  depofe  Pa- 
 triarchs. We  fliall  refer  the  reader  to  the  hiftory 
 of  the  feventeenth  century  for  an  account  of  the 
 difputes  on  the  true  do6trine  and  faith  of  the 
 Greek  church,  as  they  were  in  that  century  very 
 long  and  fpirited. 
 
 The  light  of  the  gofpel  having  fhone  forth  in 
 all  it's  brightnefs  in  Germany,  and  the  neigh- 
 bouring countries,  fome  of  it's  rays  fpread  them- 
 felves  over  as  far  as  the  entrance  of  Greece,  in 
 which  coujitry,  once  fo  famous  for  illuftrious  and 
 learned  men,  there  were  fome  few  perfons  who 
 thought  this  objed:  worthy  their  attention,  and 
 endeavoured  to  inform  themfelves  fully  on  the 
 fubjed  of  the  Reformation.  Jofeph,  the  Patri- 
 arch of  Conftancinople,  being  defirous  of  gaining 
 full  accounts,  and  fatisfadlory  teftimony  of  this 
 matter,  lent  Demetrius,  Deacon  of  his  church,  to 
 Wittenberg  -,  at  which  place  he  remained  for  fix 
 months,  and  having  obtained  the  information  he 
 fought  for,  returned  to  his  country  in  1559.  car- 
 rying with  him  the  confefTion  of  Augfbourg, 
 tranilated  into  Greek  by  Melandhon  \  and  a  let- 
 ter from  that  learned  man  to  the  Patriarch.  We 
 are  ignorant  what  was  his  opinion  of  this  con- 
 fefTion of  the  Proteltants,  and  of  the  whole  work 
 of  the  Reformation.  It  is  certain,  that  he  re- 
 turned no  anlwer  to  Melanfthon. 
 
 The  divines  of  Tubingen  renewed  with  Jeremy 
 his  fuccelTor  the  unfuccefsful  correlpondence  be- 
 gun by  Melanfthon.  In  order  to  render  it  more 
 advantageous,  they   make   ufe  of  the  interpofi- 
 
 a  The  letter  of  Melanclhon  to  the  Patriarch  is  inferted  ia 
 the  hill,  ecclef.  of  Hottinger.    See  16.  feft.  2, 
 
 tion 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,     ^s 
 
 don  of  Stephen  Gerlach,  chaplain  to  the  Emperor's 
 envoy  to  the  Port.  The  letters  of  the  divines  of 
 Tubingen,  to  the  Patriarch  Jeremy,  were  written 
 in  Greek  ^  by  Martin  Crufius,  who  was  mailer  of 
 that  language.  Jeremy  anfwered  them,  and  their 
 correfpondence  continued ''  for  fome  time.  Befides 
 the  confeiiion  of  Auglbourg,  which  we  men- 
 tioned •,  they  fent  alfo  to  Conllantinople  an  abridg- 
 ment of  divinity  by  James  Hierbrand,  and  fome 
 fermons  tranfiated  into  Greek,  that  by  thefe  they 
 might  fully  enter  into  the  dodrine  of  theProtel- 
 tants.  They  continued  this  connexion  for  eight 
 years,  from  1573.  ^^  i5^i-  The  Patriarch 
 treated  the  divines  of  Tubingen  in  a  genteel  and 
 friendly  manner,  declaring,  that  in  many  points, 
 he  intirely  agreed  with  them,  but  in  others  he 
 could  not  be  of  their  opinion.  But  they,  being 
 very  importunate  with  him^  to  acquiefce  in  their 
 doftrines,  and  feeking  to  prove  it  to  him  by  the 
 word  of  God,  he  broke  intirely  off  with  them. 
 
 If  we  now  take  a  view  of  the  different  fedls 
 that  had,  fmce  the  5ch  century,  quitted  the  Greek 
 communion,  and  which  had,  in  length  of  time, 
 greatly  flouriilied  •,  we  fnall  find  that  they  con^ 
 tinued  much  in  the  fame  flate,  even  in  the  i6th 
 century. 
 
 The  Neilorians  -  dwelt  principally  in  Mefopo* 
 tamia  and  Affyria.  Formerly  they  all  depended 
 on    one  Riperior   divine,  to  whom  they  gave  the 
 
 a  We  principally  refer  here  to  the  colledlion  printed  in 
 1584.  at  Wittenberg,  under  the  title  of  Acta  Sc  fcripta  theo- 
 logorum  Wartebergenfium  &  Patriarchae  Conflantinopolitani 
 Kieronim?e  quje  ab  anno  1570.  at  1581.  inter  fe  miferunt. 
 
 ^  The  eight  books  of  the  Turco-Grsecia  of  Martin  Crufius 
 give  us  very  good  accounts  of  thefe  matters. 
 
 ■=  Mr.  Aifemanni  gives  a  very  long  and  faithful  account  of 
 theNeftorians,  their  churches  and  fettlements,  in  his  bibiio- 
 theca  orientalis  vaticana,  vol.  III.  parti. 
 
 name 
 
<)6     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 name  of  Catholic,  and  who  refided  at  firlt  in  Se- 
 lelicia,  afterwards  at  Bagdat,  and  at  laft  at  Mo- 
 i'ul.  But  in  the  times  of  which  v/e  are  now  giving 
 an  account,  this  church  was  divided  into  three 
 factions  %  one  of  which  was  fubjecl  to  the  Catho- 
 lic at  Moful  ;  another  to  a  Catholic  at  Ormus  in 
 Perfia,  and  the  third  to  another  fuperior  at  Ami- 
 dus  in  Mefopotamia.  The  latter  was  in  cornmu- 
 nion  with  the  church  of  Rome.  The  Catholic  of 
 Moful  was  at  the  head  of  the  Neftorian  churches 
 in  the  Indies,  which  the  Jefuits,  by  violence, 
 compelled  about  the  end  of  this  century,  to  enter 
 into  the  pale  of  the  Roman  church.  Ail  impar- 
 tial v/riters'  agree  in  faying,  that  the  Neftorians 
 Avere  the  only  ones,  who,  in  the  midft  ofthe  cor- 
 ruption and  fuperllitions  which  totally  infedled 
 the  Greek  and  Eaftern  churches,  preferved  any 
 great  purity,  either  in  doctrine  or  worfiiip.  The 
 Monophyfites  of  Afia '',  who  like  to  be  called 
 Jacobites,  obey  a  fuperior,  who  has  the  title  of 
 Patriarch  of  Antioch  •,  and  th-it  his  appointment 
 may  not  be  too  burdenfome,  they  allow  him  for 
 an  alTociate  another  ecclefiallic,  whom  they  call 
 Primate  of  the  Eaft,  and  who  refides  in  the  mo- 
 naftery  of  St.  Matthew,  near  the  city  of  Moful. 
 The  ^  Armenians,  who  differ  from  thefe  lall,  in 
 fome  points,  with  refpedl  both  to  worfiiip  and 
 do£lrine,    are    fubieci:    to  their  own    Patriarclis. 
 
 «  See  MoHieini  Inrt.  &:c.   p.  15c;. 
 
 '>  See  Affemanni's  bibi.  orient,  ^cc.  particularly  his  difierta- 
 lion  0!i  the  Monophyfites. 
 
 c  The  bell  author  to  whom  v.e  can  refer  for  an  account  o^ 
 the  Arnienians,  is  Clement  Galenus,  whcfe  work,  intitled, 
 conciliatio  ecclefiie  Armcnicae  cum  Romana,  was  printed  at 
 Rome  in  1650.  in  2  vols  in  Folio.  Many  travelleis  alfo  fpeak 
 ofthe  religion  of  tlie  Armenians  ;  and  fome  of  them  give  us 
 a  very  good.aQccunt.  See  Monier's  relation  in  the  nouveaux 
 mcraoires  des  millions,  vol.  III.  p.  1—2^7. 
 
 The 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     97; 
 
 The  Monophyfites   of  Egypt  are  called  Coptes% 
 and  their  Patriarch  dwells  at  Cairo  ''. 
 
 ARTICLE      XL 
 
 History  of  the    Disputes    between    the  Pro- 
 
 TESTANTS,    LuTHERANS    and   REFORMED. 
 
 TH  E  ufeful  work  of  the  Reformarion  had 
 been  principally  completed  by  two  apofto- 
 lical  men,  whom  God  raifed  up  for  this  under- 
 taking, and  Vv' ho  carried  it  on  with  equal  ardor  ^ 
 Luther  in  Saxony,  and  Zwinglius  in  SwifTerland. 
 Infpired,  in  Ibrne  fort,  with  the  fame  fpirit,  they 
 a6led,  though  not  in  concert,  yet  with  the  fame 
 views,  and  took  the  fame  means  to  arrive  at  the  lame 
 end.  Nothing,  undoubredly,  would  have  broke 
 this  harmony,  if  the  dodlrine  of  the  holy  fupper 
 had  not  become  a  fnbjed  of  difpute  and  divifion, 
 between  thefe  teachers  ..nd  their  difciples.  This 
 foon  deftroyed  all  friendihip,  and  produced  the 
 moil  fatal  differences  •,  which,  after  the  death  of 
 thefe  two  great  divines,  much  increafed,  and  at 
 laft  became  wholly  incurable.  Hence  it  was,  that 
 the  Proteftant  church,  one  in  it's  beginning, 
 formed  two  fe£ts,  or  feparate  communions,  which 
 often  treated  each  other  with  great  bicternefs  and 
 feverity.  It  may  eafily  be  imagined  that  this  was 
 a  very  fatal  obftacle  to  the  progrefs  of  the  Refor- 
 
 a  All  the  learned  are  well  acquainted  with  the  excellent 
 works  of  Ludolphusjintitled,  Hiftoria^Ethiopica,  etadeandem 
 commentarius.  The  reader  will  find  the  ftate  of  the  church 
 of  Ethiopia  there  faithfully  related.  See  alfo  Michael  Ged- 
 des's  church  hiftory  of  Ethiopia,  printed  at  London,  1696— 
 in  8vo. 
 
 ^  The  reader  will  find  very  long  accounts  of  the  religion 
 oftheGoptes  in  the  writings  of  many  travellers.  See  parti- 
 cularly the  hiftory  de  I'Eglifc  d'Alexandrie,  byj.  M.  Van- 
 fleb,  at  Paris,   1678  en  12. 
 
 Vol.  II.  H  mation, 
 
$8  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 mation,  and  to  the  good  of  a  caufe,  that  they 
 ought  mutually  to  have  promoted.  We  fhall  en- 
 deavour to  give  our  readers  a  fhort,  and  we  hope 
 impartial  view  of  what  paifed  on  this  occafion. 
 The  difpute  on  the  holy  fupper,  firft  begun  at  the 
 conference  between  Luther  and  Carloltadius  at 
 Jena  in  1524.  The  latter  was  a  profeflbr  of 
 divinity  in  the  univerfity  of  Wittenberg,  and  had 
 been  for  fome  time  a  collegue  of  Luther's.  He 
 afterwards  quitted  this  employment  for  that  of 
 minifter  of  the  church  of  Orlamund.  The  Eleftor 
 of  Saxony  brought  thefe  two  great  divines  toge- 
 ther, in  hopes  they  would  amicably  end  the  dif- 
 pute that  had  been  begun  for  forae  time.  Carlo- 
 lladius's  principal  objeftion  to  Luther  was,  that 
 he  did  not  teach  a  pure  doftrine  on  the  fubje6t 
 of  the  holy  fupper.  This  he  undertook  to  prove 
 from  his  writings  •,  and  Luther  very  urgently 
 called  upon  him  to  keep  his  word. 
 
 A  little  after,  Carloiladius  being  obliged,  by 
 order  of  the  Eleftor,  to  leave  Saxony,  went  to 
 Strafbourg,  where  he  communicated  to  the  di- 
 vines of  that  city  his  opinions  on  the  fubjed  of 
 the  holy  fupper,  andfoon  found  that  they  were  not 
 greatly  difapproved  ».  From  Strafbourg,  he  tra- 
 velled to  Bafil,  where  in  the  fame  year  1524..  and 
 in  the  following,  he  publifhed  fome  treatifes  on 
 this  fubjefl,  in  which  he  ftill  more  openly  dif- 
 clofed  his  fentiments,  and  endeavoured  to  refute 
 thofe  of  Luther.  Carlofladius  advanced,  that 
 in  the  words  of  the  inftitution  of  the  holy  fupper, 
 "  This  is  my  body.'*  The  pronoun  this  did  not 
 refer  to  the  bread  our  Saviour  diftributed,  but 
 that  he  pointed  with  his  finger  to  his  own  body, 
 then  living  and  fitting  at  the  table,  as  if  he  had 
 
 «  This  is  fufficiently  proved  by  a  letter  from  the  divines 
 of  Strafbourg,  wrote  to  Luther  on  the  23d  of  November, 
 »539- 
 
 faid 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,     gg 
 
 faid,  "  Take,  eat  this  bread  in  memory  of  me  ; 
 ^'  for  behold  my  body,  which  is  foon  to  be  gi- 
 "  ven  up' for  you.'*  He  denied  alio,  that  the 
 ■  ficrament  infticuted  by  Chrift,  was  a  pledge  and 
 earneft  of  the  redemption  promifed  by  his  death. 
 According  to  him,  the  body  of  Chrill  is  not  pre- 
 fent  at  the  holy  fupper,  nor  partaken  of  by  the 
 faithful,  but  is  only  a  flmple  acl  by  which  we 
 celebrate  the  memorial  of  his  body  broken,  and 
 his  blood  fhed  for  our  falvation.  This  divine 
 having  thus  propofed  both  viva  voce,  and  by 
 his  writings  in  Germany  and  Swifferland,  his 
 opinion  on  the  Eucharift,  and  taken  much 
 pains  to  eftablifli  it !  many  of  the  clergy  were 
 by  this  induced  to  examine  this  matter  more  at- 
 tentively, and  more  carefully  than  they  had 
 hitherto  done.  Not  only  the  Anabaptifts 
 adopted  the  fyftem  of  Carloftradius,  but  people 
 in  general  feemed  difpofed  to  believe,  that  the 
 body  of  Chrift  Jefus  was  in  heaven,  anei  that  the 
 partakers  of  the  holy  fupper  received  it  only  in 
 a  fpiritual  manner.  Among  others  who  embraced 
 this  do6lrine  were  the  two  principal  Reformers 
 of  the  churches  in  Swifferland,  Zwinglius  and 
 Qicolampadius.  The  former  of  thefe  had  been 
 long  of  this  opinion  %  and  was  at  laft  determined 
 to  declare  it,  which  he  did  both  in  his  fermons, 
 and  in  a  letter  to  Matthew  Alberus,  a  clergy- 
 man at  Reutlingen,  which  was  foon  after  pub. 
 lilhed,  though  without  the  knowledge  or  confenc 
 of  the  ailthor. 
 
 After  this,  Zwinglius  publiflied,  in  1625.  his 
 treatife  on  true  and  falie  religion,  which  he  de- 
 dicated to  King  Francis  I.  In  this  work,  he  de- 
 clared and  defended  his  dodlrihe  on  the  holy  fup- 
 per ;  and,  in  another  treatife,  publifhed  in  the 
 
 »  See  Mr.  Gerdes  hiftor.  evang.  renov.  Vol.  I.  p.  280. 
 
 H  2  lame 
 
loo    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 fame  year,  under  the  title  of  Subfidium  Eucha- 
 riftise,  he  added  what  he  thought  necelTary  to  elu- 
 cidate,  and  more  fully  explain  his  doftrine.  The 
 dodrine  of  Zwintrlius  amounted  to  this,  namely, 
 that  the  words  of  Chrifc,  ''  this  is  my  body,"  might 
 be  thus  imderftood,  "  this  bread  lignifies  or  re- 
 "  prefents  my  body  i"  ib  that,  ''  to  eat  the 
 **  body  ofChrift,"  is  no  more  than  to  believe 
 that  Chrilt  Jefus  died  for  us.  VVhilfc  Zwing- 
 lius  taught  this  dodlrine  at  Zurich,  CEcolampa- 
 dius  did  the  fame  at  Bafil,  where  he  publidied  his 
 book  on  the  true  expolkion  of  the  words  oi:  the  holy 
 fupper.  Luther  now  thought  it  high  time  to  take 
 his  pen,  and  anfwer  Carloftadius  •,  John  Bugen" 
 hagen,  a  divine  of  Wittenberg,  undertook  alfo 
 to  refute  Zwinglius  ;  and  the  clergy  of  Swabia  op- 
 pofed  CEcolampadius  in  their  "  Syngramma  Sue- 
 vicum." — This  was  the  fignal  of  the  facramental 
 war  which  wis  waged  with  great  warmth  on 
 both  fides,  till  the  year  1529.  This  difference 
 in  fentiment  refpedling  the  holy  fupper,  appeared 
 of  fufficient  confequence  to  the  Proteitant  di- 
 vines to  produce  a  feparation,  and  to  make  of  one 
 only  Proceflant  church  two  •,  and  which  two  re- 
 ciprocally excluded  each  other  their  communions* 
 As  the  church  of  Rom.e  made  great  ufe  of  this 
 unhappy  divifion,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  com- 
 mon caufe  of  the  Reformation,  Philip  the  Mag- 
 nanimous, Landgrave  of  HeiTe,  was  much  af- 
 fected at  the  dreadful  confequences  of  this  dif- 
 union,  and  did  all  that  he  could  to  foften  and 
 reconcile  their  minds,  in  which  he  was  faithfully 
 and  powerfully  feconded  by  Martin  Bucer,  a  di- 
 itinguiHied  clergyman  of  the  church  of  Straf- 
 bourg,  and  one  who  may  be  defervedly  ranked 
 among  the  firll  of  the  peaceable  divines.  By  force 
 of  folicitations,  it  was  agreed,  by  the  divines  of 
 both  parties,  that  a  conference  fhould  be  held  at 
 
 Marbourg 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,   loi 
 
 Marbourg  in  1529.  in  order  that  each  party  might 
 clearly  explain  their  own  fentiments,  take  away 
 the  caufe  of  fcandal  and  diibnion,  and  re-cftabliftj 
 a  ialutary  peace. 
 
 'I'hole  who  affifled  at  this  conference,  were  on 
 one  fide  Luther,  with  Melanflhon,  Jui1:us  Jonas, 
 Andrew  Ofiander,  John  Brentivis,  und  Stephen 
 A^ricoh  ;  and,  on  the  other,  Zwinglius,  with 
 Gicolampadius,  Bucer,  and  Gafpar  Hcdion.  They 
 held  many  conferences,  which  were  put  an  en^ 
 to  by  an  uni'orefeen  accident  :  however,  they 
 were  not  wholly  unproiicable  ;  for,  after  having 
 difputed  on  all  the  articles  which  were  matter  of 
 controverfy  between  thefe  two  communions,  and 
 even  on  others  that  might  hereafter  arife,  they 
 agreed  on  every  thing,  except  the  very  article 
 of  the  holy  fupper,  refpe<fling  which  each  con- 
 tinued ftedfaft  to  his  own  opinion.  Neverihe- 
 lefs,  they  promifed  to  preferve  for  each  other 
 true  love,  and  Chriftian  efteem,  and  mutually 
 fliook  hands  as  a  pledge  and  alTurance  of  tiieir 
 promife. 
 
 In  the  y^ar  1530.  which  followed  that  of  the 
 conference  of  Marbourg,  the  Proteftants  were 
 fummoned  to  prefent  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V . 
 and  to  the  diet  of  Augfbourg,  a  fliort  and  true 
 confelTion  of  their  faith.  But  as  the  Lutherans 
 refufed  to  unite  with  the  Zwinglians,  unleis  they 
 agreed  to  their  doclrine  on  the  holy  fupper  i  the 
 latter  were  obliged  by  neceffity  to  prepare  a  par- 
 ticular confefTion,  known  by  the  name  of  Tecra- 
 politan,  which  we  have  already  mentioned,  and 
 which  did  not  differ  in  any  effential  article  from 
 the  confeflion  of  Augfbourg.  -  This  was  prefented 
 to  the  Emperor  and  the  diet.  Zwinglius  drew 
 up  one  in  his  own  name,  which  was  alio  produced 
 at  the  fame  diet.  This  very  much  renewed  their 
 old  difputes  i  but  the  Landgrave  of  HelTe  having 
 II   3  taken 
 
102  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 taken  care  during  the  courfe  of  the  fame  diet,  to 
 engage  the  divines  of  both  parties  to  confer  once 
 more  among  themfelves  •,  they  at  laft  laid  thofe 
 foundations  of  that  harmony,  which  fome  years 
 after  came  to  a  happy  conclufion  at  Wittenberg. 
 To  attain  this  end  with  the  greater  eafe;  Bucer,  a 
 favourer  of  the  doflrine  of  Zwinglius,  but  more 
 particularly  as  we  before  obferved,  a  friend  of 
 peace,  perfuaded  the  four  cities  in  Germany, 
 xvhich  had  embraced  this  doclrine,  to  fign  in 
 1532.  and,  ever  after,  conftantly  to  profefs  the 
 conrefTion  of  Augfbourg  . 
 
 Bucer  was  not  the  only  one  who  wiflied  for  the 
 reunion  of  the  Lutherans,  and  Zwinglians.  The 
 greaceft  part  of  thofe  whom  we  for  the  future 
 Ihall  mention  under  the  common  name  of  the 
 Reformed,  were  alfo  defirous  of  it,  and  their 
 endeavours  brought  things  to  a  point-,  for,  in 
 15:56.  they  ferioufly  relblved  to  come  to  a  per- 
 fe6l  agreement.  The  city  of  Wittenberg  was 
 fixed  upon  for  the  place  of  conference  -,  Martin 
 Bucer,  Wolfgang  Fabricius  Capiton,  Mufcu- 
 lus,  and  many  other  divines  of  the  Reformed  party 
 came  there,  to  treat  fully  on  this  great  affair 
 widi  Luther,  Melan6lhon,  Jonas,  Bugenhagen, 
 Menius,  and  many  others  of  the  Lutheran  com- 
 munion. After  long  and  frequent  conferences, 
 in  which  ev^ery  thing  was  examined  v/ith  the 
 greatefc  care,  thefe  divines  at  lad  agreed  upon 
 the  articles  of  the  celebrated  concord  of  Witten- 
 berg, the  efiential  point  of  which  confifted  in  al- 
 lowing, that  the  body  of  Chrift  Jellis  is  truly  and 
 fubftantially  prefent  in  the  holy  fupper,  and  is 
 equally  diftributed  to  all  thofe  who  receive  it, 
 Vy'ithout  excepting  unworthy  communicants.  This 
 was  figned  by  all  the  clergy  with  their  own  hands. 
 And  that  every  body  might  be  convinced  of  the 
 truth  of   this  comfortable  union,    Luther  and 
 
 Bucer 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  103 
 
 Bucer  preached  on  the  fame  day  in  the  church  of 
 Wittenberg,  and  Bucer,  with  Capiton,  received 
 the  communion  from  the  hands  of  Luther.  Dur- 
 ing the  life  of  Luther,  this  harmony  fubfifted 
 in  Germany  •,  in  confequence  of  which,  at  all 
 public  conferences  between  the  Catholics  and 
 Proteftants,  the  Reformed  were  admitted  as 
 well  as  the  Lutherans,  and  their  deputies  had  the 
 fame  diftindion  and  deliberative  voice.  —  The 
 Swifs  alio  came  into  the  agreement,  and  though 
 the  meafures  taken  for  this  purpofe  were  not  fo 
 eiFectual  and  folid  as  thofe  which  concerned  Ger- 
 many, yet  things  remained  on  this  footing,  during 
 all  the  time  of  which  we  are  now  writing  the 
 hiilory. 
 
 But  we  muft  now  come  to  other  times,  the 
 remembrance  of  which  muft  greatly  affedt  every 
 perfon  who  has  the  leaft  regard  for  religion, 
 and  has  it's  interefts  at  heart.  The  fidelity 
 of  an  hiftorian  will  not  permit  me  to  pafs 
 over  in  filence,  and  to  difiemble  things  pub- 
 licly known.  Luther  being  dead,  and  Bucer 
 gone  into  England  by  invitation,  the  Concord 
 of  Wittenberg,  by  degrees,  loft  it's  influence  in 
 Germany.  Notwithftanding  the  fteps  taken  by 
 the  Reformed,  at  the  requeft  of  Bucer,  in  1532. 
 when  they  figned  the  contefllon  of  Augfbourg  ; 
 and  though  they  had  fmce  that  time,  particularly 
 at  StraftDourg,  figned  the  concord  of  Wittenberg, 
 yet  the  Lutherans,  deprived  them  of  all  their  pre- 
 rogatives in  thofe  cities  where  formerly  they  had 
 the  fuperiority. 
 
 The  lofs  of  thefc  advantages  to  the  Reformed 
 at  Straftjourg  was  principally  owing  to  the  dif- 
 putes  of  Jerom  Zanchius  with  John  Marbach ; 
 and  of  Jerom  Sturin  with  John  Pappus :  upon 
 this  account  all  public  employments  were  taken 
 from  them,  and  their  church  infenfibly  declined. 
 H  4  When 
 
104    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 When  Bucer  alio  had  clofed  his  eyes  in  England, 
 they  paid  not  the  leaft  regard  to  the  Concord  of 
 Wittenberg.  On  the  contrary,  fome  divines  be- 
 gun to  renew  their  ancient  dilputes,  and  Joa- 
 chim Weilphal%  a  clergyman  at Hambourg,  again 
 introduced  the  fp.cramental  controverfy,  attacked 
 Galvin  with  much  warmth  and  bitternefs,  which 
 he  and  Beza  returned  with  nearly  equal  vehe- 
 mence. 
 
 To  this  inveterate  quarrel  on  the  holy  fupper, 
 another  was  added,  on  what  they  called  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  ubiquity,  or  omniprefence  of  Chrift's 
 body;  ■  Luther,  in  his  difputes  with  Zwinglius, 
 ventured  upon  this  idea,  but  thought  better 
 to  drop  it.  John  Timan,  a  clergyman  of  Bre- 
 iiieh,  was  the  firft  who 'revived  it,  in  which  he 
 v/as  foon  after  feconded  by  Weftphal.  John 
 Brentius  and  James  Andres,  two  celebrated  di- 
 vines of  Wittenberg,  took  much  pains  to  reduce 
 this  do(5lrine  to  a  fyftem,  in  which  work  they 
 were  followed  by  Martin  Chemnitius,  a  divine 
 of  very  great  reputation,  who  put  the  laft  hand 
 to  it,  arid  reduced  the  articles  of  the  "  omni- 
 "  prefence  of  Chrift's  body,  and  the  communis 
 "  tion  of  it's  parts  •,"  nearly  to  the  do6trine  which 
 the  Lutheran  church  have  fmce  that  time  prO' 
 feffed. 
 
 During  the  heat  of  thefe  difputes  on  the  holy 
 fupper,  another  fubjeft  of  controverfy  was  ftarted 
 on  the  efficacy  (;f  the  facraments  in  general,  and 
 particularly  on  that  of  infant  baptifm,  as  well 
 as  the  rites  that  ought  to  be  ufed  on  the  occa- 
 iion.  Thefe  breaches  were  ftill  more  widened 
 by  their  difputes  on  predeftination.  They  had  be- 
 gun at  Strafbourg  in  1555.  between  Jerom  Zan- 
 chius  and  John  JMarbach  •,  but  they  v/ere  then  re- 
 garded only  as  the  differences  of  particular  doftors  i 
 
 a  Confult.  Arnold,  hift.  de  I'Egl.  &  des  Heref  Vol.  II.  p. 
 
 and 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    105 
 
 and  the  ftate  of  the  concroverfy  was  not,  in  any 
 degree,  carried  to  that  height  it  has  been  fince*. 
 This  dodrine  was  again  revived  at  the  conference 
 of  Montbilian,  held  in  1586.  and  Theodore  Beza 
 held  a  very  warm  difpute  with  John  Andrese  on 
 this  fubjed.  Afterwards  the  opinions  of  Samuel 
 Huber  on  this  doctrine,  being  the  Iburce  of  new 
 difficulties,  caufed  a  very  celebrated  divine  at 
 Wittenberg,  JEgidus  Hunnius,  to  digeft  and  ex- 
 plain this  dodrine  on  predeftination  in  the  man- 
 ner that  was  received,  and  ever  afterwards  re^ 
 tained  by  the  Lutheran  church^ 
 
 To  return  to  the  difputes  on  the  holy  fupper, 
 though  they  had  for  fome  time  lain  dormant,  yet 
 they  were  again  renewed  by  Weftphal  and  Calvin, 
 but  thefe  were  ftill  looked  upon  only  as  private 
 difputes.  The  authority  of  Melandhon,  who 
 much  inclined  to  the  opinions  of  Bucer  and  Cal- 
 vin, and  whom  all  Germany  looked  upon  as  a 
 common  mafler,  preferved,  during  his  life,  the 
 poncord  that  was  eftabliihed  by  the  Proteftants  in 
 1566.  and  all  attempts  to  deftroy  this  harmony 
 were,  by  his  influence,  very  foon  crulhed.  He 
 had  occafion,  however,  a  little  before  his  death, 
 to  obferve  a  kind  of  prelude  to  that  difcord, 
 which  very  foon  after  fatally  broke  out.  In  the 
 celebrated  conference  of  Worms,  between  the 
 Catholics  and  Proteftants,  the  clergy  of  Ducal 
 Saxony  refufed  to  enter  into  any  conference  with 
 the  Catholics  and  Proteftants,  before  the  latter 
 had,  by  common  confent,  condemned  the  error 
 of  the  Zwinglians.     As   Melandhon,  and  fome 
 
 *  This  fufficiently  appears  by  the  thefes  on  predeftination, 
 which  were  propofed  in  1563.  to  the  divines  at  Strafbourg, 
 and  which  they  afterwards  figned.  See  them  in  Loifcher 
 hiftor.  motuum.  part  II.  p.  285. 
 
 b  See  George  Calixtus,  and  after  him  Weifmann  hiftor. 
 fccjef.  fee.  17.  p.  1 12?.  of  the  ift  edition. 
 
 Others^ 
 
io6    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 others,  oppofed  this  demand,  thofe  who  had 
 made  it,  chofe  rather  to  leave  Worms  than  to 
 give  it  up.  After  their  departure,  fome  French 
 divines,  William  Farel,  Theodore  Beza,  and  others, 
 came  and  presented  their  confeflion  of  faith,  and 
 were  well  received,  and  treated  as  brethren.  The 
 greareft  part  of  the  Proteftant  Princes,  who  af- 
 ter the  death  of  Melanfthon,  held  in  1 561 .  an  af- 
 fembly  at  Naumberg  to  reconfirm,  and  fign  the 
 confefiion  of  Augfbourg,  concerning  which  fome 
 doubts  had  arifen,  exprelTed  the  fame  fentiments 
 of  moderation  :  for  they  not  only  admitted  the 
 Reformed  in  the  mod  friendly  manner  to  this 
 figning,  but  even  in  the  writing,  which  they  add- 
 ed to  the  confeiTion,  they  flrongly  defended  their 
 caufe.  The  fame  Princes  likewife  embraced  the 
 party  of  Frederic  III.  Ele6tor  Palatine,  who  had 
 forlaken  the  Lutheran  communion  for  that  of 
 the  Reformed,  they  very  vigoroufly  fupported 
 him  againft  the  Catholics,  who  wanted  to  deprive 
 him  of  his  kingdoms,  and  willingly  left  him  the 
 quality  of  direftor  of  the  dates  ot  the  confeflion  of 
 Augfbourg,  an  honour  which  he  had  before  re- 
 ceived. 
 
 Notwithftanding  all  thefe  favourable  difpoliT 
 tions,  Melandhon's  death,  which  happened  ia 
 1560.  was  highly  prejudicial  to  the  maintenance 
 of  that  concord,  which  fome  divines  had  till  then 
 preferved  merely  out  of  refped  for  him,  being 
 Gtherv/ife  much  inclined  to  divifion,  fome  marks 
 of  which  we  have  already  taken  notice  of,  and 
 which  from  that  time  daily  increafed.  Melanc- 
 thon  approving  the  dotlrine  of  Bucer  and  Cal- 
 vin confequently  rejeded  the  notion  of  the, 
 *'  omniprefence  of  Chrift's  body,"  which  had 
 more  prevailed.  His  dilciples,  who  had  "  the 
 name  of  Philippifts,  or  Crypto-Calvinifts,  were 
 fpread  in  ^reac  number    throughout    all    Ger- 
 
 many, 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    107 
 
 many,  and  poffelTed  the  divinity  chairs  in  moft 
 of  the  univerficies  of  the  eleftorate  of  Saxony. 
 Thofe  who  taught  in  thefe  iiniverfities,  made  ufe 
 of  this  occafion  to  exprefs  their  fentiments  to  the 
 Eledor  Auguftus.  This  highly  difpleafed  the  di- 
 vines of  Ducal  Saxony,  and  all  Luther's  faithful 
 difciples  •,  and  they  took  every  means,  to  make 
 the  Philippifts  fufpe6led  by  the  Proteftant  Princes, 
 and  by  the  Eleftor  of  Saxony.  Things  came  to 
 a  Point  in  1574.  when  they  publifiied  atTorgau, 
 in  Saxony,  a  new  book,  containing  an  explica- 
 tion of  Luther's  true  fentiments  on  the  fubje<f? 
 of  the  holy  fupper,  and  condemning  thofe  of 
 the  Reformed.  They  infilled  upon  the  Philip- 
 pifts figning  this,  and  thofe  who  refufed  were 
 thrown  into  dartc  dungeons,  deprived  of  all 
 their  employments,  and  at  length  banifhed  out 
 of  Saxony. 
 
 There  ftill  remained,  however,  many  things  to 
 be  done.  The  tenet  of  the  omniprefence  of 
 Chrift's  body  was  as  yet  new,  and  had  never  been 
 inferted  in  any  fymbolical  book  of  the  Lutheran 
 church,  not  even  in  the  laft  work  publifhed  at 
 Torgau.  In  the  very  bofom  of  the  church  there 
 were  many  contentions,  which  we  fhall  make  the 
 fubjed  of  the  following  article.  The  greatefl 
 number  wiftied  much  to  put  a  fpeedy  end  to  all 
 thefe  altercations,  by  drawing  up  a  formulary, 
 which  would  meet  with  the  approbation  of  the 
 whole  church.  This  thought  firft  ftruck  James 
 Andrese  who  took  much  pains  to  bring  about  his 
 good  defign.  After  many  preliminaries,  they  at 
 laft  agreed  in  an  aflembly  held  at  Bergen,  1576. 
 that  a  formulary  of  this  kind  ftiould  be  pre- 
 pared by  fix  of  the  moft  celebrated  men  of  the 
 time,  namely,  Martin  Chemnitius,  James  An- 
 drese, Nicolas  Selneccer,  David  Chytr^as,  An- 
 drew  Mufculus,    and   Chriftophorus    Cornerus. 
 
 Thefe 
 
io8  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 Thc^Q  learned  men  firfl  made  public  the  lym- 
 bolical  decree,  known  by  all  the  world  under 
 the  name  of  the  Formulary  of  Concord,  and 
 ■wiiich  they  aUb  fometimes  call  the  Formulary  of 
 Bergen,  upon  account  of  it's  being  for  the  laft 
 time  received  and  fully  approved  in  an  abbey  of 
 that  name  near  to  Magdeboiug.  In  confult- 
 ing  the  hiftory  of  this  time,  we  fee  how  difFicult 
 jt  was  to  get  this  formulary  approved  ard  con- 
 fented  to  by  thofe  very  churches,  for  v/hofeufe  it 
 was  defigned.  Many,  notv/ichfl-anding  every  me- 
 thod that  was  ufed  to  bring  them  to  fign  it, 
 conftantly  refufed  ;  others  who  figned  it  repent- 
 ed, and  retracted  their  eonfent.  But  what  is  the 
 mod  to  be  lamented  in  this  affair,  is  their  formal 
 condemnation  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Reformed,  fo 
 that  there  cotvld  be  no  hope  v/hilfl  this  formu- 
 lary fubfifted  of  any  reunion  between  thefe  two 
 Proteftant  communions.  The  principal  mem- 
 bers of  the  Reformed,  both  in  and  out  of  Ger- 
 many, made  ufe  of  every  pofiible  means  to  have 
 tEisIloneof  offence  removed.  But  the  inDuence 
 of  thole  who  had  prepared  and  pubiiflied  this  for- 
 mulary,  too  much  prevailed. 
 
 Though  the  Elector  Auguftus  treated  the 
 Philippifts  very  hardly,  after  the  diflike  he 
 had  been  taught  to  conceive  for  them,  yet  we 
 have  reafon  to  bc^lieve,  that  towards  the  latter 
 end  of  his  life  his  opinions  of  them  were  more 
 favourable. 
 
 Under  Chriftian  his  fon,  who  fucceeded  him  in 
 1586.  they  got  fo  m^uch  into  favour  as  to  obtain 
 the  moft  coniiderable employments  in  the  churches 
 and  univerfities.  At  thefe  fortunate  feafons  they 
 ufed  all  their  power  to  aboliih  fome  of  the  ecclefi- 
 atlical  rites,  and  every  thing  would  have  fucceeded 
 to  their  wifaes,  if  the  premature  death  of  their 
 Protedtcr,  in  1 59 1 .   had  not   toiaily  changed  the 
 
 face 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     109 
 
 face  of  affiiirs.  Soon  after,  they  were  perfecuted 
 as  before,  imprifoned,  depofed,  baniihed,  and 
 their  principal  fupport,  Nicholas  Crellius,  who 
 had  been  Chancellor  to  the  Ele<flor,  was  even 
 condemned  to  lofe  his  head.  I'he  Reformed 
 were  obliged  to  leave  Saxony  intirely  -,  but  their 
 churches  ftill  fubfifted  in  the  other  parts  of  Ger- 
 many, and  even  increafed  both  in  this  and  the 
 following  centuries. 
 
 ARTICLE      XII. 
 
 Of  the  Intestine  Divisions  of  the  Lutheran 
 Church. 
 
 THE  difputes  the  clergy  of  this  church  had 
 to  fupport  with  many  foreign  adverfaries, 
 did  not  prevent  divifions  among  themfelves, 
 which  gave  them  much  trouble.  During  the 
 life  of  Luther,  a  controverfy  was  begun  with 
 the  Antinomians%  whofe  leader  was  John  Agri- 
 cola,  of  EiHeben,  a  perfon  who  had  done  confide- 
 rable  fervice  to  the  gofpel  caufe,  but  was  of  a  very 
 obflinate  and  prefuming  temper.  He  taught  that 
 true  repentance  could  not  be  learned  from  the  law 
 of  God,  that  it  took  place  only  at  the  death  of 
 Jefus  Chrift,  and  coniequently  at  the  promulga- 
 tion of  the  gofpel.  They  interpreted  his  doArine, 
 as  if  he  wiihed  intirely  to  abolifh  the  ufe  of  the 
 law  under  the  gofpel,  and  deftroy  the  necelTity  of 
 repentance  and  good  works.  Agricola  himfelf 
 denied   and  difowned  this  interpretation. 
 
 The  war  of  Smalcade  broke  out  foon  after  the 
 death  of  Luther  ;  and  as  all  Germany  then  de- 
 pended on  the  will  of  Charles  V.  who,  as  we 
 law  in  the  lid  Article,  greatly  wifhed  all  the  Pro- 
 teflants  to  conform  to  the  Interim  -,  the  intention 
 
 a  See  a  full  account  of  thefe  fefts  and  divifions,  in  Arnold 
 hiftor.hxr.  partll.  lib.  XVI.  ch.  25. 
 
 of 
 
no    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 of  which  was  to  pacify  all  religious  difFerenceSv 
 The  greateft  part  amongfl  them  greatly  objeded 
 to  the  doftrine  taught,  and  preJcfibed  in  this 
 work  •,  others  again  overcome  by  their  fears, 
 faid,  that  in  indifferent  things,  fuch  as  they  ef- 
 teemed  the  objefts  of  this  work,  they  ought  to 
 conform  to  the  will  of  the  Emperor.  From  hence 
 arofe  the  contentions,  which  they  called  Adia- 
 phoniftic,  and  which  for  many  years  caufed 
 much  difturbance  in  the  Lutheran  church.  Phi- 
 lip Melanfthon  Was  looked  upon  as  the  Chief  of 
 the  Adiaphonifts  •,  however,  he  did  nothing  with- 
 out the  advice  of  his  collegues  at  Wittenberg. 
 They  attribute  alio  to  him  the  fyftem  of  Syner- 
 gifm,  which  was  produced,  upon  occafion,  of  the 
 difputes  about  the  Interim.  He  had  advanced, 
 indeed,  about  that  time,  that  man  at  his  con- 
 verfion  co-operated  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
 contributed  in  fome  fort  to  the  great  v>/ork  by  his 
 own  endeavours.  This  is  what  they  called  Sy- 
 nergifm.  Other  divines  adopted  this  opinion, 
 and  particularly  they  mention  Viftorinus  Stri- 
 gellius,  who  had  many  famous  difputes  about  it 
 with  Matthias  Flaccius  lUyricus  in  one  or  two 
 public  conferences. 
 
 We  may  number  among  the  Adiaphoniftic  dif- 
 putes that  which  turned  upon  the  necelTity  of 
 good  works  to  procure  falvation  :  Melandhort 
 fupported  this  necefTity,  and  his  followers  per- 
 fifted  in  the  fame  opinion,  in  particular  George 
 Major,  from  whom  this  controverfy  was  called 
 Majoriftic  -,  the  true  difciples  of  Luther,  on  the 
 contrary,  pretended  that  this  proportion  deftroy- 
 ed  the  doftrine  of  men's  juftification  by  faith 
 only  i  and  that  therefore  they  could  not  admit 
 it. 
 
 One  of  the  do6tors,  Nicholas  Amfdorff,  attack- 
 ing  the  dodrine   of  the  Majoriftics  with  great 
 
 warmth. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY,    tn 
 
 warmth,  and  faid,  in  the  heat  of  the  difpute,  that 
 good  works  were  fo  far  from  being  neceffary  to 
 iaivation,  that  they  were  even  detrimental.  Two 
 other  divines  ftrove  to  conciliate  thele  opinions. 
 But  the  Flaccian  controverfy  was  the  moil  diffi-* 
 cult  to  be  fettled.  It  was  fo  called  from  Flac- 
 cius  Iliyricus,  who  affirmed,  that  man  was  made 
 up  of  nothing  but  original  fm. — His  difciples  car- 
 ried this  matter  much  farther  than  himfelf. 
 
 In  the  univerfity  of  Konigfberg,  Andrew  Ofi- 
 ander,  who  had  been  expelled  Germany  on  ac- 
 count of  the  troubles  repealing  the  Interim, 
 and  had  fled  to  the  capital  of  Fruffia,  where  he 
 was  well  received,  begun  to  fpread  very  ftrange 
 notions  refpe6ling  the  dodrine  of  juftification. 
 He  taught  that  Chrift  is  our  righteoufnefs  by  his 
 divine  nature,  and  that  man  is  juilified  by  the 
 eflential  righteoufnefs  of  God,  which  dwelleth  in 
 us.  This  is  what  is  called  Ofiandrifm.  Francis 
 Stancarus,  an  Italian,  and  a  Profeflbr  in  the  fame 
 univerfity,  undertook  to  refute  this  unintelligible 
 notion  •,  in  doing  which,  he  fell  into  the  contrary 
 extreme,  and  advanced  publicly,  that  the  office 
 of  mediator,  did  not  belong  to  Chrift  Jefus,  on 
 account  of  his  divine  nature  •,  but  that  it  only 
 concerned  his  human.  The  Lutheran  clergy  en- 
 deavoured to  fettle  thefe  difputes  in  the  Formu- 
 lary of  Concord. 
 
 After  this  formulary  had  been  publiflied,  and 
 near  the  clofe  of  this  century,  Samuel  Huber  of 
 Berne  in  Swifi^erland  blew  up  a  new  flame,  but  it 
 was  of  no  very  long  continuance.  This  divine 
 was  born  in  Swiflerland,  c^nd  had  ferved  an 
 ecclefiaftical  office  in  that  country  ;  but,  on  fome 
 account  or  other,  we  know  not  on  what,  had  left 
 his  country,  and  carme  into  Swabia,  wliere  he 
 joined  himfelf  to  the  Lutheran  communion.  He 
 propofed  in  the  univerfity  of  Tubingen  a  parti- 
 cular 
 
ti2     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 cuiar  opinion  refpeding  predcilination  ;  for,  not 
 being  able  to  digeft  the  do6trine  of  thie  Reformed 
 on  God's  decrees,  he  advanced,  that,  from  all 
 cterniiy,  God,  without  any  diftindion,  had 
 eledted  ail  men  in  Jeius  Chrift  to  life  eternal  ; 
 but  that  the  greateft  part  amongft  them,  through 
 their  infidelity,  exclude  themfelves  from  the 
 grace  of  God.  Rejoined  himfelf  to  the  Witten- 
 berg divines,  and  then  warmly  defended  this 
 dodtrine.  Some  divines  of  the  Lutheran  church 
 looked  upon  this  controverfy  as  a  mere  difpute 
 about  words,  and  thought  that  this  notion  of 
 Ruber's  was  not  in  itfclf  really  lb  hurtful  as, 
 what  it  appeared  to  be  from  his  exprelTions.  But 
 his  brethren  at  Wittenberg  were  not  fo  favoura- 
 ble, and  had  often  very  vehement  difputes  with 
 him  on  the  fubjedt.  Thefe  diiputes  at  laft  ended 
 in  his  depofuion,  which  happened  in  1595.  after 
 which  he  finifned  his  life  in  exile. 
 
 ARTICLE      XIII. 
 
 On  the  Division  between    the  Episcoparians 
 and  Presbyterians  in  Great  Britain. 
 
 THE  Reformation  in  England,  which  we 
 have  already  related,  gave  room  to  many 
 intefbine  divifions,  which  begun  very  foon,  and  ex- 
 tended very  far.  The  firft  preludes  to  this  difcord 
 appeared  in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  In  his  reign, 
 John  Hooper  %  a  very  pious  divine,  and  afterwards 
 an  illuftrious  Martyr,  was  appointed  Bifhop  of 
 Glouceiler  ;  but  would  not  for  fome  time  make 
 ufe  of  the   epifcopal  habits,  being   the  fame  as 
 
 *  See  Stillingfleet's  account  of  the  hiftory,  nature,  and 
 pleas  of  the  prefent  feparation,  in  4to. — C9nfulc  alfo  Ni- 
 chols's moft  excellent  defence  of  the  Englifh  church,  and 
 particularly  his  prefatory  difcourfe. 
 
 the 
 
THE  SIXTEENTFI  CENTURY.    113 
 
 the  bilhops  had  worn  in  former  times  -,  and  a  few 
 other  biihops  followed  his  example.  This  fmall 
 difference  was  foon  put  an  end  to  by  the  ad- 
 vice of  Bucer,  and  Peter  Martyr,  who  were  then 
 in  England,  and  counfelled  thefe  bifhops  to  con- 
 form to  cufloms  in  a  matter  lb  very  infignificant. 
 No  new  incident  at  that  time  happened,  iinlefs 
 we  take  into  our  account  the  open  oppofition 
 made  by  John  a  Lafco,  a  Polilli  Baron,  who  was 
 then  pallor  of  the  German  church  in  London 
 to  the  cuftom  of  kneeling  at  the  celebration  of 
 the  holy  fupper. 
 
 Under  the  reign  of  Mary,  and  during  the  time 
 Ihe  fo  violently  perfecuted  the  Reformed,  feve- 
 ral  of  them  left  their  own,  and  fought  for  an 
 alylum  in  foreign  countries.  Being  by  this  ob- 
 liged to  live  for  fome  time  with  the  Reformed  in 
 Swifierland  and  Germany,  many  amongft  them 
 were  highly  pleded  v.'ith  their  form  of  worlhip, 
 and  became  very  defirous  to  fee  it  eftablillied 
 in  England.  Some  of  tiiefe  exiles  went  to 
 Franckfort  on  the  Maine,  where  there  was  a 
 French  church,  to  whofe  communion  they 
 joined  themfelves,  and  introduced  into  it  many 
 of  the  rites  of  the  Englilli  church  in  which 
 they  had  been  brought  up.  This  was  difap- 
 proved  by  the  other  exiles  who  dwelled  at  Straf- 
 bourg  and  Zurich.  John  Knox,  a  minifter  of 
 the  church  of  Scotland,  came  and  joined  him 
 felf  to  the  church  of  the  Englifh  refugees  at 
 Francfort,  and  intirely  conformed  himfelf  to 
 their  worlliip.  But  Richard  Cox  coming  to  the 
 fame  city,  v.'ho  was  afterwards  made  bifhop  of 
 Ely,  infilled  on  re-ellablifhing  the  pure  liturgy 
 of  the  church  of  England.  Knox  upon  this  oc- 
 cafion  was  banifhed  Franckfort,  and  all  thofe 
 who  were  of  his  opinion,  foUov/ed  him  to  Ge- 
 neva. Thefe  difputes  did  not  reft  here,  but  were 
 Vol.  II.  I  afterwards 
 
114    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 afterwards  renewed  and  carried  on  v/ith  great 
 warmth  in  England. 
 
 To  the  unfortunate  reign  of  Mary  fucceeded  in 
 1558.  the  happy  and  glorious  one  of  Elizabeth  ; 
 under  whofe  aufpices  the  form  of  worfliip  ap- 
 proved of  in  the  time  of  Edward  was  re-eilab- 
 liilied  in  the  church  by  public  aiuhority,  and  with 
 the  confcnt  of  both  houfcs  of  parliament.  The 
 greateft  number  of  thofe  who  had  fled  into  Ger- 
 many and  Swiflerland,  now  returned  into  their 
 own  country,  and  foon  began  to  attack  not  only 
 the  epifcopal  vedments,  but  even  the  epifcopai 
 office  itfelf,  and  the  whole  form  of  divine  wor- 
 fliip received  in  England.  Some  amongft  them 
 prefented  their  requeils  in  1562.  contained  in  fix 
 articles  to  the  houfe  of  commons  j  and  thougii 
 they  did  not  meet  with  fuccefs,  yet  they  found 
 amongft  the  members  many  weil-wifliers.  The  dif- 
 putc  on  the  epifcopal  drefs  continuing  for  fome 
 years,  foured  their  minds  more  and  more,  and 
 difpofed  them  to  the  moft  irreconcileable  hatred. 
 It  muft  be  acknowledged,  however,  that  both 
 amongft  the  Epilcoparians  and  Puritans,  there 
 were  many  moderate  and  judicious  divines,  who 
 recommended  peace  and  unity  in  everything  that 
 did  not  immediately  intereft  the  very  eflence  of 
 religion.  The  beft  divines  of  foreign  countries  » 
 always  expreffed  the  fame  fentiments  v/henever 
 they  were  ail-:ed  their  opinions.  But  at  length 
 things  took  fuch  a  turn  as  intirely  put  an  end  to 
 ail  the  wife  meafures  fuggefted  by  thole  who  had 
 any  fentiments  of  modeiation  ftill  remaining. 
 
 All  the  clergy  of  the  kingdom,  particularly 
 thofe  of  London,  who  would  not  conform  to  the 
 
 a  Such  were  Theodore  Beza,  Rodolphus  Guilferius,  Jerom 
 Zanchius,  Henry  Bullenger,  and  Peter  Martyr,  whofe  let- 
 ters fiill  exift,  and  whofe  Tentiments  are  expreil'edin  Stilling- 
 Heet  and  Neale, 
 
 worlhip 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    115 
 
 Worftiip  lawfully  eftablifhed,  being  depofed  and 
 obliged  to  lead  a  private  life,  begun  in  1566.  to 
 hold  affemblies,  and  refolved  to  feparate  them- 
 felves  from  the  Englilh  church.  This  they  did 
 in  the  following  year  1567.  From  that  time  the 
 fchifm  became  more  open,  notwithftanding  all 
 the  rigour  of  the  law,  prifons,  banifhments,  and 
 other  puniihments  were  decreed  againft  thofe 
 who  adhered  to  it.  Thefe  means  produced  no 
 other  effe6t  than  that  of  animating  thofe  againft: 
 whom  they  were  employed  with  more  courage 
 arid  refolution.  Having  loft  all  hope  of  obtain- 
 ing any  protedtion  from  the  Queen  or  the  Bifhops, 
 they  addrelTed  in  1572.  the  parliament,  let  forth 
 their  misfortunes,  and  urgently  petitioned  for  3i 
 redrefs  -,  but  not  obtaining  it,  they  were  obliged 
 to  have  recourfe  to  other  means  and  eftabliflied  in 
 the  fame  year  ="  in  a  village  near  London,  a  Pref- 
 bytery  with  power  to  regulate  every  thing  re- 
 fpedling  the  government  and  difcipline  of  their 
 church.  The  regulations  made  by  this  affembly 
 were  obferved  by  thofe  of  the  party  in  or  near 
 London,  and  foon  afcer  by  others  of  the  fame 
 perfuafion  in  the  different  countries  of  the  king- 
 dom. From  that  time  the  Puritans  were  called 
 Preftjyterians. 
 
 The  Queen  was  extremely  grieved  at  thefe 
 difputes,  and  continually  publillied  new  laws,  and 
 decreed  very  fevere  punifhments  againft  all  thofe 
 who  refufed  to  unite  in  the  form  of  worftiip  ef- 
 tabliflied by  the  laws  of  the  kingdom.  A  new  ge- 
 neration of  Puritans  alfo  fucceeded  to  the  firft, 
 many  amongft  whom  were  men  of  candour  and 
 moderation,  who  wiflied  to  fee  a  more  complete 
 Reformation  take  place  than  had  hitherto  done 
 in  the  epifcopal  church,  but  the  multitude,  who 
 are  always  obftinate   and  headftrong,  knew  not 
 
 a  See  Neale's  hift.  Purit,  part  I.  p.  368, 
 
 I  2  how 
 
ii6    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY^ 
 
 how  to  keep  any  bounds,  or  purfue  any  prudenC 
 counlels.  >Their  intemperate  zeal  was  the  caufe  of 
 the  breaking  out  of  the  reparation  in  1580.  which 
 had  been  till  that  time  kept  fecret  •,  and  which 
 reparation  was  greatly  difliked  by  the  wifeft 
 -amongft  them.  The  principal  authors  of  this 
 public  fchifm  were  Robert  Brown  and  Thomas 
 Harrifon,  who,  to  efcape  the  ftorm  that  was  likely 
 to  fall  on  their  heads -^  from  this  halty  ftep,  fltd 
 ■into  Holland,  and  were  followed  by  many  others, 
 -who  afterwards  divided  into  various  tactions,  and 
 formed  different  fefts.  The  rigour  with  which 
 the  Separatifts  were  treated  in  England,  caufed 
 them  to  keep  no  bounds  neither  in  their  difcour- 
 fes.or  writings,  they  fp  re  ad  the  mod  feditious 
 libels  againft  the  Queen,  and  all  the  principal 
 people  in  the  kingdom.  Some  amongif  them, 
 as  Barrow,  Greenwood  and  Penry,  payed  for  their 
 errors  by  long  imprifonments,  and,  at  laft,  by 
 the  iofs  of  life.  After  the  death  of  Elizabeth, 
 thefe  dilTentions  greatly  increafed,  and  feemed  to 
 threaten  the  intire  ruin  of  the  kingdom,  as  we 
 Ihall  fee  in  the  following  century. 
 
 ARTICLE      XIV. 
 
 Of  the  Principal  Divines, and  the mofl Celebrated 
 Writers  of  the  Protestant  Church. 
 
 WE  canflot  read  the  hiilory  of  the  Refor- 
 mation,  without  perceiving  that  the  hap- 
 py completion  of  this  ufeful  work  was  principally 
 owing  to  a  great  number  of  worthy  and  able  men, 
 whom  Providence  feemed  particularly  to  have 
 railed  up  for  this  purpole.  The  Lutheran  church 
 place  in   the   firil  rank,  him,  from  whom   that 
 
 *  See  Hoornbeck's  fumma  controverfiarum,  p.  378.  where 
 )^e  fpeaks  of  the  Brownifts ;  and  Nichols,  p.  29.  Compare 
 thcfe  authors  with  Neale,  parti,  p.  677 — 995. 
 
 chyrch 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  117 
 church  is  named,  Martin  Luther,  the  great  Re- 
 former of  Germany.  They  have  given  the  name 
 of  Mafter  or  Preceptor  of  Germany  to  Philip 
 Melandlhon,  the  moit  intimate  of  LiUther'sfriends, 
 and  his  collegue  in  the  univerfity  of  Wittenberg. 
 John  Bugenhagen,  Juftus  Jonas,  and  George 
 Major  did  honour  to  the  fame  univerfity  much 
 about  the  fame  time.  John  /Epinus  may  be  num- 
 bered among  the  firft  Reformers  of  Germany  ; 
 the  church  of  Hambourg  is  much  indebted  to 
 him.  Nicholas  Amfdorff  the  firfl  prieft  at  Mag- 
 debourg,  and  Bifhop  of  Naumbourg  is  dtfervediy 
 celebrated.  Notwithftanding  the  errors  of  Mat- 
 thias Flaccus  Illyricuo,  we  cannot  fail  to  place  him 
 in  the  rank  of  the  moft  learned  divines  of  tJiis 
 century,  we  muft  do  the  fame  alio  to  Martin 
 Chemnitius,  and  iEgldus  Hunnius.  We  have 
 room  here  only  to  mention  the  names  of  John 
 Brentius,  Jerom  Wellerus,  Nicholas  Selneccer, 
 James  Andre^e,  David  Chytrfeus,  John  Wigand, 
 and  Vi6lorinus  Strigelius,  who,  as  well  as  many 
 others,  of  their  contemporaries,  performed  the 
 moft  important  fervices  for  the  church. 
 
 The  churches  to  which  we  have  fince  given 
 the  name  of  the  Reformed,  took  their  rife  in 
 Swiflerland.  Fluldric  Zwinglius  laid  the  firft 
 foundations  of  a  Reformation  in  that  country,  in 
 which  good  work  he  was  powerfully  feconded  by 
 John  CEcolampadius,  a  divine,  to  whom  the 
 church  of  Bafil  is  under  great  obligations.  Zwing- 
 lius had  for  collegues  in  the  church  and  univerfity 
 of  Zurich,  Leonof  Juda,  and  Conrad  Peliccan  ; 
 and  for  i'uccefibr,  Henry  Bulienger,  all  men  of 
 great  reputation.  Peter  Viret,.  Vv' illiam  Fare), 
 Wolfgang  Mufculus  and  Peter  Martyr  did  miuch 
 honour  alio  to  Swiflerland  and  the  neighbouring 
 countries.  In  France  likewile  v/e  find  many  very 
 karned  and  pious  divines,  who  took  great  pains 
 I  3  to 
 
ji8     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 to  advance  the  Reformation  in  other  countries. 
 John  Calvin  was  alfo  of  this  country,  and  one  of 
 the  greateft  of  the  Reformed  divines  of  this  cen- 
 tury, as  well  as  Theodore  Beza,  who  was  both 
 Calvin's  coUegue,  and  fuccefTor  to  his  appoint- 
 ments in  the  church  and  univerfity  of  Geneva. 
 It  is  to  the  fame  country  that  we  are  indebted  for 
 Francis  Lambert,  the  firft  divine  of  the  univer- 
 fity of  Marbourg,  founded  about  this  time,  and 
 for  Francis  du  John,  or  Junius,  of  the  univerfity  of 
 Leide.  In  France  alfo  Anthony  Sadeel,  and  Au- 
 guftine  Marlorat,  devoted  themfelves  to  the  fer- 
 vice  of  the  Reformation.  Strafbourg  in  Alface 
 had  the  happinels  to  profit  by  the  labours  of  Mar- 
 tin Bucer,  a  divine  of  an  amiable  temper,  and 
 who  endeavoured  to  condudl  every  thing  with 
 peace  and  moderation  ;  and  after  him  we  may 
 mention  Jerom  Zanchius,  who  was  afterwards 
 called  to  Heidelbourg.  Zachary  Urfmus  acquired 
 much  reputation  in  the  fame  city.  Hungary  pro- 
 duced Stephen  Szegedin,  and  others,  highly  to 
 be  efteemed. 
 
 In  enumerating  the  principal  divines  of  the 
 Englifh  church  we  muft  undoubtedly  give  the 
 firft  place  to  thofe  who  firft  preached  the  gofpel- 
 dodrine,  and  afterwards  laid  down  their  lives  to 
 ratify  it's  truth.  Such  were  Cranmer,  Archbi- 
 ftiop  of  Canterbury,  and  the  three  Bifhpps  Lati- 
 mer, Ridley  and  Hooper.  During  the  reign  of 
 Elizabeth,  the  fee  of  Canterbury  was  pofleffed 
 by  Matthew  Parker,  Edmund  Grindall,  and  John 
 Whitegift,  all  of  whom  were  of  great  fervice  to 
 religion  in  general,  and  to  the  epifcopal  church 
 in  particular.  The  writings  of  moil  of  them  have 
 done  much  honour  to  their  memories.  John 
 Jewel  Bifhop  of  Salifbury,  acquired  great  glory, 
 by  the  vigour  with  which  he  defended  the  Refor- 
 mation of  his  church  againft  the  attacks  of  Po- 
 pery. 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTU.RY.   119 
 
 pery.  William  "Whitaker,  a  divine  of  Cambridge, 
 and  John  Rainold  of  Oxford,  greatly  didinguiflied 
 themlelves  in  the  fame  way.  The  memoirs  of 
 John  Fox,  the  celebrated  author  of  Martyrology, 
 and  the  works  of  Thomas  Cartwrighr,  a  good 
 interpreter  of  holy  fcripture,  are  held  in  high 
 eiteem  by  the  Puritans. 
 
 ARTICLE      XV. 
 
 Of  the  Sect  of  the  Anabapt  ists. 
 
 TH  E  happy  beginnings  of  the  Reformation, 
 which  ieemed  to  promife  the  moll  favour- 
 able confequences,  were  much  troubled  and  dif- 
 turbed  by  the  fecft  of  the  Anabaptifts,  whom  we 
 may  look  upon  as  tares  which  grew  up  with  the 
 good  grain  m  the  field  of  the  Lord.  The  name 
 of  Anabaptifts  was  given  to  thefe  fcflarifts,  from 
 their  condemning  infant  baptifm,  and  from  their 
 re-baptifmg  all  thofe  who  entered  into  their  com- 
 munion. Indeed  they  held  in  great  contempt 
 all  the  exteriors  of  religion,  fucli  as  reading  and 
 preaching  the  word  of  God,  the  ul'e  of  the  lacra- 
 nients,  and  the  minifterial  offices ;  referring  every 
 thing  to  the  inward  word  ;  that  is,  to  infpira- 
 tions,  revelations  and  prophecies,  v/hich  many  of 
 their  feft,  who  were  the  moft  dangerous  fana- 
 tics %  pretended  continually  to  receive.  They 
 made  alfo  very  confiderable  attempts  on  the  au- 
 thority, and  lawful  power  of  the  civil  magiftrate. 
 As  enthufiafm  is  an  evil  in  it's  nature  progref- 
 five,  fo  many  among  the  Anabaptifts  carried  af- 
 terwards this  matter  much  farther,  and  regarded 
 all  magiftrates  as  fo  many    Antichrifts,  and  en- 
 
 =»  Confult  Wigand  de  Anabaptiftis  &  Arnold  hift.  hzr.  Sec. 
 for  a  full  account  of  the  trads  of  the  Anabaptifts.  See  jlfo 
 Mr.  MofheimS  inftiiut.  hiftor.  Sec.  p,  263. 
 
 I  4  deavo'ured 
 
no  ECCLESIASnCAL  HISTORY. 
 deavourcd  all  they  could  to  fhake  off  their  yoke. 
 They  wanted  to  introduce  a  kind  of  equality, 
 and  an  intire  community  of  goods.  According 
 to  them,  the  Reformed  church,  notwithftanding 
 the  title  given  to  her,  was  ftill  very  far  from 
 being  perfect.  They  always  expreffed  a  great  con- 
 tempt of  it  •,  fpeaking  only  of  the  reign  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  v/hich  they  propofed  to  eilablifh  on  earth. 
 But  they  frequently  did  not  even  underftand  one 
 another,  and  were  by  no  means  agreed  in  any 
 thing. 
 
 The  Anabaptiits,  as  well  ancient  as  modern,  pre- 
 tend to  trace  their  origin  from  theVaudois  churches" 
 diiperfed  throughout  all  Europe,  which  we  have  al- 
 ready had  occafion  frequently  to  mention.  We 
 cm  lot  deny  indeed,  that  in  the  time  of  the  Vau- 
 dois.  there  were  many  of  their  teachers  who  had 
 propofed  fome  of  thole  principles  which  the  Ana- 
 baptiits afterwards  brought  to  light,  and  applied 
 in  a  much  more  extenfive  manner.  From  thence  it 
 undoubtedly  arifeth,  that  immiediately  upon  the 
 very  beginning  of  the  Reformation,  the  vifions 
 of  this  left  fliewed  themfelves  in  many  different 
 places.  Nicholas  Storchius,  Mark  Stubn^r,  Mar- 
 tin Cellarius,  and  Thomas  Muntzer,  were  the  firft 
 and  principal  amongft  them.  Thel'e  fanatics  firit 
 jhewed  themfelves  in  Saxony,  then  came  to  Wit- 
 tenberg in  the  abfence  ot  Luther,  and  by  a  falfe 
 -appearance  of  piety  gained  the  good-will  of  Me- 
 ianfthon.  But  when  Luther  returned,  he  foon 
 difcovered  the  tirrors  of  their  doftrine,  and  the 
 ■v'llenefs  of  their  conduft  ;  upon  which  they  were 
 expelled  Wittenberg^,  and  they  then  difperfed 
 themfelves   throughout  all  Germany.     Muntzer 
 
 a  See  Schyn*6,  who  v\«as  a  divine  among  the  Monophyfitef, 
 hiiiot.  mcJ;;notritnvijm  plenior  dedufiio. 
 
 '^  All  ii.is  affair  is  recited  at  full  length  in  the  life  of  Me- 
 LiRClhon,  bv  Jonchin  Camerariuo,  p.  44.. 
 
 put 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    121 
 
 put  himlVlf  afterwards  at  the  head  of  the  pcafants 
 of  Thuringia,  who  had  revoked  from  their  lawful 
 inallers  •,  but  we  have  already  fecn,  that  this 
 attempt  was  attended  witli  the  fatal  confequcnces 
 it  delerved.  Munrzer  had  been  before  in  Swifier- 
 land,  and  Ivad  made  liure  fome  difeiples  i  the 
 principal  of  whom  were  Baltluilar  Hubmcier,  Fe- 
 lix Mangius,  and  Conrad  Grebel,  who  brought 
 in  1524.  many  people  over  to  their  enthufiallical 
 notions.  Thefe  turbulent  men,  given  up  wholly 
 to  the  wildefl  fanaticifm,  cauled  much  dillur- 
 bance,  and  committed  many  atrocious  crimes  ;  fo 
 that  the  Protedants  themlclves  were  obliged  to 
 reprove  their  unbiidled  extravagancies  by  capital 
 punilhment<5. 
 
 But  the  Low-Countries  was  the  principal  re- 
 treat of  the  grcateil  part  of  the  Anabapriiis  %  we 
 may  look  upon  thefe  provinces  as  the  country  of 
 this  feihl:  ;  and  it  is  even  to  this  day  their  proper 
 ilwelling-place.  The  firftofthem  begun  to  ap- 
 pear there  about  the  year  1527.  and  fince  that 
 time  they  have  been  treated  very  fliarply,  efpe- 
 cially  wiien,  after  the  example  of  the  Anabaptills 
 in  Germany,  they  raifed  in  thefe  countries  tu- 
 mults and  fediiions.  They  were  the  caufe  of  that 
 dreadful  cataftrophe  which  happened  at  Munfter^ 
 in  15^4.  where  they  were  guilty  of  the  moft  un- 
 heard of  and  bloody  exceOes.  John  Matthrci,  a 
 baker  at  Ilarleimwas  the  firft  author  of  this  fliock- 
 ing  event,  who,  about  the  end  of  the  year  1533. 
 fent  to  Munller  fome  of  his  diiciples,  at  the  head 
 of  whom  were  John  Bucold  of  Leyden  a  taylor, 
 and  Gerhard,  a  bookbinder  by  profcHion.  Thefe 
 people  inlinuating  themfelves  into  the  favour  of 
 J* -rnard   Rothman,    the   firft'  Reformer   of  thac 
 
 •y,  in  a  little  time  foon  increafed  their  afiembly 
 
 ■*  Mr.  nrand,in  his  hlftory  pf  the  Low  Countries  J'^is  givea 
 -  ■    -v  full  account  of  the  .'Vnabapuih. 
 
 fo 
 
122   ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 fo  very  much,  that  the  magiflrate  could  no  lon- 
 ger keep  them  in  any  bounds.  In  the  mean  time 
 other  Anabaptilis,  and,  amongft  the  reil,  their 
 mafter  John  Matthsi  came  to  Munfter  to 
 ftrengthen  their  party.  Finding  themielves  then 
 very  powerful,  they  begun  to  dcpole  the  old 
 magiftrates,  and  appoint  new  ones,  of  their  own 
 fe(ft.  They  prefcribed  new  laws  conformable 
 to  their  notions.  John  Matthrei  was  the  Ibve- 
 reign  of  their  ftate,  all  the  Anabapiifts  highly  re- 
 verencing him,  and  regarding  him  as  a  prophet 
 fent  from  God.  The  Bifliop  and  the  Prince  of 
 the  city  befieged  it,  and  John  Matthjei  was  one 
 of  the  firil  who  loft  his  life  during  the  attacks. 
 Bucold  of  Leyden  fucceeded  him  in  the  fupremc 
 authority,  which  he  wanted  to  make  ufe  of  to  the 
 deftru6tion  of  the  whole  form  of  government  efta- 
 blifhed  among  the  Anabaptifts,  to  introduce  Po- 
 lygamy, and  get  himfeif  proclaimed  King.  From 
 that  time  nothing  but  mifery  attended  this  unfor- 
 tunate city,  during  the  continuance  of  a  very  long 
 fiege.  At  the  end  of  about  fix  months,  the  Bi- 
 fliop of  Munfter  became  maft'er  of  the  city  on  the 
 24th  of  June  1535.  and  punifhed  the  authors  of 
 this  fedition,  particularly  John  Bucold,  as  they 
 deferved. 
 
 The  Anabaptifts  now  loft  all  hopes  of  eftablifti- 
 ing  the  kingdom  of  Sion,  as  they  exprefled  it,  on 
 earth.  Neverthelefs,  a  new  fanatic,  named  David 
 Joris,  or  Georgii  %  a  Dutchman,  endeavoured  to 
 reanimate  them  with  this  expeftation.  All  the 
 writings  of  this  Georgii  evidently  fliew  that  there 
 never  was  perhaps  a  greater  enthufiaft.  We  can- 
 not however  fuppofe,  that  he  advanced  all  the  im- 
 pious opinions  attributed  to  him,  or  that  he  was 
 
 a  See  a  long  account  of  this  Georgii  in  the  third  book  of 
 Brand's  hillor.  de  la  Reform.de  pais  Bas.  Confult  alfo  Ar- 
 nold, part  II.  lib.  XVI.  ch.  12. 
 
 guilty 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    123 
 
 guilty  of  all  the  feditious  attempts  laid  to  his 
 charge.  When  he  faw  that  he  could  no  longer  live 
 in  latety  in  Holland,  or  the  neighbouring  coun- 
 tries, he  went  to  Bafil  in  1544.  and  lived  very 
 fplendidly  under  the  falfe  name  of  John  Bruck 
 of  Binningen.  But  after  his  death,  which  hap- 
 pened in  that  city  in  1556.  they  difcovered  who 
 he  was ;  upon  which  they  took  his  body  out 
 of  the  grave,  and  burned  it  together  with  hi« 
 works  in  1559. 
 
 The  Anabaptifts  no  longer  now  fhewed  thofc 
 figns  of  that  feditious  fpirit  that  they  had  been  fo 
 long  poflefTed  with  ;  it  difperfed  intirely  when 
 Mennon  "  Simonis  joined  himfelf  to  their  aiTem- 
 blies  in  1536.  From  that  time  they  regarded 
 him  as  their  common  mafter,  and  exprefTed  the 
 ^mjoft  mild  and  moderate  fentiments.  They  took  of 
 themfelves  the  name  of  Mennonites,  which  they 
 have  retained  to  this  day.  He  obliged  them  to  give 
 up  their  vifions,  and  the  enthufiaftical  deliriums 
 of  their  predeceflbrs,  and  for  ever  to  abjure  all 
 thofe  notions  which  were  in  the  leafl  repugnant 
 to  the  public  tranquility,  or  the  government  of  the 
 ftates.  Notv/ithftanding  this  %  even  the  autho- 
 rity of  Mennon  himfelf  could  not  keep  them 
 united'^. 
 
 i>  We  have  a  life  of  Mennon,  written  by  himfelf,  and  in- 
 ferted  by  Hermann  Schyn  in  his  hiftoria  Mennonitarum  pie- 
 nior  deduftio.  ch.  5. 
 
 <=  The  bell:  way  to  judge  of  the  doftrine  of  the  Menno- 
 nites, is  to  read  their  confeffions,  which  we  have  inferted  in 
 the  abovementioned  work  of  Schyn. — Confult  alfo  the  Elen- 
 chus  controverfiarum  of  Mr.  Spanheim. 
 
 •1  Hernatifm  is  looked  upon  as  a  branch  of  Anabaptifm  ; 
 concerning  which  confult  the  paftoral  letter  againft  fanati-r 
 cifm  of  Mr.  John  Stinftra,  pallor  of  the  church  of  Frielland, 
 tranflated  from  the  Dutch  into  French,  and  publiJhed  at  Ley- 
 den  in  1752. 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
[24    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 ARTICLE      XVL 
 
 Of  the  different  Sects  of  the  Anti-Trini- 
 tarians. 
 
 H  I  L  S  T  the  Reformers  were  bufied  in 
 freeing  the  do6trine  and  worfliip  of  the 
 Chnftian  church  from  the  alterations  and  depra- 
 vations that  had  crept  into  it  during  the  courfe 
 of  many  centuries,  and  in  endeavouring  to  re- 
 flore  it  to  it's  ancient  purity,  and  primitive  fmi- 
 plicity  \  there  were  found  ionie  divines,  who  ad- 
 vanced, that  even  the  dodrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
 was  itfelf  a  notion  of  the  fchoolmen,  and  ouglit 
 to  be  redified,  or  rather  intirely  fupprelTed.  En- 
 deavouring to  fupport  this  afiertion  with  all  their 
 abilities,  it  was  no  wonder  they  fell  into  the  er-** 
 rors  of  the  Arians  and  Photinians.  John  Campa- 
 nus  was  the  firll  who  diftinguillied  himfelf  in  this 
 way  ^  •,  who  before  the  confeffion  of  Augfbourghad 
 been  prefented  to  Charles  V.  attacked  the  do(5trine 
 of  the- Catholic  church  on  the  fubjeft  of  the  God- 
 head in  three  perfons.  About  the  lame  time, 
 Michael  Servetus  ^  a  Spaniard  did  the  fame,  who 
 in  the  year  153 1.  after  having  publilhed  many 
 (Other  works,  at  la(l  attacked  v/ith  all  his  power 
 the  doflirine  of  the  Isver  blelTed  Trinity.  The  laft 
 and  mod  extenfiveof  his  works  was  intitled,  The 
 
 a  It  is  thought,  that  in  the  confL'ffion  of  Augfhourg,  there 
 is  fome  allowance  made  to  thefe  lirit  Unitarians.  See  Walch's 
 treatife,  publifhed  at  Jena  1750.  under  the  title  of,  De  Sa- 
 inofatinianis  neotericus  quorum  mcntio  fit  an  Auguftana  con- 
 feffione. 
 
 *>  Numbers  of  writers  have  publiflied  treatifes  on  thefe  fa- 
 mous Unitarians.  That  by  far  the  moft  excellent  is  the  hif- 
 tory  cf  Servetus,  written  in  German  by  Mr.  Moiheim,  and 
 printed  at  Gottingen  in  4to.  Mr.  Voltaire  highly  condemns 
 Calvin  for  his  treatment  of  Sen-etus  ;  but  he  has  been  fuifi- 
 cjently  ^nfwered.     See  Nov.  Bibl.  Germ.  vol.  XII.  p.  30. 
 
 re-eftablilhment 
 
rr-TE  SIXTEENTH  CE!NTURY.    125 
 
 re-eilablifhmenc  of  Chriftianity.  It  appeared  at 
 Vienne  in  Dauphiny,  and  it's  author  \va.s  loon 
 after  put  into  prifon  ;  but  cfcaping  from  thence, 
 he  came  to  Geneva,  where  ibme  new  imprudences 
 foon  brought  him  to  the  ftake.  Among  the  Ana- 
 baptifts  alio  there  appeared  a  man  named  Lewis 
 Metzer,  fpokenofveiy  highly  by  the  party,  and 
 who  openly  endeavouring  to  fet  alide  the  divi- 
 nity of  Jelus  Chrift,  was  taken  up  at  Conilance, 
 and  condemned  to  loie  his  head  in  1529. 
 
 The  writings  of  Servetus  brought  over  many- 
 people,  particularly  in  Italy,  to  his  erroneous 
 notions.  Melanfthon  hearing  this,  thought  it 
 his  duty  without  any  delay  or  palliation,  to 
 acquaint  the  Venetian  Senate  of  it,  to  whom  he 
 "wrote  on  this  fubjed  in  1539  ^  Notwithfland- 
 ing  this,  a  fociety  was  formed  about  Venice^ 
 Vicenza,  and  the  neighbouring  cities  of  abouc 
 forty  men  of  letters  ^  who  profeffed  themfelve^ 
 Anti-Trinitarians.  The  principal  amongft  them 
 were  Leonard  Bufalis,  Lselius  Socin,  Berner- 
 din]  Ochin,  Valentin  Gentil,  Julius  Trevifan^ 
 Francis  de  Ruego,  and  Paul  Alciat.  They  held 
 aflemblies  in  which  they  difcufied  with  the  moft 
 critical  exaftnefs  the  fundamental  articles  of 
 faith,  particularly  thofe  of  the  Trinity,  and  the 
 fatisfaftion  of  Chrifl  Jcfus.  They  were  not  all  of 
 the  fame  opinion  refpe(5ling  thefe  matters,  as  they 
 afterwards  fhewed  •,  but  they  made  inquiries, 
 and  propofed  mutually  their  doubts,  hoping  by 
 that  means  to  find  out  the  truth.  This  fo- 
 ciety being  difcovered,    fome  of  it's   members 
 
 *  This  letter  of  Melanfthon  to  the  Senate  of  Venice,  is  the 
 I  ft  of  his  letters,  publifhed  by  Cafpar  Peucer  at  Wittenberg 
 in  1570.  in  8vo.  p.  369. 
 
 b  Mr.  Moftieim,  in  his  Inftitut.  &c.  p.  308.  rejefls  this 
 origin  of  the  fed  of  the  Unitarinns,  and  mentions  another 
 which  nevcrthelef;  may  be  reconciled  with  the  firft. 
 
 fuffered 
 
126    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 fufFered  by  the  hands  of  an  executioner,  others 
 made  their  efcape,  and  difperied  themlelves  into 
 different  countries  of  Europe,  where  they  very 
 fuccefsfully  fpread  their  errors.  Some  of  them 
 fled  into  SwilTerland ;  among  others,  Matthew 
 Gribald  and  Valentin  Gentil.  Arianihn  was  fup- 
 ported  by  fome,  and  others  were  attached  rather  to 
 the  opinions  of  Paul  of  Samofatus,  and  of  Photius. 
 Valentin  ^  being  difcovered  at  Geneva  lecretly 
 propagating  his  opinions,  incurred  an  ecclefiafti- 
 cal  cenfure,  and  was  obliged  to  fwear  that  he 
 would  never  more  publicly  declare  his  fenti- 
 ments  ;  but  he  violated  his  oath,  for  which  he 
 was  taken  up,  punilhed  and  imprifoned.  He 
 cfcaped  once  more  from  Swifierland  ;  but  having 
 the  imprudence  to  return,  he  fiiffered  death  in 
 1566. 
 
 The  enemies  of  the  do-flrine  of  the  Trinity 
 Ending  that  Swiffcrland  afforded  them  no  fhelter, 
 refolved  to  propole  their  opinions  in  Poland  •,  it  was 
 a  free  ftate,  and  conlequently  favourable  to  their 
 defigns.  Lselius  Socin  of  Sienna,  in  Italy,  was  the 
 firft  of  this  Brotherhood  who  went  into  Poland. 
 The  writings  of  Socin,  and  thofe  of  his  nephew 
 Fauftus,  ferve  as  a  kind  of  arfenal  for  this  fedl; 
 from  him  they  take  the  name  of  Socinians.  Ls- 
 iius  came  for  the  firft  time  into  this  kingdom  ''  in 
 1^51.  and  infedled  Francis  Lifmanin  with  his 
 erroneous  principles.  He  returned  again  intQ 
 this  kingdom  in  1558.  and  ftayed  there  but  a 
 very  little  time.  After  him  Peter  Gonefius  a 
 Polander,  who  had  ftudied  at  Saxony  and  Swif- 
 ferland,  and  had  there  read  the  works  of  Servetus, 
 and  paffuig  afterwards  through  Moravia  on  his 
 
 a  See  the  article  Valentin  in  Bayle's  ditStionary. 
 
 •»  For  a  full  account  of  the  Unitarians  in  Poland.  See  Lu- 
 bicnetzki's  Reform.  Polon.  lib.  II.  &  III  — See  alfo  Mr.  Sa- 
 lig's  hiftor.  Augull.  confef 
 
 return 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     127 
 
 return  to  his  own  country,  where  he  formed 
 Ibme  very  intimate  connexions  with  the  Ana- 
 baptifts  of  that  province,  was  the  firft  who,  dared 
 openly  to  attack  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  in 
 Poland  :  his  example  was  followed  by  George 
 Blandratus,  John  Paul  Alciat,  and  John  Valen- 
 tin Gentil,  v/ho  were  joined  by  Peter  Statorius 
 a  Frenchman,  who,  in  1559.  came  into  Poland, 
 and  was  there  appointed  the  reftor  of  the  aca- 
 demy of  Pinczow.  Gregory  Pauli,  a  Polander, 
 who  was  the  fuperintendant  of  the  Reformed 
 church  at  Cracow,  was  alfo  a  great  favourer  of 
 thefe  notions  •,  upon  which  account  he  was  de- 
 pofed,  though  he  had  before  acquitted  himfelf 
 in  his  appointment  much  to  the  fatisfacbion  of 
 every  body.  He  afterwards  joined  the  Unita- 
 rians. As  thefe  different  defenders  of  Socinianifm 
 met  with  no  oppofition  in  the  propagation  of 
 tiieir  dangerous  opinions,  their  party  became 
 very  confiderable,  being  joined  by  many  noble- 
 men, and  others  of  the  firft  families  in  the 
 kingdom. 
 
 The  Unitarians  at  firft  mixed  with  the  Re- 
 formed ;  but  the  affair  of  Stancarus  caufing 
 many  fynods  and  conferences  to  be  held,  which 
 we  mentioned  in  Article  XII,  they  foon  came 
 at  a  knowledge  of  the  tenets  of  thefe  enemies 
 of  the  Trinity,  notwithftanding  all  the  artifices 
 and  fubterfuges  they  made  ufe  of  to  diffemble 
 their  poifonous  principles.  Thofe  who  fup- 
 ported  the  interefts  of  the  truth,  had  many  con- 
 ferences with  thefe  heretics,  in  which  they  made 
 *  ufe  of  every  poflible  endeavour  to  bring  thera 
 back.  But  feeing  all  their  trouble  proved 
 ineffe^ual,  after  the  laft  public  difpute  held 
 during  the  diet  of  Petricow  in  1565.  and  which 
 was  equally  unfuccefsful  as  the  preceding,  they 
 feparated  them  intirely  from  their  communi- 
 on.    The  Unitarians  were    by  this  means  ex- 
 
 pofed 
 
i28  ECCLESIASTICAL  KISTdRt'. 
 pofed  to  very  great  and  imminent  dangers,  being 
 banillied  the  kingdom  by  public  edicts  in  i^Sj^. 
 and  1566.  Upon  this  account  fome  Strangers 
 of  chis  left  were  obliged  to  leave  Poland,  and 
 feek  an  afylum  in  other  countries.  Valentin  Gen- 
 til  returned  to  Swifferland,  where  he  met  with 
 the  ill-fortune,  he  there  fled  tofliun.  John  Paul 
 Alciat  went  intoPrufna,  where  he  fpread  his  dan- 
 gerous errors.  Others  remained  concealed  in 
 Poland  with  fome  noblemen,  who  protected 
 them  ',  in  this  retirement  they  continued  until 
 the  ftorm  was  blown  over  •,  when  they  returned 
 again  into  public.  After  this  time,  being  always 
 fupported  by  their  patrons  and  friends,  they 
 founded  churches  and  academies  upon  their  own 
 plan,  and  fet  up  printing-offices  for  the  publi- 
 cation of  their  books. 
 
 The  building  of  the  city  Racow,  in  the  pala- 
 tinate of  Sendomir,  was  of  more  fervice  than 
 any  thing  to  their  party  -,  it  was  built  for  them 
 by  John  Sienius,  a  fenator  of  the  kingdom  in 
 1569.  This  city  became  both  their  fortrefs  and 
 principal  retreat.  Thofe  of  the  greateft  reputation 
 amongil  them  taught  and  wrote  at  Racow.  The 
 Socinians  founded  in  this  City  in  1602.  an  univer- 
 fity  which  was  frequented  even  by  the  Roman 
 Catholics  themielves,  and  which  was  called  the 
 Athenis  of  Sarmatia.  At  this  univerfity  all  the 
 moft  celebrated  works  of  the  Unitarians  were  pub- 
 lifhed.  From  1570.  to  the  end  of  this  century, 
 their  party  was  very  confiderable  in  Poland. 
 
 The  Unitarian  notions  paffed  from  this  king- 
 dom into  the  principality  of  Tranfylvania.  John 
 Sigifmund,  who  was  Prince  of  this  country,  invi- 
 ted to  his  court,  in  the  charafter  of  firft  phyfician, 
 and  privy  couniellor,  George  Blandratus,  the 
 inoft  dangerous  of  all  the  fedariils  then  in  Pa- 
 land.     This  man  had  loon  influence  enough  to 
 
 get 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.   129 
 
 get  his  friend  Francis  Davidis,  who  had  left  the 
 communion  of  the  Reformed  to  join  the  Unita- 
 rian party,  appointed  chaplain  to  that  Prince. 
 Thefe  two  intirely  governed  their  mafter.  The 
 Unitarians  then  prevailed  every'  v*'here  in  the 
 kingdom.  They  filled  the  court  with  their  ad- 
 herents, affemblcd  fynods,  and  publifhed  a  con- 
 feffion  of  faith.  They  held  alfo  in  1568.  at  Wei- 
 fenbourg  a  conference  with  the  Trinitarians,  the 
 feflions  of  which  lafted  fix  days,  and  the  a6ls  were 
 afterwards  made  public  ^.  This  conference  being 
 ended,  Sigifmund,  who  himfelf  affifted  at  it, 
 granted  to  the  Unitarians  all  the  privileges  which 
 the  Proteftants  had  before  enjoyed.  They  then 
 took  poflefTion  of  the  cathedral  church  at  Clau- 
 fenbourg,  appointed  their  own  clergymen,  and 
 managed  every  thing  as  they  pleafed.  But  foon 
 after  in  1572.  Sigifmund  paying  the  debt  of 
 nature,  their  affairs  began  to  decline,  as  they 
 no  longer  polTefied  their  Prince's  favour.  Not- 
 withftanding  this  Francis  Davidis,  under  the  go- 
 government  of  Stephen  Bathori,  carried  his  bold- 
 nefs  and  impiety  to  the  highefl  pitch,  daring 
 openly  to  propofe  thefes  on  the  divinity  of  the 
 Son  of  God,  in  which  he  abfolutely  refufed  him 
 any  adoration.  This  even  infpired  the  Unitarians 
 themfelves  with  horror.^  Blandratus  fent  for 
 from  Bale  into  Tranfylvania,  Fauftus  Socinus 
 the  nephew  of  Lselius  to  affift  him  in  refuting 
 thefe    monllrous    tenets  of  Davidis.  They  cited 
 
 a  George  Blandratous  printed  In  1568.  at  Weifinbourg,  in 
 4to.  an  account  of  this  conference,  under  the  title  of,  Brevij 
 Enarratio  difputationis  Albans.  Cafpor  Heltus  publifhed  the 
 fame  afts  in  the  name  of  the  Reformed  at  Weifinbourg  in 
 I  588.  in  4to.  This  is  a  very  fcarce  book.  The  fecond  edi- 
 tion of  the  Difputatio  Albana,  is  fiot  more  common.  The 
 fame  Heltus  publiOied  it  at  Claufenbuork,  but  he  was  got  in- 
 to the  party  of  the  Unitarians,  as  his  epilile  dedicatory  ihewst 
 
 Vol.  II.  K  Davidis 
 
130    ECCLESIASTICAL  KtlSTORY. 
 
 Davidis  before  the  Prince,  and  accufed  him  of; 
 irreligion  -,  his  doftrine  was  lubjeded  to  a  public 
 examination  j  and  he  continuing  obftinately  to- 
 defend  it,  was  condemned  in  1579.  to  a  prifon  for 
 life,  in  which  he  foon  after  died  in  a  moft  mife- 
 rable  manner. 
 
 Fauftus  Socinus,  who  had  oppofed Davidis,  foorv 
 Ending  that  he  was  not  very  agreeable  to  the  Uni- 
 tarians in  Tranfylvania,  left  them  and   went  into 
 Poland  in  1579.    ^^'^  ^^^  Unitarians  of  this  king- 
 dom not  approving  altogether  of  his  do6lrine,  did 
 not  admit  him  into  their  communion  for  a  very- 
 long  time.     Their  efteem    for    him  however  fo 
 confiderably  increafed,  that   at   laft  they  univer- 
 fally  acknowledged  him  to  be  the  firft  and   prin- 
 cipal Do(flor  of  their  fed.     Upon  his  firll  arrival 
 in  Poland;  the  principal  articles  of  their  contro- 
 verfy  ftill  turned  on  the  pre-eminence  of  the  Fa- 
 ther, the  divinity  of  the  Son,  and  the  divinity  and 
 perlbnaiity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  honour 
 clue    to  him  ;     and    afterwards    on  infant  bap- 
 tifm,  which  was  rejefted  by  them,  as  well  as  by 
 the    Anabaptifts.     With   refpeft   to  the  Trinity, 
 fome  of  them  were  attached  to  the  opinion  of 
 Arius,  who  allowed  three  differences  in  the  Deity, 
 U'hilft  others  preferred   the  tenets  of  Photinus, 
 who  denied    that  the   Son   of  God   ever  exifted 
 before  his  conception  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin  : 
 This  was   the  doftrine   of  Socinus.     Upon  this 
 account  the  Unitarians  were  fplit  into  different 
 faftions  -,  but  the  authority  of  Socinus  at  length 
 prevailing,  he  put   an  end  to  all  divifions,  and 
 gave  the  divinity  of  the  Unitarians  quite  another 
 appearance  from  what  it  formerly  had.    Socinus 
 held  nothing  in  common  with   the  Anabaptifts. 
 He  did  not  alfo  admit  into  his  fyftem  many  ar- 
 ticles, which  the  Reformed  efteemed  as   articles 
 of  faithj  and  he  as  fo  many  errors,  namely  thofe 
 
 which 
 
tH£  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.    131 
 
 Vhich  refpefteci  juflification,  the  neceffity  of  an 
 atotiemenc  to  fatisfy  the  divine  jiiftice,  predefti* 
 riation,  original  fin,  the  ufe  of  the  facraments,  &c. 
 This  we  may  fee  by  reading  the  catechifm  pub- 
 Jiflied  atRacow  %  and  the  controverfial  writings  ^ 
 gf  our  divines  againft  the  Socinians. 
 
 Socinus,  upon  account  of  theie  great  changes, 
 which  he  had  made  in  the  Chriilian  religi-m,  and 
 the  new  and  monftrous  tenets  he  has  introduced 
 into  it,  has  been  juftly  looked  upon  as  the 
 founder  of  a  fed:.  His  party  very  readily  took 
 the  name  of  Socinians,  by  v/hich  they  have  been 
 , called  ever  fmce. 
 
 ARTICLE      XVir. 
 Of  the  Jews. 
 
 ABOUT  the  year  1500.  the  Jews  were  de- 
 ceived by  an  impoftor,  who  pretended  to  be 
 the  Meffiah,  or  his  forerunner.  He  was  one  of 
 their  Rabbis,  named  Lemlcm.  The  German  Jewg 
 placed  fuch  a  confidence  in  his  difcourfes  as  even  to 
 deftroy  the  ovens  in  their  houfes,  not  doubting 
 but  that  in  the  following  year  they  fliould  bake 
 their  bread  in  the  Holy  Land.  However,  this  im- 
 poftor died  without  fulfilling  his  promifes.  There 
 ifill  appeared  other  falfe  Mefliahs,  particularly  a 
 terrain  Rabbi,  named  Salomon  Malcho,  who  was 
 burned  alive  at  Mantua  in  1534.  by  order  of 
 Charles  V.  Among  the  learned  Jews  of  this 
 century  Rabbi  Elias  Levi,  a  German,  v/as  much 
 celebrated  ;  he  publiilied  many  writings  prin- 
 cipally on  grammar.  He  fupported  the  novel- 
 ty of  points  in    the  Hebrew    language.     The 
 
 a  Mr.  Molhelm  inhis  Inftlt.  p.  314.  has  giving-an  account 
 6f  the  writing  of  this  catechifm, 
 
 b  Particularly  confult  Frederic  Spanheixn  Elfnchus  contro- 
 verriarum  cum  Socijaianis. 
 
 K  2  Popes 
 
J32    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 Popes,  particularly  Julius  III.  Paul  IV .  Pius  V. 
 and  Clement  VIII.    treated  the  Jews   with  great 
 rigour.     The  firfl  burned  the  Talmud. 
 
 ARTICLE      XVIII. 
 
 The  State  of  Literature  in  this  Century. 
 
 TK  E  R  E  never  was  a  century,  perhaps,  in 
 which  literature  flouriihed  more  than  in  the 
 prefentj  or  that  produced  more  men  celebrated  in 
 every  part  of  fcience,  and  in  almoft  every  country 
 of  Europe.  But  not  to  return  to  the  divines,  whom 
 ■we  had  occafion  to  mention  in  our  account  of  ec- 
 ciefiaftical  affairs  •,  let  iis  take  a  view  of  the  belles 
 lettres,  or  what  we  call  polite  learning,  and  we 
 Ihall  iind  it  was  cultivated  to  very  great  advantage 
 by  many  able  men.  Such  were  Didier  Erafmus, 
 Lewis  Vivez,  William  Budeus,  Peter  Bembo, 
 James  Sadolet,  Philip  Melan6lhon,  Joachin  Ca- 
 merarius,  Julius  Casfar  Scaliger,  Juftus  LipHus, 
 and  m.axny  others  whom  we  have  not  room  to 
 enumerate.  John  Reuchlin,  fometim.es  called 
 Capnion,  Francis  Vatablus,  Arias  Montanus,  Se- 
 baftian  Munfter,  Paul  Fagius,  Andrew  Mafius, 
 and  Jofias  Mercer  applied  with  great  fuccefs  to  the 
 fiudy  of  the  Hebrew  language.  The  lawyers  are 
 much  indebted  to  the  labours  of  James  Cujas, 
 Francis  Hotman,  Barnabas  BrilTon,  the  Pithons, 
 Peter  and  Francis,  brothers.  We  may  rank  in  the 
 number  of  elegant  hiftorians,  Paul  Emilius,  Po- 
 lydore  Virgil,  John  Sleidan,  George  Buchanan, 
 &c.  New  fyftems  of  philofophy  were  publilhed 
 by  Nicholas  Copernicus  and  Tycho  Brahe.  Some 
 printers  alfo  may  be  defervedly  reckoned  amongfl 
 the  moil  learned  men  of  this  century.  In  Italy 
 the  Manucius's,  in  France  the  Stephens,  in  Swif- 
 ftrland  the  two  Frobins,  in  Germany  Chriftian 
 V/echelius,    &c.     Thefe  able   men    principally 
 
 employed 
 
THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.     153 
 
 employed  themldves  in  printing  correct  and  ele- 
 gant editions  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  ClalTics. 
 The  protection  and  magnificence  of  many  Princes 
 greatly  contributed  to  excite  the  emulation  of 
 men  of  letters,  knowing  their  labours  would  mceti 
 with  reward.  The  Emperor  Charles  V.  Francis 
 I.  King  of  France,  Henry  VIII.  King  of  Eng- 
 land, Cofmo  of  Medicis,  Grand  Duke  of  Tuf- 
 cany.  Pope  Leo  X.  and  other  Potentates,  ftrove 
 to  outvie  each  other  in  thefe  noble  difpofitions. 
 The  number  of  academies  and  univerfrJes  in- 
 creafed  very  confiderably  throughout  all  Europe. 
 In  Germany,  thofe  of  Wittenberg,  Francfort, 
 Marbourg,  Dillengen,  Jena,  Helmftadt,  Stratf- 
 bourg,  and  Altorif.  In  PrulTia,  that  of  Koning- 
 fberg.  In  Denmark  that  of  Copenhagen.  In  the 
 Low  Countries,  thofe  of  Doway,  Leyden  and 
 Franker.  In  France,  that  of  Rheims.  In  Spain, 
 thofe  of  Toledo  and  Alcala  -,  and  at  laft  that  of 
 Geneva  in  1559.  of  which  Theodore  Beza  was 
 appointed  the  firft  Governor,  We  are  by  this 
 fully  convinced  how  much  the  progrefs  of  all 
 knowledge  influences  religion,  and  how  fervicc- 
 able  it  is,  particularly  in  the  explication  of  holy 
 fcripture  :  The  moft  fnining  and  ufeful  light 
 now  took  place  of  that  grols  darknefs  which  had' 
 before  fpread  almoft  over  the  whole  worl4, 
 
 K3  CENTURT 
 
134    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 CENTURY      XVII. 
 
 A    R    T    I    C    L      I. 
 
 The    State  of    the    Christian    Church    in 
 general,  it's  Accujisitions  and  Losses. 
 
 H  E  Seventeenth  Century  prefents  us 
 with  a  glorious  profpect,  if  we  confider 
 how  greatly  all  kinds  of  knowledge 
 were  improved  •,  divinity  particularly,  (which 
 more  immediately  concerns  our  hiftory)  was  ftu- 
 died  and  taught  with  all  the  folidity  and  clearnefs 
 that  could  poilibly  be  defired. 
 
 Never,  from  the  beginning  of  time,  did  men 
 exprefs  greater  readinef^  to  gain  inftruftion.  All 
 thofe  who  wiihed  to  be  regarded  as  men  of  real 
 learning,  applied  with  the  utmoft  eagernefs  to  at- 
 tain the  knowledge  of  the  learned  languages,  as  wc\\ 
 Greek  and  Latin,  as  Hebrew,  Arabic  and  all  theeaf- 
 tern  tongues,  in  which  fome  perfons  made  fo  great 
 a  proficiency,  as  not  only  to  be  able  to  under- 
 ftand  the  works  written  in  thofe  languages,  but 
 evea  to  write  and  inftrud  others  in  them.  — 
 The  eloquence  which  had  fo  greatly  diftinguifhed 
 the  Alexandrian  and  Auguilan  ages  again  ap- 
 peared in  all  it's  flrength,  beauty  and  fimplicity. 
 Philofophy  was  particularly  improved.  They  per- 
 (:eived  and  acknowledged  tlie  tyrannical  preju- 
 dices which  had  till  then  prevailed.  They  no  lon- 
 ger regarded  the  ancient  philofophers,  and  par- 
 ticularly Ariftotle  as  infalhble  oracles ;  they  per- 
 ceived, that  reafonable  beings  ought  to  have  no. 
 other  guide  than  reafon  •,  and  that  this  reifon 
 ought  to  be  founded  on  incontcftible  experience. 
 The  miferable  fubtikies  of  the  divinity  and  phi- 
 lofophy of  the  fcholaftics  were  equally  banilked 
 from  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Proteftant  fchools, 
 in  a  manner  hov/ever  proportionable  to  the  prin- 
 ciples which  favoured  or  oppofed  the  examina- 
 tion 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY,  i-^ 
 tion  of  the  controverfy  between  the  two  com- 
 munions. Divinity  freed  from  the  obfcurities 
 which  had  before  furrounded  it,  was  no  longer 
 fubjedt  to  thofe  inevitable  diftjcukies  in  the 
 confideration  of  the  great  myfteries  of  Revela- 
 tion ;  the  difproportion  of  them  to  the  fa- 
 culties of  our  underftanding  being  fully  per- 
 ceived. Morality  was  explained  and  purified  in 
 a  manner  the  moft  fuitable  to  the  pradice  of 
 religion,  "tlxe  good  of  fociety,  and  the  happinels  of 
 mankind.  The  art  of  preaching  was  now  what  it 
 ought  always  to  be,  the  art  of  initruding  and 
 affedling  men,  of  fl:iev/ing  them  the  knowledge 
 of  falvation,  and  convincing  them  that  this  know- 
 ledge is  the  only  thing  necelTary.  Numbers  of 
 commentaries  on  the  facred  ibriptures  were  pub- 
 iifhed.  Light  was  fpread  on  the  moft  intricate 
 and  dark  points  of  church  hiflory.  In  a  word, 
 without  the  greateft  ignorance,  injuitice  and  ingra- 
 titude to  the  divine  goodnefs,  nobody  can  be  in- 
 feniible  of  the  great  advantages  this  century  had 
 above  all  others  from  the  remarkable  bleffings 
 which  providence  fo  plentifully  beftowed  upon  it. 
 It  is  no  lefs  true,  that  this  century  had  great  de- 
 fers and  great  vices,  men  being  rendered  more 
 culpable  for  their  faults,  according  to  the  degree 
 of  light  they  enjoy  •,  their  odious  contencions 
 brought  infinite  prejudice  on  true  faith  and  real 
 piety. 
 
 The  deflre  of  propagating  the  faith  among  the 
 Infidels  prevailed  m.ore  than  ever  in  this  century: 
 Francis  Xavier,  and  his  alTociates  and  fucceflors 
 of  the  family  of  Loyola  were  very  fuccefsful  ia 
 fome  of  thele  expeditions^  Their  zeal  incited 
 others  to  do  the  fame.  The  Popes  themielves 
 deliberated  frequently,  and  confidered  ferioully 
 on  the  means  by  which  they  might  increafe  and 
 confirm  the  firft  fruits  of  the  Jefuit's  labours, 
 Clement  VIII.  and  Paul  V.  took  various  mea. 
 K  4  fyr^^ 
 
136  ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 meafures  for  this  purpofe ;  the  glory  however 
 of  founding  the  congregation  de  propaganda 
 fide*,  fo  highly  celebrated  by  many  authors,  fell 
 to  Gregory  XV.  the  great  Prote6lor  of  the  order 
 of  St.  Ignatius,  who  publiflied  a  bull  in  1622, 
 by  which  this  congregation  was  inftituted.  There 
 was  at  firft  at  the  head  of  it  thirteen  Cardinals, 
 to  whom  were  fubjecft  numbers  of  people  who 
 were  defigned  to  perform  all  the  offices  belong- 
 ing to  MiiTionaries.  The  number  of  the  chiefs 
 of  the  congregation  was  afterwards  changed  and 
 augmented  as  they  found  it  neceffary  •,  they  had 
 alv/ays  the  fupreme  direcftion  of  every  thing  that 
 concerned  the  converfion  of  Infidels  throughout 
 the  world.  And  at  laft  that  they  might  not  want 
 the  moft  necefiary  thing  for  their  undertakings, 
 Gregory  took  care  to  affign  to  them  very  confi- 
 derable  revenues,  which  were  much  enlarged  by 
 the  liberality  of  private  perfons.  The  fame  Pope 
 being  very  anxious  for  the  fuccefs  of  this  defign, 
 founded  in  different  kingdoms  three  and  twenty 
 univerfities  for  the  education  of  thofe  who  wiflied 
 to  employ  themfelves  in  thole  apoftolical  la- 
 bours, to  inftrucl  them  in  every  thing  that  was 
 necefiary,  and  to  furnifh  chem  afterwards  with 
 all  proper  provifions  when  they  fet  out  on  their 
 travels.  Urban  VIII.  fuccefibr  to  Gregory,  con- 
 fcious  of  the  utility  of  thefe  undertakings,  founded 
 another  univerfity  at  Rome  in  1627.  more  com- 
 pletely furniihed  with  every  thing  necefiary  for 
 fuch  an  eft:ablifiiment,  where  they  admitted  pu- 
 pils of  all  nations,  who  afterwards  returned  and 
 fpread  the  faith  in  their  own  countries.  Thefe 
 noble  undertakings  of  the  Popes,  and  their  exe- 
 cution, appeared  laudable  in  the  fight  of  the  Pro- 
 
 »  See  John  a  Fabriccus's  Lux  falutatis  evangelicas  toti  orbi 
 exoriens,  ch.  XXIIl.  p.  566. 
 
 teflants 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  137 
 tcftants  ihemlelves  :  It  raifed  their  emulation, 
 and  incited  them  to  follow  their  example. 
 
 Both  the  eaftern  and  weftern   Indies  were  by 
 this  means  filled    with  labourers,  who  mod  zea- 
 loufly  and    indefatigably    endeavoured  to  propa- 
 gate   the  faith,  and    the   Popes,    together  with 
 other  powerful    perfonages,  very  ftrongly   ince- 
 relled  themtclvcs  in  this  alTair  :    Other  monaftic 
 orders  alio  joined    their  eflbrts  with  thofe  of  the 
 Jefuits.     It  muflibe  acknowledged  however,  that 
 all   the   undertakings  of  this  fort  had   not  equal 
 fuccels,  and  that  the  miflionaries  in   the  Roman 
 church  loft  even  in  this  century  many  of  the  ac- 
 quifitions   they   had  made  in   the  former.     This 
 particularly   happened  in  the  Eaft-Indies.      The 
 Cliriftian  faith  had  been  fuccefsfully  preached  in 
 the  preceding  century  in  the  Peninfula  of  Mala- 
 bar,  and  in    feveral  iflands  of  the  Indian  Ocean, 
 many  churches  were  there  founded  and  eftabliflied 
 on  the  moft  flourifhing  footing.     But  when  the 
 pofleflions  of  the  Portuguefe  in  thefe  countries  fell 
 into  the  hands  of  the  Dutch   the  greateft  part  ot 
 their  churches  were  deftroyed,    or  became   Re- 
 formed. Thofe  of  the  Neftorians,  which  had  been 
 in  Malabar  ever  fince  the  5th  and  6th  centuries, 
 were  very  numerous  ;  and  we  have  {qgu  how  from 
 the  interpofition    of   the  Portugeufe,    they  were 
 become  fubjeft  to  the  fee  of  Rome.     But  thefe 
 good  Neftorians  growing  foon  weary  of  the  yoke 
 that  the  f.oyolitcs  wanted  to  impofe  on  them,  en- 
 deavoured, about  tlie  middle  of  this  century,  to 
 free  themfelves  from  the  jurifdiftion  of  their  Arch- 
 biftiop  Francis  Garcia,  who  was  a  Jefuit  \     This 
 caufed  a  fclufm  ;    one  part  of  them   returned  to 
 their  ancient  worfhip,  which  they  to  this  day  ^  pre- 
 
 »  See  an  exaft  account  of  the  difference  in  the  hiftoire  du 
 Chriftianifme  des  Indcs,  by  Mr.  le  Croze. 
 
 i>  See  the  relations  dcs  Mi'lionaries  Danois  aux  Indcs.  Con. 
 tin.  XJIl.  p.  72. 
 
 fcrve 
 
ijS  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 ferve  -,  and  the  other  part  continued  in  the  Ro- 
 man Catholic  communion,  and  have  Bilhops  fent 
 them  from  the  order  of  the  CarmeHtes.  In  the 
 kingdom  of  Madura,  which  terminates  near  the 
 Peninfula  of  Malabar,  a  Jefuit  named  Robert  de 
 Nobili,  having  imitated  the  manner  of  living 
 among  the  Brachnians,  and  their  extreme  au- 
 fterities,  gained  in  this  m.anner  great  credit  among 
 the  Iniidels,  and  preached  the  gofpel  to  them 
 with  much  fuccefs.  After  his  death,  thefe  la- 
 bours were  interrupted  and  negleded,  until  the 
 century,  of  which  we  are  now  writing  the 
 hiilory. 
 
 The  Fortuguefe  aifo  fpread  the  gofpel  in  the 
 countries,  neighbouring  to  thofe  of  which  we 
 have  jufl;  been  fpeaking.  In  the  kingdom  of 
 Bengal  there  are  ftill  fome  churches  originally 
 founded  by  Miffionaries  of  this  nation,  and  which 
 were  afterwards  attended  to  by  others  •,  but  the 
 greateil  part  of  them  difhonoured  their  profef- 
 fion,  by  their  lives  and  manners.  The  Chriftian 
 religion  preached  in  the  vaft  empire  of  China  by 
 the  li)o(5lors  of  the  fociety  of  Loyola,  feemed  to 
 promile  a  plentiful  harveft,  elpecially  when  it 
 appeared  that  the  Emperor,  who  had  entered 
 into  a  treaty  with  Lewis  XIV.  had  no  averfion 
 to  Chriftianity.  But  thefe  hopes  foon  vanifhed, 
 by  the  dreadful  cataftrophe  of  this  Prince,  who 
 fell  a  fKtifice  to  the  machinations  and  attempts 
 of  his  enemies  ". 
 
 Alexander  of  Rhodes  ^  a  Jefuit,  with  fome 
 others  of  his  brethren,  preached  the  gofpel  with 
 
 ^^  Confult  principally  en  the  above  la  relation,  du  royame  de 
 Slam,  by  Mr.  La  Loubre,  publifhed  at  Amfterdam  in  1691. 
 See  alio  the  relations  of  the  Chsi'alier  Chaumont,  Abbs 
 Choifi,  and  father  Tachand,  publilaed  by  order  of  the  King. 
 
 ^  This  Jefuit  has  given  us  a  very  good  hiftory  bf  Tonquin, 
 3R  Latin,  divided  into  two  books,  aad  printed  in  1652.  ia 
 4tc. 
 
 fuccef* 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  1351 
 iliccefs  in  the  kingdom  of  Tonquin.  We  may 
 infer  from  the  Chriilian  religion,  being  pro- 
 Ccribed,  by  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  in  1666. 
 and  it's  profeflbrs  expofed  to  moil  cruel  perfecu- 
 tions,  that  it  ftill  fupported  =*  itfelf,  and  even 
 would  have  prospered  in  the  midil  of  thefe  trou- 
 bles, if  the  ambition  and  envy  of  the  Jefuits  had 
 not  brought  on  it  more  fatal  evils  than  thole 
 which  were  the  confequences  of  the  virulence  of 
 it's  perfecutors.  The  kingdom  of  Cochinchina, 
 near  to  that  of  Tonquin.  gave  very  favourable 
 hopes  to  the  preach:  iS  of  the  gofpel,  who  came 
 there  from  Portugal  and  France  ;  the  latter  par- 
 ticularly laboured  v/lth  much  zeal  and  luccefs. 
 
 But  in  all  the  countries  where  the  Jefuits  at- 
 tempted to  propagate  the  gofpel,  there  were  none 
 in  which  it  was  received  better  than  in  the  ifland 
 of  Japan  ^  At  the  end  of  the  preceding  century, 
 the  Mifiionaries  had  infinuatcd  themfelves  into 
 the  courts  of  the  little  kings,  vaffals  to  the  Em- 
 perors of  Japan  •,  and  by  their  protedion  fpread 
 the  faith  throughout  the  Empire,  even  with  the 
 confent  of  the  Emperor  Taicolama  himfelf  The 
 people  readily  received  their  inftruftions,  and 
 great  numbers "  were  brought  over  to  the  pro- 
 lefiion  of  Chriftianity,  and,  amongfl.-  the  reft, 
 many  of  their  Nobles,  and  fome  even  of  the  little 
 Princes  whom  vv^e  before-mentioned. 
 
 This  amazing  fuccefs  was  however  hurtful  to 
 them,  as  it  gave  offence   to  the  Emperor,  who 
 
 a  See  Surtano  Ceni's  etat  prefent  de  rEglifeRomaine.— 
 Confult  alio  Dampier's  voyages. 
 
 ^  The  whole  account  of  Chriftianity  in  Japan,  is  very 
 exa£lly  related  in  the  Litters  Japanicai  annua),  which  Fabri- 
 cius  has  enumerated  in  his  Lux  falutaris,  p.  556.  Confult 
 alfo  Daniel  ^artolus's  hiftory  of  the  Society  of  Jefusin  Afia, 
 written  in  Italian,  and  printed  at  Rome  in  1660.  See  like- 
 wife  Varenius's  account  of  Japan  in  Latin. 
 
 c  It  is  faid,  that  before  the  lail^  perfecutions,  there  were 
 more  than  four  hundred  thoufand  Chriilian*  io  Japan.  Cerri 
 makes  them  fix  hundred  thoufir.d. 
 
 fearing 
 
140    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 fearing  left  his  authority  fhould  be  fhaken,  be- 
 gan to  perfecute  both  the  fhepherds  and  their 
 Hocks.  There  were  many  who  courageoufly  fup- 
 ported  this  perlecution,  and  obtained  the  crown 
 of  martyrdom. 
 
 Cumbofama,  who  ufurped  the  throne  after  the 
 death  of  Taicofama,  had  the  fame  averfion  for 
 Chriftianity,  which  his  predeceffor  had,  and  he  ex- 
 prefTed  it  in  a  ftill  more  violent  manner.  The  em- 
 pire of  Japan  was  at  this  time  engaged  in  civil 
 wars,  which  procured  for  the  Chriftians  a  kind  of 
 peace,  or  at  leaft  a  refpite.  But  when  in  1617, 
 Cumbofama  faw  his  dominion  fufficiently  eftabli- 
 Ihed,  he  raifed  againft  the  Chriftians  more  violent 
 perfecutions  than  all  thofe  they  had  before fuffered. 
 The  Jefuits  were  particularly  odious  to  him  upon 
 feveral "  accounts.  This  hatred  of  the  Prince, 
 which  they  had  by  their  own  faults  drawn  upon 
 themfelves,  brought  at  laft  dreadful  misfortunes 
 on  the  Chriftians  in  general.  The  perfecutors 
 knew  no  bounds  -,  it  was  not  fufficient  that  all 
 thofe  who  profelTed  the  gofpelftiould  fuffer death; 
 but  this  death  muft  be  proceeded  by  the  moft 
 cruel  torments.  In  a  word,  things  were  carried  fo. 
 far  in  this  refpeft  by  the  emperor  and  his  fuc- 
 ceffors,  that  the  former  perfecutions  infiidted  by 
 the  Pagans  on  the  Chriftians  bear  no  comparifon 
 to  thofe  they  fuffered  from  the  Japanefe.  Thefe 
 violent  proceedings  produced  at  laft  the  intire  ex- 
 tirpation of  Chriftianity  in  thofe  countries. 
 
 In  the  vaft  empire  of  China,  Matthew  Ric- 
 cio,  with  fome  other  Jefuits,  began,  in  the  pre- 
 ceding century,  to  preach  the  gofpel ;  and  their 
 
 a  Not  only  Protellants,  but  even  the  Roman  Catholics 
 themfelves  reproach  the  Jefuits  for  their  irregular  condudl 
 in  their  miffions.    See  Cerri,  p.  210. 
 
 linowledge 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTllRY.    141 
 
 knowledge  of  the  fciences,  gained  them  the  pro* 
 tedlion  of  moil  of  the  grandees  of  the  kingdom, 
 which,  as  the  writers  of  the  fociety  themfelves 
 aflure  us,  "  rendered  their  preaching  very  fuc- 
 cefsful.  Miffionaries  of  other  monaftic  orders, 
 the  Dominicans,  Francifcans,  and  the  Capuchins, 
 joined  afterwards  the  Jefuits  in  thefe  laudable 
 undertakings.  The  Jefuits,  however,  v/ere  al- 
 ways the  chief,  and  mofl  diftinguifhed  -,  amongfl: 
 thefe  Adam  Schall,  and  Ferdinand  Verbigell, 
 were  the  moft  celebrated.  Their  profound  know- 
 ledge of  the  Mathematics  brought  them  into 
 fuch  high  favour,  that  they  were  dear  even  to 
 the  Emperors  of  the  Tartarian  family,  who, 
 about  the  middle  of  this  century,  had  conquered 
 all  China,  and  who  advanced  the  Jefuits  to  the 
 higheft  dignities.  Whilft  their  credit  lafted,  the 
 affairs  of  the  Chriftians  went  on  well,  though 
 indeed  they  fuffered  fome  inconveniences  in  fe- 
 veral  provinces  df  the  empire.  AVe  muft  alfo 
 remark,  that  the  Jefuits  greatly  enlarge  the  num- 
 ber of  converfions  they  made,  which  other  au- 
 thors capable  of  knowing,  and  whofe  fince- 
 rity  we  have  no  reafon  to  fufped,  have  confi- 
 derably  abridged.  During  the  reign  of  Chamhi, 
 a  Prince  of  an  im.proved  underftanding,  and  a 
 great  protector  of  letters,  the  Jefuits  were  held 
 in  high  efleem,  and  gained  much  influence  -, 
 and  they  have  fixed  the  moft  confiderable  epoch 
 of  the  profperity  of  Chriftianity  in  China  to 
 the  year  1692.  when  the  Emperor  declared,  by 
 
 a  See  Du  Halde's  defcriptipn  of  the  empire  of  China.  Many- 
 other  writers  have  given  us  long  acco.unts  of  the  progrefs  of 
 Chriftianity  in  China  ;  but  Duhalde's  is  the  moft  complete 
 This  work  is  tranflated  into  Englifii.  Mr.  Moflieim  has  pub- 
 lilhed  alfo  a  German  tranflationof  tliis  work,  to  which  he  has 
 prefixed  a  hiftory  of  Chriftianity  in  our  days. 
 
 a  public 
 
t4t     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORT: 
 a  public  cdift,  that    the  Chriftian  religion  was  ^ 
 very  innocent  clocftrine,  and   that  he   did  not  at 
 all  dilapprove  it. 
 
 Though  the  Jefuits  greatly  contributed  to  the 
 propagation  ofChriilianity  in  the  empire  of  China, 
 they  did  not,  however,  exactly  follow  the  foot- 
 fteps  of  their  forerunner  Francis  Xavier,  whom 
 they  themfelves  ftyle  the  Apollle  of  the  Indies. 
 They  acknowledge,  that  this  Miflionary  was 
 very  careful  to  form  his  life  and  manners  after 
 the  example  of  the  Apoftles  of  Chrill.  But  thofc 
 who  came  after  him,  and  who  pretended  to  con- 
 tinue his  work,  conducted  themfelves  very  diffe- 
 rently. They  wiilied  to  imitate  the  ftate  and 
 grandeur  of  the  Princes  and  Nobles ;  they  afpi- 
 red  to  honours  and  dignities,  publicly  lliewing, 
 that  they  preferred  their  own  interefts,  and  the 
 advantages  of  their  fociety  to  the  interefts  of  re- 
 ligion, and  the  profperity  of  the  church.  This 
 gave  rife  to  long  and  fhai-p  contentions  between 
 them  and  the  Monks  of  the  other  orders,  par- 
 ticularly the  Dominicans  and  Francifcans.  The 
 Popes  and  the  principal  clergy  of  the  Roman 
 church  took  notice  of  thefe  differences,  and  en- 
 deavoured to  put  an  end  to  them :  but  their 
 attempts  did  not  prove  effectual ;  for  they  con- 
 tinue to  this  diy.  The  principal  thing  they 
 laid  to  the  charge  of  the  Jefuits,  was  that  they 
 endeavoured  to  unite  the  pure  and  holy  re- 
 ligion of  our  Saviour  with  the  impious  tenets, 
 and  idolatrous  vvorfhip  of  the  Chinefe.  The  Chi- 
 nefe  direct  all  their  prayer,  and  religious  ads  to  the 
 Heavens.  Thefe  practices,  fo  fartrom  being  cen- 
 fured,  were  imitated  by  the  Jefuits,  to  juftify 
 themfelves,  they  pretended,  that  by  the  Heaven 
 was  undcrilood  the  Divinity  who  inhabited  it. 
 The  Dominicans,  on  the  contrary,  fupported, 
 tliat  in  the^Chinefe  language^the  ,Hs;avea  fignified 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   143 
 
 no  more  than  the  vifible  and  material  firm.ament, 
 to  which  we  are  accuftomed  to  give  the  name, 
 and  that  the  people  acknowledged  no  other  God. 
 The  Chinefe  went  alio  every  year  to  pay  certain 
 honours  to  the  fouls  of  their  deceafed  anceftors 
 at  a  fixed  time,  and  in  places  appointed  for  this 
 fclemnity,  and  the  ceremonies  they  ufed  on  thefe 
 occafions,  had  altogether  the  appearance  of  reli- 
 gious worfhip.  The  manes  of  their  great  law- 
 giver Confucius,  were  honoured  in  the  fame 
 manner.  The  Jefuits  exprelTed  no  abhorrence  at; 
 thefe  rites,  declaring  that  they  were  purely  civil, 
 and  had  nothing  to  do  with  religion.  The  Domi- 
 nicans very  warmly  fupported  the  contrary,  ad- 
 vancing, that  the  moft  manifeft  idolatry  attended 
 their  ceremonies.  The  Popes  did  not  always  de- 
 cide in  the  fame  manner  with  regard  to  thefe 
 difputes  •,  however,  moft  of  them  greatly  difap- 
 proved  the  cuftom  of  the  Jefuits.  Thofe  in  par- 
 ticular whopofTefied  the  fee  in  the  i8th  century, 
 pofitively  declared,  that  the  worfnip  allowed  the 
 Chinefe  could  not  agree  either  with  the  precepts 
 of  Chrift,  or  the  principles  of  true  religion. 
 
 Let  us  now  take  a  view  of  the  new  world. 
 When  it  was  difcovered  near  the  end  of  the  15th 
 century,  under  the  aufpices  of  the  Spaniards,  by 
 Americus  Vefpucius,  who  gave  it  his  name,  the 
 crown  of  Spain  acquired  moil  important  coun- 
 tries, which  they  fubjefted  to  their  dominion. 
 The  Portuguefe,  who  [followed  them,  ilibdued 
 the  vail  and  fertile  kingdom  of  Brazil.  Thefe 
 tVy'O  nations  divided,  as  it  were,  between  them 
 South  America,  which  is  the  moll  confiderable 
 part  of  the  Continent ;  the  Spaniards'  Ihare,  how- 
 ever, greatly  exceeded  that  of  the  Portuguefe,  The 
 former,  carried  their  conqueft  alfo  into  the  nor- 
 thern countries  of  America,  which  they  eileemed 
 tlie  bell.     The  French   not  very  early  entering 
 
 into 
 
iU    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 into  thefe  expeditions,  did  not  make  any  very* 
 confiderable  fettlements  in  this  part  of  the  workl. 
 After  all  the  European  nations  had  confirmed  their 
 power  in  America,  they  then  had  thoughts  of 
 planting  there  the  Chriftian  Faithj  Thole  of  the 
 natives,  who  lived  near  the  coafts,  and  who  were 
 inlenfibly  formed  to  the  manners  of  their  new 
 mailers,  very  readily  received  their  religion,  and 
 were  baptifed.  New  miffionaries  came  from 
 Europe  to  propagate  more  extenfively  the  know- 
 ledge and  love  ot  religion  amongft  thofe  unfor- 
 tunate people,  and  their  labours  were  not  intirely 
 ufelefs.  But  the  inland  countries  were  not  lb 
 foon  brought  over,  their  inhabitants  ftill  perfe- 
 vered  in  their  idolatry,  and  now  thefe  countries 
 afford  a  plentiful  harveft  to  all  faithful  labourers, 
 who  are  defirous  of  promoting  their  mailer's 
 glory. 
 
 Whilft  the  Roman  Catholics  thus  employed 
 themfelves  in  this  century  in  the  propagation  of 
 the  gofpel,  the  Proteftants  were  not  idle,  but 
 fignalized  themfelves  by  a  zeal  equally  laudable. 
 The  Englifli  having  become  Mailers  of  ibme  of 
 the  beft  countries  in  North- America,  tranfported 
 there  colonies  from  their  own  country  ^  The 
 Puritans  in  particular,  who,  in  the  reign  of 
 Charles  I.  fled  from  the  tyranny  of  the  Epifco- 
 parians,  and  a  great  many  Quakers,  for  the  fame 
 realbn,  took  refuge  in  America,  and  there  founded 
 powerful  fettlements.  Their  churches  having  wife 
 inftruclors,  and  prudent  governors,  profpered  ex- 
 ceedingly, theirnumbersdaily  increafed, and  thofe 
 countries,  which  had  been  till  that  time  immerfed 
 
 a  See  Oldmixcn's  Empire  in  Amenca,  and  Dr.  Camb- 
 belTs  hiftory  of  America.  —  The  reader  will  find  a  very  good 
 account  of  America,  in  a  colleftion  of  voyages  and  travels, 
 judicioufly  felefted  from  the  beft  authors,  and  printed  in  20 
 Iniall  izves  vols.  forMr.Newbery  in  St.  Paul's  church-yard. 
 
 is 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   145 
 
 in  the  moft  thick  darknefs,  favv  the  kingdom  of 
 Chrift  extend  very  far  not  only  from  the  number  of 
 Chriftians  who  came  there  out  of  Europe,  but  alfo 
 from  theconverfion  of  the  idolaters  by,  whom  they 
 were  before  inhabited.  Thefe  great  and  pious 
 men,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  John  Elliot,  who 
 is  called  the  apoftle  of  the  Proteftant  Indies, 
 purfued  every  method  to  bring  the  favages  of 
 America,  to  the  knowledge  and  worfliip  of  the 
 true  God.  For  this  purpofe,  Elliot  applied  with 
 incredible  pains  to  the  liudy  of  the  language 
 of  the  natives  of  Virginia,  into  which  he  at  firft 
 tranflated  the  new  teftament,  and  foon  after  the 
 old,  which  were  printed  at  Cambridge.  Aflifted 
 by  thefe,  and  alio  by  his  faithful  companions, 
 he  converted,  in  a  very  fhort  fpace  of  time, 
 at  leaft  four  of  the  nations  in  the  countries 
 fubjed;  to  the  Englifh.  They  have  fmce 
 formed,  at  London,  a  fociety  for  the  propaga- 
 tion of  the  gofpel,  which  has  met  with  great 
 encouragement,  and  afTiits  all  thofe  who  now 
 employ  themfelves  in  preaching  the  golpel  in  thofe 
 countries. 
 
 The  Dutch  likewife  were  not  backward  in  ex- 
 prefling  as  much  zeal,  on  every  occafion,  where 
 they  could  exert  it.  They  endeavoured  to  fpread 
 the  knowledge  of  Chriftianity  in  America,  after 
 they  had  taken  Brazil  from  the  Portuguefe,  in 
 1 640  \  in  which  they  would  undoubtedly  have 
 been  fuccefsful,  if  the  Portuguefe  had  not  in  their 
 turn  foon  after  difpolTefied  them  :  but  particu- 
 larly in  the  Eail  Indies  they  gave  the  beft  proofs 
 of  the   regard  they  had   for  the  interefts  of  the 
 
 »  See  Cafpar  Barlaeus's  account  of  Brazil,  printed  in  La- 
 tin ;  and  John  Braun's  work,  intitled.  La  veritable  religion 
 des  Hollandois,  ou  une  apologie  pour  la  religion  des  Ltats- 
 Generaux  des  provinces  unies.  You  will  fee  fome  tracts  from 
 this  work  inFabricius'i  Lux  falutaris. 
 
 Vol.     II.  L  true 
 
.^6  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 true  religion.  After  they  had  driven  the  Por- 
 tuguefe  from  their  provinces,  and  fortified  places 
 in  thofe  countries,  they  never  negle6led,  as  foon 
 as  they  were  firmly  eftablilhed,  to  build  churches, 
 aiTemble  congregations,  and  to  engage,  by  the 
 moft  attraftive  motives,  all  the  idolaters  who  fur- 
 rounded  them,  to  come  into  their  communion. 
 They  were  at  great  expences  in  procuring  and 
 difperfmg  tranflations  of  the  holy  fcriptures.  The 
 faithful  Evangelifts  of  thefe  countries,  like  St, 
 Luke,  not  only  inftruded  them,  viva  voce,  but 
 wrote  books,  in  order  to  give  a  clear  and  good 
 account  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  and  the  ufe 
 of  the  facraments  •,  thefe  treatifes  theydiftributed 
 to  their  converts.  It  is  incredible  what  an  ama- 
 zing progrefs  the  gofpel  made  in  the  ifland  of 
 Ceylon,  from  the  miniftry  of  Philip  Balds:us, 
 and  his  fellow  labourer  John  de  Brige.  In  very 
 few  years  numbers  of  Chriftian  churches  were 
 founded,  and  greatly  flourilhed,  as  we  find  from, 
 the  moft  authentic  relations. 
 
 Such  were  the  fuccefles  of  the  Proteftant  church 
 in  this  century  :  however,  fhe  had  alfo  her  loflesj 
 and  was  expofed  to  the  moft  violent  enemies,  who 
 vfed  every  effort  to  fhake  her  very  foundations, 
 by  fpreadmg  the  moft  grofs  impieties,  or  by  de- 
 creafing  her  numbers  by  violent  perfecutions. 
 That  of  Japan  was  the  moft  terrible  ever  heard 
 of,  many  hundred  thoufands  perifhed  by  the  moft 
 cruel  torments  ,  and  many  of  the  provinces  of 
 China  ftill  faithful,  experienced  much  the  fame 
 fate.  In  many  other  places  of  the  Eaft  Indies, 
 they  Vi^ere  not  more  fortunate.  Even  Europe 
 herielf,  notwithftanding  the  great  progrefs  of 
 the  fciences,  and  the  ftudy  of  the  belles  lettres, 
 which  ufually  foften  the  minds  and  manners  of 
 men,  was  devoured  and  difgraced  by  the  moft 
 odious  excelTcs.  The  Reformed  churches  indured 
 
 many 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTtJRY.  147' 
 many  affaults,  as  hiftory  informs  us,  andwhich^ 
 on  feveral  occafions,  were  carried  to  fuch  a  length, 
 as  pofterity  could  fcarcely  believe,  if  the  follow- 
 ing articles  did  not  fully  prove. 
 
 Nothing,  it  muft  be  acknowledged,  could  be 
 more  monflrous  and  .deftruftive  than  that  un- 
 bridled effrontery  with  which  irreligion  and 
 atheifm  dared  to  lift  up  their  heads.  In  the  pre- 
 ceding centuries,  error,  whilft  fhe  attacked  fome 
 particular  tenets,  ftill  preferved  for  religion  in 
 general  the  refpe6t  due  to  a  do6trine  come  from 
 heaven.  But  all  barriers  were  now  broken  down  ; 
 they  were  not  now  contented  with  lopping  off 
 the  branches  only,  but  they  placed  the  ax  to  the 
 root  of  the  tree.  The  fyftem  of  religion  was 
 reprefented  as  chimerical ;  her  doftrines  vain  fpe- 
 culations  ;  her  miracles  mere  fidtions  ;  her  pre- 
 cepts as  a  yoke  equally  ufelefs  and  infupport- 
 able.  It  had  been  a  doubt  whether  there  could 
 be  any  atheifts  •,  it  was  afiirmed  to  be  impofTible. 
 But  thefe  enlightened  times  fliewed  evidently  the 
 contrary.  It  is  true,  that  a  falfe  philofophy  had 
 led  many  into  thofe  errors,  which  had  more  of 
 folly  in  them  than  of  atheifm  S  The  obfcurity 
 of  their  ideas,  and  that  of  their  exprefTions  ought 
 to  have  prevented  the  judges,  before  whom  thefe 
 unhappy  people  were  brought,  from  proceeding 
 rigoroully  againfl  them.  Such  was  the  cafe  of 
 Jordanus  Brunus,  and  Lucilio  Vanini.  Both 
 thefe  perifhed  in  the  flames  for  their  impiety,  of 
 at  leaft  for  their  imprudence.  We  may  join  to 
 them  a  Poliih  gentleman,  named  Cafimer  LifT- 
 
 «  All  that  concerns  this  fubjed,  is- very  learnedly  and  judl- 
 cioufly  handled  by  different  authors,  particularly  by  Mr.  Ar- 
 nold, in  his  hiftoire  de  herefics,  and  by  Budeus,  in  his  traitfiJ 
 de  I'atheifnie,  ch.  i. 
 
 L  a  zynlki^' 
 
^48     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 zynfki",  who  being  by  law  accufed,  but  not  con- 
 vi6led,  of  atheifm,  was  however  condemned,  by 
 a  barbarous  lentence  to  an  infamous  punillimenc 
 in  1689.  It  would  be  difficult  to  make  a  doubt 
 of  the  atheifm  of  Cofmo  Ruggeri,  a  Florentin, 
 who,  in  1686.  when,  juft  at  the  point  of  expir- 
 ing, continued  to  deny  the  exiftence  of  God  ;  and 
 that  of  Matthias  Knutzen,  a  native  of  Holitein, 
 who  publicly  fupported  that  hateful  do6lrine. 
 But  of  all  thofe  who  fignalized  tliemfelves  in  this 
 odious  way,  and  whofe  attempts  were  the  mofl 
 dangerous,  Benedict  Spinofa  ^  a  Jew  by  birth,  be- 
 came the  moll  celebrated,  v/ho  advanced,  "  That 
 "  there  exided  only  one  fubitancc  :  and  that  no 
 "  fubllance  had  power  to  produce  or  create  ano- 
 «'  ther  •,  confequently  that  of  the  univerfe  was 
 "  the  only  one  that  could  exift  ;  that  it  com- 
 "  prehended  all  things,  that  extenfion  and 
 "  thought  were  it's  two  great  attributes  or  uni- 
 "  verfal  modifications."  By  this  he  wholly  de- 
 ftroyed  the  neceffity  of  the  exiftence  of  a  God, 
 confidered  as  the  firil  and  effedlive  caufe  of  alj 
 things.  Spinozifm  was  attacked  by  many  divines, 
 and  philofophers,  fome  not  entering  into  the 
 ideas  of  Spinoza,  did  nothing  at  all,  and  others 
 under  pretence  of  refuting  him  fought  only  to  ex- 
 plain and  place  his  reafoning  in  a  better  light. 
 There  are  many,  even  to  this  day,  infefted  with 
 his  principles,  which  were  very  contagious  from 
 the  beginning. 
 
 The  number  of  thofe  alfo  who  called  them- 
 felves  Deifts  and  Naturalifts,  greatly  increafed  ; 
 both  the   one   and   the  other    agreed  to  rejed 
 
 ^  Confult  our  authors,  Hifioire  abregee  de  la  philofoplile. 
 See  particularly  les  ecretions  de  hiiloire,  de  la  littcrature  of 
 JWr.  la  Croze. 
 
 b  Sec  Bayle's  didllonary  on  the  articles  Ruggeri,  Muntzer 
 and  Spinofa. 
 
 all 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  149 
 all  revelation,  and  to  defpife  all  religion  founded 
 on  revealed  dodlrines.     Indeed,    they  pretended 
 to  fubftitute  in  the  room  of  it,  what  they  called 
 natural  religion,  but  they  were  not  in  the  leaft 
 agreed   relpeding   the   articles   of  this   religion. 
 They  did  not  determine,  not  all  of  them  at  leaft, 
 that  there  is  a  providence,  or  if  there  is,  in  what 
 manner  it  a£ls  •,  Whether  any  worfliip  is  to  be  per- 
 formed to  God  or  how.  Whether  there  is  a  life  to 
 come,  and  what  we  are  to  hope  or  fear  from  ic.  It 
 was  about  the  middle  of  the  i6rh  century,  that  the 
 name  of  Deifts  was  heard  not  for  the  firft  time  % 
 v/hich  they  who  bore  it,   took  themfelves,  in  or- 
 der, no  doubt,  to  avoid  the  imputation  of  Athe- 
 ifm.     The  name  of  Naturalifts    fignifies  much 
 the  fame.     There  were  about   that    time  many 
 of  them  in   Italy,    concerning   v/hom  we  refer 
 to  the   writers  who  defended  the  truth,  and  by 
 whom  they   were  ably    confuted.     This  noxious 
 plant   changed  foon   after  it's  foil,  and  wonder- 
 fully profpered  in  England,  when  all  thofe  who 
 attempted   to  oppofe  revelation,    were  called  by 
 the   common  name  of  Freethinkers  ^.      Society 
 fufFered  greatly  from  their   attacks   on   religion, 
 fvnce  by  freeing  them  from  a  regard  to  the  pre- 
 cepts of  Chrift,  they   deprive  them  of  the  mod 
 efficacious  motives  that  can  incite  them  to  the  prac- 
 tice of  virtue,  and  the  obfervation  of  their  duty. 
 Vv^e  cannot  help  lamenting  the  great  number  of 
 
 ^  Peter  Viret,  a  celebrated  divine  of  the  i6th  century,  is 
 loo'^cd  upon  as  the  firH  who  ufed  this  word  in  his  writings. 
 Theodore  Beza  fays  in  his  hift.  ecclef.  des  Eglifes  reforrnees 
 de  France,'that  the  fcdl  of  the  dcifls  owe  their  origin  to  Wil- 
 liam Portce  and  his  followers. 
 
 b  Confult  on  the  above  the  very  excellent  work  of  Mr. 
 Leland,  intitled,  A  review  of  the  deiftical  writers,  in  which 
 he  has  drawn  their  charafters,  cxpofcd  their  principles,  and 
 fully  refuted  th-jir  doflrine. —  This  wori  is  tranflated  ir*CQ 
 Qcrman,  an.l  printed  in  Hanover  in  1755. 
 
 L  3  '  thefe. 
 
150  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 thefe  dangerous  writings,  when  we  fee  fhining  ta- 
 lents, and  elegant  ftyle  employed  to  defend  the 
 jnoft  weak,  falfe,  and  pernicious  of  all  do6lrines. 
 Among  thofe  who  dared  openly  to  propofe 
 in  England  thefe  writings,  which  ought  to  be  for 
 ever  buried  in  oblivion,  Herbert,  Lord  Cherbury, 
 was  the  firft  and  principal ;  his  works  are  print- 
 ed, and  all  of  them  are  profeffedly  written 
 againft  religion.  —  He  pretended  that  natural 
 light  would  ferve  inllead  of  revelation  to  bring 
 men  to  happinefs ;  however,  we  muft  do  him  the 
 juftice  to  allow,  that  he  expreffed  himfelf  with 
 much  more  modefty  than  any  of  his  followers  ^ 
 We  may  look  upon  Thomas  Hobbes  of  Malmef- 
 bury,  a  fubtle  writer,  and  one  who  frequently 
 difguifed  his  fentiments,  as  one  of  the  moil  dan- 
 gerous. An  attentive  reader  will,  however,  foon 
 difcern,  that  he  paid  no  regard  to  thofe  holy 
 laws  which  God  has  given  to  men  by  revelation  ; 
 and  even  that  he  attempted  to  fhake  the  true 
 foundations  of  all  religion,  by  fapping  thofe  of 
 morality  and  natural  right.  His  works  have 
 done  infinite  prejudice  to  the  progrefs  of  faith 
 and  piety  :  however,  in  return,  no  writer  of  this 
 ftamp  was  ever  more  ably  and  learnedly  oppofed 
 and  confuted.  Charles  Blount  is  alfo  numbered 
 among  the  famous  deiftical  writers.  He  is  au- 
 thor of  many  works,  in  which  he  has  clearly  ex- 
 pofed  his  fentiments.  He  finiflied  his  life  by  a 
 voluntary  death.  The  Religio  JVIedici,  a  very  ex- 
 tenfive  work,  wrote  by  Thomas  Brown,  fup- 
 ported  the  fame  notions,  and  joined  to  them  an 
 indifferency  to  all  religions.  John  Toland,  and 
 Anthony  Lord  Shaftfbury,  writers  of  the  prefent 
 -pentury,  have  admitted  the  fame  opinions  ". 
 
 »  Confult  Bayle  on  the  article  Hobbes. 
 
 *>  Confult  the  didlionary  of  Chaufipic,  in  the  articles  To- 
 l^nd,  &c.  This  is  a  continuation  of  Bayle,  and  has  all  ic'5 
 fnerit  without  any  of  i;s  defeats, 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    151 
 
 ARTICLE      II. 
 
 0£  the  State  of  the  Roman  Church,  Popes, 
 MoNASTicAL  Orders,  and  Principal 
 Doctors. 
 
 CLEMENT  Vin.  who  came  to  the 
 holy  fee  at  the  clofe  of  the  laft  century,  en- 
 joyed alfo  the  fame  dignity  the  four  firfl  years  of 
 the  prefent.  He  was  a  great  enemy  to  the  Pro- 
 teftants,  and  took  every  pofTible  means  to  de- 
 llroy  them.  He  propofed  to  re-eftabhfli  the  Pla- 
 tonic Philofophy  in  the  divinity  fchools  of  the 
 weftern  church,  but  was  prevented.  He  de- 
 clared himfelf  for  the  Dominicans  againft  the 
 Jefuits  in  their  difputes  on  the  aiTiftance  of  grace. 
 Thefe  lad  had  the  boldnefs  to  advance,  that  it 
 was  not  an  article  of  faith  to  believe,  that  Cle^ 
 ment  VIII.  was  the  lawful  fuccelTor  of  St.  Peter. 
 This  Pope  dying  in  1605.  the  Tiara  came  to 
 Leo  XI.  of  the  family  of  Medicis  ;  but  his 
 Pontificate  lafted  only  twenty-fix  days  •,  at  the 
 end  of  which  Camilius  Borghefus  was  ele6led,. 
 ^nd  took  the  name  of  Paul  V.  There  never  was 
 a  Pontiff,  whofe  pride  and  infolence  were  car- 
 ried to  a  greater  height.  Pie  fufiered  himfelf  in 
 the  printed  works  to  be  ftyled  "  The  Vice-God, 
 *'  the  moil  invincible  Monarch  of  the  Unitarian 
 *'  Republic,  and  the  zealous  preferver  of  the  all 
 "  powerful  Pontificate."  Nothing  can  fnew  his 
 arrogance  better  than  the  difpute  he  had  with  the 
 Republic  of  Venice.  In  1621.  Gregory  XV. 
 formerly  called  Alexander  Ludovifio,  iucceeded 
 to  the  Papacy.  He  had  a.  great  elteem  for  the 
 Jefuits,  and  had  canonized  fome  of  them.  Faith- 
 ful to  the  maxims  of  his  predecefTors,  he  armed 
 againfl  the  Protellants  Ferdinand,  F.mperor  of 
 L  4  Germany 
 
152    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Germany,  and  Lewis  XIII.  King  of  France. 
 Urban  VIII.  of  the  family  of  the  Barbirinis,  who 
 fucceeded  him  in  1623.  trod,  in  this  refped, 
 exaiftly  in  his  fteps,  though  otherwife  he  was  a 
 Pope,  who  efteemed  and  proLefted  the  learned, 
 amongft  whom  he  himfelf  held  a  confiderable 
 rank.  He  was  an  eloquent  orator,  a  good  poet, 
 and  fo  perfeftly  fkilled  in  the  Greek  tongue,  as 
 to  deferve  the  furname  of  the  Attic  Bee. 
 
 Afrer  his  death  the  pontifical  chair  was  pof- 
 fefTed  by  Innocent  X.  whole  family  bore  the 
 name  of  Pamphilus.  He  gave  up  almoft  the 
 v/hole  government  of  affairs  to  the  widow  of  his 
 brother  Olympia  Maldachani.  This  Pope  was 
 afconifhingly  ignorant  in  matters  of  divinity, 
 which  indeed  he  did  not  difown.  He  made  many 
 unfucccf>ful  efforts  to  prevent  the  peace  of  Weft- 
 phalia.  Fabio  Chigi,  called  Alexander  VII.  was 
 elected  to  fucceed  him  in  1655.  HeexprelTed,  on 
 many  occafions,  the  fame  hatred  as  his  predeceflbr 
 had  done  to  Proteftantifm.  But  nothing  made 
 more  noife  in  his  pontificate  then  the  quarrel  he 
 had  with  Lewis  XIV.  on  the  fubjeft  of  the  rights 
 and  privileges  of  Ambafiadors.  Clement  IX. 
 elected  in  1668.  and  Clement  X.  in  1669.  did 
 nothing  worthy  of  the  notice  of  pofterity.  Be- 
 nedid  Odefialchi,  who  entered  upon  the  fee  in 
 1676.  under  the  name  of  innocent  XI.  deferves, 
 upon  many  accounts,  to  be  mentioned  with  great 
 refpeft  :  He  expreifed  much  defire  to  fee  a  re- 
 formation rake  place  in  the  church,  at  leaft  in 
 certain  particulars.  He  ftrongly  cenfured  the 
 confiderable  errors  of  the  morality  of  the  Jefui-ts, 
 and  eafily  law  through  the  artifices  they  praftifed 
 to  opprefs  the  Janfenifts.  He  warmly  defended 
 the  interefcs  of  the  latter.  The  difputes  between 
 liim,    the  King  and  the   whole    Gallican  churcli 
 
 during 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  153 
 during  his  pontificate,  fufficiently  manifeft  to  what 
 length  he  carried  both  the  feverity  of  his  man- 
 ners, and  the  obftinacy  of  his  temper.  Alex- 
 ander VIII.  of  the  family  of  Ottoboni,  who  fuc- 
 ceeded  him  in  1689.  afted  upon  direftly  oppofite 
 principles  :  For  he  at  firft  favoured  the  Jefuits  ; 
 but,  fome  time  after,  he  publicly  condemned  the 
 principles  of  their  morality.  Being  upon  the  point 
 to  die,  he  annulled  by  a  bull,  which  had  been  for 
 fome  time  before  drawn  up,  but  not  till  then  con- 
 firmed, the  refolutions  taken  in  the  alTembly  of 
 the  clergy  of  France,  held  at  Paris  in  1682. 
 Innocent  XII.  of  the  family  of  Pignatelli,  who 
 fucceeded,  was  a  Pontiff  highly  to  be  efteemed, 
 and  who  took  every  means  in  his  power  to  re- 
 medy fome  abufes  which  had  been  authorized,  or 
 at  lead  tolerated  by  his  predecefibrs.  This  mode- 
 ration, and  love  of  peace,  rendered  his  memory  very 
 dear  to  the  Janfenifts.  At  the  clofe  of  this  cen- 
 tury, Clement  IX.  came  to  the  holy  fee  in  1669. 
 This  Pope's  learning,  and  uncommon  greatnefs 
 of  mind,  rendered  him  highly  refpedable  in  this 
 century. 
 
 He  gave  rile  to  many  new  monadic  orders, 
 moft  of  which  were  eftablifhed  upon  laudable 
 motives  for  the  advancement  of  piety,  for  the 
 cultivation  of  the  belles  lettres,and  for  theincreafe 
 of  the  fruits  of  the  gofpel  miniilry.  Such  particu- 
 larly was  the  intention  of  founding  the  congre- 
 gation of  priefts  of  the  oratory  of  Jcfus  Chrift, 
 founded  161 1.  by  Peter  Banillus,  a  prieft  of 
 Paris,  whom  Pope  Urban  VIII.  honoured  with 
 a  Cardinal's  hat.  Many  very  learned  and  pious 
 men  have  belonged  to  this  order.  We  may  fay 
 the  fame  foon  after  of  the  priefts  of  the  miflions, 
 who  owed  their  origin  to  Vincent  Paulus.  This 
 order  was  alfo  confirmed  and  approved  by  Pope 
 
 Urban 
 
i^4.  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 Urban  VIII.  Excited  by  thefe  laudable  exam- 
 ples, Nicolas  Barrus  formed  in  1688.  a  new  Ib- 
 ciety  of  pious  men  and  women,  and  inftituted 
 Chriftian  fchools  for  the  inftrudion  of  young  peo- 
 ple of  both  fexes  in  the  truths  and  duties  of  re- 
 ligion. Francis  of  Sales,  who  was  afterwards 
 Canonized,  founded  in  1610.  another  congrega- 
 tion, called  the  Vifitation  of  the  Blefled  Virgin, 
 defigned  for  the  relief  and  fupport  of  the  fick 
 and  poor.  Louifa  the  Fat,  a  lady  of  diflindlion, 
 eftablifhed  a  fociety  of  virgins  of  love,  or  daugh- 
 ters of  charity,  for  the  fame  purpofe.  We 
 fnight  eafily   enumerate  more  of  thefe    inftitu- 
 
 tions. 
 
 But  the  number,  riches,  and  credit  of  the  Je^ 
 fuits  fo  much  increafed,  that  they  greatly  fur- 
 pafied  all  the  other  monaftic  orders.  Thefe  ad- 
 vantages were  principally  owing  to  the  care  they 
 took  to  inftruft  youth  in  the  belles  lettres.  They 
 not  only  readily  received  pupils,  but  even  fought 
 for,  and  invited  them  -,  fo  that  their  college  in- 
 creafed in  an  extraordinary  manner  •,  though, 
 upon  account  of  their  dangerous  doclrines,  or  ir- 
 regular conduft,  they  were  expelled  fome  of  the 
 prmcipal  cities.  We  cannot  deny,  that  the  mem- 
 bers of  this  fociety  held  a  diftinguifhed  rank  in 
 the  republic  of  letters.  Thofe  who  more  parti- 
 cularly applied  to  the  fervice  of  their  church, 
 were  the  Cardinal  Bellarmin,  Nicolas  Serrarius, 
 Antony  PoiTevin,  Martin  Becan,  James  Gretzer, 
 James  Sirmond,  Dennis  Petau,  John  Gamier, 
 and  the  laborious  compilers  of  the  a6ls  of  the 
 faints,  which  they  called  BoUandifts,  from  the 
 firft  author  of  this  undertaking  John  Bolland^ 
 who  was  afiifted,  and  his  work  continued  by 
 Godfrey  Hiafchenius,  and  Daniel  Papebrock. 
 
 Many  very  able  commentators  of  facred  fcrip- 
 ture  were  of  this  fociety  ;  among  others,  Bene- 
 
 did 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  155 
 
 didt  Pererius,  Emanuel  Sa,  John  Baptifta  Vel- 
 lalpard,  Jolin  Mariana,  John  Lorin,  John  Tirin, 
 Cornehus  Lapidus,  John  B.  Pineda,  James  Bon- 
 frere,  and  many  more  might  be  mentioned. 
 
 Other  monallic  orders  alio  fliewed  great  emu- 
 lation ;  the  congregation  of  the  fathers  of  ora- 
 tory produced  Anthony  Gallon,  John  CabaiTu- 
 tius,  Charles  le  Cornte,  Richard  Simon,  Bernard 
 Lami,  &c.  The  Benedictines  entered  upon  a 
 very  laborious  work,  which  they  completed  with 
 great  fuccefs ;  this  v/as  to  publilh  correft  edi- 
 tions with  annotations  of  the  works  of  the  prin- 
 cipal fathers,  fuch  as  St.  Auftin,  St.  Hilary,  St. 
 Ambrofe,  St.  Athanafms,  CalTiodorus,  Gregory 
 of  Tours,  St.  Bernard,  St.  Jerom,  St.  Irenseus, 
 St.  Cyrill  of  Jerulalem,  St.  John  Chryfoftom, 
 St.  Bafd  the  Great,  &c.  Thofe  who  did  the  moit 
 honour  to  the  order  of  the  Benedi6lines  in  this 
 century  were  John  Mabillon,  Theodorus  Rui- 
 nart,  Bernard  Montfaucon,  John  Martianay,  &c. 
 The  order  of  the  minor  brethren  produced  alio 
 Anthony  Pagi  ;  but  it  would  be  very  difficult  to 
 give  a  correal  lift  of  all  the  learned  amongll  the 
 religious. 
 
 There  ftill  remain  unmentioned  many  other 
 great  men  of  the  Roman  church,  highly  to  be 
 valued,  both  for  their  extcnfive  learning  and 
 excellent  writing-s.  Amono-  the  Cardinals  we 
 find  Bellarmin,  Baroneus,  Da  Perron,  Richlieu, 
 Bona  and  Morris.  Among  the  Bilhops,  they 
 boaft  of  Nicolas  CoeffeClau,  bifhop  of  Dour- 
 dens,  Gabriel  de  i'Aubifpine,  biihop  of  Or- 
 leans, Peter  Marca,  Archbilhop  of  Paris,  Cor- 
 nelius Janfenius,  after  whom  the  Janfenills 
 were  named,  Anthony  Godeau,  bifliop  of  Gralfe 
 and  Vence,  and  particularly  James  Benignus  L5of- 
 fuet,  the  famous  bifhop  of  Meaux,  Among  the 
 inferior  clergy  we  may  mention  William  Eftius,  an 
 
 excellent 
 
1^6     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 excellent  interpreter  of  feripture,  and  Aiiftin  Tor- 
 niel,  Luke  HoKLinius,  John  Launoi,  Godfrey 
 Hermant,  John  Baptifta  Cotelier,  Emanuel  Sche- 
 liftratus,  and  Sebailian  Tillemont.  Moft  of  thefe 
 h^ve  employed  themfelves  in  fearching  into  the 
 hiftory  and  antiquities  of  the  church.  The  Jan- 
 fenifts  have  iikewile  produced  many  celebrated 
 men  ;  few  are  worthy  to  be  compared  to  Anthony 
 Arnauld,  Peter  Nicolas,  and  Blaife  Pafchall. 
 
 ARTICLE       III. 
 
 Of  the  confiderable  Quarrels  the  Popes  had 
 with  the  Princes  and  States  of  their  own 
 Communion. 
 
 TH  E  ufeful  work  of  the  Reformation  which 
 fo  providentially  profpered  in  the  courfe 
 of  the  1 6th  century,  having  fpread  the  light  of 
 truth  over  all  the  countries  of  the  Weft,  gave  a 
 confiderable  fiiock  to  the  power  which  the  Popes 
 had  ufurped  with  lb  much  arrogance  over  all  the 
 Chriftian  Princes.  Thole  even  who  ftill  conti- 
 nued fubjeft  to  them,  did  not  pay  the  fame  re- 
 gard as  formerly  to  their  decifions.  The  Popes.^ 
 on  their  fide,  aftoniflied  at  this  refolution,  con- 
 tinued to  lay  hold  on  every  thing  that  could  in 
 the  leaft  ftrengthen  their  power,  and  put  things 
 on  the  old  footing.  This  was  frequently  expe- 
 rienced in  the  courfe  of  this  century  by  the 
 Princes  and  States  of  Chriftendom,  notwithftand- 
 ing  their  attachment  to  the  fee  of  Rome.  Paul  V. 
 a  proud  Pontiff,  thundered  out  excommunica- 
 tions, though  without  any  effect,  againft  the  Re- 
 public of  Venice.  The  Venetians  had  paffed  fome 
 lav/s  which  concerned  church  affairs,  and  particu- 
 larly the  orders  of  the  Monks.  They  had  alfo  pu- 
 niflied  very  defervedly,  and  put  into  priibn  fome  of 
 the  clergy.     1  he  court  of  Rome  ordered  them  to, 
 
 defift 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   157 
 
 defift  from  fuch  proceedings,  which  they  called 
 treafon.  The  magiftrates  of  Venice  not  revok- 
 ing the  laws,  were  anathematized  by  the  Pope  ;. 
 but  they  paid  no  regard  to  his  excomm.iinication. 
 On  the  contrary,  the  fenate  enjoined  all  their 
 clergy  not  to  obferve  the  orders  of  the  Pope; 
 and  the  Jefuits  and  Capuchins  thinking  that  their 
 fpiritual  mailer  ought  to  be  obeyed  before  their 
 temporal,  were  for  their  difobedience  fent  into 
 banifliment.  The  rights  of  the  republic  were 
 very  ably  and  wifely  defended  by  the  celeb-rated 
 Francis  Paolo,  of  the  order  ofServites,  who  by 
 that  means  fo  much  expofed  himfelf  to  the  hatred 
 of  the  Roman  church,  that  with  difficulty  he 
 efcaped  the  plots  and  attacks  of  wretches  fuborn- 
 ed  to  deflroy  him,  and  to  fave  his  life  in  the 
 midfl  of  thefe  dangers.  The  differences  between 
 the  Pope  and  the  Republic  increafed  to  fuch  a 
 height,  that  they  would  certainly  have  produced 
 a  war,  if  Henry  of  France  had  not  interpofed, 
 and  by  his  mediation  put  an  amicable  end  to  the 
 affair. 
 
 Some  of  the  fuccefTors  of  Paul  V.  {hewed  them- 
 felves  as  fevere  as  himfelf,  and  went  to  fuch 
 lengths  with  Portugal%  as  v/ere  very  near  bring- 
 ing that  kingdom  to  a  relblution  to  free  itfelf  in- 
 ftantly  from  any  further  dependance  on  the  church 
 of  Rome.  —  The  Portuguefe,  after  having  fhaken 
 off  the  heavy  y^ke  of  the  Spaniards,  which  they 
 had  borne  for  near  fixty  years,  eleded  for  their 
 King  in  1640.  John  Duke  of  Briganza,  who  had 
 a  lawful  right  to  the  throne  •,  and  as  Spain  had 
 then  faltered  very  confiderable  lofies,  which  had 
 much  weakened  their  power,  .the   new  monarch 
 
 "  A  good  account  of  thefe  events  is  to  be  fcand  in  Mr. 
 Geddes's  hiftory  of  the  Popes'  behaviour  towards  Portugal, 
 from  the  year  1641  till  1666.  This  woHv  is  in  the  2d  vol. 
 of  his  iiiirccllanie?,  p.  63, —  i-5, 
 
 took 
 
tsS    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 took  pofTeflion  of  his  kingdom  without  any  con- 
 fiderable  efFufion  of  blood. 
 
 When  he  thought  his  power  was  fufficiently 
 cftabliflied,  he  fent  an  ambaffador  to  Pope  Ur- 
 ban VIIL  hoping  that  he  would  make  no  Ibruple 
 to  acknowledge  him  King  ;  but  Urban,  who 
 feared  the  Spaniards,  notwithftanding  their  prefent 
 lltuation,  and  who  knew  how  much  they  had  at 
 heart  the  recovery  of  Portugal,  was  deaf  to  the 
 advances  of  King  John.  Innocent  XI.  his  fuc- 
 ceflbr,  followed  his  example,  not  defigning  to 
 pay  any  regard  to  the  fpi ritual  affairs  of  Portu- 
 gal, which  was  almoft  deflitute  of  bifhops,  as  he 
 refufed  to  confirm  thofe  whom  the  King  had  ap- 
 pointed to  fill  the  vacant  fees.  The  continuance 
 of  this  obitinacy  of  the  Pope,  infinitely  preju- 
 diced the  churches  of  Portugal :  they  held  coun- 
 cils, in  which  they  deliberated,  and  formed 
 fchemes  of  depriving  the  Pope  of  all  the  jurif- 
 diflion  he  had,  until  that  time,  enjoyed  over  the 
 churches  in  Portugal.  The  King  was  deter- 
 mined on  the  execution  of  this  defign  •,  but  the 
 tremenduous  tribunal  of  the  inquifition,  and  the 
 cxcefTive  fuperflition  of  the  people,  were  obitacles. 
 not  be  furmounted.  Alexander  VH.  gave  up 
 none  of  the  pretenfions  of  his  predeceffors.  This 
 unhappy  difference  was  not  terminated  until 
 Spain  had  made  a  peace  with  Portugal,  and  ac- 
 knowledged the  ancient  rights  of  that  monarchy, 
 Clement  IX.  then  reconciled  the  Portuguefe 
 church  with  his  own,  and  conferred  on  her  freely 
 the  apoflolical  gifts.-  > 
 
 The  Popes  had  much  difficulty  to  get  theni- 
 felves  well  out  of  the  difputes  they  had  in  this 
 century  with  the  clergy  of  the  Galilean  church, 
 and  even  with  the  King  of  France  himfelf.  Thefe 
 Pontiffs  were  very  defirous  intirely  to  annihilate 
 tikofe  prerogatives  to  which  they  had  given  thef 
 
 naai€ 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  159 
 
 name  of  the  liberties  of  the  Gallican  church. 
 They  employed  every  effort  to  fucceed,  and  were 
 pov/erfuUy  feconded  as  well  by  the  Jefuits,  as 
 by  fome  Cardinals  and  Prelates  of  the  firft  order 
 in  the  church  itfelf.  But  many  refolute  and  able 
 divines  ftrongly  oppofed  them.  Thofe  who  moft 
 diftinguifhed  themfelves  in  this  noble  oppofition 
 were  Edmund  Richer,  Peter  de  Marca,  Joha 
 Launoi,  Noel  Alexander,  Stephen  Baluzius, 
 Lewis  Elias  Du  Pin,  and  fome  .others  *.  Th« 
 Parliament  of  Paris  fupported  on  many  occalions, 
 and  maintained  by  their  authority  the  privilege$ 
 of  the  nation.  Lewis  XIV.  notwithflanding  th« 
 height  of  glory,  and  power  to  which  he  was  ar- 
 rived, often  found  the  Popes  adling  very  con- 
 trary to  his  defires  and  intentions.  One  of  the 
 things  that  made  the  moil  noife,  was  the  affair  of 
 the  Corficans.  The  foldiers  of  that  nation,  wh<j 
 formed  the  body-guard  of  the  Pope,  having 
 under  the  Pontificate  of  Alexander  VII.  infulted 
 the  houfe  of  the  Duke  of  Crequi,  the  French 
 AmbafTador  at  Rome  •,  and  the  Pope's  relations, 
 nay  even  the  Pope  himfelf,  were  fuppofed  to  have 
 favoured  this  attempt.  Lewis,  doubly  irritatedi 
 both  at  the  enormity  of  the  a6lion,  and  flownels  . 
 with  v/hich  they  proceeded  to  make  reparation 
 for  the  affront,  took  a  refolution  of  carrying 
 the  war  into  the  Pope's  dominions.  Alexander, 
 in  order  to  avert  this  florm,  was  forced  to  make 
 all  the  fatisfadion  the  King  required. 
 
 The  troubles  caufed  by  the  right,  which  they 
 called  Regale,  lafted  very  long,  and  were  with 
 difhculty  terminated  ^     According  to  this  right, 
 
 the 
 
 a  Confult  on  the  above,  the  hilloire  eccleiiaftlque  of  Mr^ 
 Weirman,  Siecle  16.  p.  505.  and  the  inftitutiones  hiftoncae 
 chriftiansE  recentloris  of  Mr.  Mofiieim. 
 
 ^  Bifhop  Burnet  has  given  a  Ihort  and  clear  account  of 
 this  affair  in  his  hiilory  of  the  rights  of  Princes  in  the  dif- 
 
 pofing 
 
i6o    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 the  Kings  of  France  were  at  all  times  authorized 
 to  enjoy  the  rev^enues  of  the  vacant  Bifhoprics, 
 and  to  difpofe  of  the  benefices  belonging  to  thofe 
 fees,  which,  whilft  the  Bifhop  lived,  were  in  his 
 nomination.  This  right  they  pofieiTed  till  the 
 Bifhop  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  with  all 
 the  ufual  formalities.  This  having  been  the 
 cuflom  for  a  very  long  time,  it  did  not  appear 
 pofTibie  that  any  doubts  could  be  raifed  ;  but  the 
 Popes  found  occafion  to  raife  fome,  and  even 
 brought  fome  of  the  French  clergy  into  their 
 opinion.  They  demanded  particularly,  whether 
 this  right  ought  to  extend  to  the  provinces 
 which  the  crown  of  France  had  acquired  fince 
 the  13th  century,  and  in  which  the  right  regale 
 did  not  take  place  before  that  time.  The  dif- 
 putes  on  this  fubjedt  were  long  and  fpirited  in 
 France,  but  could  not  be  brought  to  a  decifion. 
 At  laft  the  council  of  the  flates  publifhed  an  arret, 
 by  which  the  right  regale  was  declared  to  be  in- 
 feparably  united  to  the  crown  of  France  ;  and 
 the  Bifliops,  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  kingdom 
 of  France,  were  obliged  to  fubmit  to  it.  This 
 they  ail  did,  except  two,  the  Bifhops  of  Alet 
 and  Pamiers,  both  men  of  virtue  and  piety,  but 
 could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  receive  that  which 
 they  regarded  as  a  pure  innovation,  very  dange- 
 rous, and  contrary  to  the  rights  of  the  church. 
 Pope  Innocent  XL  defended  with  as  much 
 warmth  the  caufe  of  thefe  bi{liops,as  if  it  had  been 
 his  own  •,  and  this  produced  a  very  great  quarrel 
 between  this  Pontiff,  and  Lewis  XIV.  which 
 lafted  long,  and  made  fome  noife.  The  King 
 refolutely  maintained  whatever  he  looked   upon 
 
 pofing  of  ecclefiaftlcal  benefices,  and  church  lands  relating 
 chiefly  to  the  pretcnfions  of  the  crown  of  France,  to  the  re- 
 .gale,  and  the  late  contefts  with  the  court  of  Rome. — See 
 fllfo  Heidegger's  hiltoria  papatus. 
 
 as 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   i6i 
 
 as  the  rights  of  the  crown.  The  Pope,  on  his 
 fide,  to  give  trouble  to  the  king,  reiuled  to  agree 
 to  the  ordinary  confirmation  of  the  bilhops  of 
 his  appointing,  and  threatened  very  fevere  pu- 
 nilhrnents  to  thofe  who  faould  dare  to  diiregard 
 his  authority. 
 
 Lewis,  enraged  at  this  obftinate  refiftance  of 
 the  Pope,  who  knew  not  how  to  yield,  held,  in 
 1682.  an  afiembly,  compofed  of  eight  Archbi- 
 fhops,  twenty-four  Bifiiops,  and  fon^.e  inferior 
 clergy  :  it  had  the  name  of  the  "  General  aflTem- 
 *'  bly  of  the  clergy  of  France."  They  held  many 
 feflions  at  Paris,  in  which  their  deliberations 
 turned  on  the  difpute  between  the  fee  cf  Rome  ard 
 the  Gallican  church.  They  took  meafures  which 
 they  fuppofed  would  intirely  fecure  the  liberties 
 of  the  Gallican  church  from  all  the  infults  and 
 tyrannical  enterprifes  of  the  Popes.  The  propo- 
 fitions  intended  to  produce  this  efl?eft  were  the 
 four  following,  to  which  all  the  clergy  gave  their 
 approbation:  ift.  The  Pope,  and  the  church  it- 
 felf,  had  no  power,  either  dired  or  indirect,  over 
 the  temporalities  of  the  king,  and  that  they  had 
 no  right  to  abfolve  the  fubjedt  from  the  oath  of  fi- 
 delity for  any  caufe  whatever  j  2d.  That  the  ge- 
 neral council  was  fuperior  to  the  Pope,  and  that 
 at  all  times,  and  in  all  cafes,  it  ought  to  take 
 place  i  3d.  That  the  exercife  of  the  papal  power 
 ought  to  be  limited  and  retrained  according  to 
 the  canons  •,  and  that  the  Popes  ought  not  to  do 
 any  thing  that  can  prejudice  the  liberties  of  the 
 Gallican  church  ;  4th.  That  the  Pope,  in  matters 
 of  faith,  has  much  the  greateft  authority,  but 
 that  his  decifions  are  not  certain  and  infallible 
 without  the  content  of  the  church.  Thefe  pro- 
 pofitions  were  fent  to  all  the  Bifhops  of  the  king- 
 dom, and  were  approved  by  them.  All  the  pro- 
 feflbrsof  the  unlverfities  were  likewife  enjoined  to 
 
 Vol.  11.  M  conform 
 
i6i     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 conform  exaftly  to  this  doflrine,  and  to  advance 
 nothing  that  could  oppofe  it  ^ 
 
 Thcie  proceedings  greatly  increafed  their  mu- 
 tual animofity,  and  the  difputes  fo  far  from  end- 
 ing acquired  new  ftrength.  They  were  heightened 
 particularly  on  account  of  the  privileges  and  im- 
 munities the  Ambafiadors  of  other  nations  enjoy- 
 ed at  Rome,  and  which  they  had  fo  greatly  abufed 
 that  their  houfes  became  frequently  an  afylum  for 
 thieves  and  robbers,  who  there  efcaped  the  rigours 
 of  juftice.  That  this  evil  might  no  longer  exift. 
 Pope  Innocent  perfuaded  the  other  princes  to 
 give  up  this  right,  which  ferved  only  to  procure 
 impunity  for  the  greateft  crimes.  Lewis  XIV. 
 to  mortify  the  Pope,  infilled  that  his  Am- 
 bafiadors lliould  enjoy  their  former  privileges, 
 and  fent  the  Marquis  of  Lavardinto  Rome,  with 
 orders  to  fupport  them  with  vigour.  The  Am- 
 baflador  executed  the  commands  of  his  mailer 
 with  great  haughtinefs  -,  but  he  met  with  a  re- 
 fiftance  from  the  Pope  he  did  not  expefl.  Things 
 v/ent  on  in  this  way  till  the  death  of  Innocent  in 
 1689.  There  were  then  thirty  Bifliops  in  France 
 who  could  not  perform  their  palloral  charge,  as 
 the  Pope  would  never  confent  to  confirm  thofe 
 whom  the  King  had  appointed  to  the  vacant  fees. 
 Alexander  VIII.  and  Innocent  XII.  followed  his 
 example,  though  they  adled  with  more  modera- 
 tion :  on  which  account  the  king  was,  on  his 
 fide,  by  degrees,  a  little  foftened,  and  did  not 
 fo  flrongly  infiil  on  the  above-mentioned  propo- 
 
 a.  Many  divines  attached  to  the  interefl  of  Rome  undertook 
 to  oppofe  thefe  propofttions,  and  attacked  them  with  all  their 
 wit  and  learning.  The  famous  Bofluet  was  appointed  by  the 
 King  to  oppofe  their  attacks,  and  compofed  a  work  intitled, 
 Defenfe  de  le  declaration  du  clerge  de  I'eglife,  a  fujet  de  la 
 puiiTance  ecclefiaftique  :  for  fome  reafons  this  did  not  appear 
 tiil  after  his  death. 
 
 fitionsi 
 
tHE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   163 
 
 pofitions.  By  thefe  means  all  things  were  again 
 loon  reconciled,  and  the  former  tranquility  re- 
 ftored. 
 
 .-■■.■^^^■^'r-'i-c^''t.  E    IV.- 
 
 Of  the  Conduct  of  :tiic  Popes  with  refpefl:  tcJ 
 the  Protestants,  and  of  the  falfe  Accusa- 
 tions   they  railed  , ^gainft  them. 
 
 THIS  century  furnifhts  us  with  as  many- 
 examples  as  the  former,  of  the  violent  Ratred 
 of  the  church  of  Rome  to  that  of  the  pfote^antSi 
 and  of  the  direft  and  indirect  ways  yFiicH  che^^ 
 took,  in  order  to  ruin  it.  England,  in  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  century,  was  witnefs  to  many 
 horrible  and  almofl  incredible  confpiracies.  After 
 the  death  of  Elizabeth,  whole  reign  was  long 
 and  glorious,  James  Stuart,  King  of  Scotland, 
 lawfully  fucceeded  to  the  throne.  This  Prince 
 exprefTmg  the  greateft  defire  to  fupport  the  pro- 
 teilant  caufe,  and  the  catholics  giving  up  all 
 hopes  of  gaining  favour  from,  or  accefs  to,  him, 
 endeavoured  to  take  a  Ihorter  and  more  efficaci- 
 ous means  to  arrive  at  their  end.  This  was  td 
 dellroy  at  once  the  Kirig,  the  Prince  of  V/"ales, 
 and  almoft  all  the  Nobles  of  the  kingdom,  in  the 
 fame  place  where  they  were  aflembled  in  parlia- 
 ment, by  putting  into  the  cellars  of  this  building 
 a  ilifficient  quantity  of  gun-powder  to  blow  it  up, 
 at  the  time  they  were  all  affembled.  The  fifth 
 of  November,  in  1615.  was  the  day  appointed 
 for  the  execution  of  this  execrable  defign,  being  a 
 day  the  King  was  expeded  to  go  to  the  houfe  •,  but 
 by  an  extraordinary  interpofltion  of  a  good  provi- 
 dence this  moft  horrid  crime  was  difcovered,  the 
 very  night  before  the  day  it  was  to  have  been  com- 
 mitted, and  England  was  delivered  from  the 
 greateft  misfortune  to  which  Die  had  been  ever 
 expofed.  Among  the  confpirators  there  were 
 M  2  three 
 
164   ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 three  Jefuits,  and  many  Englifhmen  of  good  fa- 
 milies, who  were  immediately  put  into  prifon, 
 and  afterwards  were  condemned  to  the  punifli- 
 ments  they  juftly  deferved.  The  Roman  catho- 
 lics deny  the  truth  of  this  plot,  which  the  Englifli 
 call  Gunpowder  Treafon,  but  their  befl  writers* 
 fupport  the  truth  of  it,  and  give  a  very  long 
 account  of  this  cruel  confpiracy.  They  cele- 
 brate in  England,  every  year,  a  folemn  feaft,  in 
 commemoration  of  this  happy  deliverance. 
 
 The  proteltants  in  Germany  had  much  greater 
 and  fevcrer  trials  ;.  but  which  in  the  end  turned 
 out  to  their  advantage,  and  the  good  of  their 
 church.  In  the  beginning  of  this  century  there 
 liappened  many  things  which  we  may  look  upon 
 as  the  preludes  to  a  bloody  war,  which,  from 
 it's  duration,  was  called  the  war  of  thirty  years. 
 
 After  many  commotions  in  divers  countries  of 
 Germany,  the  heat  of  this  war  at  lail  broke  out  in 
 Bohemia.  The  clergy  of  this  kingdom  who  had 
 celebrated  the  facramenfin  both  forts,  and  who 
 had  obtained  the  liberty  they  enjoyed  at  the  price 
 of  fo  much  bloodfhed  in  the  preceding  wars,  went 
 to  procure  from  the  Emperor  RodolphusII.  a  new 
 confirmation  of  the  privileges  in  an  adt  which  was 
 called  the  "  Letters  of  majefly,"  and  which  was 
 confirmed  by  oath  at  the  coronation  of  the  Emperor. 
 However,  as  they  frequently  made  alterations  in 
 the  claufes  of  this  a6t,  and  as  the  Reformed  of 
 Bohemia  faw  their  rights  daily  decreafing,  they 
 refolved,  perhaps  too  precipitately,  to  go  openly 
 to  work,  and  to  obtain  by  force  of  arms  that 
 ^uftice  which  had  been  fo  long  refufed  them. 
 Things  came  to  a  point  in  1 619.  when  they  declar- 
 ed Ferdinand  11.  King  of  Bohemia,  crowned  about 
 
 *  Mr.  de  Thou  in  particular. 
 
 two 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    165 
 
 two  years  before,  and  afterwards  railed  to  the 
 imperial  dignity,  unworthy  of  the  crown,  which 
 they  conferred  on  the  Ele6tor  Palatine,  Frederic 
 V.  He  took  immediate  polTtfllon,  but  having 
 been  defeated  in  a  battle  near  Prague,  in  1620. 
 by  the  impei^al  troops,  he  was  obliged  to  leave 
 Bohemia,  and  loft  not  only  the  kingdom,  but 
 even  the  Ele(5torate,  his  hereditary  right,  and 
 was  obliged  to  lead  a  wandering  life,  which  he 
 finifhed  in  the  the  midft  of  trouble. 
 
 After  the  victory  of  Prague  the  Emperor 
 caufed  the  whole  weight  of  his  anger  to  fall  on 
 the  Bohemians,  and  particularly  on  thofe  who 
 had  made  the  revolt ;  laying  hold  likewife  of 
 this  opportunity  to  banifli  all  the  proteftants 
 out  of  the  kingdom,  and  from  all  the  ftatcs  of 
 Germany  fubjeft  to  the  Auftrian  dominion.  He 
 afterwards  made  ufe  of  this  occafion  to  impofe 
 an  infupportable  yoke  on  the  Proteftant  ilates,  by 
 prefenting  to  them  more  fevere  laws,  and  parti- 
 cularly that  which  he  called  the  "  Edid  of  re- 
 "  ftoration:'*  a  law  which  obliged  all  the  Princes 
 to  reftore  to  the  Roman  church  all  the  wealth 
 that  had  fallen  into  their  hands  fmce  the  peace 
 of  Pofian.  Thefe  violent  proceedings  i'pread  in- 
 finite terror.  All  was  over  with  the  Reformation 
 in  Germany,  if  Sweden  had  not  produced  the 
 incomparable  Guftavus  Adolphus,  a  hero  capable 
 of  fupporting  the  caufe,  and  who  fled  to  the  fuc- 
 courof  the  Proteftants,  and  again  re- eftabliftied 
 their  affkirs';  which  had  quite  another  appearance 
 after  he  had  gained  the  buttle  oX  Leiplic  m  1631. 
 Viftory  purl'uing  this  conqueror  wherever  he 
 went,  one  part  of  Germany  -was  foon  delivered 
 by  him  from  the  Auftiian  yoke,  and  the  Protef- 
 tant Princes  were  refixed  in  the  kingdoms  from 
 which  the  Imperial  troops  had  driven  the;n  j  he 
 would  have  done  very  great  things  if  an  unfortu- 
 M  3  nate 
 
i66     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 na.te  blow  at  the  battle  of  Lutzen,  in  Milhia, 
 had  not  deprived  him  of  life  in  the  very  bofora 
 ot  vidory  The  Imperialifts  in  their  turn  gained 
 a  great  viftory  in  1634.  at  Nordlingen  in  Swa- 
 bia  ;  high  Germany  was,  by  this  event,  de- 
 livered from  the  terror  of  the  Swedilli  armies. 
 The  Proteftants  continued  the  w:;r  with  different 
 fuccefs,  and  in  this  manner  fupported  their  caufe 
 for  many  years,  until  the  peace  of  Weftphalia 
 was  concluded  in  1648.  a  peace  which,  notwith- 
 ilanding  the  oppofition  of  the  Popes  and  their 
 adherents,  was  both  very  honourable  and  advan- 
 tageous for  the  Princes  and  States  of  the  Pro- 
 teilant  perfuafion. 
 
 Melancholy  objefts  now  call   for  our  notice ; 
 and  we  muft  lament  the  dreadful  effeds  of  fu- 
 perftition  joined  to  intolerance.     In   the  country 
 of  the   Grifons  there  is  a  province  called  Valte- 
 line,  in  which  the  Reformation  had  made  a  very 
 confiderabie  progrefs.     In  1619.  the  Roman  ca- 
 tholic clergy  of  thefe  countries  beholding,  with 
 a  jealous  eye,  the  Reformed  churches  there  efla- 
 blifhed,  could  not  find  out  any  better  way  to  de- 
 ilroy  them,  than  by  putting  tliis  little  canton,  of 
 fmall  extent  indeed,  but  extremely  fertile,  under 
 the  dominion  of  the  Spaniards,  who  were   then 
 in   poltefTion  of  the  duchy   of  Milan.     To  ob- 
 tain   their  end   a  horrid    mailacre  was  made  of 
 the   unfortunate   inhabitants  of    Valteline.      In 
 the  fpace  of  a  few  weeks  five  hundred  people 
 of  this  little  province   v/ere  put  to  death  in  a 
 mofl  cruel  manner  ;  they   filled  the  mouths  of 
 many  of  them,  for   inflance,   with  gunpov/der, 
 which   they  afterwards  lighted.    They  murderecj 
 infants   hanging  at   their  mothers'   breafls,    and 
 there  was  no  fpecies  of  cruelty  invented  in  the 
 tbrmer  centuries  which  they  did  not  put  in  prac- 
 tice on  this  cccalion  :  even  the  very   bodies  of 
 
 the 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  167 
 
 tiae  dead  were  taken  out  of  their  graves  and 
 given  for  a  prey  to  dogs  and  favage  beads.  At 
 iaft  the  Protcftants  were  entirely  extirpated,  and 
 their  religion  for  ever  aboliflied  ■'. 
 
 We  can  fcarcely  mention,  without  fliudder- 
 ang,  the  horrid  methods  that  were  alfo  praftifed 
 by  the  Catholics  in  Ireland.  This  kingdom  was 
 then  under  the  dominion  of  the  unfortunate 
 Charles  I.  King  of  England.  Some-  have  been 
 £ruel  enough  to  lay  to  his  charge  the  fuiterings 
 of  the  Irifli  Protedants  •,  but  this  accufation  is 
 .entirely  groundlels.  It  is  much  more  probable 
 that  the  Catholics,  whofe  number  much  exceed- 
 ed that  of  the  Proteftants  in  this  country,  de- 
 manded, and  obtained,  of  the  Queen,  who  was 
 of  their  religion,  and  alfo  had  great  power  over 
 the  King,  that  they  might  have  the  llipreme  au- 
 thority in  the  kingdom,  promifing  her  in  return, 
 that  they  would  levy  troops  for  the  King's  fer- 
 vice,  and  by  that  means  re-  eilablifh  his  affairs, 
 which  v/ere  then  in  a  very  declining  condition. 
 The  Qiieen  procured  for  them  the  power  they 
 defn-ed,  which  they  greatly  abufed,  and  commit- 
 ted the  moft  deteftable  of  crimes.  They  were  not 
 content  with  the  fole  government  of  the  king- 
 dom, which  the  Qiieen  had  procured  for  them  : 
 that  they  might  not  for  the  future  meet  with  any 
 obftacles,  they  made  a  moft  horrid  maffacrc  of 
 the  Proteftants,  hoping  by  this  to  utterly  deftroy 
 them.  Although  they  could  not  fully  obtain  their 
 end,  they  however  made  the  moft  horrid  butchery 
 that  perhaps  hiftory  can  parallel  -,  and,  if  we  may 
 be  allowed  the  exprellion,  caufed  Ireland  to  flow 
 with  the  blood  of  Proteftants  j  as  unfortunate  as  they 
 
 "  See  Heidegger  hiftoria  Papatus,  fee   219.  —  Confult 
 ulfo  Bifliop  Burnet's  travels  through  Swiflerland,  S^c. 
 
 were 
 
i58  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 were  innocent.  In  a  few  months  two  hundred 
 thouhmd  peridied.  The  province  of  UHler,  which 
 is  not  more  than  the  fourth  part  of  Ireland,  loft, 
 in  lefs  than  fix  months,  a  hundred  and  forty 
 thoufand  of  it's  inhabitants,  that  is  to  fay,  it 
 was  quite  depopulated.  They  were  not  latis- 
 fied  with  only  facrificing  thel'e  unhappy  viftims, 
 but  they  made  them  lliffer  the  moft  horrid  tor- 
 tures, if  we  may  credit  the  accounts  of  the  beft 
 hiftorians,  which  it  is  impofTible  to  read  without 
 feeling  a  kind  of  horror  *. 
 
 In  France  the  perfecutions  of  the  Reformed,  af- 
 ter having  lafted  for  numbers  of  years,  were  hap- 
 pily terminated,  by  the  publication  of  theediftof 
 Nantz,  procured  for  them  by  the  good  King 
 Henry  IV.  and  which  we  have  already  mention- 
 ed. During  the  life  of  this  Monarch,  the  tran- 
 quility which  the  Proteftant  churches  enjoyed  in 
 France  was  not  in  the  lead  difturbed.  The  ex- 
 crable  murder  of  this  King  by  Ravillac  in  i6fo. 
 put  a  period  to  this  happy  Hate.  Under  Lewis 
 XIII.  the  fon  and  fucceffor  of  Henry  IV.  this 
 promiied  fecurity  was  no  longer  held  facred. 
 Though  many  of  the  principal  nobility  were  of 
 the  Reformed  religion,  and  the  beft  political  rea- 
 fons  ought  to  have  induced  them  to  have  kept 
 the  Proteftants  in  temper,  it  is  however  incon- 
 teftable,  that  they  at  this  time  feriouily  projeded 
 their  utter  deftrudlion.  Cardinal  Richlieu,  who 
 was  then  prime  Minifter,  and  had  the  fole  ma- 
 nagement of  the  government,  endeavoured,  by 
 the  force  of  inftruftion,  to  bring  thefe  pretended 
 wanderers  into  the  pale  of  the  church  •,  and  that 
 not  prevailing,  he  would  certainly  have  had  re- 
 courfe  to  violence,  if  death  had  not  prevented 
 the  execution  of  his  defigns.     The  perfecutions 
 
 »  Confult  Dupin's  hiilory. 
 
 againft 
 
 \ 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    169 
 
 againtl  the  Reformed  were  at  firft  begun  in  Bearn% 
 •which  was  the  firft  dwelling  place  and  ancient 
 afyluniof  the  Reformed  in  the  kingdom.  The  Ca- 
 tholic  religion  was  then  abolifhed  by  a  public 
 edift  in  1569.  But  in  161 7.  Lewis  XIII.  defirous 
 that  every  thing  lliould  be  eftablifhed  on  it's  an- 
 cient footing,  employed  the  moft  proper  means 
 to  bring  his  defign  to  execution.  They  began 
 by  taking  from  the  Reformed  the  flrong  places 
 they  poficiTed  in  the  provinces  near  to  Beam-,  and 
 as  they  oppofed  thefe  attempts,  wars  and  fieges 
 foon  followed.  That  of  Rochelle  is  very  memo- 
 rable, both  for  it's  length  and  the  difficulties 
 which  the  befiegers  had  to  overcome  ;  however, 
 the  city  was  taken  in  1628.  and  the  laft  pledge 
 of  fecurity  being  now  taken  from  the  Reformed, 
 it  became  afterwards  very  eafy  to  opprefs  and 
 trouble  them  :  they  would  have  foon  felt  the  fad 
 effedls  of  this  fituarion,  and  their  ruin  would  have 
 been  com.pleted,  if  France  had  not  been  obliged 
 to  oppofe   a  foreign  enemy. 
 
 Lewis  XIV.  fucceeded  his  father  in  the  throne, 
 and,  after  the  death  of  Cardinal  Mazarine,  took 
 upon  himfelf  alone  the  management  of  affairs. 
 They  foon  perceived  that  all  tended  to  the  intire 
 ruin  of  the  Reformed,  notwithftanding  the  great 
 fervices  they  had  done  on  all  important  occafioiis, 
 and  their  inviolable  fidelity  and  attachment  to  their 
 fovereigns,  long  known  and  often  highly  applaud- 
 ed •,  they  alledged  for  a  reafon  the  indifpenfable 
 obligation  of  tolerating  ofily  one  religion  in  the 
 kingdom.  Lewis  permitting  himfelf  entirely  to 
 be  ruled  by  the  artful  infmuations  of  his  clergy, 
 and    the   repeated    iolicitations    of  his  principal 
 
 =•  Read  the  life  of  Peter  de  Marca,  by  Stephen' Buluzus, 
 prefixed  to  his  DiiTertations  de  Concordia  faccerdotii  et  im- 
 perii.    See  alio  Dupin. 
 
 Minifters 
 
170  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 Minifters,  le  Tellier  and  his  ion  Louvois,  took  a 
 refokuion  moil  contrary  to  his  glory  and  intereil. 
 After  having  by  degrees  fbripped  the  Reformed 
 of  their  rights  and  liberties,  and  frequently  treat- 
 ing them  in  a  cruel  manner,  the  King  at  length 
 openly  declared  that  he  would  no  longer  permit 
 the  profeffion  of  the  Reformed  faith  in  France, 
 and  he  gave  them  the  lall  blow  in  1685.  by  the 
 revocation  of  the  edidl  of  Nantz,  which  was 
 intitled  perpetual  and  irrevocable,  and  which 
 Lewis  himfelf  had  folemnly  confirmed.  The  Pro- 
 teftant  churches  were  now  deftroyed  throughout 
 the  kingdom,  and  their  minifters  banifhed.  The 
 Roman  catholics  made  ufe  of  the  moil  violent 
 means  to  bring  over  the  congregations  to  a  pro- 
 feffion of  their  religion.  The  foldiers  who  were 
 fent  ainongft  them  committed  the  moft  fcanda- 
 lous  exceffes,  expreffed  the  fame  fury  that  the 
 heathens  had  formerly  lliewn  to  the  primitive 
 church.  Thofe  who  perfevered  in  the  conftant 
 profeffion  of  their  faith  were  forced  to  retire  into 
 countries  where  it  was  tolerated,  and  even  this 
 they  had  much  difficulty  to  do,  all  the  ports  being 
 guarded,  and  thofe  who  were  taken  in  their  flight 
 treated  as  criminals.  They  could  not,  however, 
 with  all  their  care,  prevent  numbers  from  leav- 
 ing the  kingdom  ;  more  than  fifty  thoufand 
 quitted  their  unnatural  country  to  go  in  the  midit 
 of  dangers,  and  at  the  rifque  of  extreme  poverty, 
 into  Swifferland,  Germany,  the  United  Provinces, 
 and  England,  where  thefe  confelTors  were  ten- 
 derly received,  and  had  the  comfort  to  enjoy  that 
 liberty  of  confcience  which  was  lb  defervedly  dear 
 to  them. 
 
 The  Vaudois,  who  for  many  centuries  had 
 quitted  the  Roman  communion,  and  dwelt  in 
 the  vallies  of  Piedmont,  who  had  fuffered  much 
 in  the  thirteenth  century,  now  alfo  experienced 
 
 lad 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   171 
 
 iad  dilafters  brought  on  them  by  the  conilant  pro- 
 fcffion  of  the  goipel  truths,  which  they  indured 
 "With  incredible  patience:  in  1655  they  were  oblio-- 
 ed,  by  order  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  to  leave,  in 
 tlie  midft  of  a  very  fevere  winter,  the  countries 
 they  had  till  then  inhabited  and  feek  for  others, 
 and  this  becaufe  their  lands  were  afllgned  to  tlie 
 Irilh  foldiers  whom  Cromwell  had  baniflied  their 
 country.  This  Prince,  not  content  witli  this 
 mark  of  their  lubmiffion  and  the  incredible  fa- 
 tigues it  brought  upon  them,  fent  troops,  who 
 treated  as  they  liked  thefe  poor  difarmed  people, 
 and  made  the  moft  horrid  mallacres.  It  is  impof- 
 fible  to  give  an  idea  of  the  barbarities  com- 
 mitted in  the  courfe  of  this  perlecution%  which 
 was  followed  by  many  others.  Thefe  unhappy 
 perfons,  after  having  been  long  tormented,  were 
 at  length  conftrained  to  leave  their  country  in  the 
 years  1686.  and  1687.  but,  at  the  expiration  of 
 three  years,  the  King  revoked  his  edidis,  and  fuf~ 
 fered  rhem  to  return. 
 
 The  Proteftant  churches  in  Hungary  had,  for 
 fome  time,  enjoyed  the  liberty  of  profeffing  their 
 religion  ;  a  liberty  which  many  Kings  had  grant- 
 ed and  confirmed  to  them,  and  which  the  Ro- 
 man catholic  clergy  were  always  upon  the 
 watch  to  find  out  occafion  to  take  it  from 
 them.  Under  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Leo- 
 pold there  was  a  violent  periecution.  The  re- 
 volt of  feveral  of  the  great  people  in  Hungary 
 againll  the  Emperor,  furniihed  the  ocQafion  the 
 enemies  of  the  Proteftants  lought  for,  and  under 
 this  pretence  the  innocent  fuffered  for  the  crimes 
 of  the  guilty.  This  happened  in  the  year  1671. 
 At  firft  the  principal  revolters  were  condemned 
 
 »  Thefe  tracrical  events  arc  faithfully  related  by  Jolin  I-cige, 
 in  his  des  Hiftoire  eglifcs  V^audois.  —  An  abridgment  ib  made 
 of  it  by  Peter  Boger. 
 
 to 
 
172     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 to  lofe  their  heads  -,  in  the  courfe  of  three  years 
 afterwards  the  churches  of  the  Reformed  were 
 feized  by  main  force,  and  thofe  who  had  any 
 employment  in  the  churches  or  fchools  were 
 cited  to  appear  at  Ternau  and  Prefbourg,  as  ac- 
 complices in  the  confpiracy  and  rebellion.  When 
 they  prefented  themfelves  they  were  commanded 
 to  iign  a  paper,  in  which  were  expreffed  certain 
 engagements  they  were  obliged  to  enter  into. 
 Thofe  who  refufed  were  thrown  into  dark  dun- 
 geons, and  treated  with  extreme  cruelty.  For- 
 ty-one of  them  were  condemned  in  1675.  to  the 
 gallies  •,  and  being  conduced  to  Naples  in  order 
 to  fubmit  to  their  fevere  fate,  were  indebted  for 
 their  deliverance  to  the  charitable  interception 
 of  Michael  Ruyter,  the  celebrated  Dutch  Ad- 
 miral, who  happened  to  come  exactly  at  that  time 
 before  Naples,  and  obtained  their  liberty.  The 
 other  confefTors  detained  in  prifon  likewife  pro- 
 cured their  freedom  by  the  Iblicitation  of  the 
 States  General  % 
 
 ARTICLE        V. 
 
 Of     the    Controversies    in    the    Roman 
 Catholic    Church. 
 
 THE  ancient  difpute  between  the  Francif- 
 cans  and  Dominicans  refpe6ting  the  imma- 
 culate conception  of  the  blefled  Virgin,  was 
 ao-ain  revived  about  this  time  principally  in  Spain. 
 The  Dominicans  advanced,  that  the  conception 
 of  the  mother  of  Chrift  was  not  free  from  the 
 {lain  of  original  fin.  The  Franciicans  warmly 
 fupported  the  contrary.  The  do6trine  of  the  lat- 
 ter was  fo  well  received  in  the  Roman  church, 
 that  many  Popes  openly  approved  it,  and  it  was 
 
 a  See  Heidegger's  hifloria  Papatus,  and  Arnold's  hift.  de 
 I'eglife  et  des  herefies,  lib.  xix.  ch.  2. 
 
 confirmed 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY-    175 
 
 confirmed  by  the  decifions  of  the  councils  of 
 Bale  and  Trent.  They  had  even  more  than 
 once  taken  the  refolution  to  command  that  it 
 fnould  be  generally  taught,  and  looked  upon  as 
 an  article  of  faith,  to  believe  that  the  bleffed 
 Virgin  was  never  tainted  with  original  fin.  How- 
 ever, the  Dominicans  preferved  their  credit,  and 
 io  much  of  the  good  will  of  the  Popes,  as  to 
 hinder  this  declaration  being  made,  fo  that  their 
 do(5lrine  was  not  as  yet  formally  and  authen- 
 tically condemned.  Phihp  III.  and  Philip  IV. 
 Kings  of  Spain,  made  ufe  of  all  their  endeavours 
 to  procure  fuch  a  condemnation  from  the  Popes 
 Paul  V.  Gregory  XV.  and  Alexander  VII.  but 
 they  had  no  other  advantage  from  their  repeated 
 requefts  than  a  confirmation  of  the  ancient  regu- 
 lations on  this  fubjed,  and  a  new  order  to  all  thofe 
 who  were  employed  in  any  public  offices  of  re- 
 ligion, to  defend  and  fupport  the  dodrine  of  the 
 immaculation.  The  Popes  could  not  be  prevailed 
 on  to  do  any  thing  more,  and  though  they  were 
 much  iblicited  to  pafs  a  decifive  fentence  againft 
 the  opinion  of  the  Dominicans,  yet  they  anfwer- 
 ed,  they  could  not  do  it  unlefs  they  had  an  ex- 
 prefs  revelation  on  the  fubje6t. 
 
 Many  other  difputes  alfo  that  had  much  dif- 
 turbed  the  church  in  the  fifth  and  fixth  centuries, 
 were  now  alfo  renewed,  namely,  thofe  which  re- 
 fpefted  the  power  of  free-will,  the  neceffity  of 
 divine  grace,  to  |enable  men  to  do  good  aftions, 
 how  this  grace  adls,  and  the  dodtrine  of  predef- 
 tination.  The  Dominicans  and  Jefuits  fupported 
 contrary  opinions,  and  defended  them  with  mu- 
 tual warmth.  The  Dominicans  attached  to  the 
 principles  of  Thomas  Aquins,  advanced  on  thefe 
 articles  the  doctrine  of  St.  Auftin.  This  was 
 alfo  at  firft,  in  our  opinion,  the  dodrine  of  the 
 Jeluits'  fcbools,    until    Leonard    LelTius   in  the 
 
 Low 
 
174    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Low  Countries,  and  Lewis  Molina  in  Spain,  about 
 the  c'ld  of  the  fixteenth  century,  fo  much  op- 
 poled  thefe  notions  as  to  give  occafion  to  the 
 clergy  of  the  Roman  church,  and  particularly  to 
 the  Dominicans,  to  accufe  them  of  fcmipelagia- 
 nifm,  and  to  condemn  openly  their  opinions. 
 Thele  difputes  caufcd  great  difturbance,  at  laft 
 Pope  Clement  VIII.  to  whom  this  affair  was  re- 
 ferred, appointed  the  celebrated  congregation 
 de  Auxiliis  to  deliberate  upon,  and  determine 
 thefe  matters.  With  all  this  they  could  never 
 come  to  a  decifion.  The  Pope  feemed  to 
 incline  to  the  fide  of  the  Dominicans  •,  and  it 
 is  with  good  reafon  fuppofed,  that  he  would  have 
 publicly  condemned  the  dodrine  of  the  Jefuits, 
 if  death  had  not  prevented  the  execution  of  his 
 defigns. 
 
 Paul  V.  who  fucceeded  to  the  pontifical  fee, 
 defired  to  renew  and  continue  the  examination  of 
 thefe  con  trove  rfies.  There  is  no  doubt  to  be 
 made  that  the  difpofitions  of  this  Pope,  with  re- 
 fpe6t  to  the  Jefuits  and  their  opinions,  were  the 
 fame  with  thole  of  his  predecelTor  ;  fo  that  the 
 condemnation  of  this  dodrine  appeared  only  to 
 be  deferred  by  the  death  of  Clement.  The  very- 
 bull  condemning  the  opinion  of  the  Lcyolites 
 was,  as  they  pretended,  already  prepared;  but  the 
 unjufl  war  which  this  Pope  entered  into  againft 
 the  Venetians  prevented  it's  publication,  and  the 
 Jef^.iits  upon  this  occafion  exprelTed  fo  great  a 
 zeal  in  favour  of  the  fee  of  Rome,  and  fo  entire 
 a  devotion  to  the  interefts  of  the  Popes,  that 
 Paul  thought  it  incumbent  on  him  to  fhew  them 
 fome  regard  and  favour.  Having  fupprefTed  the 
 firfl  bull,  he  granted  the  two  parties  a  liberty  of 
 propofing  freely  their  opinions  in  the  fchools,  if 
 they  did  it  with  modefty,  and  without  attacking 
 
 cash 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    175 
 
 each  other*.  The  fucceeding  Popes  thotighc 
 proper  to  conceal  the  acts  relative  to  this  affair, 
 they  having,  in  the  warmth  of  the  difputes  againft 
 Janfenifm,  pronounced  a  judgment  quite  contrary 
 to  the  preceding.  This  re-animated  the  courage 
 of  the  Jefuits  and  their  partifans,  fo  that  they 
 entirely  difguiled  the  truth  of  the  firft  procedures, 
 and  gave  an  account  of  every  thing  very  different 
 from  what  had  happened. 
 
 By  this  we  fee,  that  in  all  the  preceding  con- 
 troverfies  the  Popes  had  confiderably  favoured 
 the  doflrine  of  St.  Auftin  and  St.  Thomas,  in 
 contradiftion  to  the  new  tenets  of  the  Jefuits. 
 But  they  by  no  means  acted  in  the  fame  manner 
 refpeding  the  opinions  of  Cornelius  Janfenius, 
 though  they  did  not  at  all  differ  from  thofe  which 
 had  hitherto  met  with  their  approbation.  Janfe- 
 nius, who  was  at  tiril  a  divinity  Profeffor  in  theuni- 
 verfityof  Louvain,  and  afterwards  became  Bifhop 
 of  Upres  ^,  fpent  much  time  in  the  reading  of  the 
 Fathers,  and  had  received  fingular  pleafure  from 
 the  works  of  St.  Auftin.  After  having  frequent- 
 ly read  over  the  works  of  this  father,  he  form- 
 ed a  defign  of  explaining  from  hij-  writings 
 the  true  do6lrine  on  the  power  of  free-will, 
 and  the  neceffity  of  divine  grace,  to  free  men 
 from  the  taint  of  original  fm.  Upon  this  fub- 
 jed;  therefore  he  wrote  a  very  large  treatife, 
 which  he  intitled  Auguftinus,  and  which  never 
 law  light  till  after  the  death  of  the  author  in 
 1639.  This  work  was  no  fooner  publifhed  but 
 it  was  read  with  all  eagernefs  j  numbers  of  di- 
 
 *  See  the  account  Welfman  gives  of  this  afFairin  the  nine- 
 teenth century  of  his  hiftory.  He  mentions  alfo  the  principal 
 writers  on  both  fides.     See  alfo  Heidegger. 
 
 •»  See  the  article  Janfenius  in  Bayle's  diftionan,',  and  the 
 three  firft  books  of  the  hiftoire  du  Janfenifm,  in  Litin,  by 
 Melchior  Zeidekker,  z  Reformed  writer. 
 
 ▼ines 
 
176    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 vines  greatly  approved  it  in  the  Low  Countries, 
 in  France,  and  even  among  the  Dodors  of  the 
 Sorbonne.  But  as  the  Jefuics  were  frequent- 
 ly and  feverely  attacked,  and  as  the  author  had 
 in  anothf  r  way  drawn  upon  himfelf  the  hatred  of 
 Cardinal  Richlieu,  the  reading  of  his  works  was, 
 by  their  folicitation,  prohibited  at  Rome.  In 
 1^41.  and  in  the  following  year.  Pope  Urban 
 VIII.  condemned  it,  as  full  of  the  errors  of  Mi- 
 chael Bayus,  who  had  been  long  fince  folemnly 
 condemned.  A  new  decree  in  1664.  confirmed 
 the  firil. 
 
 The  docftrine  and  tenets  of  Janfenius  met, 
 however,  with  many  partifans  and  defenders,  par- 
 ticularly in  the  Low  Countries,  who  employed 
 every  effort  in  their  fupport.  The  principal  were 
 James  Boonen,  Archbifhop  of  Malines,  Henry 
 Calenus,  Canon  of  the  fame  city,  and  Arch- 
 pried  of  Bruffels,  and  Libertus  Fromond,  difciple 
 and  friend  of  Janfenius,  and  who  fucceeded  him 
 in  his  Profefforfhip  at  Louvain.  Many  people  in 
 France  were  attached  to  Janfenius  and  his  notions, 
 and  the  hatred  the  Jefuits  had  drawn  upon  them- 
 felves  by  their  dangerous  dodrines  and  artful 
 proceedings, ferved  greatly  toincreafe  the  Janfenifl: 
 party.  This  caufe  had  alfo  the  great  advantage  to 
 be  fupported  from  it's  very  beginning  by  Ibme 
 very  learned  men,  and  fome  writers  much  efteemed, 
 fucli   were  Blaffe   Pafchal,   Anthony  Arnauld  % 
 
 ^  ArnaulJ  continued  long  to  be  the  head  of  the  party,  but 
 after  the  death  of  his  great  friend  and  proteftrefs  Madame  de 
 Longueville,  he,  feafing  the  power  of  his  enemies,  retired 
 into  the  Low  Countries.  He,  whofe  nephew  was  prime  Mi- 
 nilier,  and  who  had  few  inferiors  in  learning  and  eloquence, 
 and  who  ought  to  have  been  Cardinal,  retired  unknown, 
 without  fortune,  without  attendants.  He  lived  till  1694..  in 
 ,this  retreat,  known  only  to  his  friends.  Superior  to  his  evil 
 fortune,  he  continued  always  writing  to  the  lad,  and  to  the 
 laft  Ihewfed  a  noble,  brave,  and  unfhaken  foul. 
 
 and. 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  177 
 and  Peter  Nicholas  %  mcil  of  whofe  works  arc 
 compofed  with  much  learning  and  eloquence. 
 The  firft  particularly  by  his  incomparable  Pro- 
 vincial Letters  ^  gave  the  Jefuits  a  blow  which 
 they  never  recovered.  This  fociety,  however^ 
 ready  at  expedients  and  then  enjoying  much 
 influence,  found  not  only  means  to  relifl  thefe 
 attacks,  but  even  intirely  to  opprefs  their  ene- 
 tnies.  The  five  celebrated  propofitions  which 
 they  took  from  the  works  of  Janfenius  were 
 lent  to  Rome  to  Pope  Innocent  X,  who  con- 
 demned them  by  a  particular  bull  given  in  i6^^, 
 though  he  had  profefled  to  Luke  Holftenius  that 
 he  was  no  divine,  and  underftood  nothing  of 
 thefe  queflions.  This  method  of  proceeding  be- 
 ing very  hurtful  to  the  Janfenifls,  thofc  in  France^ 
 to  take  away  it's  force,  introduced  at  firft  a  dif- 
 tindion  between  right  and  fadl,  acknowledging, 
 that  the  propofitions  condemned  by  the  Pope,  had 
 been  a  bon  droits  but  pretended  that  the  fenfe  to 
 "Which  this  condemnation  belonged,  was  not  that 
 of  Janfenius.  Innocent,  to  deprive  them  of 
 the  advantage  of  their  diftlndlion,  puWifhed 
 another  bull  in  1654-,  in  which  he  declared  that 
 
 =  Mr.  Voltaire  fpeaks  of  thefe  letters  as  a  model  of  wit 
 and  eloquence.  The  comedies  of  Mollere,  he  fays,  have 
 jiot  more  wit  than  the  firft  Provincial  letters. 
 
 b  I  am  furprixed  our  Author  does  not  mention  Du  Quefnel, 
 whofe  book  of  Reflexions  on  the  New  Teftament  is  well  knowii 
 and  dcfervedly  efteemed.  This  book  made  much  noife  and 
 gained  it's  Author  the  name  of  a  Janfenift.  He  retired  with 
 Arnauld  into  the  low  countries,  but  he  was  not  fuffered  to 
 remain  unmolefted  there,  being  ftlll  perfecuted  by  the  party. 
 He  was  put,  by  order  of  the  king  of  Spain,  into  prifon  in 
 the  Archbilhopric  of  Mecklin,  from  which  he  was  delivered 
 by  a  gentleman,  who  broke  down  the  wall.  After  his  efcape 
 he  retired  to  Amfterdam,  where  he  lived  to  extreme  old 
 age,  and  founded  in  Holland  fome  inconflderable  Janfenift 
 cliurches. 
 
 Vol.  II.  N  the 
 
178  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 the  propofitions  condemned,  in  efFedl  included  the 
 true  dodrine  of  Janlenius. 
 
 This  did  not  prevent  the  Janlenifts  frora  mak- 
 ing  ule  of  their  diftinction,  this  being  their  laft 
 refource. 
 
 Alexander  VII.  fuccefibr  to  Boniface,  perceiv- 
 ing this,  publiflied  in  the  month  of  Odober,  in 
 the  fame  year,  a  new  bull,  by  which  the  condem- 
 nation of  the  five  propofitions  of  Janfcnius  were 
 repeated  and  folemnly  confirmed  ;  exprefs  men- 
 tion being  alfo  made,  that  thefe  propofitions  were 
 taken  in  the  fame  fenfe  that  Janfenius  afKxed  to 
 them.  They  had  before  drawn  up  an  a6l  or 
 edid  prolcribing  the  propofitions  of  Janfenius 
 as  containing  the  true  fenfe  of  their  author 
 iiccording  to  the  declaration  of  Innocent  X.  and 
 Alexander  VIL  The  greatefl  part  of  the  French 
 Bifnops  prefented  this  a6l  for  the  clergy  of  their 
 dioceifes  to  fign  and  they  rigoroufly  infifled  upon 
 the  fubfcription  ^  The  quelfion  was  then  put  by 
 the  former,  whether  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope 
 ought  to  be  acknowledged  in  things  of  fa6t  ? 
 The  Jefuits  fupported  this,  and  the  Janfenifts 
 denied  it  i  and  though  Pope  Alexander,  by  a 
 new  bull,  in  1665,  confirmed  the  preceding, 
 and  inferted  the  ad  drawn  up  in  the  name  of  the 
 Bifhops  i  and  though  an  edid  gave  this  bull  the 
 force  of  a  law  in  the  kingdom,  the  Janfenifls 
 continued  to  find  out  new  fubterfuges. 
 
 Clement  IX.  and  Innocent  XI.  fuccefTors  of 
 Alexander,  were  not  fo  vehement  in  their  oppofi- 
 tion  i  and,  perhaps,  the  heat  of  the  difpute 
 would  have  been  pretty  well  over,  if  Alexander 
 VIII.  had  not  propofed  a  new  cenfure  on  the  te- 
 nets of  Janlenius,  and  if  Innocent  XII.  had  not 
 
 a  Mnny  of  tlifm  who  refufed  to  fubfcribe  were  put  into 
 prjlbn,  and  tieated  with  great  rigour. 
 
 publifhed 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  179 
 
 pyblifhed  new  bulls,  ftill  ftronger  than  the  pre- 
 ceding, againft  the  five  propofitions  fo  often 
 condemned.  In  this  manner  tiie  Janfenifts'  dis- 
 pute continued  in  the  eighteenth  century,  pro- 
 ducing much  dillurbance,  until  their  ridiculous 
 convulfions  brought  the  party  into  great  dii- 
 credit*. 
 
 The  myflic  divinity  took  it's  rife  in  the  Greek 
 church  in  the  fifth  century,  from  whence  it  was 
 carried  into  the  weft,  about  the  thirteenth  cen- 
 tury, where  it  was  held,  for  feme  time,  in  niuch 
 efteem,  but  feemed  intirely  to  have  loft  it's  cre- 
 dit after  the  Reformation.  This  do6trine  was 
 revived,  if  I  may  lb  fay,  in  this  century,  and 
 conferred  much  efteem  and  reputationon  thol'e 
 who  brought  it  into  vogue.  C3ne  of  it's  prin- 
 cipal reftorers  was  Michael  de  Molinos%  a  Spa- 
 hifti  prieft,  who  had  a  great  character  for  piety 
 
 ^  The  remains  of  fanaticifm  ftlll  fubfifted  amongft  a  fmall 
 number  of  the  lower  people  in  Paris.  Some  enthufiaft^  ima- 
 gined that  a  certain  Deacon  called  Paris,  who  was  interred  in 
 the  burying  place  of  St.  Madred,  would  work  miracles ;  and 
 a  few  perfons  of  that  party  going  to  pray  by  his  tomb,  found 
 their  imaginations  fo  itruck^  as  to  give  them  flight  convul- 
 fions. Immediately  upon  this  the  tomb  was  furrounded  by 
 people  ;  crouds  came  to  it  by  night  and  by  day.  Thofe  who 
 got  upon  it,  by  getting  up,  gave  their  bodies  a  ihake,  which 
 they  themfelves  took  for  a  prodigy.  Some  of  the  fecret  fa- 
 vourers of  the  party  encouraged  this  phrenzy.  Prayers  were 
 iaid  in  the  vulgar  tongue  around  the  tomb  ;  nothing  waa 
 fpoke  of  but  deaf  perfons  who  had  heaxd  fome  few  words  ;  of 
 blind  who  had  feen  a  little ,  of  lame  who  had  walked  itrait 
 for  a  few  moments.  The  government,  for  a  month,  aban- 
 doned this  epidemical  difordcr  to  itfclf.  But  the  crowds  in- 
 creafed,  miracles  were  redoubled,  and  it  was  found  neceffary 
 to  place  a  guard  around  the  burying  ground.  The  tomb  of 
 Deacon  Paris  was,  in  efleft,  the  tomb  of  Janfenifm  in  the 
 minds  of  all  fenfible  people.  Thefe  farces  would  have  been 
 attended  by  very  fatal  tfiecls  in  lefs  enlightened  times,  but 
 this  century  was  not  to  be  thus  impofed  upon.  Voltaire. 
 
 N  z  and 
 
i8o    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 and  lim^'tity  in  his  own  country,  and  afterwards 
 at  Rome  -,  where  he  went  and  made  a  great  many 
 difciplcs  of  both  fexes,  attached  many  Cardinals 
 to  his  intercfts,  and  found  many  people  extreme- 
 ly zealous  for  him  -,  fo  that  he  lived  to  fee  him- 
 felf,  without  his  expedlation  or  defire,  the  chief 
 of  a  new  feft.  It  took  the  name  of  Quietists, 
 a  word  that  had  been  already  ufed  in  the  Greek 
 church,  and  which  referred  to  the  repofe  of  fouls, 
 which  the  preachers  of  this  doftrine  promif- 
 ed  to  their  followers.  Molinos  wrote  a  treatife 
 in  Spanifli,  and  publifiied  it  in  1675.  it  was  af- 
 terwards tranflated  into  Latin,  and  printed  at 
 Rome,  in  168 1.  under  the  title  of  "  The  Spiri- 
 "  tual  Guide."  Some  of  thofe  who  read  it  pre- 
 tended to  find  in  it  the  errors  of  the  Begards  and 
 Beguines,  very  dangerous  ones,  and  which,  ac- 
 cording to  them,  opened  a  door  to  vice,  and  li- 
 centioufnefs.  It  is  very  true  that  Molinos  had  in- 
 troduced into  his  book  many  of  the  opinions  of 
 ancient  my  flics,  dreffed  them  up  in  a  new  form,  and 
 treated  them  in  a  more  agreeable  manner  than  they 
 had  been  hitherto  done.  The  fubflance  of  this 
 doctrine  confifled  in  faying,  "  that  the  perfedl 
 "  flate  of  a  Chriflian  confills  in  the  repofe  of  the 
 "  foul,  which  is  only  to  be  obtained  in  a  pafTive 
 "  Hate  ;  fo  that  he  has  no  will  or  defire  that  is 
 "^  properly  his  own,  that  he  gives  up  himfelf  in- 
 "  tirely  to  God  and  his  influence,  for  to  produce 
 "  in  him  whatever  he  pleafes.  By  this  the 
 *'  Chriflian  arrives  at  a  pure  love  of  God,  exempt 
 "  from  all  private  interefls ;  he  thinks  of  nei- 
 "  ther  rewards  nor  punifliments  ,    he  troubles 
 
 a  The  hiilory  of  this  herefy  is  fully  related  in  Arnold's 
 Hiftoire  des  herefies,  and  in  Weifinann,  p.  530.  See  Bifliop 
 Burnet's  travels. 
 
 «  himfelf 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  18 1 
 *'  himfelf  neither  about  his  falvation  nor  damna- 
 "  tion  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  beholds  all  objects 
 "  with  a  perfed  indifference  ;  and  in  this  itate 
 "  he  cannot  fin,  he  ftands  in  no  need  of  any 
 *^  exterior  divine  worfhip,  and  whatfoever  he 
 "  does  it  is  the  fame  thing." 
 
 Thefe  notions  that  had  been  tolerated  in  the 
 ancient  Myllics,  had  not  the  lame  fate  in  Spain  ; 
 they  were  v.ery  ill  received,  and  brought  fevere 
 punifliments  on  tlioCe  who  profelfed  them.  Mo- 
 linos  was  carried  before  the  Inquifition,  and  nei- 
 ther the  num.ber  nor  credit  of  his  followers, 
 nor  even  the  efteem  of  Pope  Innocent  XI.  could 
 prevent  his  being  call  into  prifon  in  1685.  Af- 
 ter long  and  fevere  proceedings  againil  him  and 
 his  friends,  Molinos  was  condemned,  as  being  the 
 chief  of  the  fetl,  to  a  public  penance,  to  a  re- 
 tractation of  all  his  errors,  and  to  perpetual  im- 
 prilbnment.  Pope  Innocent,  thoygh  he  had 
 iliewn  much  favour  to  Molinos,  yet  condemned 
 his  dodtrine,  exprelfed  in  fixty-eightpropofitions. 
 This  happened  in  1689.  and  the  prilbner  ended 
 his  miferable  life  in  1696. 
 
 Notwithftanding  this  famous  profcription  of 
 Qviietilm,  the  fe6t  met  with  many  followers  in 
 Italy  and  at  Rome,  and  even  in  France  and 
 Spain,  fome  of  whom  undertook  to  preach  and 
 propagate  their  tenets.  A  Barnabite  father,  nam- 
 ed Francis  de  )^  Comte,  a  profeffor  of  Qiiietiim, 
 made  a  zealous  proielite  of  Jane  Maria  Bouviers 
 de  la  Mothe  Guyon  %  a  lady  who,  with  many 
 perlbnai  charms,  poifeffed  a  foul  of  lb  much  fen- 
 fibility  and  tendernefs,  was  eafily  difpofed  her  to 
 piety   and   devotion.      She  was  held  at  iirft  in 
 
 *  We  have  an  account  of  her  life,  written  by  herfelf,  in 
 French,  and  printed  at  Coloone  ia  J721.  See  alfo  her  life 
 -//ritten  by  Fenelon, 
 
 great 
 
i82     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 great  reputation,  for  her  extraordinary  and  ir- 
 reproachable behaviour,  and  the  many  works 
 Ihe  publifhed  ma(ie  her  yet  flill  more  famous. 
 In  the  rnean  time  the  affair  of  Molinos  hap- 
 pened, which  brought  the  myftic  divinity  into 
 to  much  difgrace,  and  rendered  it  odious.  This 
 lady,  who,  according  to  all  appearance,  was  very 
 fincerely  pious,  but  had  hurt  her'  mind  by  the 
 obfcure  ideas,  and  ambiguous  expreflions  of  the 
 Myilics,  fliared  the  fame  fate  of  the  reft  of  the 
 party.  Perfecuted  by  the  Bifhops  of  Geneva  and. 
 Grenoble  jQie  came  to  Paris,  where  (lie  conciliated 
 the  efteeni  and  aiFeftion  of  many  people  of  the 
 firft  rank  of  both  fexes.  But  this  calm  did  not 
 laft  long,  but  Vv?as  followed  by  a  violent  tempeft". 
 Some  of  the  prmcipal  prelates,  at  the  head  of 
 whom  was  Francis  de  Plarlay,  Archbifhop  of 
 Paris,  Lewis  Anthony  de  Noailles,  who  was  af- 
 terwards Archbifhop  of  the  fame  place,  then 
 Billiop  of  Chalons,  and  James  Benignus  Bof- 
 fuet,  Biiliop  of  Meaux  •,  thefe  Bifliops  attacked 
 the  doclrine  of  Madam  Guyon,  condemned  it, 
 and  oppoied  articles  which  contained  the  true 
 faith,  and  feized  her  perlbn,  putting  her  more 
 than  once  into  prifon.  She  found  an  excellent 
 defender  in  the  celebrated  Fenelon,  the  Arch- 
 billiop  of  Cambray  %  who,  perfuaded  of  the  in- 
 nocence of  this  lady,  and  of  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
 trine on  pure  love,  wrote  a  book  which  he  called 
 "  Maxims  of  tiie  faints,"  and  which  v/as  publifh- 
 ed without  the  knowledge  of  the  author  in  1697. 
 The  Bilhop  of  Meaux,  who  had  publiOied  a  paf- 
 toral  letter,  to  preferye  his  diocels  from  the  fup- 
 
 a  The^e  fafts  are  fairly  ftated  in  the  Hiftoire  de  la  vie  de 
 Ardibveqiie  dc  Cambray,  priuted  at  the  Haf^ue  in  1723.  in 
 
 (bvo.     Set;  alio  Weifman.  Seft.  .^vil.  y>   544. 
 
 pofcd 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    183 
 
 ppfed  polfonous  dodtrine  of  Madam  Guyon,  op- 
 pofed  the  Archbifhop  ofCambray,  and  obtained 
 leave  of  the  King  to  have  their  caufe  carried  to 
 Rome\  The  court  of  this  capital  of  the  Chrif- 
 tian  world  at  that  tune  fo  greatly  feared  the  King 
 of  France,  that  Innocent  XII.  though  againil  liis 
 inclination,  in  1699.  condemned  the  book  of  t]ic 
 Archbilhop  of  Cambray  •,  but  this  prelate  expref- 
 fed  fo  great  lubmilhon  to  the  church,  and  fo 
 perfecTta  difmtereflednefs,  that  he  fully  acquiefced 
 in  the  Pope's  decree,  and  ingenuoully  piibliflied 
 it  throughout  his  whole  diocefs. 
 
 ARTICLE         VI. 
 
 Means    employed    for   the    Reunion    of   the 
 Roman    and    Protestant   Churches. 
 
 THOUGH  all  the  meafures  which  had  been 
 taken  in  the  fixteenth  century  to  re-efta- 
 blilli  peace  and  concord  between  the  church  of 
 Rome  and  the  Proteitant  communion,  had  been 
 hitherto  intirely  fruitlefs,  yet  they  thought  that 
 in  this  century  they  ought  again  to  try  the  fuc- 
 cefs  of  this  projed,  but  they  ftill  met  with  the 
 fame  difficulties.  At  firft  they  had  recourfe  to 
 conferences,  though  they  might  be  eafily  con- 
 vinced, by  running  over  the  annals  of  all  church 
 hiftory,  no  advantage  could  ever  refult  froni 
 them.  In  the  beginning  of  this  century  in  1601. 
 they  held  a  conference  atRatifbon,  under  the 
 aufpices  of  Maximilian,  Dilke  of  Bavaria,  and 
 Philip  Lewis,  Count  Palatine  of  Newbours^, 
 fome  celebrated   divines  of  the  Roman  church 
 
 *  There  is  a  good  examination  of  this  controverfy  >n  a 
 work  by  Mr.  Jurieu,  intitled,  Traitcs  hiftoriques,  contenant  le 
 jugemcnt  d'un  Protellant  fur  la  Theologic  mylHque,  et  fur 
 les  demeles  de  I'H'vetiuede  Meaux  avec  I'Archerjquc  dc  Cam- 
 bray.    It  is  printed  in  Svo. 
 
 N  4  difpULCd 
 
i84    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 difputed  with  divines  of  the  Lutheran  commu- 
 nion equally  famous,  on  the  true  rule  of  faith  and 
 the  fupreme  judges  of  controverfies;  but  they 
 could  agree  upon  nothing.  In  the  month  of  No- 
 vember of  the  fame  year,  and  in  the  fame  city, 
 they  had  another  fuch  aflembly  by  way  of  fupple- 
 ment  to  the  former,  but  it  was  equally  unfuccefsful. 
 In  1 612.  George  Frederic,  Marquis  de Baden,  and 
 Francis,  Duke  of  Lorrain,  brought  together,  at 
 Dourlach,  fomc  learned  Catholics  and  Proteftants, 
 .amicably  to  confer  on  Ibme  articles  of  Chrillianity. 
 But  as  the  Duke  of  Lorrain,  by  the  perfuafion  of 
 the  Jefuits,  infifted  upon  the  Proteftants  fhewing, 
 without  having  any  regard  to  confequences,  that 
 the  Roman  Catholic  doftrine,  formerly  publifhed 
 in  certain  proportions  was  clearly  condemned  in 
 icripture  •,  and  the  Duke  perfifting  obftinately  in 
 his  demand,  and  they  immediately  feparated.  The 
 conference  of  Newbourg,  in  the  upper  Palatinate, 
 was  held  loon  afterwards  in  1615.  at  which  the 
 Prince  Palatine  Wolfgang  "William  aflifted,  who 
 had  juft  then  embraced  popery.  The  difputants 
 were  James  Heilbronner,  a  diftinguiflied  divine 
 of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  a  Jefuit,  named 
 James  Keller.  The  difpute  principally  turned  on' 
 the  authenticity  of  many  teftimonies  of  the  fa- 
 thers, that  Heilbronner  had  quoted  in  one  of  his 
 works.  —  But  of  all  the  alTemblies,  that  called 
 the  conference  of  charity  was,  without  difpute 
 the  moft  famous,  it  was  held  at  Thorn  in  Polifli 
 Prufna  1645.  by  order  of  Uladiflas  IV.  the  King 
 of  Poland.  The  intention  of  this  treaty  was  fo, 
 that  the  three  churches,  Roman,  Lutheran,  and 
 Reformed,  fhould  examine  if  any  efficacious 
 means  could  be. thought  of  amicably  to.  accom- 
 modate and  put  an  end  to  the  difputes  which  fo 
 long  divided  them.     Every  body  muft  know  that 
 
 all 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    1S5 
 
 all  thefe  attempts  muft  be  vain,  and  therefore  ic 
 would  be  lofing  time  to  mention  others. 
 
 Experience  had  fully  taught  thofe  of  more  un- 
 derftanding  in  the  Roman  church,  that  they 
 would  never  gain  much  advantage  from  any  pub- 
 lic difputes,  as  they  would  never  bring  them  to  the 
 wiflied-for  point;  they  had  recourfe,  therefore,  to 
 more  artful  means,  and  tried  a  way  which  to  them 
 appeared  Ihort  and  certain.  It  confided  in  finding 
 out  new  methods,  by  means  of  which  they  might, 
 in  their  difputes  with  the  Proteflants,  be  lefs  ex- 
 pofed  to  the  force  of  their  objedions,  and  might 
 gain  them  over  by  palliating  their  own  do(5l^nes^ 
 Some  of  thofe  who  hit  on  this  method,  thought 
 they  had  nothing  more  to  do  than  to  oblige  the 
 Proteftants  to  found  their  tenets,  as  well  affirma- 
 tive as  negative,  on  exprefs  texts  of  fcripture, 
 without  allovv'ing  them  to  pay  any  regard  to  con- 
 fequences.  Thus  a6led  Cardinal  du  Perron, 
 Gontier,  and  V^eron,  particularly  the  brothers 
 Walembourg,  and  many  others  whom  we  fhall 
 not  mention.  Others  again  fuppofed  they  had 
 difcovered  a  wonderful  fecret  in  proceeding  with 
 the  Proteflants  in  a  juridical  way,  and  alledging 
 to  them  prefcriptions,  which,  according  to  them, 
 decided  in  favour  of  the  Roman  church  ;  that  is 
 to  fay,  the  long  pofleflion  of  riches  and  preroga- 
 tives which  that  church  had  enjoyed.  This  me- 
 thod, fliort  and  fure,  if  they  could  alledge  any 
 prefcription  againft  right  realbn  and  true  religion, 
 was  adopted  by  Barthold  Nibufeus,  who  had  for- 
 
 *  This  fiibjefl  is  fully  treated  hy  George  Callxtus  in  his 
 Digrefio  de  arte  nova,  printed  at  Helmftadt  in  1634.  and  by 
 Fred.  Spanheiin,  the  fon,  in  his  Specimen  Itridlurarum  a  J 
 libelluin  n-.ifT.iruni  BofTucttii,  and  in  his  Exercitatio  de  pre- 
 fcriptione  in  rebus  fideiadverAis  novos  mcthodiitas  pontificios, 
 and  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  where  he  aniwcrs  the  illufions  of 
 this  new  method.  AW  thefe  pieces  are  to  be  found  in  the  third 
 yt.'lume  of  his  works.     See  alio  Heidegger  Hiiloria  Papatus. 
 
 faken 
 
i86    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 iciken  the  Lutheran  church,  by  Henry  Marcel- 
 lius  a  Jefuit,  and  by  the  brothers  Walembourg. 
 Many  amongft  them  were  of  opinion,  that  the 
 reproach  of  novelty  was  ilifficient  to  overthrow 
 the  Proteftant  churches  ;  being  an  objedion 
 which  they  could  never  get  over.  Cardinal  Per- 
 ron and  father  Cotton,  the  Jefuit,  laid  muchltrefs 
 upon  this  accufation,  and  others  followed  their  ex- 
 ample. The  Walembourgs  publifhed  a  largework, 
 in  which  they  confidered  this  argument  in  all  it's 
 extent  -,  the  refult  of  which  was,  that,  without 
 entering  into  the  merit  of  the  do6trine  of  the 
 Proteftants,  they  could  confound  them  by  exa- 
 mining, fimply,  on  what  the  miflion  of  the  firft 
 teachers  of  their  church  was  founded,  and  what 
 were  the  charafters  of  that  miffion.  Cardinal 
 l^chlieu,  to  whom  France  is  indebted  for  the 
 high  degree  of  power  which  he  obtained  for  her, 
 invented  a  method  of  controverfy,  which  bore 
 his  name,  and  which  has  been  publifhed  fince 
 his  deceale.  It  confifted  in  laying  afide  the  exa- 
 mination of  the  dodtrine,  and  oppofed  continu- 
 ally to  the  Proteftants  the  only  article  of  the 
 church,  and  her  authority,  as  being,  in  his 
 opinion,  a  battery  fufficient  to  filence  all  their 
 attacks.  It  would  be  tedious  to  enumerate  all 
 their  other  inventions  of  the  fame  fort,  moft  of 
 which  were  mere  fubtilties.  Wemuflnot,  how- 
 ever, forget  the  BiOiop  de  Meaux,  who  acquired 
 the  moft  glory  in  this  woik,  by  a  treatife,  in- 
 titled  the  Kxpofition  of  the  Chriftian  faith.  In 
 this  work  the  tenets  of  the  Roman  church  are 
 glofled  over  with  fo  much  art,  as  to  ferve  for  a 
 real  fnare,  into  which  many  of  the  ignorant 
 amongfl  Proteftants,  have  frequently  fallen.  It 
 would  be  v/rong,  however,  to  attribute  to  this 
 work  all  the  converfions  that  have  been  wrought  in 
 Prance.  The  dragoons  were  the  bcil  miftlonaries, 
 
 and 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    187 
 
 and  the  gifts  of  which,  PelifTon  was  one  of  the 
 principal  diilributors,  gained  over  many  of  the 
 Reformed. 
 
 ARTICLE        VII. 
 
 Of    the   State    of   the     Greek    Church 
 in    the    East. 
 
 NO  remaikable  changes  took  place  in  the 
 Greek  church,  or  indeed  in  the  Eaftern 
 church  in  general,  either  in  the  pall  century,  or 
 in  that  of  which  we  are  now  writing  the  hiftory 
 we  have  only  to  obferve,  that  their  yoke  of  fervi- 
 tude  and  opprefTion  grew  every  day  more  heavy, 
 upon,  which  account  the  churches  fenfibly  dimi- 
 nillied,  and  fell  into  the  moft  profound  and  fhame- 
 ful  ignorance.  The  patriarchate  of  Conftantino- 
 ple  was  not  the  reward  of  thofe  who  were  moft 
 diftinguiflied  amongft  the  Greek  clergy  for  their 
 learning,  piety,  and  prudence  •,  there  was  no 
 other  way  to  arrive  at  this  dignity  than  by  offer- 
 ing large  fums  for  the  purchafe  of  it.  The  Port 
 put  it  up  at  a  high  price,  and  it  was  fold  to  the 
 beft  bidder.  And  it  frequently  happened  that  he 
 who  had  bought  and  paid  for  it,  was  obliged  to 
 give  up  his  place  to  one  who  ojffered  more.  Of 
 the  truth  of  this  the  hiftory  of  Cyrillus  Lucar  "* 
 furnifhes  us  with  a  fad  and  memorable  example. 
 The  Greek  church  had  not  had,  for  many  cen- 
 
 a  A  learned  Enf^lifhrnan,  Thomas  Smith,  has  inferted  in  his 
 Mifcellanea,  n  piece  intitled,  Narratio  de  vita,  ftudiis,  geftis, 
 et  martytro  Cyrilli  Lucaris.  This  work  printed  at  London, 
 in  8vo.  in  1686.  Another  EngJiibman,  John  Covell,  has 
 likewife  given  an  account  of  the  martyrdom  of  Cyrillus  Lu- 
 car, in  a  work  intitled,  Some  account  of  the  the  prefent  Hate 
 of  the  Greek  clmrch.  —  Conlult  alfo  the  Henrici  fjilarii 
 comment,  in  Philippi  Cyprii  chronlcon  ecclcfis  Grecz: :  and 
 vol.  j:.  of  the  Biblio.  Grec.  of  Fabricus. 
 
 turies 
 
i8S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 turics  lb  wife  and  learned  a  Patriarch.  After  he 
 had  been  for  about  ten  years  Patriarch  of  Alex- 
 andria, he  was^  upon  the  death  of  Neophytus,  ap- 
 apointed  Patriarch  of  the  capital  of  the  Roman 
 empire  in  1612.  but  Timotheus,  by  means  of  a 
 confiderable  fum  of  money,  deprived  him  of  this 
 preferment.  However,  when  he  died  in  1621. 
 Cyrillus  recovered  his  rights,  and  took  pofTefTion 
 of  the  patriarchal  fee.  But  his  uncommon  learn- 
 ing, and  his  other  qualities  no  lefs  rare,  fo  far 
 from  conciliating  the  efleem  and  affedlion  of  the 
 Greek  church,  rendered  him  only  an  objedf  of 
 hatred  and  envy.  As  he  had  a  high  regard  for 
 the  Proteftants,  and  greatly  reliflied  the  doftrine 
 of  the  Reformed,  the  Jefuits  were  fo  irritated 
 againft  him,  that  they  perfuaded  Gregory,  Me- 
 tropolitan of  Amafius,  to  offer  a  large  fum  of 
 money  in  order  to  difpolTefs  Cyrillus  of  his  Patri- 
 archate, and  to  procure  it  for  himfelf ;  but  being 
 not  able  to  raife  money  fufficient,  he  failed  in  the 
 attempt.  The  lawful  Patriarch  was,  indeed, 
 obliged  to  keep  out  of  the  way  for  fome  time, 
 being  fent  into  exile,  but  foon  atter  permifTion 
 was  given  him  to  return  znd  repofTefs  his  place. 
 Neverthelefs,  he  v/as  forced  once  more  to  quit  it, 
 from  fuch  another  attempt  made  by  Athimus, 
 Archbifnop  of  Adrianople,  but  it  ended  like  the 
 former,  with  this  difference  only,  that  Cyrillus 
 was  obliged  to  lay  down  a  confiderable  fum  for 
 his  re-eftablifliment.  The  Jefuits  and  other  emif- 
 faries  of  the  Popes  ftiil  continued  to  lay  fnares 
 for  this  worthy  Patriarch,  but  he  efcaped  therri 
 all  for  a  long  time,  being  fupported  by  the  in- 
 fluence of  the  minifters  of  Great  Britam  and  the 
 United  Provinces.  At  lafl  his  enemies  taking 
 the  adv^antage  of  the  abfence  of  tlie  Sultan,  got 
 kim   out  of  ConftantJaoulc,   put   him  aboard   a 
 
 veffcL 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   189 
 
 vefiel,  and  ftrangled  him  ivhen  they  had  got  him 
 out  at  Tea. 
 
 There  were  in  this  century  many  and  very  warm 
 difputes  on  the  true  and  authentic  dodlrine  of  the 
 Greek  church.  Leo  Allatius,  Peter  Arcudius, 
 Abraham  Ecchellenfis,  and  fome  other  divines  of 
 the  Roman  church,  as  John  Thorn,  Barthold 
 Nihufius,  and  Luke  Hohlenius,  endeavoured  to 
 perfuade  the  world,  that  in  all  the  effential  and 
 fundamental  articles  there  was  not  the  leaft  dif- 
 ference between  the  Roman  and  Eaftern  churches, 
 but  that  they  did,  and  had  always,  perfectly 
 agreed  refpefting  them.  The  Proteftant  divines, 
 on  their  fide,  evidently  fhewed,  both  from  the 
 moil  approved  confefiions  of  faith  among  the 
 Greeks,  from  the  vv^orks  of  their  mod  efteemed 
 writers  in  the  Eaftern  church,  and  alfo  from  the 
 conferences  that  they  themfelves  had  held  with 
 the  Greeks,  that  the  pretenfions  of  the  Roman 
 church  was  abfolutely  groundlefs,  and  that  it 
 might  with  truth  be  faid,  that  at  leaft,  in  the 
 moft  effential  points  they  differed  much  lefs  from 
 the  Proteftant,  than  from  the  Roman  Catholic 
 communion. 
 
 Whilft  Cyrillus  Lucar  was  at  the  head  of  the 
 Greek  church,  there  were  fome  hopes  that  the 
 Eaftern  and  Proteftant  communions  would  be- 
 come firmly  united.  He  had  frequently  given 
 proofs  of  his  afteftion  for  the  Proteftants,  and  par- 
 ticularly for  thofe  who  were  called  the  Reform- 
 ed \  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  confeffion  of 
 faith,  which  he  publiftied  in  1629.  agreed  with 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Reformed  ;  upon  which  ac- 
 count it  v/as  condemned  by  fonie  of  his  fucceffors, 
 
 =  See  twenty-feven  letters  that  Cyrillus  Lucar  wrote  to  the 
 Reformed,  in  tlie  Monumens  authentiques  de  la  religion 
 Greeque,  publilhcd  by  John  Amyon,  at  the  Hague,  in  4to. 
 1708. 
 
 and 
 
190    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 and  by  other  Bifhops  of  the  Greek  church.  But 
 having  the  misfortune  to  perifh  in  the  manner  we 
 mentioned,  he  could  not  fulfill  the  hopes  the 
 Proteftants  had  conceived  from  him.  The  Ca- 
 tholics likewife  maintained,  at  great  expence,  mif- 
 fionaries  in  Greece,  and  throughout  all  the  Eaft, 
 •where  they  to  this  day  employ  them  to  propagate 
 their  dodtrine,  make  profelytes,  and  by  theie 
 means  gradually  to  bring  the  Greek  church  un- 
 der the  fubjeflion  of  the  Papal  power.  The  ef- 
 forts of  thofe  who  were  employed  in  this  work 
 were  certainly  not  wholly  unfuccefsful,  though 
 the  accounts  they  publifhed  on  this  fubjeft  are 
 greatly  exaggerated,  and  falfe  in  many  refpects, 
 as  we  may  convince  ourfelves  by  conlulting  the 
 inoft  genuine  memoirs  \ 
 
 John  Claude,  a  celebrated  divine  of  the  Re- 
 formed church,  had  a  very  important  controver- 
 fy  with  Peter  Nicholas,  aflifled  afterwards  by 
 Anthony  Arnauld  ^.  The  difpute  turned  on 
 the  faith  of  the  Chriilian  church  of  all  times. 
 On  the  fubjed  of  Chrift's  pretence  in  the  holy 
 jTupper.  This  gave  rife  to  a  very  exaft  inquiry 
 into  what  was  the  true  do6lrine  of  the  Greek 
 church  on  this  article.  The  treatife  of  the  per- 
 petuity of  faith  appeared  in  1664.  and  was  ex- 
 cellently anfwered  by  Mr.  Claude.  The  contro- 
 verfy  was  carried  very  far,  and  with  great  warmth. 
 The  defenders  of  the  Roman  church  perceived 
 that  the  caufe  would  gain  much  advantage  from 
 the  depofitions  of  the  Greek  church,  if  from 
 them  they  could  make  it  appear,  that  this  church 
 profefTed  the  fame  faith   with  that  of  Rome  on 
 
 a  See  Mofheim's  inflitut.  hifl:.  Chr'ul  recent,  p.  528. 
 
 b  They  commonly  make  Mr.  Arnauld  the  writer  of  the  fa- 
 mous book  on  the  perpetuity  of  faith,  but  Dupin  has  made 
 it  appear  in  his  Nov.  Biblio.  vol.  xviii.  that  Nicholas  is  the 
 true  author.     See  ahb  E'ayleVDiift.  article  Arnauld, 
 
 thefe 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    191 
 
 thefe  matters  *.  To  procure  thefe  they  at  firft 
 employed  only  fomeparticular  people  of  their  own 
 communion  whom  they  could  confide  in.  But 
 finding  that  things  went  on  very  flowly  this  way, 
 and  that  it  could  not  at  laft  anfwer  the  purpofe, 
 they  caufed  it  to  be  added  to  the  inftruftions  of 
 the  French  minifter  at  the  Port,  that  he  fhould 
 take  every  pofiible  means  to  gain  the  French 
 clergy  fatisfaftion  on  this  fubjed.  In  effedt  the 
 Ambaflador  obtained,  from  the  Bilhops,  priefts^ 
 and  Monks  of  the  Greek  church,  a  fufficient 
 number  of  fuffrages  to  anfwer  the  defigns  and 
 expectations  of  thofe  who  had  folicited  them  5 
 though  the  meaas  they  had  taken  to  procure 
 them,  and  the  little  fmcerity  that  had  prevailed  in 
 the  whole  afi'air  were  known  to  every  body.  The 
 Reformed  writers  laid  thefe  tranfadlions  fully  open, 
 and  expofed  all  their  intrigues,  which  the  moft  ju- 
 dicious amongft  the  Roman  Catholics  did  not  take 
 upon  them  to  difallow.  They  held  alfo,  for  the 
 fame  purpofe,  a  fynod  at  Jerufalem  ''.  Dofitheus, 
 Patriarch  of  that  city  prefided,  who  took  care 
 that  things  fhould  turn  out  to  the  advantage  of 
 the  Roman  Catholic  party,  by  whom  he  was 
 paid.  In  a  word,  it  is  certain  [that  very  little 
 credit  is  to  be  paid  to  the  teftimonies  given  by 
 the  Greek  church  to  the  Roman  at  that  time. 
 However,  we  cannot  deny  that  about  the  time  of 
 the  fecond  council  of  Nice  many  Greek  divines, 
 particularly  amongft  the  Monks,  had  adopted  the 
 doftrine  of  tranfubftantiation  ;  and,  perhaps,  this 
 faftion  might  afterwards  prevail.  Notwithfland- 
 ing  which,  the  number  of  thofe  who  acknowledg- 
 ed no  other  than  a  fpiritual  prefence  of  the  body, 
 
 ^  Confult  the  Hiftoire  critique  de  la  creance  du  Levant,  by 
 Richard  Simon.     See  alfo  Covell's  above-mentioned  book. 
 
 b   See  the  ads  of  this  fynod  in  the  Monumens  of  Amyon, 
 p.  ?59,  451. 
 
 was 
 
192    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 was  always  very  confiderable.  This  is  what  a 
 Greek,  named  Gregory,  who  was  in  England, 
 in  1669.  publicly  and  openly  declared  and  we 
 have  other  ''  realbns  to  credit  the  truth  of  what 
 he  faid.  But  fuch  is  the  grcls  ignorance  of 
 the  Greeks,  that  they  cannot  give  a  reafohable 
 anfwer  to  any  queflion  you  p\it  to  them* 
 
 ARTICLE        VIII. 
 
 Of  the  S  T  A  T  E  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
 
 T HIS  church  having  arrived  to  the  ftate  of  prof- 
 perity  which  we  mentioned  in  the  laft  century, 
 not  only  fupported  herfelf  in  this,  and  remained 
 the  prevailing  religion  in  the  northern  countries 
 of  Sweden  and  Denmark,  but  alfo  fpread  into 
 many  other  countries  in  Germany,  became  firm- 
 ly eftabhfhed  in  fome,  fupported  herfelf  in  Po- 
 land and  Hungary,  and  was  tolerated  by  the 
 Sovereigns  of  thofe  countries.  However,  fhe 
 •was  not  exempt  from  troubles,  experiencing 
 fome  changes.  In  the  Landgraviate  of  HefTe, 
 where  the  Lutherans  had  till  then  mixed  with 
 the  Reformed,  making  but  one  communion, 
 fome  differences  arofe  among  the  divines,  af- 
 ter which  the.  Landgrave  Maurice  publicly  pro- 
 feffed  the  dodrine  of  the  Reformed  church. 
 Soon  after  it  was  introduced  into  the  univerfity 
 of  Warbourg  in  1605.  and  became  the  prevail- 
 ing religion  in  all  that  kingdom.  A  change  of 
 the  fame  kind  took  place  likewife  in  the  Elec- 
 torate of  Brandenbourg,  when,  in  1614,  the 
 ElecTior,  John  Sigifmund,  quitted  the  Lutheran 
 communion  to  join  that  of  the  Reformed  churchy 
 though  Lutheraniiln  did  not  fuffer  much  by  his 
 
 ^   See'Vheeler's  travels,  vol.  i.  p.  158,  161. 
 
 defertion. 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  193 
 
 difertion.  "We  fliall  have  occafion  again  to  return 
 to  thefe  events. 
 
 At  the  time  the  war  of  thirty  years  began  in 
 Germany,  the  ftate  of  Proteftantifm  was  very  de- 
 plorable, and  Teemed  not  far  from  it's  ruin.  The 
 numerous  profelTors  of  Lutheranifm,  who  were 
 fpread  in  Auflria,  Bohemia,  and  Moravia,  were 
 driven  out  of  thefe  countries,  and  difperfed  on 
 all  fides.  We  have  already  mentioned  the  rigorous 
 treatment  the  Proteflants  experienced  in  Hun- 
 gary. There  are  fome  authors  alfo  who  fpeak 
 feelingly  of  the  interior  calamities  of  the  Lutheran 
 church,  of  the  decay  of  the  faith  and  piety  of 
 her  members,  and  of  many  other  defeds  which 
 they  had  occafion  to  obferve  even  amongft  the 
 clergy  themfclves.  —  But  what  church  is  there  in 
 the  world  which  has  not  experienced  the  fame  fate. 
 Stains  and  imperfedions  are  infeparable  from  hu- 
 man frailty.  And  we  ought  to  pour  out  our 
 fouls  in  gratitude  to  the  divine  goodnefs,  who  has 
 fo  powerfully  protefted  the  Proteftant  churches 
 in  the  midft  of  all  their  calamities,  both  from 
 within  and  from  without,  as  to  caufe  them  to  fub- 
 fift  and  fiourifh  even  to  this  day. 
 
 All  the  different  branches  of  divinity  were 
 ftudied  with  great  zeal  and  fuccefs  by  the  divines 
 of  thefe  churches.  The  explanatory  part  of  di- 
 vinity made  great  progrefs,  as  the  excellent  com* 
 mentaries  on  facred  fcripture  which  appeared 
 jabout  this  time  fufEciently  teftify  ;  the  dogmatic 
 cal  and  controverfial  parts  were  perfedted  in  many 
 relpedts,  and  by  that  means  became  of  great 
 alTiftance  to  all  thofe  who  ftudied  them,  in  fup- 
 porthig  the  caufe  they  meant  to  ferve.  Great 
 pains  were  alfo  taken  in  folidly  eftabliihing  on  it's 
 proper  principles,  practical  divinity.  Ecclefiafti- 
 cal  hiftory,  which  has  a  near  connexion  with  all 
 the  preceding  fciences,  was  alfo  the  objedl  of  the 
 
 Vol.  II.  O  labours 
 
194    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 labours  and  inquiries  of  many  learned  men,  who 
 gave  it  quite  another  appearance,  and  brought  it 
 10  a  high  degree  of  perfedion.  We  may  eafily 
 imagine,  that  the  number  of  men  who  applied 
 themfelvcs  to  the  ftudy  of  religion,  and  advance- 
 ment of  piety  was  very  great;  but  the  bounds 
 prefcribed  to  a  work  of  this  fort,  will  permit  us 
 only  to  mention  a  fmall  number  of  thofe  who  are 
 highly  to  be  reverenced  for  their  great  learning, 
 and  for  the  fervices  they  did  the  church.  We  may 
 put  at  their  head  John  Gerhard,  a  diflinguifhed 
 divine,  and  to  whom  all  the  different  parts  of 
 divinity  are  much  indebted-,  his  fon,  JohnErneft, 
 defervesthe  fame  encomiums.  Thofe  who  gained 
 much  reputation  in  the  fame  way,  are  Leonard 
 Hutter,  Balthafar  Meifner,  Wolfgang  Frantzius, 
 Nicholas  Hunnius,  Gafpard  Brockmandus,  So- 
 lomon Glaffms,  Frederic  Balduinus,  Andrew  and 
 Luke  Ofiander,  father  and  fon,  George  and  Fre- 
 deric Ulric  Calixtus,  alio  father  and  fon,  Theo- 
 dorus  Hackfpan,  Michael  Walther,  and  his  fon 
 of  the  fame  name,  John  George  Dorfcheus,  John 
 Conrad  Danhauer,  James  Wellerus,  John  and 
 Peter  Mufasus,  brothers,  Martin  Geir,  John 
 Adam  Scherzer,  Balthafar  Bebelius,  Abraham 
 Calovius,  Joachim  Hildebrand,  Tuftus  Chrifto- 
 pholus  Schemer,  ChriftianKortholt,  and  Sebaftian 
 Schmidt.  Among  thofe  who  more  flrongly  en- 
 deavoured to  advance  pradical  piety,  and  ren- 
 dered their  names  immortal  by  fetting  forth  to 
 men  the  true  means  to  obtain  falvation  •,  we  ought 
 never  to  forget  John  Arndt,  Joachim  Lutke- 
 mann,  Henry  MuUer,  Chriflian  Scriverius,  John 
 LalTenius,  and  particularly  James  Philip  Spener, 
 whofe  memory  will  be  for  ever  dear  to  the  lovers 
 of  true  rehgion. 
 
 All 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   195 
 
 All  truly  wife  and  good  men  had  long  perceiv- 
 ed the  great  advantages  which  would  relult  to  the 
 Proteftant  caufefrom  a  reunion  of  the  Lutherans 
 and  Reformed,  and,  for  this  purpofe,  many  pro- 
 je6ls  were  formed,  and  many  attempts  made. 
 We  muft  own,  that  the  Reformed  had  always 
 exprefied  more  favourable  difpofitions  towards 
 this  coalition  than  the  Lutherans,  as  the  pains 
 fome  of  their  principal  divines  took  to  pave  the 
 way  and  lighten  the  difficulties  fufficiently  teftify. 
 David  Paraeus,  a  divine  of  Heidelbourg,  was  one 
 of  the  principal  of  thofe  who  had  foimed  thefe 
 good  intentions.  John  Durasus  not  only  wrote 
 many  treatifes  on  this  fubjeft,  but  undertook 
 many  voyages,  and  underwent  great  fatigues,  in 
 hopes  of  bringing  about  this  fo  much  wifhed  for 
 reunion.  We  may  likewife  reckon  in  the  number 
 of  thefe  wife  and  pious  men  Mofcs  Amyrauld, 
 Peter  du  Moulin,  John  Hornbeck,  John  Henry- 
 Heidegger,  Peter  Jurieu,  Samuel  Strimehus,  lic- 
 nedi6t  Pidet,  and  many  others.  The  Lutheuia 
 church  was  not,  however,  quite  dellitute  of  cler- 
 gy animated  with  the  fame  fpiri^.  in  Sweden, 
 John  Matthias,  Biihop  of  Strsngnes,  much  ap- 
 proved of  the  defigns  of  John  Duraeus,  but  it  was 
 not  poflible  for  him  to  bring  about  their  fuccefs, 
 on  the  contrary,  this  very  intention  brought  him 
 into  fome  trouble.  In  Germany  the  divines  of 
 Helmftadt  were  at  the  head  of  thefe  peace  makers 
 under  the  aufpices  of  George  Calixtus,  who  wifh- 
 ed to  comprehend  even  the  Catholics  themlel/es 
 in  this  work  of  the  reunion  ;  this  bringing  upon 
 him  fome  calumnies:  his  fon  Frederic Ulric  wrote 
 in  his  defence.  Some  other  divines  of  Germany- 
 joining  with  thofe  of  Helmfladt,  produced  what 
 they  called  the  fyncretiftic  war,  of  which  we  have 
 already  given  a  full  account. 
 
 O2  The 
 
196^    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 The  clergy  were  not  the  only  pcrfons  who  had 
 this  affair  at  heart,  fome  Princes  likewife  inte- 
 refted  themfeives  in  it's  fuccefs,  by  whofe  autho- 
 rity public  conferences  were  held  between  the  di- 
 vinines  of  both  parties  :  that  of  Leipfic  *  is  the 
 mo(t  celebrated,  which  took  place  in  the  month  of 
 March  1 65 1 .  Many  Pror.vitant  Princes  came  at  the 
 fame  time  to  this  city,  which  gave  opportunity  to 
 fome  of  the  Reformed  clergy  who  had  attended  the 
 Eleflor  of  Brandenbourg  and  the  Landgrave  of 
 Hefle  (thefc  divines  were  JohnBergius,  John  Cro- 
 niciis,  and  Theophilus  Neuberger)  to  invite  fome 
 Lutheran  divines,  Matthias  Hoe,  Poly  carp  Lyfer, 
 and  Henry  Hopfner,  to  a  friendly  and  amicable 
 conference.  The  princes  very  willingly  gave 
 their  divines  permifTion  to  confer,  and  they  dili- 
 gently examined  all  thofe  points  of  dodrine  which 
 were  the  caufes  of  difference  between  the  two 
 communions  -,  but  the  event  did  not  at  all  anfwer 
 the  hopes  they  had  conceived.  In  the  fame  year 
 1 63 1,  in  the  month  of  September,  the  Reformed, 
 in  their  national  fynod  of  Clarenton  *»,  pafled  a  de- 
 cree, upon  the  requeft  of  fome  particular  perfons, 
 by  which  it  was  permitted  the  Lutherans  to  alTift, 
 if  they  chofe,  at  their  public  worihip,  and  even 
 to  partake  of  their  holy  fupper,  without  making 
 any  previous  abjuration,  or  any  conditions  which 
 might  not  be  agreeable  to  them.  Even  this  de- 
 cree, which  could  arife  only  from  the  motive  of 
 true  Chriftian  charity  in  the  Reformed,  did  not 
 pais  without  cenfure.     In  the  celebrated  aflembly 
 
 *  The  afls  of  this  conference  n.ay  be  found  in  Turretins 
 nubes  feftlum.  Thay  were  printed  and  added  to  the  creeds 
 of  the  Reformed  church* 
 
 b  Nicholas  Denetz,  Bifhop  of  Orleans,  attacked  this  de- 
 cree. See  Daille's  apology  for  the  two  fynods  of  Alen^on  and 
 Charenton.  See  alfo  Bufluet's  hiftoire  des  variations  de$ 
 eglifes  Proteftants,  lib.  xiv.  p.  98. 
 
 of 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    197 
 
 of  Thorn  held  in  1645.  by  order  of  Udiflaus  IV. 
 King  of  Poland,  this  affair  of  the  reunion  of  the 
 Proteflants  was  again  brought  upon  the  carpet  i 
 but  to  nopurpole.  The  conference  of  Caffel,  held 
 in  1661.  by  order  of  the  Landgrave  William^ 
 feemed  to  take  a  more  favourable  turn.  The  di- 
 vines of  Marbourg,  ;>ebaflian  Curtius,  and  John 
 Heinius,  who  came  to  it,  after  having  examined 
 the  dodrine  of  the  two  churches  on  the  articles 
 of  the  holy  fupper,  predeftination,  the  perfon  of 
 JefusChrift,  and  baptifm,  declared  that  it  was  fit 
 that  the  members  of  the  two  communio-ns  fhould, 
 notwithftanding  their  difference  of  opinion  on 
 thefe  articles,  retain  for  eat:h  a  fincere  and  bro- 
 therly affeftion,  ai  ^hey  reciprocally  a-cknowledg- 
 ed  themfelves  members  of  tbe  fame  true  Catholic 
 church,  hoped  for  falvation  through  faith  in  the 
 lame  Saviour,  aiCi  were  alike  called  to  the  pofef- 
 fion  of  the  fame  Heavenly  and  eternal  inheritance. 
 In  conlequence  'jf  this  declaration,  the  divines  of 
 both  parties  mutually  gave  each  other  the  right 
 hand  of  fellowlhip.  However,  there  were  ftill  fome 
 who  loudly  exclaimed  againft  thofe  pacific  mea- 
 fures,  which  caufed  many  treatifes  to  be  Vv^ritten  on 
 both  fides  ^  We  cannot  too  much  applaud  the 
 piety  of  thofe  Princes  and  divines  who  fo  zealoully 
 contributed  to  the  advancement  of  this  great 
 work-,  but  the  time  was  not  yet  come,  and  we 
 mud  ftill  wait  for  it,  when  the  great  Shepherd 
 fhall  gather  all  his  flocks  into  one  and  the  lame 
 fold. 
 
 a  Thefe  writings  are  enumerated  in  the  introd.  in  hifl. 
 theol.  letter  of  Mr.  PfaiF,  vol.  ii.  p.  178.  and  in  Weifmang 
 idH.  ecclef.  feft.  xvii.  p-  991. 
 
 03  ARTICLE 
 
xpS     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 A    R    T    I    C    L    E      IX. 
 
 Of  the  Disputes    and  inteftine  Divisions- 
 of  the   Lutheran    Church. 
 
 THIS  church  was,  during  the  courfe  of  this 
 century,  greatly  difturbed  by  many  dif- 
 putes,  feme  of  which  were  but  of  little  confe- 
 quence  ;  others  again  lafted  very  long,  and  did 
 very  confiderable  prejudice  to  religion.  In  the 
 univerfuy  of  Helmftadt,  a  divine  named  Daniel 
 Hoffmann,  v/hohad  done,  in  other  refpefts,  great 
 fervices  to  the  church,  publiflied,  in  1598.  Ibme 
 thefes,  in  which  he  numbered  philofophy  among 
 the  works  of  the  defii,  advancing,  that  the  light 
 of  reafon  is  naturally  in  oppofiiion  to  religion, 
 and  that  in  all  divine  things  it  is  at  enmity  with 
 God,  and  ought  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  fruitful 
 fource  of  all  herefies.  There  is  room  to  think 
 that  the  extreme  abufe  of  the  peripatitic  philofo- 
 phy with  which  this  univerfity  was  totally  infed:- 
 ed,  drew  from  this  divine  thefe  ftrong  exprefiions : 
 but  it  happened  to  him,  as  we  may  obferve,  it  ge- 
 nerally does  in  all  difputes,  that  whilft  he  was  de- 
 firous  of  fupporting  his  fentiments  he  went  be- 
 yond them,  and,  giving  way  to  the  warmth 
 v/hich  influenced  him,  he  was  led  to  condemn 
 not  only  the  abufe  of  philofophy,  but  even  the 
 lawful  ufe  of  it  in  religious  matters.  We  may 
 eafily  imagine  that  by  thefe  affertions  he  greatly 
 inraged  the  philofophers  of  this  univerfity,  and 
 expofed  himfelf  to  their  moft  inveterate  refent- 
 ment.  They  perfccured  him  without  mercy,  and 
 would  let  him  haveno  reft,until  they  had  obtain- 
 ed full  fatisfadion.  The  Prince,  upon  their  reprc- 
 fentations,  condemned  Hoffman  to  retrad  all  that 
 he  had  advanced,  and  to  experience  fome  other 
 very  fevere  mortifications. 
 
 About 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  199 
 About  the  end  of  the  preceding  century  there 
 was  at  Soltquel,  in  the  old  Marche  of  Branden- 
 bourg,  a  clergyman  named  Stephen  Pr^torius  % 
 who  had  performed  the  duties  of  his  profeflion 
 with  great  applaufe,  and  had  publifhed  fome 
 works  recommending  the  practice  of  true  reli- 
 gion. Thefe  works  were  greedily  fought  after 
 by  all  truly  pious  perfons,  they  were  highly  ap- 
 plauded by  the  divines  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
 fuch  as  James  Willerus,  Tobius  Wagner  John 
 Gerhard,  John  Arndt,  and  others.  But  there 
 were  others  who  had  not  fo  favourable  an  opi- 
 nion of  the  writings  of  Praetorius,  and  who  even 
 attacked  the  memory  of  their  author.  The 
 divines  of  Jena,  Leipfic,  and  Helmftadt,  pub- 
 hfhed  his  defence,  and  pronounced  his  writings 
 free  from  error  •,  but  allowed,  at  the  fame  time, 
 that  there  were  in  them  fome  expreflions  that 
 had  need  to  be  foftened  bythe  moft  favourable 
 in  terpretations.  The  great  divine  Spener  ^  af- 
 terwards confirmed  this  fentence.  This  did  not 
 hinder  Conrad  Tiburtius  Rango,  adivine  of  Po- 
 tnerania,  and  fome  other  lefs  celebrated  clergy- 
 men, from  cenfuring  the  works  of  Praetorius 
 as  fanatical.  The  authority,  however,  of  fome 
 worthy  people  prevailed  over  this  cenfure,  and 
 the  reading  of  the  books  themiclvcs  will  evidently 
 ihew  it's  injuilice. 
 
 John  Arndt,  the  author  of  the  excellent 
 treatife  on  true  Chriftianity,  fuffered  much  the 
 fame  treatment.  This  work,  which  was  written 
 with  the  moft  pure  intentions,  and  breathed  no- 
 thing but  a  love  of  true  religion,  was  furioufly 
 attacked  during  the  life  of  the  author,  and,  af- 
 ter his  death  they  flrove  by   their  cenfures,  to 
 
 a  See  Arnold's  hiftoire  des  eglife  and  des  herefies,  part  ii. 
 lib.  17.  ch.  6. 
 
 b  See  his  Ccnfilia  Latina,  and  his  Confilia  Germanica, 
 vol.  iii.  p.  555. 
 
 bjing 
 
200    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 bring  it  into  contempt.  The  thing  which  excited 
 all  this  hatred  againft  him,  was  probably  the 
 exadt  picture  he  had  drawn  in  his  writings  of 
 the  manners  of  the  times,  in  which  many  peo- 
 ple could  not  fee  themfelves  without  being 
 highly  offended.  His  adverfaries  not  finding  in 
 the  book  fufficient  caufe  for  cenfure,  attacked 
 and  criticifed  his  ftyle.  It  is  true  Arndt  had 
 carefully  read  the  writings  of  the  myftics,  and 
 had  adopted  many  expreffions  which  were  not 
 very  intelligible  to  common  readers,  in  confe- 
 quence  of  which  (and  this  was  what  they  moll 
 dwelt  upon)  the  lenie  did  not  always  appear 
 to  agree  with  the  texts  of  fcripture.  They  re- 
 proached him  alfo  with  having,  whilft  he  dwelt 
 {6  ftrongly  on  the  pradlice  of  good  works,  weaken- 
 ed the  grand  article  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  juf- 
 tification  by  faith.  All  thefe  accufations  were 
 highly  exaggerated,  and  raifed  with  an  intention 
 to  bring  a  blot  on  his  memory.  But  he  found 
 other  judges  lefs  prejudiced,  who  ingenuoufly 
 acknowledged  the  merit  of  this  divine,  and  juft- 
 ly  defended  his  reputation.  Thefe  dilputes  were 
 again  renewed  in  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth 
 century,  and  the  fame  things  happened  again, 
 that  is  to  fay,  they  warmly  attacked  the  book  of 
 Arndt,  but  were  not  able  to  make  good  their  ac- 
 cufations. 
 
 A  divine  of  Dantzic,  named  Hermann  Rath- 
 mann,  defended  Arndt  with  the  utmoft  vigour, 
 which  produced  a  quarrel  between  him  and  his 
 collegue  John  Corvinus.  The  latter  alfo  attack- 
 ed a  book  which  Rathmann  had  publifhed  on  the 
 reign  of  grace,  which  Corvinus  maintained  was 
 not  only  filled  with  the  moft  uncommon  expref- 
 fions, but  even  with  grofs  errors,  fuch  as  thofe 
 of  Calvin,  Schweneckfeld,  and  the  Millenaries. 
 The   principal  matter  of  accufatlon  on   which 
 
 Corvinus 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    201' 
 
 Corvineus  and  his  party  infilled,  was  the  doc- 
 trine of  Rathmann  on  the  efficacy  of  the  word  of 
 God,  and  on  it's  power  to  enlighten  and  con- 
 vert men.  He  advanced  that  the  bare  letter 
 of  fcripture  taught  only,  and  fhewed  men  the 
 way  of  falvation,  but  that  the  falutary  know- 
 ledge of  the  holy  fcnptures,  joined  to  a  full  con- 
 viftion  of  the  truths  therein  propofed,  and  the 
 (late  of  man  enlightened  and  regenerated  was  the 
 work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  a6ls  on  the  foul  by 
 the  word  and  with  the  word.  Corvinus  fupport- 
 ed  that  thefe  notions  of  Rathmann  wereabfolute- 
 ly  contrary  to  the  doflrine  taught  in  the  Luthe- 
 ran churches,  and  to  prove  this,  he  appealed  to 
 the  teftimonies  of  the  univerfities  in  Germany. 
 Thofe  of  Wittemberg  and  Jena,  confirmed  his 
 accufation,  though  John  Gerhard,  a  member  of 
 the  latter,  called  Rathmann's  book  a  pious  and 
 learned  work.  Other  univerfities  were  favourable 
 to  this  book,  particularly  that  of  Roftock.  The 
 author  died  in  1628.  and  by  the  magiftracy  in- 
 tervening their  authority  for  the  appeafing^thefe 
 troubles  in  the  church  of  Dantzic,  they  were  in- 
 fenfibly  forgot.  There  were  amongft  the  Lutherans 
 not  only  difputes  among  particular  Dod:ors,  but 
 feme  bodies  of  divines  were  at  variance  with  one 
 another,  as  it  happened  in  the  univerfities  of 
 Gieflen  and  Tubingen.  There  was  a  queftion 
 ftarted  in  the  Lutheran  churches,  on  the  fubje(5t 
 of  the  communication  of  the  Divine  Majefty 
 with  the  humanity  of  Jefus  Chrift,  in  virtue  of 
 that  hypoftatic  union  of  the  two  natures  in  the 
 perfon  of  our  Saviour.  This  controverfy  arofe  on 
 account  of  the  difputes  that  Balfhazar  Mentzer,  a 
 celebrated  divine  of  Gieflen,  had,  with  fome  of  his 
 collegues,  on  the  manner  in  which  Jefus  Chrift, 
 as  man,  was  omniprefent,  and  how  we  are  to  un- 
 derftand  the  nature  of  this  omniprefence,  Ment- 
 zer 
 
202  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTOYR. 
 
 zer  appealed  to  the  determinations  of  the  divines 
 of  Tubingen,  but  they  wifely  thought  fit  to  be 
 filent  on  this  fubjeft.  But  afterwards,  Mentzer 
 having  his  Ibn-in  lav/,  Juftus  Feuerborn,  for  his 
 collegue,and  the  profelTors  alfo  who  were  living  at 
 the  beginning  of  this  difpute,  being  replaced  by- 
 others,  the  quarrel  broke  out  with  fome  violence. 
 They  demanded,  if,  during  our  Saviour's  abafe- 
 inent  he  was  intirely  deprived  of  the  ufe  of  the 
 divine  perfedlions,  communicated  to  the  human 
 nature  by  means  of  the  hypoflatic  union,  as  the 
 Dodors  of  GiefTen  affirmed  •,  or  if,  according  to 
 thofe  of  Tubingen,  our  Saviour  preferved  the  ufe 
 of  thofe  perfvdions,  but  only  concealed  them  *. 
 The  divines  of  Saxony,  by  order  of  their  So- 
 vereign, took  upon  them  the  office  of  arbitrators 
 in  this  difference  •,  but  the  divines  of  Tubingen 
 refufed  to  abide  by  their  decifion,  as  it  was  fa- 
 vourable to  thofe  of  Gieflen.  The  public  cala- 
 mities in  Germany  at  that  time  prevented  their 
 difputes  being  carried  any  farther. 
 
 The  controverfies  on  the  fubjedt  of  Syncretifm 
 and  Pietifm  continued  for  a  long  time,  and  caufed 
 much  divifion.  The  former  began  in  the  uni- 
 verfity  of  Helmftadt,  and  had  for  it's  principal 
 author  a  very  diftinguifhed  divine,  named  George 
 Calixtus,  from  whom  thole  who  embraced  his 
 opinions  were  called  by  fome  Calixtines,  and  by 
 others  Helmftadians,  from  the  place  where  the 
 difpute  firll  took  it's  rife.  Calixtus,  affifted  by 
 his  colleague,  Conrad  Horneius,  took  much  pains 
 to  put  an  end  to  all  difputes  and  divifions  between 
 the  churches  of  the  weft,  at  leaftto  to  remove,  as 
 much  as  was  poffible  the  caufes  of  their  difunion  ; 
 and  for  that  purpofe  maintained  that  the  Roman, 
 Lutheran,  and  Reformed  churches  might  unite, 
 
 a  The  writings  of  both  parties,  which  were  many  in  num- 
 ber, and  wrote  with  great  bitternefs,  the  reader  will  find  enu- 
 merated in  Arnold  hiftoire  de  heref.  Piirt  ii,  lib.  17. 
 
 whilfl 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    20^ 
 
 whilft  they  each  preferved  the  foundation  of  faith, 
 in  one  and  thefame  church,  which  would  effedlu- 
 ally  put  an  end  to  the  fchifm  that  divided  them. 
 This  general  plan  contained,  as  we  may  eafily 
 conceive,  many  particulars,  which  increaied  as  the 
 matter  was  more  fully  difcuffed.  The  queftions 
 which  were  raifed  on  the  different  articles  of  doc- 
 trines of  each  feparate  communion  infinitely  aug- 
 mented thefediiputes.  Though Calixtus  had  num- 
 bers of  adverfaries  from  all  parts,  and  fome  very 
 celebrated,  who  greatly  oppofed  his  fcheme,  he 
 was  not  by  thefe  in  the  leaft  difcouraged,or  tempt- 
 ed to  abate  the  zeal  he  exerted  in  effedling  it's  exe- 
 cution. Having,  for  a  long  time,  defended  his 
 caufe  by  his  writings,  he  went  to  the  conference 
 held  at  Thorn  in  1645.  in  order  to  engage  the  di- 
 vines there  aflembled  to  find  out  fome  efficacious 
 means  to  bring  about  this  wiflied  for  reunion.  Ca- 
 lixtus died  in  1656.  but  his  principles  v/ere  not 
 buried  with  him.  Whilft  his  own  party  fpared  no 
 pains  to  make  his  caufe  prevail,  the  enemies  of 
 his  name  and  memory  oppofed  it  with  all  their 
 power,  and  thought  they  could  not  do  it  more 
 effectually  then  by  adding  to  the  fymbolical  books 
 received  in  the  Lutheran  church,  a  new  work 
 condemning  the  principles  of  Calixtus,  and  to 
 which  they  gave  the  name  of  "  Confenfus  repe- 
 *'  titus  veras  fidei  Lutheranse."  But  the  advices 
 of  fome  fenfible  and  pious  divines  obtained  a  fup- 
 preffion  of  this  work,  and  prevented  by  that,  ia 
 all  probability,  another  fatal  Ichifm.  Nothing 
 now  remained  but  particular  difputes  (very  vio- 
 lent indeedj  between  the  adverfaries  of  Calixtus, 
 then  dead,  and  his  defenders,  Gerhard  Titius, 
 Joachim  Plildebrand,  and  efpecially  Frederic  Ul- 
 ric  Calixtus,  fon  of  George  :  time  however  at 
 length   put  an  end  to  this  controverfy. 
 
 The  name  of  the  difputes  called  Pietiftics,  fuf- 
 ficiently  expreffes  both  it's  nature  and  origin. 
 
 Some 
 
104  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 Some  very  worthy  clergymen  formed  to  them- 
 ielves  a  fcheme  of  reviving  the  iludy  and  prac- 
 tice of  true  piety,  hitherto  much  negiedled  in  the 
 church.  1  his  was  particularly  attempted  by 
 John  Gerhard,  John  Arndt,  Joachim  Lutke- 
 mann,  Henry  MuUer,  and  other  diftinguilhed  di- 
 vines whole  endeavours,  laudable  as  they  were, 
 did  not  meet  with  the  return  theyjuftly  merited. 
 After  them  came  Philip  James  Spener,  whofe 
 memory  deferves  to  be  highly  reverenced ;  he 
 trod  in  the  Heps  of  thofe  pious  men  who  had  pre- 
 ceded him,  and  giving  himfclf  up  at  the  fame 
 time  to  the  bent  of  his  own  genius,  began  to 
 hold  particular  affemblies,  which  he  called  col- 
 leges of  piety,  at  firft  in  his  own  houfe,  and  after- 
 wards in  the  church  at  particular  hours.  The 
 end  of  thefe  religious  exercifes  was  to  infpire  his 
 hearers  (he  was  then  pallor  of  the  church  of 
 Franckfort  on  the  Maine)  with  a  delire  to  lead  a 
 life  worthy  of  their  profeflion.  He  compofed, 
 likewife,  an  excellent  treatife  intitled,  Pious  de- 
 fires,  tending  to  promote  the  fame  good  work, 
 and  in  which  he  freely  declared  his  fentiments  to 
 the  church  in  general.  The  known  piety  and 
 great  wifdom  of  this  divine,  preferved  him  from 
 the  attacks  of  thofe  who  in  their  hearts  greatly 
 difapproved  of  his  condu6l :  but  when  other  di- 
 vines, animated  by  his  example,  and  actuated  by 
 the  fame  defire  of  promoting  true  and  prafli- 
 cal  Chriftianity,  eftablifhed  at  Augfbourg,  and 
 Darmftadt,  and  in  other  places,  the  fame  colleges 
 of  piety  ;  thefe  affemblies  became  fufpeded, 
 and  it  was  thought  dangerous  to  allow  the  ufe  of 
 them,  as  they  might,  in  time,  become  greatly 
 prejudicial  to  the  peace  of  the  church. 
 
 The  Eleftor  of  Saxony,  John  George  III.  hav- 
 ing heard,  by  report,  of  the  great  merit  of  Spe- 
 ner^ fent  for  him,  in  1686.  to  Drefden,  appointing 
 
 him 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    205 
 
 him  the  firft  Preacher  of  that  city,  and  his  own 
 Chaplain.  At  the  fame  time  fome  Mafters  of  Arts 
 of  the  univerfity  of  Leipfic,  refolved  to  apply  more 
 clofely  than  they  had  as  yet  done  in  the  univerfities, 
 to  the  ftudy  of  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  to  negleft 
 nothing  which  could  give  them  infight  into  the  true 
 fenfe  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  that  they 
 might  be  the  better  enabled,  to  explain  them. 
 Others  likewife  joined  them,  and  they  formed  a 
 kind  of  religious  fociety,  in  1689.  in  which  they 
 principally  attended  to  the  diligent  and  attentive 
 reading  of  the  Bible,  and  other  pious  exercifes, 
 which  were  likely  to  produce  in  their  fouls  a  ferious 
 and  hncere  attachment  to  piety.  Some  of  them  be- 
 came afterwards  very  celebrated  men,  as  Auguf- 
 tus  Hermann  Francke,  Gafpard  Schadius,  and  Paul 
 Antonius,  all  of  them  particular  friends  of  Spener. 
 But  thefe  pious  ftudies  brought  the  fciences  into 
 fo  much  contempt,  that  the  le6lures  of  the  Pro- 
 feflbrs  were  almoft  wholly  negledled  by  the  flu- 
 dents  in  the  univerfities.  This  fo  much  raifed 
 the  envy  of  fome  perfons,  that  they  took  every 
 means  to  bring  a  reproach  on  thefe  focieties,  giv- 
 ing thofe  who  belonged  to  them  the  name  of 
 Pietifts,  and  went  fo  far  as  to  lay  heavy  com- 
 plaints againft  them  to  the  court  at  Drefden. 
 This  court  foon  gave  proper  orders  to  have  this 
 matter  examined  to  the  bottom.  Although  the 
 accufations  which  they  laid  to  the  charge  of  thefe 
 ftudents  of  the  Bible,  were  very  ill  founded,  yet 
 the  court,  to  fhun  the  evils  that  thefe  novelties 
 might  in  time  produce,  thought  proper  to  pro- 
 hibit thefe  colleges  and  focieties.  However  this 
 prohibition  did  not  either  abolifh  the  principle 
 which  had  at  firft  caufed  them  to  be  formed,  nor 
 the  effedls  of  this  principle  ;  on  the  contrary,  in 
 a  very  fhort  time  the  fame  kind  of  afTemblies  were 
 held  in  all  Germany,  and  even  in  many  other 
 
 countries. 
 
£o6    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 countries,  which  gave  rife  to  infinite  dilputei 
 and  ain  innumerable  heap  of  controverfial  writ- 
 ings. It  was  to  thefe  controverfies  that  the  uni- 
 verfity  of  Hall  owes  it's  origin,  which  was  for  a 
 long  time  the  retreat  of  the  Pietifts.  Mr.  Franche 
 founded  there,  in  the  following  century,  under 
 the  name  of  the  Houfe  of  Orphans,  an  eitablilli- 
 inent  worthy  of  a  Sovereign,  though  it  began  at 
 firft  from  the  trifling  alms  which  he  coUefted  for 
 the  education  of  fome  poor  children. 
 
 ARTICLE      X. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
 
 WE  have  already  mentioned,  in  article  I. 
 the  confiderable  progrefs  the  Reformed 
 do£lrine  had  made  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
 in  Afia  and  America.  This  church  alfo  made 
 new  acquifitions  in  Germany.  In  the  countries 
 of  Helfe,  from  the  beginning  of  the  Reforma- 
 tion, thofe  who  profefTed  Luther's  doftrine,  and 
 thofe  who  adhered  to  the  confefTion  of  SwifTer- 
 land  on  the  article  of  the  holy  fupper,  had  hi- 
 therto mixed  together,  preached  in  the  fame 
 churches,  and  taught  in  the  fame  univerfities, 
 without  the  leaft  appearance  of  divifion.  Al- 
 though the  Reformed  dodtrine  had  gained  many 
 profelytes  in  HefTe  during  the  fixteenth  century, 
 yet  the  bonds  of  concord  between  thofe  commu- 
 nions were  not,  upon  that  account,  in  the  leaft 
 diffolved.  Happy  flate,  to  the  prefervation  of 
 which  the  wifdomof  the  Landgraves  greatly  con- 
 tributed. Philip  the  Magnanimous,  during  whofe 
 regency  the  glorious  work  of  the  Reformation 
 was  begun  and  completed,  openly  favoured  the 
 dodrine  of  the  Reformed  •,  and  his  fucceffors  imi- 
 tated his  example  in  this  refpeft,  as  well  as  in  the 
 care  he  took  to  eftablifh  and  maintain  a  union 
 
 between 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  207 
 
 between  the  members  of  the  two  communions. 
 The  troubles  that  the  edid  known  by  the  name 
 of  the  Formulary  of  concord,  excited  at  firft  in 
 Saxony,  and  afterwards  in  Germany,  having  cauf- 
 ed  fuch  an  univerfal  agitation  in  the  Lutheran 
 church,  that  the  tranquility  of  HefTe  leemed  very 
 near  it's  ruin  •,  but  the  Prince,  by  an  edi(5l  in^ 
 1572.  took  the  neceffary  precaution  to  prevent 
 this  difafter.  The  divines  were  commanded  to 
 hold  general  fynods,  which  they  aflembled  at 
 Trifen,  in  1577.  at  Marbourg  in  1578.  and  at 
 Cafiel,  in  1579.  and  in  which  they  agreed  upon 
 many  things  proper  to  preferve  their  union  and 
 keep  out  all  novelties  that  might  in  the  leaft  pre- 
 judice their  peace.  But  fome  divines  afterwards 
 refufing  to  fubfcribe  to  the  a<5ts  of  thefe  fynods, 
 the  Landgrave  Maurice  difcharged  them  from 
 their  employments  in  1605.  and  put  the  Reform- 
 ed in  their  places.  The  Prince  Lewis  of  Hefic 
 parmfladt,  favourably  received  the  divines  who 
 had  quitted  the  territories  of  Hefle-Caflel,  and 
 ibme  of  them  he  fettled  at  the  univerfity  of  Gief- 
 fen,  which  he  founded,  and  fome  of  them  he  ap- 
 pointed preachers  to  his  court.  But  from  this 
 time  the  countries  of  Hefie-Caflel  remained  faith- 
 fully attached  to  the  doflrine  of  the  Reformed. 
 
 In  the  Marche  of  Brandenbourg,  in  the  fix- 
 teenth  century,  the  Ele6lor,  Joachim  11.  of  glo- 
 rious memory,  had  indeed  laboured  much  to  free 
 Chriftianity  from  the  leaven  of  corruption,  with 
 which  it  had  been  infeded  by  the  Roman  church, 
 though  he  had  permitted  fome  particular  ceremo- 
 nies of  this  church  ftill  to  remain,  much  againft 
 the  approbation  of  Luther\  This  induced  his  fuc- 
 
 a  Confult  his  works,  vol.  vii.  p.  717.  of  the  edition  of 
 Altenbourg. 
 
 ceflbrs 
 
2o8  ecclesiastical-histoUy. 
 
 ceflbrs  John  George  and  Joachim  Jrrederic,  to 
 abolilh  by  degrees  thole  rites  which  been  introduced 
 in  the  latter  times  of  the  church.  John  Sigifmond, 
 •who  came  after  them,  thought  that  there  ftill  re- 
 mained fomething  to  be  done,  and  whilft  he  was 
 confidering  thefe  matters  fome  works  of  the  Re- 
 formed fell  into  his  hands.  He  wasfo  much  pleaf- 
 ed  with  them,  that  he  adopted,  without  referve,  all 
 the  notions  they  inculcated  \  However,  he  remain- 
 ed lor  more  than  eight  years  before  he  executed 
 the  defign  he  had  formed,  of  joining  himfelf  to  the 
 Reformed  church  :  this  he  did  on  Chriftmas-day 
 i6ij.  when  he  partook  of  the  holy  fupper  cele- 
 brated according  to  the  cuftoni  of  this  church.  In 
 the  following  year,  1614.  he  gave  to  the  Reform- 
 ed the  church  of  the  Trinity  at  Cologne,  on  the 
 Spree,  which  was  contiguous  to  the  palace  of  the 
 Elector,  and  confecrated  to  the  fervices  of  the 
 Eledoral  church.  In  the  fame  year  alfo  the 
 Eledtor  ordered  a  confeflion  of  the  faith  of  the 
 Reformed  churches  to  be  publifhed,  together 
 ■with  the  reafons  which  induced  him  to  embrace 
 this  religion.  But  this  Prince,  whofe  character 
 was  goodnefs  itfelf  engaged  at  the  fame  time,  that 
 the  Lutheran  churches  under  his  dominion  (hould 
 not  be  difturbed  or  oppreffed,  or  have  the  liberty 
 of  their  confciences  in  the  leafl:  reftrained  ;  and 
 this  is  what  his  fucceflbrs  haveobferved  in  the  moll 
 religious  manner.  They  even  have  done  all  that 
 they  poflibly  could  to  make  the  members  of  thefe 
 two  churches,  notwithftanding  their  difference  of 
 faith  in  fome  points,  love  as  brethren,  and  aflbci- 
 ate  with  each  other  more  and  more,  that  they 
 might  at  length,  if  it  was  poflible,  arrive  at  a  hap- 
 py reunion.     Such  were  the  profperities  of  the 
 
 »  This  is  what  he  himfelf  declared  in  his  anfwer  to  the 
 ftates  of  the  Eledtorate  of  Brandenbourg;. 
 
 Reformed 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY,  209 
 
 Reformed  church,  however  Ihe  was  not  free  from 
 misfortunes,  the  hand  of  God  falling  heavy  upon 
 her  more  than  once.  The  brethren  of  Bohemia, 
 defendants  of  the  HulTites,  who  had  dwelt  in 
 Bohemia  and  Moravia  for  near  two  centuries, 
 were  driven  out  of  thefe  countries  on  account 
 of  the  religious  troubles,  and  the  war  which 
 followed  them.  The  churches  which  their  an- 
 ceftors  had  there  founded  were  totally  deflroyed. 
 Numbers  of  the  Irifh  Proteftants  perifhed  by  an 
 uncommon  dilaftcr.  What  cruel  treatment  did 
 the  good  Vaudois  experience  in  the  vallies  which 
 they  had  long  occupied,  and  from  which  they 
 had  been  fo  often  expelled,  and  as  often  fuffered  to 
 return !  The  liberty  and  fecurity  of  the  Hunga- 
 rian Reformed  feemed  to  be  perfedlly  eftablifhed 
 by  the  edids  of  the  Princes  in  the  preceding  cen- 
 tury ;  but  thefe  edicts  could  not  deliver  them  from 
 theimplacablehatredandviolentattacksof  theRo- 
 milh  clergy.  Many  innocent  people  fuffered,  and 
 the  numbers  would  have  been  ftill  greater  if  the 
 States  General  had  not  interceded  for  the  allevi- 
 ation of  their  miferies.  But  the  moft  confidera" 
 ble  lofs  of  all  that  the  Reformed  had  yet  felt  was 
 the  total  overthrow  of  thofe  flourift-iing  churches 
 in  France,  which  had  produced  many  great  men, 
 who  had  done  moft  eflential  fervices  to  religion. 
 The  enemies  of  the  reformation  had  projec^d 
 the  ruin  of  thefe  churches  in  the  reign  of  Lewis 
 Xni.  but  they  could  not  then  furmount  the  diffi- 
 culties which  oppofed  their  deteftable  purpofe. 
 Lewis  XIV.  fully  completed  it  •,  and  after  hav- 
 ing, for  fome  years,  given  much  uneafinefs  to 
 the  Reformed  in  his  kingdoni,  by  various  kinds 
 of  ill  treatment,  v/hich  were  prefages  of  the 
 dreadful  calamity  they  afterv/ards  experienced 
 by  the  revocation  of  the  edifl  of  Nantz,  which, 
 by  depriving  them  of  the  liberty  of  their  con- 
 Vol.  II.  P  fcjen<:cs, 
 
210  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 coniciences,  and  the  exercile  of  their  religion, 
 took  from  them  the  privileges  which  former 
 Kings  had  folemnly  granted,  and  frequently  con- 
 firmed. But  we  have  already  mentioned  at  large 
 this  event.  England  alfo  had  many  troubles 
 brought  upon  her,  from  the  defigns  of  fome  of 
 her  Monarchs  to  re-eilablifh  popery.  James  the 
 fecond,  by  having  rccourfe  to  violent  methods 
 for  the  execution  of  this  undertaking,  ruined 
 himfelf  i  or,  at  leail,  vv^as  deprived  of  the  three 
 kingdoms,  which  were  given  to  their  deliverer 
 from  this  opprefiion. 
 
 We  will  now  take  a  view  of  the  mod  celebrat- 
 ed among  the  Reformed  divines.  In  Germany 
 the  churches  of  the  Palatinate  polTelTed  David 
 Pareus,  Abraham  Sculret,  John  Lewis  Fabricius, 
 and  Henry  Alting,  who  ended  his  life  in  the  uni- 
 verfity  of  Groningen.  At  Francfort  on  the  Oder 
 they  highly  reverence  the  Memories  of  Chrifto- 
 pholus  Pelargus,  John  Bergius,  and  George  Con- 
 rad his  fon  :  SwiiTerland,  among  others,  cele- 
 brates RodolphusHofpinian,  the  Buxtorfs,  father 
 and  fon,  John  Henry  Hottinger,  and  John  Henry 
 Heidegger,  and  FrancisTurretin,  a  very  celebrated 
 divine  of  Geneva. 
 
 The  churches  and  univerficies  of  Holland  pro- 
 duced John  Drufius,  Sextimus  Amana,  Francis 
 Gomar,  Andrew  Rivet,  John  Clippenburg,  Ge- 
 rard John  Voflius,  John  Cocceius,  Gifbert  Voe- 
 tius,  Samuel  du  Marets,  Abraham  Heidanus, 
 William  Momma,  Francis  Burmann,  James  Al- 
 ting, Chriftopher  Wittichius,  John  Hoornbeek, 
 Spanheilms,  father  and  fon,  Stephen  le  Moyne, 
 Peter  de  Maftricht,  and  many  others. 
 
 Thole  who  were  the  molt  celebrated  in  the 
 French  churches  were,  Daniel  Chamier,  John  Ca- 
 meron, Peter  du  Moulin,  John  Meiftrazac,  Da- 
 vid Blondel,    Charles  Drelincourt,    Moles  Amy- 
 
 rauld. 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  211 
 
 rauld,  James  and  Lewis  Cappel,  brothers,  Jofliua 
 de  la  Place,  Anthony  Gamtlole,  John  Croy,  John 
 Daille,  Alexander  Morus,  Lewis  le  Blanc,  Samuel 
 Bochart,  John  Claude,  Peter  Allix,  Peter  Jurieu, 
 and  many  others,  whom  we  have  not  room  to 
 mention.  Great  Britain  likewile  produced  many 
 illuftrious  men,  amongft  whom  we  may  place 
 William  Perkins,  William  and  John  Forbes, 
 James  Uffer,  William  Bedell,  Jofeph  Hall,  Ed- 
 ward Pocock,  John  Fell,  John  Jigethfoot,  Henry 
 Hammond,  Rodolphus  Cudworth,  Brian  Walton, 
 Richard  Baxter,  JohnPearfon,  William  Beveridge, 
 John  Tillotlbn,  and  Edward  Stillingfleet. 
 
 Among  the  clergy  who  left  France  after  the 
 revocation  of  the  edid:  of  Nantz,  and  fled  into 
 different  countries,  there  were  many  celebrated 
 men,  as  Meflleurs  Baufobre,  Abbadie,  L'Enfant, 
 Martin,  Des  Vignoles,  &c. 
 
 ARTICLE        XI. 
 
 Of  the  Intestine  Divisions  of  the  Reforaied 
 Church. 
 
 TH  E  fubjedls  of  predeftination  and  grace 
 produced  in  the  beginning  of  this  century 
 many  very  warm  difputes  amongft  the  divines  of 
 the  Reformed  churches  in  the  United  Provinces. 
 They  had  ftrong  debates  on  the  queftions  of  uni- 
 verfalifm  and  particularifm  -,  that  is  to  fay,  whe- 
 ther the  grace  of  Gcd  is  univerfal,  and  offered 
 to  all  men  ;  or  whether  it  is  particular,  and  re- 
 ferved  for  the  eled  alone.  Although  the  Refor- 
 mers were  not  themfelves  perfeftly  agreed  on 
 thefe  matters,  yet  they  never. had  had  any  great 
 controverfies  refpecling  them  ^     Even  in  Swif- 
 
 ='  All  this  matter  is  fully  treated  of  in  M.  Daille  Apologie 
 pour  les  fynodos  iiationaux  d' Alen9on  &  Charenton.  t;ee 
 difo  a  famous  letter  of  Tarrefius  to  Archbifhop  Wake,  infert- 
 ed  in    13  vol.  cf  the  Eibliotheque  Gcrmanique. 
 
 1'  2  ferland, 
 
212     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 ferland  Henry  Bullinger,  fucceflbr  of  Zwinglius 
 in  the  church  and  univerficy  of  Zurich,  had 
 openly  declared  himlelf  for  the  dodlrine  of  the 
 univerfalifts.  And  when  the  dates  of  Holland 
 requefted  Beza  to  fend  them  a  proper  perfon  to 
 fucceed  to  the  profefTorihip  of  divinity  in  the 
 iiniverfity  of  Leyden,  he  recommended  John  Hol- 
 mann,  whom  they  approved,  though  he  was  a 
 known  univerfalift  ;  nay,  and  even  Beza  himfelf, 
 as  all  the  world  allows,  was  not  very  far  from  thefe 
 opinions.  The  two  dodrines  had  alfo  their  par- 
 tifans,  and  their  defenders,  in  the  United  Pro- 
 vinces. But  infenfibly  the  great  veneration  in 
 whfch  Calvin  was  held,  caufed  his  dodtrine  to  be 
 nniverfally  received,  and  very  few  divines  re- 
 mained attached  to  the  opinions  of  BuUenger 
 and  Melanfthon. 
 
 James  Arminius  *  was  one  of  thofe  who  made 
 the  moft  noife  on  this  fubjed:.  He  had  for  many- 
 years  lived  at  Geneva,  where  he  enjoyed  the 
 friendfhip  and  inftrudions  of  Beza. 
 
 When  he  was  appointed  paftor  of  the  church 
 of  Amfterdam,  he  did  not  at  all  difguife  his  opi- 
 nions. Notwithftanding  this,  the  univerfity  of 
 Leyden  thought  they  could  not  confer  their  pro- 
 feflbrfliip  of  divinity,  then  vacant  by  the  death  of 
 Francis  Junius,  on  a  more  proper  man.  Armi- 
 nius, in  this  new  pod,  continued  to  propofe  to 
 his  pupils,  as  he  had  done  to  his  hearers  at  Am- 
 fterdam, his  do6trine  on  predeftination,  upon 
 which  one  of  his  coUegues  Francis  Gomar,  pub- 
 licly attacked  him.  Gomar  defended  abfolutc 
 predeftination,  founded  only  on  the  good  plea- 
 iure  of  God,  whilft  Arminius  fupported  condi^ 
 tional  predeftination  dependant  on  fore-know- 
 ledge.    Thefe  difputes  brought  on  many  very 
 
 *  The  life  of  Arminius  has  been  wrote  by  Gafpard  Brand, 
 which  life  Mr.  Mofheim  reprinted,  with  notes,  at  Brunfwic, 
 in  1725.  Confult  Grotius,  Hilt,  de  rebus  Belgicis,  for  a  full 
 account  of  thefe  difputes. 
 
 warm 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  213 
 
 warm  debates,  not  only  between  the  tv/o  divines 
 of  Leyden,  but  among  all  their  dilciples,  whocamc 
 to  luch  extremities,  that  neither  the  advice  of  the 
 more  moderate  divines,  nor  even  the  authority  of 
 the  States-General,  could  bring  them  into  order. 
 During  the  heat  of  the  controverly,  Arminius 
 died  in  1609.  The  death  of  Arminius  did  not 
 at  all  extinguifh  the  flame  which  had  been  kindled; 
 on  the  contrary,  it  caufed  it  rather  to  burn  with 
 more  violence.  His  dod:rine  had  many  favour- 
 ers, but  the  number  of  thofc  who  looked  upon 
 it  as  heretical,  and  contrary  to  the  principles  of 
 true  religion,  was  much  greater  ;  the  Arminians 
 to  prevent  the  fatal  effects  of  their  influence,  pre- 
 fenced  to  the  States  of  Holland,  and  of  Weft- 
 Friefland,  a  petition  or  remonfl:rance,  in  which 
 they  fee  forth  and  explamed  their  dodtrine  in  five 
 articles.  From  this  they  were  called  Remon- 
 ftrants.  Their  adverfaries  anfwered  them  in  an- 
 other ren^onftrance,  from  which  they  were  called 
 Anti-remonfl:rants.  All  the  magifl:rates  of  the 
 United-Provmces  very  much  delired  to  put  an 
 amicable  period  to  this  affair,  continually  recom- 
 mending to  both  parties  moderation  and  the 
 love  of  peace.  They  tried  alfo  to  pacify  thefe 
 diff^crences  by  means  of  conferences  which  they 
 caufed  to  be  held  in  their  prelence,  chufing  for 
 this  purpofe  Ibme  moderate  men  of  both  parties, 
 whom  they  thought  moil  likely  to  forward  their 
 intentions.  Amongft  thefe  conferences  that  of 
 the  Hague  was  the  moft  celebrated,  but  unfor- 
 tunately no  advantage  arofe  from  any  of  them. 
 The  Arminians,  who  forefaw  to  what  troubles 
 the  pafllon  of  their  enemies  would  expofe  them, 
 requeft:ed  a  toleration.  But  the Gomarifl:s  declared 
 that  this  aflfair  ought  to  be  carried  before  a  na- 
 tional council.  They  obtained  their  defires  from 
 Maurice,  who  fucceeded  his  father  as  Stadtholder 
 P  3  of 
 
214     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 of   the  United'Provinccs,  and  the   council  was 
 held,  which  they  had  fo  ardently  defired.     This 
 council,  called  the  fynod   of  Dordrecht,   met  in 
 1618.     This  was  to  have  been,  as  we  before  re- 
 marked, but  a  national  afiembly^;  but,  in  order 
 to  give  it  more  weight  and  auuhority  in  the  Re- 
 formed church,    the  divines  of  other  countries 
 were  invited  to  come  to  Dordrecht.  They  indeed 
 appeared  by  their  deputies ;  and  fome  clergymen 
 from  Great  Britain,  the  Palatinate  of  Hefle,  Swif- 
 ferland,  and  the  republics  of  Geneva,  Bremen,  and 
 Embden,  were  likewife  prefent.    The  very  fevere 
 prohibitions  of  the  King  of  France  prevented  any 
 divines  of  that  kingdom  being  prefent   at  this 
 affembly.     They  requefted   alfo   the   Eledor   of 
 Brandenbourg,  who  had  but  newly  embraced  the 
 Reformed  doftrine,  to  fend  fome  of  his  clergy  to 
 Dordrecht ;  but  he  did  not  comply  with  this  de- 
 mand.    When  the  affembly   was  judged  fuffici- 
 ently  numerous,  the  firft  feffion  was  held  on  the 
 13th  of  November  161 8.     After  fome  delibera- 
 tions on  other  fubjefts,  they  came,  at  length,  to 
 examine  the   caufe   of  the  Remonftrants,  whom 
 they  cited  to  appear  to  the  number  of  fifteen. 
 Simon  Epifcopius,  the  molt  diftinguifhed  amongfi: 
 them,  and  who  was  profeiTor  of  divinity  in  the 
 univerfity  of  Leyden,  defended  their  caufe.    But 
 as  they  difapproved  the  order  and  manner  of  pro- 
 ceeding in  the  lynod,   and  would  not  fubmit  to 
 the  laws  prefcribed  to  them,   and  declined  the 
 authority  of  this  affembly,  which  they  accufed  of 
 afting  both  as  party  and  judge,  they  were  de- 
 
 a  The  a£ls  of  this  fynod  are  exaftly  related  in  Brandt's  hi- 
 florv  of  the  Low-Countries.  See  the  letters  of  John  Hales, 
 an  Englifhman,  on  the  fynod  of  Dordrecht,  publifhed  in  his 
 Golden  Remains.  Thefe  were  tranflated  and  publifhed  by 
 Mr.  Molheim.  Confult  alfo  Prrtflantium  virorum  epiflolas  ec- 
 clefiafticae,  publifhed  by  Limborch. 
 
 nicd 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   21^ 
 
 nied  a  liberty  of  afTifting  at  the  fcHion.  The 
 abridgment  afterwards  of  their  doclrine,  com- 
 prized in  five  articles,  underwent  a  long,  fevere, 
 and  exad  examination,  which  ended  in  it's  full 
 condemnation.  TheArminians  v/ere  declared  in- 
 novators, diilurbers  of  the  church,  favourers  of 
 fchifm,  obftinate,  and  the  fetters-forth  of  danger- 
 ous errors  ;  in  confequence  of  whicli  they  were 
 turned  out  of  all  their  appointments  both  in  the 
 churches  and  univerfities.  They  then  drew  up 
 fome  certain  canons,  to  exprefs  their  itn^a  of  the 
 true  dod:rine  on  the  controverted  article*,  and 
 all  the  divines  prefent  gave  their  approbation  to 
 the  confeffion  of  faith  of  the  United -Provinces, 
 refpefting  the  doctrine  and  catechifm  of  Heidel- 
 berg. Thus  ended  the  fynod  on  the, 29th  of  May 
 1619.  after  h-aving  held  180  felTions.  The  154 
 firft  felTions  reipe6led  matters  which  called  for  the 
 afliftance  of  the'  foreign  divines  •,  the  following 
 ones  treated  of  things  which  concerned  more  par- 
 ticularly the  churches  of  the  United-Provinces. 
 
 The  fynod  of  Dordrecht  being  ended.  Prince 
 Maurice  imprifoned  three  magiftrates,  who  were 
 the  principal  fupporters  of  the  Arminian  party, 
 namely,  John  Olden -Barnevelt,  a  perfon  highly 
 refpeftable,  both  from  his  age  and  the  confider- 
 able  fervices  he  had  done  for  his  country  •,  Hugh 
 de  Groot,  who  afterwards  acquired  great  reputa- 
 tion under  the  name  of  Grotius  -,  and  Rumbold 
 Hogerbeets,all  three  men  of  greatweight  inHol- 
 land,  both  from  their  merit  andtheiremployments. 
 When  the  fynod  was  concluded,  Barnevelt  loft 
 Jiis  head  on  a  kaiTold  -,  the  two  others  were  con- 
 demned to  perpetual  imprifonment.  Grotius  was 
 ■iiidebted  to  the  courage  of  his  wifjs  for  an  expe- 
 dient which  procured  his  liberty.  The  P.emon- 
 ftrants  were  now  obliged  to  quit  all  their  former 
 employments.  Thofe  who  made  any  refitfance 
 were  either  banillied,  or  thrown  into  prilon. 
 P  4  Their 
 
2i6    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY- 
 
 Their  religious  afifemblies  were  prohibited,  and 
 their  places  of  worfhip  were  feized  by  the  Anti- 
 Remonttrants.  Prince  Maurice  dying  in  1625. 
 his  fucceffor  and  brother  Frederic  Henry 
 afted  with  much  greater  moderation.  He  per- 
 mitted the  exiles  to  return  into  their  own  coun- 
 try, and  tolerated  their  affemblies.  He  allowed 
 them  even  to  found  a  famous  fchool  or  academy 
 at  Amfterdam,  which  has  been  governed  by 
 feme  very  eminent  divines  j  namely,  at  firft,  by 
 Simon  Epifcopius,  afterwards  by  Stephen  Cour- 
 celles,  Arnold  Poelembourg,  and  Philip  Lim- 
 borch.  Many  very  famous  men  were  educated 
 at  this  academy.  In  a  word,  Learning  and  piety 
 always  much  flouriihed  among  the  Remonftrants. 
 Thefe  were  not  the  only  fhocks  to  which  the 
 churches  of  the  Low-Countries  were  expofed. 
 There  were  others,  which,  though  lefs  violent, 
 dcferve  to  be  taken  fome  notice  of.  The 
 dodrine  of  that  great  Reftorer  of  Philofophy 
 Rene  des  Cartes,  and  that  of  John  Cocceius,  a 
 celebrated  divine  of  Leyden,  gave  rife  to  them. 
 Not  that  there  was  any  fort  of  connexion  be- 
 tween the  opinions  of  thefe  two  famous  men, 
 but  it  happened  by  fome  accident  or  other,  that 
 thofe  who  favoured  the  philofophy  of  des  Cartes 
 took  an  extraordinary  liking  to  the  divinity  of 
 Coccecus.  Cartefianifm  had  from  the  beginning 
 many  favourers  in  Holland  %  but,  however,  there 
 were  fome  who  oppofed  this  fyftem.  Gilbert 
 Voet,  a  celebrated  divine  of  the  univerfity  of 
 Utrecht,  and  a  violent  enemy  of  des  Cartes, 
 began  the  attack  by  a  difpute  on  Atheifm,  which 
 
 *  The  reader  may  find  the  whole  account  of  this  contra- 
 verfy  in  Brucker,  Hift.  Philo.  part  ii.  p.  222,  &c.  See  alfo 
 two  letters  of  Fred.  Spanheim  the  Ton,  dc  noviffimis  cerca  les 
 facras  in  Belgio  diflidris.  Thefe  letters  are  reprinted  in  the 
 fecond  volume  of  his  works. 
 
 he 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    217 
 
 he  publiftied  in  1639.     Samuel  des  Maretts  fup- 
 ported  at  that  time  the  party  of  des  Cartes   with 
 great  vigour,  but  he  afterwards  abandoned  hmi, 
 and  became  his  avowed  oppoier.     At  firft  Cocce- 
 cus  had  no  very  favourable  opinion  of  the  prmci- 
 ples  of  thisFrenchphilofopher-,  though  afterwards, 
 from  the  felicitation  of  his  friends,  he  never  made 
 mention  of  him  in  his  writings.     Some  other  di- 
 vines were  not  fo  favourable  to  him  j  for  a  fwarm 
 of  them  fettled  on  him  at  once  ;  the  principal  of 
 whom  were  Peter  de  Maftricht,  John  Hoornbeek, 
 Andrew  Eflenius,    Melchior  Leydekker,    John 
 Vander  Wayen,  Gerhard  de  Vries,  James  Re- 
 vius,   James  Trigland,  and  Frederic  Spanheim. 
 The  tenets  which  they  mod  violently  oppofed  in 
 the  fyftem  of  des  Cartes,    were  the  followmg  : 
 *'  That  there  is  a  time  in  life  when  we  are  to 
 *'  doubt  of  every  thing  j  that  the  world  is  inli- 
 "  nite  •,    that  the  certainty  of  philofophy,   and 
 «*  that  of  divinity,  are  the  fame  j  that  clear  and 
 *'  diftinfb  ideas  of  things  ought  to  be  looked  upon 
 **  as  the  only  rule  of  truth  •,  that  the  fenfes  al- 
 "  ways  deceive  us,  at  lead  moft  commonly  ;  that 
 **  the  fcripture  fpeaks  of  natural  things  accord- 
 *'  ing  to  the  vulgar  opinion,  though  erroneous  ; 
 "  that  the  principal  proof  of  the  exiftcnce  of 
 *'  God  arifes  from   that  idea  being  fo  ftrongly 
 *'  imprefled  on  the  minds  of  all  men  ;  that  the 
 *'  nature  or  efTence  of  fpirit,  and  of  God  himfelf, 
 *'  confifts  in  thought  j  that  fpace  does  not  really 
 *'  exift,  but  is  only  an  imaginary  notion,  and 
 *'  that  confequently  matter  is  not  confined  within 
 *'  any  bounds.'* 
 
 Des  Cartes  was  not  abandoned,  he  had 
 many  admirers  and  defenders  ;  among  the 
 philolbphers,  Henry  Renier,  Henry  Regius, 
 James  Golius,  Claude  Saumaife,  John  Ray, 
 Adrian  Heerboord,    and  Tobias  Andreas  -,  and 
 
 amongfl 
 
£i8     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 amongft  the  mofl  efteemed  divines,  Abraham 
 Heidanus,  Chriftopholus  Wittechius,  Francis  Ber- 
 mann,  John  Brunnius,  John  Clauberge,  Peter 
 AHinga,  Balthafar  Bckker,  Stephen  deCoiircelles, 
 Herman  Alexander  Reel,  Ruard  Andala,  and 
 many  others.  Neither  the  number  or  abili- 
 ties of  thefe  defenders  of  des  Cartes  could  filence 
 the  hatred  he  had  drawn  on  himfelf,  nay  they 
 rather  ferved  to  increafe  and  irritate  the  envy  of 
 his  oppofers.  In  1647.  the  univerfity  of  Leyden 
 enjoined  all  the  profeffors  to  be  particularly  care* 
 ful  to  prevent  the  great  detriment  that  his  philo- 
 fophy  would  be  of  to  divinity  ;  and  the  fynod  af- 
 fembled  at  Amilerdam  in  1664.  were  lb  much 
 pleafed  with  this  attention  of  the  univerfity,  as 
 to  return  them  public  thanks.  The  following 
 fynods  pafTed  many  decrees,  and  the  magiftrates 
 publilhed  many  edicts,  to  prevent  the  progrefs 
 the  Cartefian  philofophy  was  likely  to  make. 
 The  event  did  not  anfwer  their  expecta- 
 tions. This  made  the  Voetians  redouble  their 
 efforts,  which,  at  length,  fo  far  prevailed,  as  to 
 make  the  Cartefians  and  Cocceians  be  fufpefted  by 
 the  firft  perfons  of  the  ftates,  and  particularly  by 
 William  the  illuftrious  Prince  of  Orange.  They 
 reprefented  thefe  pretended  heretics  as  people 
 who  were  formin.g;  evil  defi^^ns  aq-ainft  their  coun- 
 try,  or  who,  at  leaft,  advanced  novelties  which 
 muft  infinitely  prejudice  religion.  Thefe  accu- 
 fations  were  not  ineffedual,  as  fome  c."  uhe  moil 
 able  Dutch  divines  fatally  experienced  in  1676. 
 
 Abraham  Heidanus,  a  venerable  old  man,  pro- 
 felfor  of  divinity  at  Leyden,  was  turned  out  of 
 his  employment.  William  Momma  and  John 
 Vander  Waycn,  both  paftors  and  profelTors  at 
 Middlebourg  in  Zealand,  were  likewiie  depofed. 
 But,  foon  after  they  began  to  treat  the  di- 
 vines inclined  to  Cartefianifm  with  much  more 
 
 moderation  -, 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  219 
 
 moderation-,  which  fo  much  increaled  their  num- 
 bers, that  they  in  a  little  time  greatly  exceeded 
 thole  in  the  oppofition.  From  that  time  nothing 
 mcie  diilurbed  the  public  tranquility  on  thefe 
 matters. 
 
 Some  iuch  changes  happened  likewife  to  the 
 doftrine  of  Cocceius.  We  have  already  obferved 
 that  almoll  all  the  Cocceians  favoured  Cartefian- 
 iim.  John  Cocceius,  their  chief,  was  a  native  of 
 Bremen  -,  he  Itudied,  at  firfl,  at  the  univerfity  of 
 Franeker,  where  his  reputation  was  fo  very  great 
 as  to  procure  him  a  profeiTorfliip  at  Leyden.  The 
 extent  of  his  learning,  the  depth  of  his  judg- 
 ment, the  fmcerity  of  his  piety,  and  his  many 
 other  excellent  qualities,  which  rendered  him 
 highly  reipeftable,  are  acknowledged  on  ail  fides. 
 The  many  works  he  pubiifhed  are  even  nov/  held 
 in  the  efteem  they  fo  juitly  merit.  The  princi- 
 pal end  Cocceius  propofed  to  himfelf  in  all  his 
 writings,  was,  to  throw  new  light  on  facred  fcrip- 
 ture,  and  to  find  new  treafures  in  the  word  of 
 God,  which  had  not  as  yet  been  fought  for.  He 
 laid  it  down  for  a  principle,  that  the  fenfe  of  the 
 word  of  God  is  extremely  rich-,  and  he  went  fo  far 
 as  to  fay,  that  the  words  of  fcripture  always  fig- 
 ni'icd  every  thing  that  they  could  fignify.  He 
 added,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  end  of  all  the 
 prophefies  •,  that  he  is  to  be  fought  for  every- 
 where, and  may  be  found  everywhere.  As  to 
 the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  the  accomplifli- 
 ment  of  which  we  cannot  difcover  in  the  Jewifh 
 people  before  the  coming  of  our  Saviour,  accord- 
 mg  to  him,  ought  to  be  referred  to  the  Hate  of 
 the  Chriilian  church. 
 
 The  Old  Teftament,  according  to  him,  was 
 entire  in  it's  fa6ts,  but  particularly  the  Levitical 
 law  (the  rites  of  which  were  wholly  typical)  re- 
 prefented  by  a  long  chain  of  images,Jefus  Chrift, 
 the  profperity  of  the  gofpel,  and  the  fate  of  reli- 
 gion 
 
220  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 gion.  He  believed  alio,  that  the  greatefl  part, 
 both  of  the  adions  and  dilcourfes  of  Chrift,  dur- 
 ing his  lojournment  on  earth,  prefigured  the  fu- 
 ture fate  of  the  Chriilian  church.  The  only  me- 
 thod of  explaining  fcripture,  that  he  admitted  of, 
 was,  of  finding  out  it*s  connexion  with  the  oeco- 
 iiomy  of  the  covenants  which  God  had  made  with 
 man.  He  advanced,  that  after  the  fall  the  cove- 
 nant of  works  being  broken,  God  made  with  man 
 the  covenant  of  grace,  which  was  folemnly  re- 
 newed to  the  Jewifh  people  at  the  promulgation 
 of  the  Mofaical  law.  This  law,  upon  his  plan, 
 being  purely  typical,  could  procure  to  it's  pro- 
 feffors  only  temporal  bleifings,  but  fuch  as  wferc 
 the  pledges  of  more  excellent  things,  which  the 
 gofpcl  was  to  confer  on  mankind. 
 
 However,  he  allowed  that  worthy  people  un- 
 der the  lav/,  from  the  indulgence  of  God,  and, 
 as  it  were,  by  a  kind  of  anticipation,  enjoyed  the 
 good  things  of  the  New  Teltament;  for,  accord- 
 ing to  him,  they  had  no  right  to  them  by  virtue 
 of  the  covenant  made  in  their  favour  ;  from 
 whence  he  inferred  that  they  were  not  to  be  con- 
 fidered  as  children,  but  as  (laves  who  lived  in 
 continual  fear.  In  a  word,  that  they  were  jufti- 
 fied  in  a  very  different  manner  from  that  by 
 which  Chrillians  obtain  juftification.  There  were 
 fome  difputes  alfo  between  this  divine  and  his 
 opponents  on  the  morality  of  the  Sabbath. 
 
 Ail  the  enemies  of  des  Cartes  fell  on  Cocceius, 
 having  at  their  head  Voet  and  Des  Maretts,  with 
 many  other  famous  divines,  fuch  as  Hornback, 
 Halfius,  Leydekker,  Van  Maeftricht,  Spanheim, 
 &c.  Notwithltanding  all  their  efforts,  the  no- 
 tions of  Cocceius  found  admirers,  and  were 
 by  degrees  adopted  by  fome  of  the  moll  cele- 
 brated  divines  of  Holland  ;  among  many  others 
 we  may  mention  Heidanus,  Wittichius,  Alting, 
 
 Braunius, 
 
 I 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  221 
 
 Braunius,  AUinga,  VajiderWayen,  Momma,  Bur- 
 mann,  Gulichius,  and  Gurtler.  The  contefts  be- 
 tween the  different  combatants  continued  for  a 
 long  time.  But  the  divinity  of  Cocceius,  as  well 
 as  the  philofophy  of  des  Cartes,  at  length,  pre- 
 vailed and  triumphed  over  all  oppofition. 
 
 The  opinions  of  Hermann  Alexander  Roell 
 gave  rife  likewife  to  fome  other  difputcs.  Roell 
 was  a  divine  of  fome  learning,  but  of  a  very- 
 bitter  and  quarrelfome  temper,  difpofitions  which 
 •were  by  no  means  uncommon  among  the  literati 
 of  this  age.  His  fentiments  were  warmly  op- 
 pofed  by  another  divine  of  much  learning  and 
 great  worth,  CampegiusVitringa.  This  contro- 
 verfy  gave  each  of  the  difputants  much  uneafi- 
 nefs,  and  greatly  difturbed  the  churches  in  Hol- 
 land. The  firft  fubjeft  of  their  difpute  was  re- 
 fpefting  the  fenfe  which  we  ought  to  give  to  the 
 words  of  facred  fcripture,  that  fpeak  of  our  Savi- 
 our as  the  Son  of  God.  Roell  affirmed  that  this 
 title  did  not  refer  to  his  divine  nature,  or  de- 
 note the  natural  and  eternal  relation  between 
 the  firft  and  fecond  perfon  of  the  Divinity,  by 
 virtue  of  which  the  lecond  was  begotten  by  the 
 firft  from  all  eternity  ;  but  the  name  of  the  Son 
 of  God  belonged  properly  to  Chriil,  from  his  of- 
 fice of  mediator,  by  which  the  Father  manifelled 
 the  Son  in  him,  and  declared  him  invefted  with 
 that  quality.  Vitringa,  on  the  contrary,  advanced 
 that  the  title  of  the  Son  of  God  was  given  to  our 
 Saviour  on  account  of  his  eternal  generation. 
 Another  object  of  their  controverly  refpe£led  the 
 temporal  death  of  chriftians.  It  was  z  queftion 
 between  them,  whether  death  was  really  and  truly 
 a  punilhment  for  fin,  by  which  the  fmner  fatisfied 
 the  divine  juftice.     Roell  *  affirmed  it  •,  Vitringa 
 
 denied 
 
 a  The  writings  of  Roell,  and  of  Vitringa,  on  thefe  fubjcSs, 
 appeared  at  Franckfort  in  4.10.  in  tlie  vears  1689  and   1690- 
 
 Sce 
 
222     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 denied  it.    Roell  was  condemned  in  many  fvnods, 
 and  in   mcfl  of  the  univerfities   of  the  Uniied- 
 Provinces.    His  death  did  not  put  an  end  to  the 
 difputes,  which  continued  for  a  long  time  after. 
 
 The  dodrine  of  Balthafar  Beicker,  a  do(5lor  of 
 divinity,  and  pafcor  to  the  church  of  Amilerdam, 
 caufed  no  fmall  diilurbance  to  the  churches  of  the 
 Low  Countries.  He  was  a  man  of  learning,  and 
 a  great  favourer  of  Cartefianifm.  The  Inchant- 
 ed  World,  a  work  which  he  publiflied  at  Amftcr- 
 dam,  in  1619.  made  a  great  noife.  He  embraced 
 the  principles  of  des  Cartes  wholly  as  to  philofo- 
 phical  matters  ;  but  he  advanced  farther,  that 
 the  evil  fpirit,  called  the  Devil  in  fcripture,  was 
 bound  in  eternal  chains,  with  all  the  other  accom- 
 plices in  his  rebellion  •,  from  whence  he  inferred, 
 that  he  could  not  now  aft  in  the  world  ;  and  that 
 all  the  operations  which  the  Bible  attributed  to 
 him,  ought  to  be  underftood  in  a  very  different 
 fenie  from  that  in  which  they  were  commonly 
 received.  Almoil  all  the  clergy  in  Holland  at 
 once  oppofed  this  notion.  Leydekker,  Vander 
 Wayen,Maftrihcth,VanderMarck,Grocneweggen, 
 VanderHooght,  deVries,  Hulfius,  and  FeterPoiret, 
 publillied  treatifes  againft  him.  Some  national  fy- 
 nods  condemned  the  tenets  of  Bekker,  and  de- 
 poled  him  ;  but  the  magillrates  of  Amilerdam 
 permitted  him  ftill  to  enjoy  his  former  appoint- 
 ments. Many  able  men  approved  of  the  notions 
 of  Bekker,  and  adopted  them  either  wholly  or 
 in  part. 
 
 A  difpute  arofe  in  Germany  on  the  merito- 
 rious caule  of  the  juftification  of  a  fmner  in  the 
 fight  of  God,  namely,  whether  it  confifted  only 
 in  the  paffive  obedience  of  Chrift  j  that  is  to  fay. 
 
 Sec  alfo  Spanheim,  in  his  Elenchus  controverfiarum,  p.  670. 
 The  reader  will  find  much  fatiefadion  from  this  work,  on  all 
 thefe  matters  of  controverfy. 
 
 in 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  225 
 
 in-  his  fufferings,  and  in  the  bloody  facrifice  which 
 he  offered  for  the  expiation  of  our  fins  ;  or  whe- 
 ther we  are  neceflarily  to  join  to  it  the  aftive  obe- 
 dience, by  which,  as  man,  he  perfeiflly,  in  every 
 thing,  fatisfied  the  law  of  God.  The  latter  is  the 
 opinion  of  the  Proteftant  church  in  general. 
 
 John  Pifcator,  a  divine  of  Herborn,  in  other 
 r^elpefts  a  very  able  man,  fupported  the  former 
 opinion  -,  which  caufed  fome  difturbance  both 
 in  Germany  and  France.  Pifcator  was  not  the 
 firft  who  had  fallen  into  this  notion.  George 
 Kargius  %  called  in  Latin  Parfimonius,  a  Lu- 
 theran divine  of  Anfpach,  advanced,  in  1565. 
 the  fame  doftrine  ;  but,  it  is  faid,  he  afterv/ards 
 recanted  his  opinion.  Amongft  the  Reformed 
 divines  Zachary  Urfmus  and  Cafpar  Olevianus 
 had  done  the  fame.  But  when  Pifcator  broached 
 this  tenet  in  his  Commentary  on  the  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  fome  eminent  divines  declared  it  heterodox. 
 Many  national  fynods  of  the  Reformed  churches 
 in  France  were  held  on  accpunt  of  this  do6lrine  ; 
 amongft  others  that  of  Gap  in  1603.  that  of  Ro- 
 chelle  in  1607.  that  of  Privas  in  161 2.  and  that 
 of  Tonneins  in  161 4.  The  firft  of  thefe  fynods 
 lent  Joachin  Regnaut  into  Germany  to  confer 
 with  Pifcator  at  Herborn,  and,  if  it  were  poiTible, 
 to  bring  liim  back  to  the  right  way  •,  but  his  en- 
 deavours proved  ineffeftual.  James,  King  of 
 England,  interefted  himfelf  in  thefe  difputes, 
 and  ftrove  to  calm  the  troubles  they  had  raifed 
 in  the  Reformed  churches  •,  this  was,  at  laft, 
 happily  effected  at  a  fynod  held  in  161 5.  at 
 the  Ifle  in  the  Albigois.  The  tenet  of  Pifcator 
 ftill  preferved  fome  defenders,  the  principal  of 
 whom,  David  Pareus,  Abraham  Scultet,  Henry 
 Alting,    Rodolphus  Goclenius,  Matthias  Marti- 
 
 a  See  Mr.  Amyen's  Collection,  intitletl,  Tous  le^  fynodes 
 Jes  Ei^lifcb  Rcfonnccs  de  France. 
 
 nis. 
 
224    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 nis,  Lewis  Groccius,  Henry  Hammond,  Thomas 
 Gataker,  and  amongft  the  French  divines   John, 
 Cameron,  David  Blondel,  Lewis  Cappel,  David 
 Tilenus,  and  many  others. 
 
 The  difputes  on  Predeflination  and  Grace, 
 which  the  decrees  of  the  fynod  of  Dordrecht, 
 feemed  to  have  perfectly  filenced,  were  again  re- 
 newed in  the  celebrated  univerfity  of  Saumer, 
 on  account  of  Mofes  Amyrault*,  a  very  diftin- 
 guifhed  divine  of  that  univerfity,  who  had  adopt- 
 ed the  dodrine  of  Cameron,  on  the  fubjed,  of 
 univerfal  or  hypothetical  grace,  or,  as  they  termed 
 it,  objedive.  Two  of  Amyrault's  collegues  of 
 equal  reputation  with  himfelf,  Jofhua  Place  and 
 Lewis  Cappel,  embraced  the  fame  opinion.  This 
 dodrine,  which  appeared  to  be  a  kind  of  mediun\, 
 between  that  which  was  determined  by  the  fynodi 
 of  Dordrecht,  and  the  tenets  of  Arminius,  did 
 not,  in  fact,  greatly  differ  from  the  firft.  Not- 
 withftanding,  Amyrault  and  his  party  were  foon 
 accufcd  by  many  of  their  brethren  of  introducing 
 dangerous  novelties.  Peter  Moulin,  a  man  who 
 had  lived  and  acquired  much  reputation,  was  the 
 firft  who  laid  this  accufation  to  their  charge. 
 
 In  the  fynod  of  Alen^on,  held  in  1637.  Amy- 
 rault was  very  near  being  condemned  ;  but  he 
 defended  himfelf  in  fo  eloquent  and  mafterly  a 
 manner  that  he  was  difmiffed  with  honour.  The 
 fame  fynod  enjoined  filence  for  the  future,  on 
 thefe  matters.  But.  the  fynod  of  Charenton, 
 in  1645.  permitted  Amyrault  to  defend  himfelf" 
 againft  all  foreign  oppofers.  Many  of  the  Re- 
 formed clergy  of  France  afterwards  declared 
 themfelves,  publicly,  of  the  fentiments  of  Amy- 
 rault j  amongft  them  were  Paul  Teftard,  John 
 Daille,  David  Blondel,  John  Meftrifat,  Alexander 
 
 «  See  Bayle  Di£l.  on  the  article  Amyrault,  and  likewife  on 
 that  of  Cameron, 
 
 Morus, 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    225 
 
 Morus,  and  John  Claude.     Thefe  difputes  were, 
 in  length  of  time,  quite  forgot. 
 
 Joihua  de  laPlace,  a  collegue  of  Amyrault  in  the 
 univerfity  ot  Saumur,  a  divine  highly  efteemed  for 
 his  piety,  moderation,  wifdom,  and  learning,  gave 
 rife  to  a  new  controverfy,  on  account  of  a  thefis, 
 which  he  fupported  in  1540.  on  the  ftate  of  Fallen 
 Man  before  the  Redemption.  It  was  affirmed, 
 that  he  entirely  deftroyed  the  imputation  of  Adam's 
 tranfgreflion,  which  caufed  Anthony  Gariffole,  a 
 divine  of  Montauban,  to  condemn  the  do6lrine 
 of  la  Place,  at  the  national  fynod  held  at  Charenton, 
 in  1645.  Amyranlr,  though  he  was  himfelf  of  the 
 opinion  of  the  Reformed  churches  on  this  fubje6t, 
 yet  did  not  fail  to  take  the  part  of  his  friend  by 
 fliewing  that  if  he  did  depart  from  the  received  doc- 
 trine, it  was  in  a  manner  that  could  not  be  of  any 
 confequence.  The  fynod,  however,  rejedted  and 
 condemned  the  fuppofed  opinion  of  la  Place.  This 
 determination  was  differently  received  in  the  pro- 
 vincial fynods,  fome  of  which  praifed  and  approv- 
 ed it ;  others  again  thought  they  ought  to  fufpend 
 their  judgment,  and  refer  the  atfair  to  the  next 
 national  fynod.  The  clergy  were  not  better  agreed 
 amongft  themfelves  on  this  fubje6i:.  La  Place 
 having  in  vain  waited  more  than  ten  years  for 
 the  convocation  of  a  new  fynod,  took,  at  laft  upon 
 himfelf  his  own  defence,  and  publiflied  a  new 
 thefis  on  the  imputation  of  the  fin  of  Adam, 
 wherein  he  endeavoured  to  fhew,  that  his  true 
 opinion  was  not  condemned  by  the  decree  of 
 the  fynod  of  Charenton,  as  he  denied  only  the  im- 
 mediate and  not  the  mediate  imputation  of  Adam's 
 tranfgreffion.  This  did  not  prevent  the  attacks  of 
 Andrew  Rivet,  Samuel  des  Marets,  Francis  Tur- 
 retin,  and  others  •,  but  he  had  alfo  fome  able  apo- 
 iogilb  and  defenders. 
 
 Vol.  II.  Q^  Thefe 
 
226  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 Thefe  difputes  brouglit  the  "^  flourifliing  ciniver- 
 fity  of  Saumur  into  great  difcredlt,  particularly 
 amongfb  the  Swifs  divines  ;  and  their  prejudices 
 were  heightened  on  account  of  Lewis  Cappel, 
 divinity  and  Hebrew  profeflbr  at  Saumur,  who 
 publicly  advanced  that  the  Hebrew  letters  of  the  Old 
 Teftament  were  borrowed  from  the  Chaldeans  after 
 the  captivity  of  Babylon.  The  Jews,  before  that 
 time,  according  to  his  opinion,  made  ufe  of  thofe 
 letters  which  we  call  Samaritan.  He  denied  alfo 
 that  vowel  points  were  known  to  the  facred  au- 
 thors, being  added  a  long  time  after,  by  the 
 Maforites.  The  Reformed  cantons  perceiving 
 that  thefe  opinions  were  likely  to  gain  ground 
 amongft  the  Swifs  divines,  thought  proper  to  pro- 
 fcribe  thefe  novelties  by  a  new  fymbolical  work, 
 John  Henry  Hottinger  was  eniployed  ^  to  com- 
 pofe  this  work,  which  was  publifhed  in  1674. 
 under  the  title  of  Formula  Confenfus  Helvetica. 
 All  the  Reform.ed  of  Swifferland  received  the  Con- 
 fenfus, and  thofe  who  had  any  appointments  either 
 in  the  churches  or  univerfities,  were  ordered  to 
 fign  it.  This  fubfcription  was  exaded  with  all 
 the  rigour  imaginable;  but  in  length  of  time  thefe 
 troubles  were,  in  a  great  meafure,  appealed. 
 
 Before  we  conclude  this  article  we  mull  not  for- 
 get to  mention  pajonifm,  though  the  immature 
 death  of  it's  author,  and  the  calamities  which  the 
 Reformed  church  in  France  experienced  about  the 
 fame  time,  did  not  permit  this  controverfy  to  con- 
 tinue very  long.  Claude  Pajon,  minifler  at  Or- 
 leans, was  a  clergyman  of  great  merit,  uncommon 
 
 ^  There  are  a  great  many  authors  who  may  be  confulted  on 
 this  fubjed.  Among  whom  are  Leufden,  in  his  Philologus 
 Hebrasus,  and  Prideaux's  Hilloire  des  Juifs,  vol.  ii.  p.  162 — 
 195. 
 
 b  See  Heidegger,  in  the  life  of  him,  p.  97,  and  Burnet's 
 travels,  p.  155. 
 
 learning, 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  227 
 
 learning,  and  exquifite  judgment.  The  works 
 which  he  piibliflied  in  defence  of  the  Proteftant 
 church  gained  him  the  higheft  reputation.  He 
 fupported  fome  particular  opinions  on  the  do6lrine 
 of  grace,  advancing  that  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  by  which  man  is  converted,  and  brought  to 
 a  faving  knowledge  of  God  in  Jefus  Chrift,  is  not 
 an  immediate  operation  on  the  faculties  of  the 
 foul  itfelf,  but  only  a  mediate  one,  ading  by  the 
 word  of  God,  which  inflru6ls,  convinces,  and 
 determines  the  mind  to  good.  He  did  not  be- 
 lieve that  the  faculties  of  the  foul  were  wholly 
 deflroyed  by  -the  fm  of  Adam,  or  that  m.an 
 was  abfolutely  incapable  of  healing  his  fpiritual 
 evils,  or  recovering  the  original  redlitude  of  his 
 foul,  by  the  help  of  divine  truths,  clearly  pro- 
 pofed  to  him,  and  eftabliflied  on  the  moil  invin- 
 cible arguments.  This'  divine  could  not  con- 
 ceive that  God  could  ad;  otherwife  by  a  reafon- 
 able  creature  like  man.  Mr.  Pajon  did  not  pub- 
 lifli  any  works  in  fupport  of  his  dodrine;  and  if 
 he  wrote  any  on  thefe  matters,  they  have  nevex 
 yet  appeared.  Notwithftanding  this,  two  very 
 celebrated  divines,  Peter  jurieu  and  Melchior 
 Leydekker,  attacked  him  with  great  warmth,  and 
 the  affair  was  brought  before  fome  provincial  fy- 
 nods  of  France.  In  Holland  they  took  every 
 precaution  to  prevent  the  progrefs  of  opinions  fo 
 diredly  contrary  to  the  fynod  of  Dordrecht.  But 
 in  a  very  fhort  lime  this  controverfy  was  wholly 
 dropped. 
 
 ARTICLE        XII. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  Church  in  England.' 
 
 DURING  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  in  other 
 refpeds  very  glorious  and  happy  for  the  na- 
 tion, the  Englifli  church  was  greatly  difturbed  by 
 0^2  t\k 
 
228    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORT, 
 
 the  fchiim  of  the  Puritans,  and  the  difputes  which 
 arofe  from  thence.  Jamesl.  formerly  King  of  Scot- 
 land, fucceeding  Elizabeth,,  every  one  expeded; 
 that  the  pai  ty  of  the  Puritans  would  now  become 
 very  powerful,  as  the  new  Monarch,  born  in  Scot- 
 land, had  been  brought  up  and  educated  amongft 
 them.  But,  howevefy  their  hopes,,  reafonable  as 
 they  were,  of  finding  a  protestor  in  hiray  were 
 utterly  difappointed.  They  might,^  indeed,  have 
 remarked,  that  even  whilft  he  was  only  King  of 
 Scotland,  he  did  not  exprefs  much  inclination  to 
 them;  which  fome  amongft  them,  more  particu- 
 larly attentive  to  his  condud,  had  long  perceived. 
 Irnmediately  upon  his  accelTion  to  the  throne  of 
 England,,  he  openly  teftified  his  entire  approbatiorv 
 of  the  conftitution  of  the  Englifh  church,  and  his 
 diflike  to  the  difcipline  of  the  Puritans,  He,  in- 
 deed, caufed  to  be  held  at  Hampton-Court,  ia 
 1604.  a  conference  between  the  divines  of  both 
 parties,  at  which  he  himfelf  was  prefent,  and  where 
 the  caufe  of  the  Englifh  church  prevailed.  From  this 
 time  he  became  fo  great  a  favourer  of  epifcopal  go- 
 vernment,that  he  re-eftablifhed  it  in  Scotland,  from 
 v^^hence  it  had  been  banifhed  ever  fince  the  Refor- 
 mation. James  was  entirely  actuated  in  this  affair 
 by  his  rulfng  paffion,  the  defire  of  fupreme  autho- 
 rity, which  he  perceived  the  conftitution  of  the 
 Puritan  church  did  not  favour. 
 
 Charles  I.  fucceeded  his  father  in  1625.  and 
 followed  his  example;  nay,  even  carried  his  feve- 
 rity  beyond  what  James  had  done.  His  great  at- 
 tention during  the  whole  courfe  of  his  reign,  was 
 employed  to  fettle  the  epifcopal  church  of  Eng- 
 land on  the  fame  footing  it  had  been  eftablilhed 
 by  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  about  fixty  years  be- 
 fore. He  likewife  fucceeded  in  what  his  father 
 had  begun,  by  forcing  the  Scots  to  receive  bifliops. 
 In  this  he  principally  followed  the  advice  of  Wil- 
 liam 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  229 
 
 Ham  Laud,  then  Bifliop  of  London,  and^after- 
 ivards  Archbilhop  of  Canterbury.  This  prelate 
 was  pofTefled  of  many  great  talents  and  excellent 
 qualities  -,  notwithilanding  which  he  was  very  fu- 
 perflitious,  and  fo  'extravagant  an  admirer  of  an- 
 tiquity, that  he  conceived  an  utter  averfion  to  the 
 ceremonies  of  the  Puritans.  Add  to  that,  he  was 
 To  fixed  in  any  -.defign  he  had  once  formed,  that 
 hefpared  nothing  for  it's  execution,  His  defign 
 was  to  deflroy  the  Puritans  -,  for  which  end  he 
 fometimes  caufed  them  to  -be  treated  with  the 
 greateft  indignities,  and  in  .a  manner  contrary  to 
 the  laws  of  the  kingdom.  The  Puritans  being, 
 at  length,  exafperated  by  this  treatment,  united 
 themfelves  for  their  common  defence,  and  form- 
 ed a  party,  which,  at  length,  prevailed.  The 
 Archbifhop  was  then,  in  his  turn,  perfccuted,  and 
 ■after  being  accufed  of  capital  crimes,  was  juridi- 
 cally condemned,  and  loft  his  life  on  aijaffbld. 
 
 The  Puritans,  from  ihe  year  1633.  had  given 
 riie  to  many  difputes,  principally  on  .the  ^fandiE- 
 cation  of  the  S;:bbath,  and  on  predeftination. 
 Thofe  who  w-ere  of  different  fentiments,  main- 
 tained them  with  great  warmth.  ;But  whilft  the 
 minds  of  the  people  were  taken  up  with  thefe 
 difputes,  there  arofe  one  of  much  greater  im- 
 portance, between  the  King  and  the  parliament. 
 The  limitation  of  the  royal  authority,  and  the  li- 
 berties of  the  people,  were  the  fubjeds  of  this  dif- 
 pute.  Much  the  greateft  part  of  the  Biftiops, 
 and  their  adherents,  were  attached  to  the  King's 
 intereft,  whilft  that  of  the  people  was  maintained 
 by  the  Puritans  and  their  minifters,  who,  adluated 
 by  a  fpirit  of  enthufiafm,  carried  things  to  a  moft 
 fatal  length.  The  preachers,  in  their  fermons, 
 anim.ated  the  people  againft  the  King,  and  foli- 
 ^cited  them  to  revolt.  They,  at  length,  took 
 arms,  and  a  war  broke  out,  as  fatal  to  the  church 
 0^3  as 
 
230    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 as  it  W-^  to  the  King  and  people.  The  Puritans 
 of  England,  uniting  with  thofe  of  Scotland,  be- 
 came the  mafters,  and  abolilhed  epifcopacy  in 
 the  two  kingdoms.  They  likewife  annulled  the 
 liturgy,  and  all  the  worfhip  of  the  Englifh  church, 
 depriving  thofe  of  their  employments,  who  re- 
 fufed  to  fubmit  to  thefe  regulations.  At  length, 
 after  fome  battles,  they  feized  the  King,  threw  him 
 into  prifon,  juridically  proceeded  againft  him, 
 and  committea  the  moft  deteftable  of  adions  by 
 condemning  him  to  death. 
 
 It  is  commonly  fuppofed,  and  moft  hiftorians 
 have  affirmed,  tjiat  the  principal  authors  of  this 
 cruel  paricide  of  Charles  I.  were  of  the  fed  of 
 Independants.  Lhey  certainly  are  right,  if  by 
 them  they  mean  the  civil  Independants,  or  thofe 
 who  were  defirous  of  abolifhing  the  monarchical 
 government  of  England,  and  introducing  the  re- 
 publican. Without  doubt  they  were  the  authors 
 and  executors  of  this  crime-,  but  the  reft  of  the 
 nation  were  unconcerned  in  it,  even  the  Puritans, 
 or  Independant  ecclefiaftics.  Of  this  we  have  in - 
 conteftable  proofs.  The  fed  called  Independants 
 came  from  the  Low  Countries,  and  took  it's  rife 
 from  Robert  Brown,  who  had  feveral  followers, 
 by  fome  called  Brownifts,  and  likewife  Separatifts, 
 on  account  of  their  opinions.  Thefe  fedarifts 
 were  divided  into  many  parties,  and  became 
 great  enemies  to  each  other.  John  Robinfon, 
 chief  of  the  Separatifts  of  Leyden,  in  order  to 
 Ihun  the  inconveniences  into  which  the  Separatifts 
 of  the  Low  Countries  had  fallen,  formed  a  new 
 church  or  affembly,  to  which  he  gave  the  name 
 of  Independant  j  andjuftified  the  giving  it  that 
 name,  by  laying,  '•  That  every  private  aifembly, 
 ^'  duly  inftitutcd,  and  well  regulated,  forms  one 
 "  entire  and  perfed  church,  united  in  all  it's 
 **  parts,  and  which,  being  independant  of  any 
 1  ■  ^'  other 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   231 
 
 *'  other  church,  acknowledges  no  authority  bu^ 
 *'  that  of  Jefus  Chrift."  Thofe  amongft  the  Se- 
 paratifis,  who  adopted  the  principles  of  Robin- 
 Ibn,  were  much  more  favourably  difpofed  to  the 
 Englifli  church  than  were  any  others  of  that  fe<5t. 
 They  did  not  rejed:  her  communion,  at  leaft  fo 
 far  as  regarded  the  dodrine  and  liturgy  ;  though 
 they  difapproved  of  her  difcipline,  and  the  man- 
 ner of  her  adminiftering  the  facrament.  This 
 afTembly  of  Independants  was  originally  formed 
 in  the  Low  Countries,  and  took  it's  name  in  1610. 
 From  thence  it  fent  out  a  colony  in  1630.  for  that 
 part  of  America  called  New  England  ;  which  co- 
 lony was  aftcrwardsjoined  by  feveralEnglifli  men, 
 who  fled  to  that  place  to  avoid  the  perlecution 
 of  the  epifcopal  party.  But  the  authority  of  the 
 Bifhops  in  England  being  very  much  decreafed, 
 tht  Independants  ventured  to  introduce  them- 
 felves  into  that  country  about  the  year  1640.  and 
 in  a  fhort  time  fo  gained  upon  the  minds  of  the 
 people,  that  this  party  became  very  numerous. 
 It  is  certain  that  Cromwell  greatly  rcfpefted 
 them  ;  but  after  his  death  finding  th.emfelves 
 lefs  efteemed,  and  their  numbers  daily  decreaf-^ 
 ;ng,  they  afl-:ed  and  obtained  leave  under  the 
 reign  of  William  111.  to  join  ihemfelves  to  the 
 jecclefiaftical  communion  of  the  other  Puritans, 
 or  Prefbyterians.  Oliver  Cromwell,  whom  we 
 havejuit  now  mentioned,  after  the  death  of  King 
 Charles,  became  mailer  of  England,  and  enjoyed 
 more  abfolute  authority  than  any  Englifli  Mo- 
 narch had  before  pofiefled.  He  would  not  ac- 
 cept the  title  of  King,  which  he  himfelf  had  ren- 
 dered fo  hateful  to  the  people,  but  contented 
 himlelf  with  that  of  Protetlor.  His  power  in- 
 tircly  depended  on  the  troops  who  were  at  his 
 devotion.  During  his  government  all  things 
 were  in  the  difpolal  of  the  Puritans  and  Prefbyte- 
 Q^  4  rians. 
 
232     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 rians,  who  feverely  returned  to  the  church  of 
 England  party  the  ill  treatment  they  had  former- 
 ly fuffered  from  them.  The  ftate  of  religion  in 
 England  was,  at  this  time,  truly  deplorable.  The 
 zeal  and  devotion  of  the  Puritans  degenerated 
 by  degrees  into  the  mod  ridiculous  enthufiafm. 
 Many  amongft  them  pretended  to  a6l  by  infpi- 
 ration  from  heaven  •,  the  greateft  part  of  whom 
 were  knaves  and  villains,  wretches  capable,  and 
 even  guilty,  of  the  mod  atrocious  crimes.  They 
 acted  by  that  ftrange  and  impious  principle,  that 
 every  thing  is  lawful  to  thole  who  are  deflined  to 
 any  great  work,  particularly  in  the  time  of  any 
 extraordinary  revolutions  in  a  fcate.  The  fed: 
 called  Ranters  amongft  the  Preibyterians,  were 
 very  famous.  They  gave  themfelves  up  to  the 
 moft  pernicious  effeds  of  enthufiafm  ;  and  many 
 amongft  them  daily  expeded  the  coming  of  our 
 Saviour  to  found  a  new  kingdom  on  earth,  which 
 they  called  the  Fifth  Monarchy.  Several  of  thofe 
 who  were  defirous  of  deftroying  the  monarchical 
 power,  and  making  England  a  republic,  rejeded 
 all  revealed  religion,  and  openly  profeiTed  deifm. 
 Others  expeded,  and  fought  for,  a  new  revela- 
 tion more  complete  and  fatisfadory,  for  which 
 reafon  they  were  called  Seekers.  The  hiftory  of 
 thefe  times  mention  likewife  the  Muggletonians 
 and  Antinomians.  But  thefe  feds  differ  very 
 little  from  each  other,  except  in  fome  forms  of 
 expreffion.  We  fhall  find  occafion,  in  the  courfe 
 of  this  work,  to  fpeak  of  the  Anabaptifts  and 
 Quakers,  which  feds,  about  this  period,  arofe 
 in  England. 
 
 To  thefe  unhappy  times  fucceeded  a  fudden 
 revolution  both  in  church  and  ftate,  by  the  re- 
 ftoration  of  Charles  II.  who,  in  1660.  was  called 
 back  to  the  throne  of  which  his  father  had  been 
 deprived,  by  the  almoft  united  voice  of  the  whole 
 
 Britilh 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    233 
 
 Britidi  nation.  The  church  of  England,  which 
 for  about  twenty  years  paft  had  fuffered  the  moll 
 grievous  opprelTion,  and  was  now  approaching  to 
 her  ruin,  by  this  revolution  faw  herfelf  in  an  incre- 
 dibly fhort  time  reftored  to  her  ancient  fplendor, 
 and  once  more  enjoyed  prolperity.  The  Bifhops 
 who  furvived  thefe  troubles  were  reftored  to  their 
 former  fees,  and  they  chofe,  from  anion gft  the 
 clergy,  thole  who  appeared  moft  worthy  to  fill 
 the  vacant  ones.  The  churches  which  had  been 
 taken  from  the  different  billioprics  were  all  re- 
 ftored to  them  ;  and  the  ecclefiaftical  worfhip  and 
 difcipline  re-eftablifliedon  the  fame  footing  it  had 
 been  under  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  It  is  true,  how- 
 ever, that  the  new  King,  immediately  on  his  re- 
 turn, treated  the  PreftDyterians  with  no  kind  of 
 feverity.  In  the  firft  year  of  his  reign  he  caufed 
 a  conference  to  be  held  between  the  moft  diftin- 
 guiftied  divines  of  both  parties,  hoping  by  this 
 means  to  unite  them  ;  but  this  attempt  proved 
 unfuccefsful,  neither  party  being  willing  to  yield 
 in  any  thing.  The  parliament  then  pafl*ed,  in 
 1 66 1,  an  a6t,  by  which  the  clergy  of  the  church 
 of  England  were  obliged  to  fubmit  to  the  laws 
 of  the  Englifti  church,  on  pain  of  forfeiture  of 
 their  places  and  revenues.  Scotland  was  fubjedt 
 to  the  fame  regulations,  which  were  executed 
 with  all  pofiible  feverity.  Such  was  the  ftate  of 
 religion  in  England  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II. 
 thePrelbyterians  always  fufFering,lbmetimes  more 
 and  fometimes  lefs. 
 
 Thole  who  attained  to  the  firft  dignities  in  the 
 church,  under  this  Monarch,  were  all  utterly 
 averfe  to  any  connexion  or  communion  whatever 
 with  the  Prelbyterlans  -,  which,  undoubtedly,  was 
 the  means  of  prefcrving  the  ancient  difcord  be- 
 tween them,  and  perpetuating  an  inveterate  ha- 
 tred,    Notwithftanding  which,  any  unprejudiced 
 
 perfon 
 
234    ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 perfon,  who  fhould  attentively  examine  the  caufes 
 of  their  difputes  and  divifions,  muft  acknowledge 
 that  they  v/ere  of  very  little  confequence.  Whilil 
 thefe  zealous  divines  were  attacking  each  other 
 with  all  pofTible  bitternefs,  there  arofe,  by  de- 
 grees, in  the  fame  kingdom,  a  new  order  of  di- 
 vines %  who,  dilregarding  thefe  controverfies,  as 
 being  on  very  trifling  fubjedls,  afferted  that  men 
 fhould  attach  themfelves  to  the  eflence  of  reli- 
 gion, to  that  \vhich  alone  deferves  to  be  called 
 the  vivifying  feed  of  the  word.  This  doftrine 
 was  propofed  and  propagated  by  fome  celebrated 
 divines  of  the  univerfiry  of  Cambridge,  Benjamin 
 Whitchcot,  Rodolph  Cudworth,  John  Wilkins,  af- 
 terwards Bifhop  of  Chefter,  Henry  Morus,andJohn 
 Wonhington,  v/ho  were,  in  fome  fort,  preceded 
 by  John  Hales  and  William  Schillingworth.  They 
 •were  followed  by  fome  learned  men  ftill  more  fa- 
 mous, JohnTillotfon,  Edward  Stillingfleet,  Simon 
 Patrick,  William  Lloyd,  Edward  Fowler,  Gilbert 
 Burnet,  Thomas Tennifon,  and  others,  who  were, 
 at  that  time,  the  principal  ornaments  of  the  church 
 of  England.  The  end  towhich  they  confecrated  all 
 their  labours,  was  the  attainment  of  clear  and  dif- 
 tinft  ideas  on  divine  fubjefts,  calling  in  the  aid  of 
 true  philofophy  to  enable  them  to  preach  the  truths 
 of  religion  in  the  moft  full  and  perfect  manner, 
 to  convince  men  that  religion  was  perfectly  agree- 
 able to  right  reafon,  and  to  bring  them  to  the 
 
 »  See  Bp  Burnet's  Hiftory,  vol.  i.  p.  373.  and  likewife 
 the  life  of  Tillotfon,  by  Dr.  Birch.  Edward  Fowler,  Bifhop 
 ofGloucefter,  one  of  thofe  Bifhops  v/ho  had  really  at  heart 
 the  caufe  of  relig;ion  in  England,  p'jblinicd  in  1670.  at  Lon- 
 don, a  work  intitled  "  The  Principles  and  Praflices  of  ce? - 
 *'  tain  moderateDivinesof  the  Church  of  England,  abufively 
 *'  called  Latitudinarians,  truly  reprefented  and  defended,  in 
 •'  a  free  difcourfe  between  two  intimate  friends." — There  ap- 
 peared a  fecond  edition  of  this  work,  1 67 1 .  under  the  new  ti- 
 tle of  "  The  Def^n  of  Chrillianiry." 
 
 lincere 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.   235 
 
 fincere  love  of  truth,  and  the  coriftant  and  inva- 
 riable praftice  of  charity  and  chriftian  modera- 
 tion. Giving  their  due  weight  to  facred  truths, 
 thefe  divines  granted  to  every  one  the  liberty  of 
 thinking,  fpeaking,  and  adling  after  the  diftates 
 of  their  own  confciences  •,  and  ftrongly  recom- 
 mended to  them  the  prefervation  of  this  natural 
 privilege.  Though  they  jullly  valued  the  con- 
 ftitution  of  the  Englifh  church,  they  never  re- 
 fufed,  when  called  upon,  to  join  with  the  Pref- 
 byterians  in  their  form  of  worfhip.  Epifcopacy 
 being  re-eftablifhed,  they  were  defirous  that 
 the  Prefbyterians  fhould  be  treated  as  brethren, 
 in  the  moft  mild  and  amicable  manner  ;  them- 
 felves  giving  the  example,  by  living  in  flri(^ 
 friendfhip  with  thofe  of  the  Prefbyterians,  who 
 were  difpofed  to  return  it  to  them.  Thefe  pious 
 and  learned  men  were  of  infinite  fervice  to  the 
 church,  by  the  excellent  works  they  publifhed, 
 and  the  wife  meafures  they  oppofed  to  the  enter- 
 prizes  of  the  church  of  Rome,  which  church  they 
 thought  themfelves  obliged  to  oppofe,  particular- 
 ly, as  it's  principles  of  intoleration  rendered  it 
 incompatible  with  every  other  ;  but  they  fhewed 
 great  indulgence  to  all  other  feds,  and  even  fre- 
 quently made  ufe  of  their  writings.  Such  a  con- 
 du6l  brought  upon  them  the  fevere  cenfure  of  all 
 violent  perlbns ;  who  gave  them  the  injurious 
 name  of  Latirudinarians.  And,  to  confefs  the 
 itruth,  fome  of  thefe  great  men,  or  rather  their 
 admirers,  carried  things  too  far,  ib  as  to  give 
 fome  C3ufe  for  the  accufation  of  remilfnefs  al- 
 jedged  againft  them  by  their  enemies. 
 
 However  flourifhing  the  ■  Proteftant  religion 
 might  now  appear  in  England,  it  was  on  the 
 brink  of  ruin,  by  the  fucceflion  of  James  II.  to 
 ithe  throne,  on  the  death  of  his  brother  Charles  II. 
 jn  1685.     This  Prince  had  been,  for  a  long  time, 
 
 Itridbly 
 
236  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 ilriftly  attached  to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion, 
 which  he  openly  profefied.  The  parliament  would 
 willingly  have  excluded  him  from  the  right  of 
 fuccelTion  on  that  account,  but  they  were  pre- 
 vented by  Charles  II.  James  being  now  feated 
 on  the  throne^  every  one  expeded  to  fee  the  Ro- 
 man Catholic  religion  become  the  prevailing  one 
 in  England.  The  very  firfl  Heps  he  took  con- 
 firmed this  expe6lation.  The  troubles  which  two 
 noblemen  of  the  kingdom  had  endeavoured  to 
 excite,  being  happily  calmed,  James  thought  his 
 authority  now  perfed:ly  eflablifhed  •,  ,and  that  he 
 might  fecurely  attempt  the  execution  of  his  de- 
 figns.  In  the  beginning  of  his  reign  he  affedled 
 to  appear  very  favourable  to  the  Prefbyterians, 
 and  did  every  thing  in  his  power  to  engage  the 
 parliament  to  annul  the  a6ls  they  had  made  againft 
 them  in  the  preceding  reign  •,  hoping  by  thefe 
 means  to  remove  the  fame  obfl!acles  out  of  the 
 way  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  gain  them  free 
 accefs  to  the  greateft  pods  ar*d  principal  digni- 
 ties, both  in  church  and  Hate.  As  he  took  much 
 too  violent  meaiures  to  arrive  at  his  end,  tread- 
 ing underfoot  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  king- 
 dom, which  ferved  as  a  bafis  to  the  liberty  of  the 
 citizens,  the  fecurity  of  the  Proteftant  religion, 
 and  the  dignity  of  the  Englifh  church,  by 
 this  he  excited  a  ftorm,  which,  though  long 
 forefeen  by  fenfible  people,  was  concealed  from 
 him  by  his  Flatterers,  till,  at  length,  it  fuddenly 
 burft  upon  him,  and  he  was  forced,  fhame- 
 fully,  to  leave  his  kingdom  in  1688.  and  to  take 
 refuge  in  France.  The  kingdom,  thus  abandon- 
 ed, was  conferred,  by  parliament  and  the  confent 
 of  the  nation,  on  William,  Prince  of  Orange, 
 fon-in-law  to  James.  Peace  was  then  reftored  to 
 England,  and  the  church  again  eftablilhed  in  her 
 former  privileges.  ThePrefbyterians  obtained  the 
 
 liberty 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    237 
 
 liberty  they  have  ever  fince  enjoyed,  of  exer- 
 cifmg  their  own  religion,  conformably  to  the  cuf- 
 toms  of  their  anceftors. 
 
 ARTICLE      XIII. 
 
 Of  Enthusiasts,    Fanatics,    Separatists, 
 
 and  particularly  Quakers. 
 
 NO  age  of  the  chnrch,  fmce  the  birth  of 
 Chrift,  produced  fo  many  enthufiafts  and 
 fanatics  as  the  prefent.  Notwithftanding  the  light 
 that  had  been  Ipread,  firft  on  learning,  and  af- 
 terwards on  religion  •,  notwithftanding  the  care 
 that  had  been  taken  to  reftore  this  religion  to 
 it's  primitive  purity  -,  notwithftanding  the  in- 
 defatigable pains  of  the  illuftrious  Reformers, 
 and  their  pious  difciples,  who  had  preached 
 the  truths  of  falvation  in  a  manner  the  moft 
 likely  to  work  that  convidlion  which  is  the  im- 
 mediate effed  of  knowledge ;  there  were  many 
 men,  who,  pretending  to  be  wifer  than  others, 
 and  unwilling  to  confine  themfelves  within  the 
 bounds  prefcribed  by  reafon  and  religion,  fought 
 for  new  and  by-ways,  into  which  they  rufti- 
 ed,  and  foon  loft  themfelves  in  a  moft  furprif- 
 ing  manner.  During  thefe  times,  in  which  the 
 fate  of  the  church  was  ftill  uncertain,  on  ac- 
 count of  the  danger  to  which  it  was  ftill  expofed, 
 thofe  whofc  imaginations  were  the  moft  heated, 
 futfered  themfelves  to  be  intirely  governed  by 
 it's  workings,  and  too  eafily  believing  what  they 
 defired,  perfuaded  themfelves  that  they  were  in- 
 fpired,  and  inftrufted  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  what 
 would  afterwards  happen,  and  of  thofe  deliver- 
 ances which  God  would  grant  to  his  oppreffed 
 church  •,  they  foretold  that  thefe  deliverances 
 would  be  effefted  in  the  moft  glorious  manner, 
 and  accompanied  with  the  intire  deftrudion  of 
 
 all 
 
238    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 all  the  enemies  of  religion.  The  names  and 
 writings  of  thefe  pretended  prophets  ^  have  been 
 long  fmce  buried  in  oblivion.  The  memories  of 
 Chriftophilus  Kottirus,  a  Silefian,  Chriftiana  Po* 
 niatowlki,  a  Bohemian,  and  Nicholas  Drabiciusy 
 a  Moravian,  were  preferved  for  fome  little  time^ 
 but  thefe  would  have  been  lefs  known,  if  they  had 
 not  been  praifed  by  a  man  who  was  at  that  time 
 much  efteemed  for  his  learning  and  piety,  John 
 Amos  Comenius.  The  hopes  of  thole  who  v/ere 
 diipofed  to  give  credit  to  their  prediftions,  after 
 having  been  for  fome  time  extinguifhed,  were 
 again  revived  for  fome  time  after  the  death 
 of  Charles  VI.  But  the  event  produced  the 
 effedl  it  will  always  produce,  the  proving  that 
 nothing  is  more  vain,  nor  chimerical,  than  the 
 prophecies  of  the  latter  times. 
 
 Others,  not  prefuming  to  aim  at  revelations,  were 
 ■flrangely  ledailray,  by  reading  the  writings  of  fome 
 of  the  ancient  myftics,  and  ftill  more  by  thofe  of 
 Theophraflus  Paracelfus,  and  other  philofophers 
 of  the  hermetica'l  order.  They  made  ufc  of  all 
 the  notions,  and  obfcure  expreflions,  they  found  in 
 thefe  fenigmatical  works,  in  the  explanation  of  the 
 holy  truths  of  our  religion  -,  and  they  afterwards 
 went  fo  far  as  to  pretend  to  have  vifions  and  di- 
 vine revelations.  Thofe  who  called  themfelves 
 the  brethren  of  the  Red-Crofs,  are  reckoned 
 amongfl:  the  number  of  thefe  people  ;  but,  al- 
 though this  name  is  mentioned  in  many  writings, 
 as  the  name  of  a  real  Fraternity  -,  yet  we  have  not 
 the  leaft:  doubt  that  the  notion  of  this  brother- 
 hood was  only  an  ingenious  fiftion,  by  which^ 
 fome  able  men  chofe  to  reprefent  the  turn  of 
 thinking,  and  manner  of  expreffion,  in  that  cen- 
 tury. 
 
 ^  See  a  full  account  of  thefe  Enthufialls  in  Mr.  Arnold's 
 IJiiloire  des  Heiefie?,  partiii.  chap.  ix. 
 
 James 
 
THE  SEVENTEENtH  GENTtlRY.    239 
 
 James  BiJhm,  a  fhoemaker  at  Gorlitz,  was  the 
 moft  famous  of  thefe  myftics.  He  piiblifhed 
 many  works,  in  all  of  wiiich  an  affe6tcd  obfcu- 
 rity  prevails,  together  with  the  moft  ftriking 
 enthufiafm.  Notwithftanding  the  numberlefi;  er- 
 rors that  every  intelligent  reader  muft  remark  oni 
 the  writings  of  Bohm,  yet  all  thole  who  judge 
 impartially  are  obliged  to  allow,  that  the  author 
 was  a  man  of  fincere  piety,  and  who  propofed 
 to  himfelf  the  moft  laudable  views  in  the  com- 
 pofition  and  publication  of  his  works.  This, 
 undoubtedly,  was  the  reafon  that  numbers  of 
 people  became  very  fond  of  his  writings,  and  en- 
 deavoured to  propagate  his  opinions.  The  moft 
 celebrated  amongft  thefe  were  Balthafar  Walther, 
 John  Lewis,  Lewis  Giftheil,  Abraham  de  Franc- 
 kenberg,  and  John  Theodore  de  Ifchefch,  gen- 
 tlemen of  Silefia  -,  John  Angel  Wenderhagen, 
 ChriftianHoburg,  Paul  Falgenhauer,  and  Qiiirinus 
 Kulhmann,  whole  opinions  were  not,  however,  in- 
 tirely  the  fame.  Kulhmann  made  a  very  tragical 
 end,  being  burned  at  Mofcow.  We  have  not  room 
 here  to  give  an  account  of  the  other  Fanatics, 
 which,  at  this  time,  did  fuch  infinite  prejudice  to 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 In  England,  about  the  middle  of  this  century, 
 there  fprung  up  a  new  fe6l  of  fanatics  known  by 
 the  name  of  Qiiakers.  This  word  fignifies  Trem- 
 blers ;  and  they  were  fo  called  from  the  agitation 
 and  trembling  of  the  bodies  of  thofe  who  fpoke 
 in  public.  Some  authors  give  other  reafon s  for 
 the  appellation.  George  Fox,  a  ftioemaker  by 
 profelTion,  gave  rife  to  this  fe6t  i  he  was  a  man 
 of  a  very  turbulent  fpirit,  and  who  believed 
 that  he  was  always  filled  with  the  Divinity.  In 
 1647.  being  then  twenty-three  years  of  age,  he 
 propofed  his  do6trine  on  the  inward  light  of  God 
 in  man,   by   the    guidance  of  which  they  were 
 
 to 
 
240    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 to  be  intirely  ruled.  He  went  about  preaching 
 this  dodrine  in  many  provinces  of  the  kingdom. 
 He  made,  in  a  very  little  time,  a  confiderable 
 number  of  followers  •,  and  in  the  troublefome 
 times  of  Charles  I.  his  party  To  much  in- 
 creafed,  that  they  would  not  be  kept  in  any 
 bounds,  but  dared  to  interrupt  the  public  wor- 
 fhip,  and  furioufly  attack  thole  who  celebrated  it. 
 Thele  attempts  did  not  pafs  with  impunity  ; 
 Fox,  and  fome  of  his  adherents,  were  taken  up 
 and  punifhed.  The  order  that  Cromwell  re-efta- 
 blifhed  in  the  ftate,  and  which  he  maintained 
 with  the  utmoft  feverity,  reprefled  the  impetuo- 
 lity  of  thele  mad-men,  who,  under  the  pretence 
 of  obeying  the  Spirit,  difregarded  all  laws,  both 
 divine  and  human.  He  found  it  neceflary  to  lay 
 afide  ail  lenity,  and  infiifted  the  heavieil  punifh- 
 ments,  which  thefe  fanatics  endured  with  great 
 fortitude.  Numbers  of  them  perifbed  in  prilbn 
 through  their  obftinacy  and  extravagancies. 
 Cromwell,  though  he  was  a  great  favourer  of 
 all  feds,  formed  a  defign  of  extirpating  intirely 
 thefe  -,  but  he  found  their  numbers  and  power 
 too  great,  which  obliged  him  to  content  himlelf 
 with  bringing  them  into  fome  order. 
 
 The  fury  of  the  Quakers  was  ibftened  by  de- 
 grees, and  under  the  reign  of  Charles  there  was 
 no  fubjed  of  complaint  againft  them.  It  then 
 became  eafy  for  them  to  give  fome  appearance  of 
 a  fyttem  to  their  divinity,  a  form  to  their  church 
 diicipline,  and  fome  rules  for  their  conduft.  This 
 was  done  with  fuccefs  by  tv;o  famous  men  amongft: 
 them,  Robert  Barclay  and  William  Penn ;  the 
 latter,  being  inveiled  by  the  government,  with  a 
 rigiit  to  a  large  province  in  North  America,  went 
 there,  and  eftablifaed  colonies,  and  gave  the  name 
 of  Pennfylvania  to  the  country.  King  Charles, 
 however,  was  not  well  difpofed  towards  them,  as 
 
 they 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  241 
 they  refufed  to  take  an  oath  on  any  fubjed  oroc- 
 calion  whatever;  and  their  manners,  lb  dif- 
 ferent from  the  reft  of  the  world,  forbid  all 
 intercourfe  of  fociety.  Upon  thefe  accounts 
 they  frequently  experienced  very  fevere  treat- 
 ment during  the  courfe  of  this  reign,  and  even 
 their  affemblies  v/ere  prohibited.  But  the  mild- 
 nefs,  the  patience,  and  the  moderation,  which 
 they  exprelTcd  on  their  trials,  conciliated  the 
 minds  of  men  in  their  favour,  and  engaged  the 
 Monarch  to  alter  his  fentiments  with  regard 
 to  them.  Things  remained  on  the  fame  footing 
 during  the  fhort  reign  of  James  II.  The  tolera- 
 tion which  this  Prince  affeded  to  grant  to  ail 
 religions,  reached  even  to  the  Quakers  •,  and 
 "William  Penn,  their  chief,  feemed  to  pofTcfs  no 
 fmall  fiiare  of  James's  efteem.  Thofe  who  care- 
 fully ftudy  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Quakers, 
 will  fodn  perceive  how  much  they  are  beholden 
 to  the  myftics  of  the  earlieft  times.  Barclay  and 
 Penn  took  great  pains  to  give  the  materials  col- 
 ledted  from  thefe  fources,  a  more  fpecious  ap- 
 pearance. This  they  fuccefsfully  effeded.  The 
 iirft  and   principal  tenet  of  their  divinity  %  and 
 
 that 
 
 a  Robert  Barclay  was  the  mofl  celebr'ated  teacher  the  Qua-, 
 kers  ever  had;  it  was  he  who  gave  thecleareft  account  of  thcit 
 religious  opinions.  He  gained  great  reputation  by  feVeral 
 works  he  publifned,  but  more  particularly  by  the  following  ; 
 Catechlfraus,  five  confeffio  fidei,  Amft.  1675.  in  8vo.  Thefes 
 Thcologic?e,  Amft.  the  fame  year  ;  and  Apologia Thecflogia; 
 vere  Chriftians,  Amft.  1676.  This  laft  work  has  been  tran- 
 llated  into  feveral  languages.  Confult  alfo  William  Penn  and 
 George  Whitehead,  who  jointly  wrote  and  publiflied.  The 
 Chriftian-Quaker,  and  his  divine  teftimony  vindicated  by 
 Icripture,  Reafon,  and  Authority,  againft  the  injurious  at- 
 tempts that  have  been  lately  made  by  feveral  adverfaries, 
 London,  1674.  in  folio.  The  French  authors  who  have 
 wrote  on  this  fubjeQ  are,  Arnold,  ub.  fup.  Walch,  lib.  cit. 
 
 Vol..  U.  R  part 
 
242  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 that  from  which  all  the  others  are  derived,  is,  that 
 men  poflefs  an  innate  ray  of  divine  light  and  wif- 
 dom  independent  of  any  faculties  of  the  foul.  This 
 light  brings  them  toGod,  and  to  eternal  falvation, 
 provided  that  the  foul,  conquering  all  carnal  af- 
 feftions,  and  getting  the  better  of  the  tyrannical 
 empire  of  the  fenfes,  give  herfelf  up  to  the  guid- 
 ance of  the  divinity  that  dwells  within  her,  and 
 readily  receives  thofe  inllruflions  which  this  in- 
 ward voice  offers  to  her.  While  they  thus  extol 
 this  heavenly  light,  they  as  much  depreciate  the 
 authority  and  ufe  of  facred  fcripture.  which  they 
 call  a  dead  letter,  of  no  other  ufe  to  man  that  as  it 
 incites  him  to  feek  and  reverence  this  light  which 
 dwells  within  him.  The  doflrine  of  the  Trinity 
 acknowledging  three  perfons,  diftind  one  from 
 ihc  other,  in  one  and  the  fame  effence,  is,  in  their 
 opinion,  a  thing  equally  contrary  to  right  reafori 
 and  fcripture  \  They  allow  that  the  fm  of  Adam 
 was  tranfmitted  to  his  pofterity,  and  it  came 
 from  the  evil  fpirit,  who  leads  men  to  the  prac- 
 tice of  vice  and  iniquity  -,  but  they  add,  that  this 
 feed  is  altogether  ftifled,  when  the  divine  light 
 produces  in  men  all  it's  glorious  effeds,  and 
 which,  by  different  degrees,  brings  them,  at  laft, 
 
 partiii.  p. ,^95,  <S:c.  Weifman,  Hill.  Eccl.  fed.  xvii.  p.  829, 
 &c.  and  MoiheirT!,  ub.  fup.  p.  711,  Sec.  Among  the  Scotch 
 authors  you  may  coniult  John  Brown,  who  wrote  Quaker- 
 ifm  the  path-way  to  Paganifm,  or  a  View  of  the  Quaker's  Re- 
 ligion, Edinburgh,  1578.  in  410.  chiefly  to  confute  Bar- 
 clay. 
 
 '".  Confult  a  volume  in  quarto,  printed  in  London  in 
 1668,  and  intitled,  Wilhelnii  Penni,  the  fandy  foundation 
 Jliaken  ;  or  thofe  fo  generally  believed  and  applauded  doc- 
 tiines  of  three  dilHnd  and  feparate  perfons  in  one  God  ;  the 
 impoffibility  of  God's  pardoning  finners  without  a  plenary 
 fatisfadUon,  and  the  jullification  by  an  imputative  righteouf- 
 ncfs. 
 
 ta 
 
THE  SEVENTEExNTH  CENTURY.  243 
 to  the  height  of  pcifecftion.  They  attribure  to 
 our  SavioLif  a  double  body,  the  one  celeftial  and 
 Ipiritual,  which  he  brought  from  heaven  -,  the 
 ocher  terreftrial  which  he  received  from  Mary  his 
 mother,  and  in  which  he  made  his  appearance  in 
 the  world.  They  agree,  that  he  was  crucified  for 
 us,  and  that  the  chief  advantage  we  receive  from 
 this  inftance  of  goodnefs,  arifes  from  it's  enabling 
 iis  more  eafily  to  gain  the  heavenly  lighr,  and 
 rendering  it,  when  gained,  more  efficacious. 
 Some  among  them  allow  no  other  Chrift  than  an 
 inward  Chrilt,  whom  they  indeed,  do  not  at  all 
 diftinguifli  from  the  interior  light  •,  they  admit  of 
 no  other  crucifixion  than  that  which  is  made  ia 
 the  human  foul.  Nay,  there  are  fome  to  be 
 found,  who  convert  the  whole  hiftory  of  our  Sa- 
 viour, related  in  the  Evangelifts,  into  a  pure  al- 
 legory, reprefenting  the  operations  of  the  inward 
 Chrift  on  our  fouls.  We  may  eafily  judge  then, 
 how  widely  their  do6lrine  muft  differ  from  our's, 
 with  regard  to  the  fati^fadtion  of  Chrift,  the  jufti* 
 fication  of  believers  in  the  fight  of  God,  the  faith 
 by  which  they  embrace  thefe  benefits,  and  rege- 
 neration. 
 
 The  Qiiakers,  thus  making  every  thing  de-^ 
 pend  on  the  light  within  them,  muft  necelTarily 
 hold  the  ufe  of  the  facraments  in  very  little  elti- 
 mation. ,  They  do  not  think  that  any  other  bap- 
 tifm  is  ncccffary  than  the  inward  baptifm,  which, 
 indeed,  does  not  at  all  differ  from  the  interior 
 light  itfelf.  Their  notions  of  the  holy  commu- 
 nion are  much  the  fame.  The  ceremonies  our 
 Saviour  made  ufe  of  at  the  inftitution  of  this  fa- 
 cred  fe^ft,  appear  to  them  only  as  the  fhadow  of 
 that  fpiritual  feaft  which  every  man  enjoys  within 
 himfelf.  This  true  feaft  is  no  other  than  a  pof- 
 feffxon  of  the  inward  light,  which  nourifties,  for- 
 R  2  tifies. 
 
244    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 t'lfics,  recruits,  and  ravillies,  with  unipenkable 
 delights.  To  thole  who  have  this  ineftimable 
 advantage  in  poffeflion,  all  the  outward  lymbols 
 become  ufelels.  Theie  ieftarifts  do  not  hold  all 
 public  worlliip  in  contempt,  though  they  do  not 
 confine  the  exercife  of  it  to  any  particular  rime 
 or  place,  or  eftablifn  minifters  to  celebrate  it  -y 
 Things  which,  according  to  them,  depend  on 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  who  wasrns  men,  and  in- 
 Ibufts  them  in  his  will :  The  faithful  then,  who 
 are  thus  led  by  the  divine  Spirit,  without  any 
 diflindion  of  fex  or  age,  may  ipeak  in  the  public 
 aliemblies.  It  is  true,  they  have  reftrained  this 
 permilTion  originally  univerfal,  to  thofe  who  have 
 given  fufficient  proofs  of  their  fpiricual  perfec- 
 tion. And,  thov}gh  they  have  no  minifters  called 
 and  ordained  to  this  holy  office,  yet  they  have, 
 in  their  large  alTemblies  fome  perfons  appointed, 
 Cin  cafe  no  one  fhould  happen  to  be  infpired)  to 
 propofe  fome  ufeful  doftrine  to  the  people,  and 
 w  inftrudt  them  in  their  duty,  lb  that  the  aflfem- 
 bly  may  not  break  up  without  having  any  thing 
 done. 
 
 Thus  the  very  foundation  and  elfence  of  the 
 religion  of  the  Qiiakers  confifts  in  this  do6lrine 
 of  the  inward  light  -,  though  they  allow  that  a 
 man  cannot  poffefs  this  light,  unlefs  he  mortifies 
 the  flefii,  and  weakens  the  power  of  the  fenfes ; 
 upon  which  account  they  advife  the  people  care- 
 fully to  fhun  all  that  flatters  the  afFe6tions,  and 
 that  may  produce  pleafing  fenfations  -,  or,  at  leaft, 
 they  would  have  them  ufe  precautions,  and  a 
 great  degree  of  moderation,  in  the  purfuit  of 
 rhem.  They  are  very  ready  to  fatisfy,  as  much 
 as  is  in  their  power,  all  the  demands  of  juftice 
 and  charity,  when  their  particular  cuftoms  and 
 manners  do  notoppofe  them.  They  would  think 
 it  fmful  to  give  people  of  high  rank  any  flatter- 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  245, 
 ing  titles,  or  even  thofe  polite  fpeeches  whic^ 
 cuftom  has  introduced.  They  never  make  any 
 outv/ard  demonftrations  of  regard  or  refpeft, 
 either  by  bending  the  body,  or  pulling  off  the 
 hat.  They  retrench  every  fuperfiuicy  in  their 
 drefs,  and  never  wear  any  ornament.  They  re- 
 fufe  to  confirm  the  truth  by  an  oath,  even  be- 
 fore lawful  magiftrates.  They  never  go  to  law, 
 or  take  upon  themfelves  any  office  of  fociety 
 whatever.  They  look  upon  it  as  unlawful  to 
 refill  evil  when  it  is  done  to  them,  to  go  to  war, 
 or  to  fight  on  any  occafion.  We  are,  however, 
 afi'ured,  that  by  degrees  they  are  come  off  of 
 many  particular  cultoms,  and  approach  nearer, 
 in  their  manners,   to  the  cuftom  of  the  world. 
 
 ARTICLE      XIV. 
 Of    the    Sect    of    the    Memnonites,    or 
 
 Ayj  ADAPT  ISTS. 
 
 TH  E  Anabaptifts,  at  firft,  joined  ferocity 
 to  enthufiafm,  antl  committed,  without  re- 
 morfe,  the  moft  criminal  exceffes  :  the  hiflory 
 of  their  proceedings  is  filled  with  the  dreadful 
 cataftrophes  which  they  gave  rife  to.  But,  from 
 about  the  middle  of  the  fame  century,  particu- 
 larly whenMennonSimonis  acquired  fome  autho- 
 rity amongft  them,  they  began  to  change  their 
 manners  and  opinions,  fo  that  at  laft  they  re- 
 nounced their  former  odious  extravagancies. 
 Their  pofterity  followed  this  good  example,  and 
 the  condud:  of  the  An.abaptifts,  difperfed  in  great 
 numbers  in  the  low  countries,  Germany,  Swiffer- 
 
 »  The  beft  hiftory  of  the  later  Afiabaptifts  is  to  be  met 
 with  in  the  Annales  Anabaptillici,  by  John  Henry  Ott,  print- 
 ed at  Bale  in  410,  in  1672.  Confult  alfo  Arnold,  Weijmann, 
 and  Herm.  Schyn,  Hift.  Menn.  plenior  deduftio. 
 
 R  3  land, 
 
24-6  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 land,  Moravia,  England,  Hungary,  and  Pruffia, 
 is  wholly  irreproachable.  The  Princes  and  Ma- 
 giftrates  of  the  countries  where  the  Mennonites 
 are  principally  fettled,  have  borne  wicnefs  to 
 their  probity,  the  innocence  of  their  lives,  and 
 the  purity  of  their  manners.  But  even  this 
 could  not  blot  out  the  memory  of  their  former 
 violences,  and  they  frequently  felt  the  heavy 
 efiefts  of  the  fevere  laws  made  formerly  againft 
 them,  and  were  expofed  for  a  long  time  to  treat- 
 ment they  did  not  at  all  deferve.  At  length,  they 
 had  juftice  done  them,  and  tranquilly  enjoyed 
 the  prote<flion  of  the  laws.  Thofe  who  are  de- 
 flrous  cf  informing  themfelves  of  their  true  doc- 
 trine, may  confult  the  confejTions  of  faith  which 
 they  have  publifncd  at  different  times. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Mennon  the  Anabaptids 
 wtre  divided  into  different,  and,  according  to 
 fome  authors,  very  numerous  feels.  But  other 
 authors  of  the  firft  credit  amongft  them  aflure 
 us,  that  the  Mennonites  are  diftinguifhed  only 
 by  four  different  names  -,  namely,  the  Water- 
 landers,  fo  called  from  a  country  in  North- Hol- 
 land, which  they  inhabit  •,  the  Vlamingens,  or 
 t^lemings ;  the  Prifons ;  and  the  Germans.  They 
 add,  that  their  names  do  not  import  any  differ- 
 ence in  their  faith  or  practice  j  but  only  exprefs 
 the  places  v/here  they  fojourn.  The  three  lafl, 
 in  1630.  entered  into  a  ftrict  bond  of  friendfhip, 
 and,  together  publiihed  a  confeffion  of  faith  in 
 1649.  The  Flemings  and  Germans  confirmed 
 this  agreement,  and  the  ads  of  this  ratification 
 were  publifhed  at  Fleffmguen  in  1666.  All  the 
 difference  in  the  affemblies  of  the  Mennonites, 
 as  we  may  find  by  confulting  the  authors  who 
 have  mentioned  them,  confifls  only  in  exterior 
 ceremonies  and  cuftoms  ;  fuch  as  txcommu'ni- 
 •  cation. 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  247 
 cation,  the  wafhing  of  the  feet,  and  in  the  dif- 
 ferent manner  of  explaining  the  dodrine  of  the 
 incarnation.  But  it  is  not  neceffary  to  enter  here 
 into  longer  details  on   this  fubjed. 
 
 At  prefent  the  city  of  Amfterdam  is  the  prin- 
 cipal feat,  and,  as  it  were,  the  metropolis  of  the 
 ecclefiaftical  republic  of  the  Mennonices,  where 
 they  are  divided  into  three  affemblics  or  churches. 
 The  firfl:  is  that  of  the  ancient  Frilbns,  which 
 we  have  already  mentioned  ;  the  lecond  bears 
 the  name  of  Galenical,  from  Galen  Abraham,  a 
 phyfician,  and  minifter  of  the  Mennonite  church 
 at  Amfterdam.  Thofe  who  belong  to  this  left 
 deny  the  eternal  divinity  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 iuftification,  and  fanftification  by  the  blood  of 
 Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  exiftence  of  a  vifible  Chri- 
 llian  church  on  earth.  The  members  of  the  third 
 of  thefe  aflemblies  are  called  Apoftolics,  from 
 their  chief  Samuel  Apoftool,  likewife  a  phyfician, 
 and  minifter  to  their  church  at  Amfterdam.  All 
 thefe  churches  are  very  numerous.  Though  they 
 are  thus  divided  amongft  themfelves,  with  refpeft 
 to  fome  fundamental  truths,  yet  thole  of  the 
 Mennonites,  who  are  friends  to  peace  and  fpi- 
 ritual  union,  hope  ftill  to  fee  the  time  come, 
 when  all  thefe  divifions  lliall  intirely  ceafe. 
 
 ARTICLE        XV. 
 
 Of  the  Sect  of   the  Unitarians,    or  Anti- 
 Trinitarians. 
 
 TH  E  Unitarians  fettled  themfelves  firft  in 
 Poland.  From  the  time  of  Fauftus  Socin, 
 that  is,  towards  the  end  of  the  fixteenth  cen- 
 tury, and  the  beginning  of  the  levenreenth,  their 
 churches  became  extremely  flourifliing.  The 
 univerfity  of  Racow  contributed  .  greatly  to  this 
 R  4  fucccfs  •, 
 
248  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 fuccefs  i  it's  fame  vvai>,  at  that  time,  fo  very  high 
 as  even  to  bring  numbers  of  Roman  Catholic  ftu- 
 dents  to  frequent  it.  The  moft  celebrated  amonglt 
 th.eir  profeifors  were  Valentin  Smalcius,  John 
 Crellius,  Martin  Ruarus,  Joachim  Stegmann, 
 Chrillophilus  Oilorodus,  Jona?  Schlichting,  Sta- 
 nilluis  and  Chriftophilus  Lubicneilki ;  and  many 
 others  of  great  reputation  whom  we  fhall  not 
 mention.  But  about  the  year  1630.  the  profpe- 
 riry  of  the  Unitarians  began  to  diminifli-,  and,  at 
 length,  had  a  very  fevere  fall.  This  was  occafion- 
 ed  in  the  year  1638.  by  the  imprudence  of  fome 
 Socinian  ftudents  at  Racow,  who  broke  a  crucifix 
 to  pieces  with  Rones.  The  fenateof  the  kingdom 
 of  Poland  took  cognizance  ot  this,  and  caufed  the 
 Academ^y  to  be  levelled  with  the  ground,  their 
 church  to  be  fliut,  and  their  prmting  prcffes  to  be 
 deftroyed.  All  thofe  who  had  employment-^,  cither 
 in  the  church  or  univerfity,  were  banillied.  The 
 Unitarians  were  th<fn  obliged  to  refort  to  Lu- 
 clau,  where  they  had  another  univerfity,  attend- 
 ed by  fome  of  their  moft  famous  men,  and  which 
 greatly  increafed  in  fame  after  the  demolition  of 
 ihat  at  Racow.  But  this  univerfity  did  not  long 
 enjoy  it's  profperity,  the  lord  of  the  place  giving 
 it  no  encouragement  •,  they  had  many  others  lefs 
 confiderable,  but  their  rum  was  alio  very  near. 
 The  Socinian  congregations  had  a  great  fhare  in 
 the  fufferlngs  of  Poland,  from  the  war  of  the 
 Coffacks*.  The  wars  which  Poland  waged  againft 
 Kullia  and  Sweden  were  not  lefs  detrimental  to 
 them.  In  the  laft  of  thefe  wars  they  were  ac- 
 cu!"ed  of  having  confpired  againft  the  ftate,  upon 
 -which   the   diet  afTemblcd  at  Warfaw   in    1658^ 
 
 *  SeeStaninaas  LublenetzkiHift.  Reform.  Polan.   Lib  iii. 
 
 pafTed 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  249 
 pafied  adecree,  commanding  all  theSocinians  in  Po- 
 land to  leave  the  kingdom  in  fuch  a  fpace  of  time, 
 on  pain  of  death.  The  renewal  of  this  edifl  in 
 1661.  intirely  extirpated  this  fe<5l  out  of  a  king-- 
 dom  where  once  it  had  been  lo  extremely  flourifh- 
 ing. 
 
 We  faw  in  the  hiflory  of  the  preceding  cen- 
 tury, that  Tranfilvania  had  not  been  lefs  favour- 
 able to  the  Unitarians,  and  that  they  had  ac- 
 quired fo  much  power  in  that  country  as  to  be- 
 come the  national  church.  They  had,  at  that 
 time,  three  very  famous  men  amongft  them, 
 George  Blandratus,  Francis  Davidis,  George  En- 
 iedin,  and  John  Somer.  The  Socinian  churches 
 m  Tranfilvania  had  fuperintendants,  or  biihops, 
 of  whom  Davidis  was  the  firft.  He  was  fuc- 
 ceeded  by  Enjeden  -,  and  Enjeden  alfo  by  others. 
 But,  in  length  of  time,  thefe  churches  alfo  met 
 with  dreadful  difafters.  Many  of  the  Polifh 
 exiles  fled  into  Tranfilvania,  not  doubting  but 
 that  they  fhould  there  find  a  fure  alylum.  This 
 change,  however,  brought  no  alleviance  to  their 
 fufferings.  After  having  experienced  the  mofl 
 incredible  fatigues  in  their  journey,  they,  moft 
 of  them,  miferably  perilhed  either  by  famine, 
 or  the  ravages  of  a  peftilence.  The  fed  of  Uni- 
 tarians, however,  by  means  of  fome  privileges 
 formerly  obtained,  fupported  themfelves  in  Tran- 
 filvania as  well  as  they  could,  but  did  not  pro- 
 duce, on  any  fubjed,  writings  that  delerved  the 
 leaft  notice.  The  poilbn  of  Socinianifm  was  not 
 confined  to  Poland  and  Tranfilvania  -,  it  rapidly 
 fpread  by  means  of  the  works  publifhed  in  thefe 
 countries,  and  carried  into  Germany.  From  the 
 reading  of  thefe  books  Erneft  Sonerus,  a  profclTor 
 of  phyfic  and  natural  philofophy  at  Altorft,  be- 
 came greatly  attached  to  the  dcdrine  of  Socin, 
 ^  made 
 
■2BO    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 made  many  difcipks,  and,  amongft  the  reft,  John 
 Crellius. 
 
 Germany  was,  at  one  time,  greatly  infe(5ted 
 with  this  contagion,  produced  many  Socinians, 
 fome  of  whom  went  afterwards  into  Poland, 
 and  acquired  very  great  reputation,  both  by  their 
 lectures  and  their  writings.  Befides  Crellius,  we 
 may  mention  Chriftophilus  Oftorodus,  John  Vol- 
 kelius,  Valentin  Smalcius  of  Saxe-Gotha,  Martin 
 Ruarus  of  Holftein,  Chriftian  Franeker,  Joachim 
 and  Chriftophilus  Stegmann,  brothers,  of  the 
 marche  of  Brandenbourg,  and  John  Lewis  of 
 Wolzoguen,  an  Auftrian  Baron.  When  the  Uni- 
 tarians were  banidied  Poland,  they  fpread  them- 
 i'elves  every  where.  Some  chofe  for  their  retreat 
 PruQian  Brandenbourg,  hoping  to  meet  with  the 
 protedion  of  Prince  Bogiflaus  Radziwill,  the  go- 
 vernor of  that  province,  who  had  many  Socinians 
 at  his  court.  The  ele£lor  Frederic  William  was 
 not  averfe  to  grant  to  the  Socinians  the  protection 
 they  afked  v  but  the  ftates  of  PrufTia  oppofed  it, 
 and  even  infifted,  that  they  Ihould  not  be  allow- 
 ed the  right  of  hofpitaiity.  The  Elector,  how- 
 ever, condefcended  to  tolerate  them  for  fome 
 time.  Others  again,  amongft  whom  were  many 
 gentlemen,  and  ciergvmen  in  great  numbers, 
 went  into  Sileiia,  and  there  gained  accefs  to  the 
 favour  of  George  Duke  of  Brieg.  They  ftayed 
 inr  fome  time  at  Crcutzbourg,  a  city  of  that 
 Duchv,  where  the  clergy,  the  magiftrates,  and 
 citizens,  lliewed  them  many  marks  of  efteem. 
 In  the  marche  of  Brandenbourg,  the  grand  Elec- 
 tor gave  the  Socinians  a  fmall  territory,  and  all  the 
 protection  they  could  defire.  This  wife  Prince 
 hoped,  that  if  this  fmaM  number  of  people  were 
 treated  with  proper  moderation,  they  v^ould 
 foon  join  the  Proteftant  church.     The  event  an- 
 
 fwercd 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  251" 
 
 fwered  his  expeftation.  In  the  hiftory  of  Liibie- 
 netzki,  a  great  and  lerviceable  friend  to  the  par- 
 ty, we  find  what  difficulties  the  other  exiles  met 
 with  in  their  attempts  to  fettle  in  the  different 
 countries  in  Germany. 
 
 In  the  preceding  century  the  Unitarians  want- 
 ed to  fix  themfelves  in  the  Low  Countries.  Chri- 
 ftophilus  Oftorodus  and  Andrew  Voidovius  came 
 with  a  defign  to  fettle  there ;  but  as  foon  as  they 
 arrived,  they  were  juridically  proceeded  againft, 
 and  their  books  publicly  burned.  This  foon 
 obliged  them  to  retire. 
 
 In  1642.  Volkelius's  book  on  true  religion 
 was,  by  order  of  the  magiftrate,  thrown  into  the 
 flames. 
 
 In  1653.  the  States-General  made  a  law  to  pro- 
 hibit the  publication  of  Socinian  books,  or  the 
 holding  of  Socinian  affemblies.  Notwithftanding 
 this  order,  Andrew  Wiffowatius  printed,  at  Am- 
 flerdam,  in  1656.  (though  it  was  not  publifhed 
 under  this  title)  his  famous  library  of  the  Polifli 
 brethren,  in  which  he  collefted  together  the  beft 
 writings  of  the  principal  authors  of  the  party. 
 From  that  time  the  Socinians  lay  concealed 
 amongft  the  different  fedts  of  the  Mennonites. 
 The  magiftrates  even  permitted  them  to  live 
 quietly,  but  would  not  allow  them  the  exercife 
 of  their  religion. 
 
 England  was  not  without  her  fhare  In  the  trou- 
 bles caufed  by  the  Unitarians.  About  the  mid- 
 dle of  this  century,  John  Bidell "  publicly  pro- 
 feffed  Arianifm,  and  in  many  different  treatifes 
 
 *  In  the  firfl  co]le(flion  of  the  different  trails  of  the  Soci- 
 pians,  written  in  Rngliih,  and  publifhed  at  London,  1691.  in 
 4to.  See  a  piece  intitled,  A  fhort  Account  of  the  Life  of  John 
 Bidell.  There  have  been  two  or  three  colledions  made  of 
 jthefe  writings. 
 
 attacked 
 
152     ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY, 
 
 attacked  the  doftrine  of  the  Trinity  ;  but  he  was 
 not  permitted  to  do  this  with  impunity.  During 
 the  violence  of  the  civil  wars,  and  when  the  king- 
 dom was  under  the  government  of  Cromwell,  he 
 was  often  thrown  into  prifon,  2nd  fuffered  to  re- 
 main there  for  a  long  time.  More  than  once 
 they  were  upon  the  point  of  putting  him  to 
 death,  in  confequence  of  a  lav/  made  in  1648. 
 againft  the  Anti-Trinitarians.  At  length,  when 
 Charles  II.  afcended  the  throne  of  his  anceflors, 
 Bidell  was  fee  at  liberty,  but  he  died  very  foon 
 after.  Almoft  all  the  Unitarians  in  England  have 
 followed  the  principles  and  method  of  Bidell. 
 Llnder  the  reign  of  William  III.  their  writings 
 did  infinite  prejudice.  They  differed  in  many  re- 
 foeds  from  the  opinions  of  FauftusSocin,  anddif- 
 fented  a  little  from  thofe  of  Bidell.  Thomas  Em- 
 lyn  was  elleemed  the  mod  able  man  of  the  party  -, 
 he  publidied  many  different  works,  but  moft  of 
 them  without  his  name.  We  may  mention  alfo  ma- 
 ny others,  particularly  William  Whifton,  famous 
 for  the  great  number  of  works  which  he  publifhed, 
 and  for  the  ftrange  paradoxes  which  he  advanced. 
 There  were  many  other  Engliih  divines,  who 
 lived  in  the  communion  of  the  national  church, 
 and  were  even  advanced  to  fome  of  the  firft  pre- 
 ferments, who  dared  openly  to  fupport  Arianifm, 
 and  to  defend  it  by  their  writings,  notwithftand- 
 \ncT  the  feverity  of  the  lav/s  v/as  frequently  re- 
 jiewed  againil  this  herefy. 
 
 ARTICLE       XVI. 
 
 Of   Jewish  Impostors,    and  DocTor.s  of  the 
 
 fame  Nation. 
 
 rj^  II  E  Jews  of  the  feventeenth  century,  were 
 I      again  deceived,  as   they  had  been  in   the 
 
 two   preceding  centuries,  by  the  famous  impol- 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.  253 
 ture  of  a  Jew  at  Smyrna,  named  Sabathai  Levi, 
 who  called  himfelf  the  Meffiah  -,  and  alfo  by  thac 
 of  another  Jew  at  Gaza,  named  Nathan  Levi, 
 who  wanted  to  pafs  for  Elias,  or  the  forerunner 
 of  the  Mefiiah.  Words  cannot  exprefs  the  arti- 
 fices thefe  deceivers  made  ufe  of  to  impofeon  this 
 miferable  nation,  the  boldnefs  of  their  proceed- 
 ings, and  the  number  of  thofe  whom  credulity  led 
 after  him.  Sabbathai  boafted  that  he  would  de- 
 throne the  Sultan,  and  deftroy  his  empire  ;  buc 
 he  was  taken  up  by  the  Turks  in  1666.  put  into 
 irons,  and  brought  to  Adrianople,  where  the 
 emperor  then  was.  Being  aflced  whether  he  was 
 the  King  of  the  Jews,  he  protefted  that  he  ne- 
 ver had  been  guilty  of  treafon,  and  that  he  was 
 only  a  fimple  teacher  of  the  law.  The  Emperor 
 commanded  a  Ikbre  to  be  brought  to  take  away 
 his  life.  The  impoftor,  feized  with  fear,  abjured 
 Judaifm,  and  embraced  the  religion  of  Moham  ■ 
 med.  In  1682.  there  appeared  another  falfe  Mef- 
 fiah named  Mordechai,  a  German  by  nation,  who 
 led  a  very  auilere  life,  vehemently  reproved  all 
 vice,  and  pretended  to  have  fecret  communica- 
 tions with  the  Deity.  He  acquired  confiderable 
 fame  amongft  his  countrymen,  but  he  foon  after 
 difappeared,  and  v/as  never  more  mentioned. 
 
 The  Jews  had  alfo  amongft  them  many  very 
 learned  men,  who  did  them  great  honour. 
 Amongft  others  Manafteh  Benlfrael,  Leo  de  Mo- 
 dena,  Ifaac  Athias,  and  Ifaac  Orobio,  who  is  well 
 known  to  us  on  account  of  his  conference  with 
 Limborch.  Benedid  Spinoza,  a  Jew  by  birth, 
 produced  a  new  fyftem  of  Atheifm,  and  Uriel  a 
 Cofta,  of  the  fame  nation,  profefTed  Deifm. 
 
 ARTICLE 
 
254    ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 
 
 ARTICLE       XVII. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  Sciences  and  Literati/re 
 in  this  Century. 
 
 NEVER  was  there  a  time  in  which  fo  many- 
 learned  men  appeared,  as  in  the  leventeenth 
 century  ;  all  the  Iciences,  and  every  branch  of 
 learning,  were  very  confiderably  improved. 
 The  things  they  particularly  applied  themfelves 
 to,  and  brought,  if  not  to  their  intire  perfeftion, 
 at  leaft  to  a  great  degree  of  fuperiority,  were 
 philofophy  and  the  art  of  criticifm.  Their 
 improvement  greatly  contributed  to  that  of  the' 
 other  fciences,  and  threw  great  light  on  the  dif- 
 ficulties in  divinity.  A  new  method  of  philofo- 
 phifing,  infinitely  preferable  to  that  which  had 
 hitherto  prevailed  in  the  ichools,  was  introduced 
 by  the  immortal  Des  Cartes,  who  made  very 
 confiderable  dilcoveries,  though  he  rather  point- 
 ed out  the  way  to  truth,  than  followed  it  himfelf. 
 Peter  Gailendi  revived  the  hypothefes  of  Epicurus 
 and  Democricus,  clearing  them  from  the  impious 
 notions  with  v/hich  they  were  filled.  Aftronomy 
 v/as  the  fort  of  Galfendi,  and  geometry  that  of  Des 
 Cartes,  The  philofophers  of  their  time  were  by  no 
 means  agreed  among  themfelves,  until  near  the 
 end  of  the  century,  when  Nev/ton  and  Leibnitz 
 prepared  the  minds  of  men  for  a  nev/  revolution. 
 The  art  of  criticifm,  though,  on  the  whole, 
 greatly  beneficial  to  icience,  was  not  alv/ays  fo; 
 as  it  led  men,  fometimes,  to  too  fevere  a  difcuf- 
 fion  and  examinarion  of  both  faered  and  profane 
 matters.  Thd'e  who  acquired  the  moll  reputa- 
 tion in  this  way.  were  Jofeph  Scaliger,  Ifaac  Ca- 
 laubon,  Hughe."  Grotiu!?,  Gerard  John  Voffius, 
 Daniel    Heinfiuj,     Tchn     Frederic    Gronovius, 
 
 Claude 
 
THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY.    255 
 
 Claude  Saumaife,  Samuel  Bochart,  Ezekiel  Span- 
 heim,  John  George  Grasvius,  and  many  others 
 whom  we  have  not  room  to  mention.  Ecclefi- 
 ailical  antiquities  were  alio  the  object  of  the  in- 
 quiries of  many  very  learned  men  amongll  the 
 Roman  Catholics,  of  Casfar  Baronius,  Cardinal, 
 and  author  of  the  Ecclefiaftical  Annals,  Gabriel 
 de  I'Aubefpine,  Nicholas  Rigault,  Denys  Petau, 
 James  Sermond,  Peter  du  Marca ;  and,  amongft 
 the  Proteftants,  of  James  Godfrey,  James  Uffer, 
 David  Blondel,  George  Calixtus,  Edmond  Au- 
 bertin,  John  Daille,  John  Pearfon,  Matthew  de 
 Larroque,  &c.  The  method  of  preaching  was 
 totally  changed,  and  the  eloquence  of  the  pul- 
 pit became  now  fuitable  to  the  dignity  of  the 
 fubjedl  treated. 
 
 F    I    N    I    S. 
 
A    N 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 I 
 GIVING 
 
 An      ACCOUNT 
 
 O    F       T    H    E 
 
 RISE,       PROGRESS^ 
 
 AND 
 
 DISTINGUISHING    TENETS 
 
 OF       THE 
 
 PEOPLE    called    METHODISTS. 
 
 ABOUT  the  year  1730.  feveral  gentlemen, 
 ftudents  at  the  univerfity  of  Oxford,  en- 
 tered into  an  agreement  to  condud  th^m- 
 felves  by  a  particular  fet  of  rules,  to  meet  to- 
 gether at  certain  hours,  and  to  employ  thofe 
 hours  in  reading  the  holy  fcriptures,  finging  of 
 pfalms,  and  in  other  pious  exercifes.  A  condud: 
 fo  very  different  from  that  of  the  generality  of 
 young  men,  foon  diftinguilhed  them,  and  pro- 
 cured them  the  name  of  Methodists.  The 
 greateft  part  of  this  fociety  was  intended  for, 
 and  afterwards  took  holy  orders.  Thofe  who 
 made  the  greateft  noife  amongft  them  in  future 
 life,  and  who  became  the  heads  of  feds  were  the 
 two  WeQeys,  brothers,  John  and  Charles,  and 
 Mr.  George  Whitfield. 
 
 Vol.  IL  S  An 
 
258         APPEND!    X. 
 
 An  Account  of  Mr.  Wesley,  and  his  SectI 
 
 IN  1735.  the  two  Mr.  V/efleys,  and  fome  of  their 
 particular  friends,  embarked  for  Georgia,  in- 
 tending to  preach  the  gofpel  amongft  the  wild^ 
 Indians.  Their  intentions  were  however  defeat- 
 ed ;  there  being,  as  Mr.  Wefley  ^  declares,  no- 
 poflibility  as  yet  of  inftru6ling  the  Indians,  nei- 
 ther had  they  as  yet  found  or  heard  of  any  In- 
 dians on  the  continent  who  had  the  leaft  defire 
 of  being  inftru<5led.  During  Mr.  Wefley's  flay 
 in  Georgia  he  took  the  care  of  the  church  at  Sa- 
 vannah i  but  he  was  obliged  haftily  to  quit  his 
 charge,  on  account:  of  a  profecution  carried  on 
 againft  him  by  Mr.  Williamfon,  a  principal  per- 
 ibn  of  the  place,  for  expelling  his  wife  from  the 
 holy  communion.  Mr.  Wefley,  to  ufe  his  own 
 words",  "  Now  clearly  faw  the  hour  was  come 
 *'  for  leaving  this  place,  and  on  Friday,  Dec.  2. 
 *''•  1737.  he  lliook  off  the  duft  of  his  feet,  and  left 
 "  Georgia,  after  having  preached  the  gofpel  (not 
 "  as  he  ought,  but  as  he  was  able)  one  year  and 
 **  nearly  nine  months." 
 
 Mr.  Wefley  arrived  in  town  early  in  the  year 
 1738.  and  foon  after  his  arrival  met  with  a  Mo- 
 ravian teacher,  named  Peter  Bohler,  by  whom  he 
 was  clearly  convinced  that  he  had  no  faith,-  and, 
 Conlequently,  was  no  Chriflian.  The  fum  of  Boh- 
 ler's  teaching  was  as  follows  :.  "  That  all  man- 
 "  kind. are  fubjed  to  condemr^ation,  being  in  a 
 "  ftate  of  fln  and  corruption.  That  the  death  of 
 "  Chrift  is  a  fufHcient  atonement  for  fin,  and  his 
 "  obedience  to  God's  law  the  only  meritorious- 
 *'  caul'e  of  our  acceptance  with  God.  That,  by 
 *'  virtue  of  thefe,  all  finners  may  be  freely  jufli- 
 **  fied.      That  faith    in  the  death  and  rightc- 
 
 *  Journal  I.  p.  49.  i»  Ibid.  p.  52. 
 
 oufaefa 
 
APPENDIX.        259 
 
 **  oufnefs  of  Chrift  is  the  only  thing  required  in 
 ■•'  order  to  juftification,  which  faith  is  the  gift  of 
 *'  God.  That  wherever  this  faith  is,  the  poiTef- 
 *'  for  thereof  is  created  anew  in  Chrift,  that  is, 
 "  made  holy  in  heart  and  life.  That  every  per- 
 *'  fon  fo  renewed,  or  juftified,  has  a  fenfible  af- 
 "  furance  wrought  upon  his  mind  by  the  Holy 
 "  Ghoft  that  his  fins  are  forgiven.  That  all  thofe 
 *'  who  are  deftitute  of  this  witnefs  of  the  Spirit 
 *'  are  entirely  void  of  the  faving  faith,  and  un- 
 "  der  the  wrath  and  curfe  of  God." 
 
 Mr.  Wefley  continued  for  fome  time  in  a  very 
 unhappy  ftate  of  mind,  preaching  to  others  what 
 he  had  not  himfelf:  however,  at  Bohler's  re^ 
 queil,  he  continued  feeking  the  Lord,  and, 
 after  fome  months  confli6t,  he  obtained  that  af- 
 furance  of  pardon  which  he  fo  earneftly  defired» 
 He  gives  the  following  account  of  his  conver- 
 fioHM  "  On  May  14,  1738.  in  the  evening,  I 
 "  went,  very  unwillingly,  to  a  fociety  in  Alderf- 
 *'  gate-Street,  where  one  v/as  reading  Luther's 
 "  preface  to  the  cpiftle  to  the  Romans.  About 
 *'  a  quarter  before  nine,  while  he  was  defcribing 
 "  the  change  v/hich  God  works  in  the  heart 
 "  through  faith  in  Chrift,  I  felt  my  heart  ftrong- 
 "  ly  worked.  I  felt,  I  did  truft  in  Chrift,  Chrift 
 "  alone  for  falvation  ;  an  alTurance  was  given, 
 *'  that  he  had  taken  my  fins,  even  mine,  and 
 "  faved  me  from  the  law  of  fin  and  death."  — 
 From  this  time  Mr.  Wefley  knew  he  had  faith, 
 for  he  had  conftant  peace,  not  one  uneafy  thought  * 
 and  he  had ''  freedom  from  fin  —  not  one  unholy 
 defire. 
 
 He  foon  after  went  into  Germany  to  vifit  the 
 Moravian  brethren,  and  returned  ftedfaft  in  his 
 belief  of  the  dodlrines  of  fudden  and  inftanta- 
 neous  aflli ranees  of  pardon  and  finlefs  perfe(ftion« 
 
 »  Journallll.  p.  38,  Ibid.  p.  32. 
 
 S  2  On 
 
26o         A    P    P    E    N    D    I    X. 
 
 On  his  return  to  England  he  preached  thefc 
 particular  notions  in  molt  of  the  churches  in  and. 
 about  London.  But  he  rarely  preached  in  the 
 lame  church  more  than  once  -,  which  no  one  can 
 be  the  lead  lurprized  at,  as  he  himfelf  makes  the 
 following  declaration  ^  :  "  Sunday,  Feb.  26.  I 
 •'  preached  at  fix  at  St.  Lawrence's,  at  ten  at 
 **  St.  Katherine's  Creed  church,  and  in  the  after- 
 "  noon  at  St.  John's  Vv^apping.  I  believe  it  pleaf- 
 *'  ed  God  to  blefs  the  firil  fermon  moil,  becaufe 
 "'■  it  gave  nioft  offence,  being,  indeed,  an  open 
 "'  defiance  of  that  myftery  of  iniquity  which 
 "  the  world  C3\]s  prudence^ :  grounded  on  thofe 
 "  words  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  Js  many 
 '  *  as  de/ire  to  tnake  a  fair  JJdow  in  the  flejh  they  con- 
 *'-  Jhain yen  to  be  ciraimcijed^  only  left  they  (hould  fuf- 
 "  fer  prfccution  for  the  crofs  of  Chrift.'* 
 
 Molt  of  the  clergy  refufing  to  grant  Mr. 
 Welley  leave  to  preach  in  their  pulpits,  he  re- 
 folved  to  follow  the  example  of  Mr.  Whitfield, 
 and  preach  in  the  fields.  This  he  began  to  do 
 at  Briilol,  on  Sunday,  April  i.  1739.  reconciling 
 himfelf  to  this  cuilom  (to  which  he  owns  at  firft 
 he  had  great  fcruples)  from  the  example  of  Chrift 
 and  his  apoftles.  —  Take  his  own  account  " : 
 "  Saturday  March  0,1.  In  the  evening  I  reached 
 "  Briftol,  and  met  Mr.  Whitfield  there.  1  could 
 "  fcarce  reconcile  myfelf  at  firft  to  this  ftrange 
 ''  way  of  preaching  in  the  fields,  of  which  he 
 *'  let  me  an  example  on  Sunday  :  having  been 
 "  all  my  life,  till  very  lately,  fo  tenacious  of 
 "  every  point  relating  to  decency  and  order,  that 
 
 a  Journal  IV.  p.  10. 
 b  This  declaraticn  does  not  feem  well  to  agree  with  the 
 fendmentsof  him  who  coaimands  us,  to  ginje  no  offence  in  any 
 thing;  that  the  minijhy  be  not  blamed.  —  2  Cor.  vi.  3. 
 «  Journal  HI.  p.  37. 
 
 «  I  fhould- 
 
APPENDIX.         261 
 
 ^'  I  fhould  think  the  faving  of  ibuls  almofl  a  fin 
 *'  if  it  had  not  been  done  in  a  church.  April  i. 
 "  In  the  evening,  Mr.  Whitfield  being  gone,  I 
 "  began  expounding  our  Lord's  lermon  on  the 
 **  mount  (one  pretty  remarkable  precedent  o^fidd 
 "  preachings  I  fuppofe  there  were  churches  at  that 
 "  time  alfo)  to  a  little  fociety,  wiiich  was  accuf- 
 "  tomed  to  meet  once  or  tvvice  a  week  in  Nicho- 
 "  las  ftreet."  —  And,  indeed,  the  efifedts  that  fol- 
 lowed Mr.  Wefley's  preaching  feemed  to  fall  very 
 little  fhort,  in  his  eftimation,  of  thole  works 
 wrought  by  our  Saviour  and  his  apoftles  •,  he 
 call  out  devils,  he  healed  difeafes,  and  almoft 
 raifed  the  dead.  The  following  relations  from 
 his  own  Journals  may  ferve  to  convince  our 
 readers  of  the  truth  of  thefe  alTertions  *. 
 
 "  Thurfday,  Oft.  25.  —  1  was  lent  for  to  one 
 "  at  Briftol,  who  was  taken  ill  the  evening  be- 
 "  fore.  (This  fa6t  1  will  fimply  relate,  lo  far 
 *'  as  I  was  an  eye  witnefs  of  it.)  She  lay  on  the 
 "  ground  furioufiy  gnafhing  her  teeth,  and,  af- 
 "  ter  a  while,  roared  aloud.  It  was  not  eafy  for 
 "  three  or  four  perfons  to  hold  her,  efpecially 
 *'  when  the  name  of  Jefus  was  named.  We 
 "  prayed  ;  the  violence  of  her  fymptoms  ceafed, 
 "  though  without  a  complete  deliverance.  —  In 
 *'  the  evening  being  fentfor  to  her  again,  I  was 
 "  unwilling,  indeed  afraid,  to  go,  thinking  it 
 "  would  not  avail,  unlefs  fome  who  were  ftrong 
 *'  in  faith  were  to  wreftle  with  God  for  her.  I 
 ■'*'  opened  my  Teftarrtent  on  thefe  words,  I  ivas 
 * '  afraid^  and  went  and  hid  my  talent  in  a  napkin.  I 
 "  ftood  reproved,  and  went  immediately.  She  be- 
 "  ganfcreaming  aloud  before  I  came  into  the  room, 
 ^f  then  broke  out  into  a  horrid  laughter,  mixed 
 
 a  Jour.ial  IV.   p.  52. 
 
 S3  «  with 
 
262  APPENDIX. 
 
 *'  with  blafphemy  grievous  to  hear.  One  who> 
 "  from  many  circumftances,  apprehended  a  pre- 
 "  ternatural  agent  to  be  concerned  in  this,  afking, 
 *'  How  didft  thou  dare  to  enter  into  a  Chriftian  ^ 
 *'  Was  anfwered,  She  is  not  a  Chriftian,  fhe  is 
 "  mine.  Q^  Doft  thou  not  tremble  at  the  name 
 *'  of  Jefus  ?  No  words  followed  ;  fhe  fhrunk 
 "  back  and  trembled  exceedingly.  Q^  Art  thou 
 *'  not  increafing  thine  own  damnation  ?  It  was 
 "  faintly  anfwered,  Ay,  Ay,  which  was  follow- 
 «'  ed  with  curfing  and  fwearing.  — My  brother 
 *'  coming  in,  fhe  cried  out.  Preacher,  field- 
 "  preacher  !  I  do  not  love  field-preaching  I 
 *'  This  was  followed  with  fpitting  and  all  the 
 "  exprefTions  of  ftrong  averfion.  —  We  left  her 
 "  at  twelve,  but  called  again  about  noon  on 
 "  Friday  27.  And  now  it  was  that  God  fhew- 
 *'  ed  he  heareth  the  prayer.  All  her  pangs 
 "  ceafed  in  a  moment.  She  was  filled  with  peace, 
 *'  and  knew  tliat  the  fon  of  wiekednefs  was  de- 
 *'  parted  from  her. 
 
 "  Saturday  ?8  \  I  was  fent  for  to  King*s-wood 
 *»  again,  to  one  of  thofe  who  had  been  fo  ill  be- 
 "  fore.  A  violent  rain  began  juft  as  I  fet  out,  fo 
 *'  that  I  was  thoroughly  wet  in  a  few  minutes. 
 "  Juft  at  that  time  the  woman  (then  three  miles 
 "  off)  cried  oat.  Yonder  comes  Wefiey  gallop- 
 *'  ing  as  faft  as  he  can.  When  I  was  come,  I 
 "  was  quite  cold  and  dead,  and  fitter  for  fleep 
 "  than  prayer.  She  burft  out  into  a  horrid 
 "  laughter,  and  faid,  No  power !  no  power  t 
 *'  no  faith  !  po  faith  !  She  is  mine.  Her  foul 
 *'  is  mine.     I  love  her,   and  will  not  let  her  go. 
 
 "  We  begged  of  God  to  increafe  our  faith. 
 *'  Mean  while  her  pangs  increafed  more  and 
 **  more  :  lb  that  one  would  have  imagined,  by 
 *'  the  violence  of  the  throes,  her  body  muft  have 
 
 *  Jcurnal  IV.  p.  94. 
 
 '^  beea 
 
APPENDIX.         263 
 
 *'  'been  fliattered  to  pieces.  One  who  was  clear- 
 "  ly  convinced  this  was  no  natural  diforder,  faid, 
 "  I  think  Satan  is  let  loole.  1  fear  he  v/ill  not 
 '"  flop  here.  And  added,  I  command  thee,  in  the 
 *'  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus,  to  tell  if  thou  hadft 
 "  commifTion  to  torment  any  other  foul.  It  was 
 *'  immediately  anfwered,  I  have,  —  L — y  C — r, 
 "  and  S — h  J — s,  two  who  lived  at  fome  difi 
 *'  tance,  and  were  then  in  perfedl  health.  —  We 
 "  took  ourfelves  to  prayer  again,  and  ceafed  not, 
 "  till  fhe  began,  about  fix  o'clock,  with  a  clear 
 *'  voice,  and  compofed  and  chearful  look,  Prnife 
 "  God fro'm  zvho?n  all  Mefflngs  flow. ''^ 
 
 r.  Vv^efley  gives  the  following  remarkable 
 account  of  a  cure  wrought  on  his  body  ^  — 
 "  Friday,  May  8,  1741.  I  found  myfelf  much 
 ^^  out  of  order  ;  however,  I  made  fliift  to  preach 
 *'  in  the  evening.  But  on  Saturday  my  bodily 
 *'  ftrength  quite  failed,  lo  that  for  feveral  hours 
 '*  I  could  fcarce  lift  up  my  head.  Sunday  10. 
 *'  I  was  obliged  to  lie  down  mod  part  of  the  day, 
 "  being  eafy  only  in  that  pofture.  Yet,  in  the 
 "  evening,  my  weaknefs  was  fufpended  while  I 
 ■"  was  calling  fmners  to  repentance.  But,  at  our 
 *'  love  feaft,  which  followed,  befides  the  pain 
 '^  in  my  back  and  head,  and  the  fever  which  ftill 
 "  continued  upon  m.e,  I  began  to  pray,  I  was 
 *'  feized  with  fuch  a  cough  that  I  could  hardly 
 *'  fpeak.  At  the  fame  time  came  llrongly  into 
 "  my  mind  ;  thefe  figns  jh  all  follow  thofe  who  be- 
 "  lieve.  1  called  on  Jefus  aloud  to  increafe  my 
 "  faith,  and  to  confirm  the  word  of  his  grace. 
 "  While  I  was  fpeakino;  my  pain  vanilhed  away. 
 ^^  The  fever  left  me,  n.y  b'oiily  ftrength  return- 
 *±  ed  ;  and  for  many  weeks  I  felt  neither  weak- 
 
 »  Journal  IV.   p.  ;83. 
 
 S  4  ♦!  nef? 
 
264         APPENDIX. 
 
 "  nefs  or  pain.  Unco  thee,  o  Lord !  do  1  give 
 "  thanks." 
 
 Another  inftance  of  the  like  kind  we  meet  with 
 in  journal  vi.  p.  125.  ''Monday,  March  17,  1746. 
 "  I  took  my  leave  of  Newcaille,  and  fet  out  with 
 "  Mr.  Downes,  and  Mr.  Shepherd.  But  when 
 **  we  came  to  Smeton,  Mr.  Downes  was  fo  ill 
 '*  that  he  could  go  no  further.  When  Mr.  She- 
 *'  pherd  and  I  left  Smeton,  my  horfe  was  ex- 
 *'  ceeding  lame,  that  I  was  afraid  I  mull  have 
 "  lain  by  too.  We  could  not  difcern  what  it  was 
 *'  amifs,  and  yet  he  could  fcarce  fet  his  foot  to 
 *'  the  ground.  By  riding  this  feven  miles,  I 
 "  was  thoroughly  tired,  and  my  head  aked  more 
 "  than  it  had  done  for  fome  months.  (What  I 
 **  here  aver  is  the  naked  fad,  let  every  man  ac- 
 "  count  for  it  as  he  fees  good,  j  I  then  thought, 
 "  cannot  God  heal  either  man  or  bead,  by  any 
 "  means,  or  without  any  ?  Immediately  my 
 *'  wearinefs  and  head-ake  ceafed,  and  my  horfes 
 "  lamenefs  in  the  fame  inftant  j  nor  did  he  halt 
 "  any  more,  either  that  day  or  the  next.'*  A 
 very  odd  accident  this  alfo. 
 
 I  am  at  a  lofs  to  underftand  the  following  mi- 
 racle from  Mr.  Weflley's  account  of  it,  other- 
 wife,  than  that  of  a  refurreftion  from  the  dead '. 
 
 "  Saturday,  Dec.  25,  1742.  The  phyfician 
 "  told  me  he  could  do  no  more,  Mr.  Meyrick 
 "  could  not  live  over  the  night.  I  went  up  and 
 *'  found  them  all  crying  about  him  ;  his  legs 
 "  being  cold  and  (as  it  feemed)  dead  already. 
 *'  W"e  all  kneeled  dov/n,  and  called  upon  God 
 *'  with  ftrong  cries  and  tears.  He  opened  his 
 "  eyes,  and  called  for  me.  And  from  that  hour 
 1'  he  continued  to  recover  his  ilrength,  till  he 
 
 Journal  V,  p.  St. 
 
 f«  was 
 
APPENDIX.         165 
 
 "  was  reftored  to  perfed  health.  —  I  want  t<> 
 *'  hear,  who  will  difprove  this  fail,  or  philo- 
 "  Ibphically  account  for  it  ?"  From  fome  paf- 
 fages  in  Mr.  Wefley's  eighth  journal,  we  are  led 
 to  imagine,  that  he  has  even  power  over  the  ele- 
 ments. In  page  nine  we  have  the  following  ex- 
 dinary  tale'. 
 
 "  At  three  in  the  afternoon  I  preached  at 
 *'  Hepionftall,  on  the  brow  of  the  mountain. 
 '*  The  rain  began  almoft  as  foon  as  I  began  to 
 "  fpeak.  I  prayed,  that  if  God  faw  beft  it  might 
 *'  be  ftaid  till  I  had  delivered  his  word  :  it  was 
 "  lo,  and  then  began  again.  Saturday,  April  26, 
 "  1755.  When  i  began  to  preach  in  a  meadow 
 *'  near  the  houfc,  the  wind  was  fo  high  1  could 
 *'  hardly  fpeak.  But  the  winds  too  are  in  God*s 
 "  hands.  In  a  few  minutes  that  inconvenience 
 "  ceafed.  And  we  found  the  fpirit  of  God 
 *'  breathing  in  the  midft  of  us,  fo  that  greac 
 "  was  our  rejoicing  in  the  Lord." 
 
 We  forbear  to  enumerate  many  accounts  of 
 violent  judgments  purfuing  their  oppofers,  par- 
 ticularly a  clergyman  who  had  afcended  the 
 pulpit  in  St.  Nicholas's  church  at  Briftol,  with  an 
 intention  to  preach  againfl  them,  when  he  was 
 feized  with  a  violent  diforder,  which  killed  him 
 
 *  We  doubt  not,  lllcevvife,  that  this  account  will  convince 
 our  readers  of  the  dangerous  tendency  thefe  peculiarities  and. 
 tenets  may  have  on  virtuous  pradice.  — The  fudden  and  in- 
 ftantaneous  calls  and  converfions  which  the  followers  of  Mr. 
 Wefley  are  taught  to  expeft,  certainly  lead  many  to  negleft  all 
 the  ordinary  means  of  grace,  and  render  faith  and  obedience 
 inefficacious.  —  Their  prefumptuous  doflrines  of  aiTurances 
 of  pardon,  prefcnt  and  future,  lead  eminently  to  the  greateft 
 of  all  barriers  to  true  chriitianity  —  fpiritual  pride.  —  And 
 their  blafphemous  claim  to  unfinning  perfeftion,  the  privilege 
 of  L'hrill  alone  in  it's  nature,  drives  either  to  prcfumptionor 
 defpair. 
 
 ia 
 
12.66  APPENDIX, 
 in  two  or  ^three  day's  time  -,  of  a  miracle  pre- 
 venting fome  players  at  Newcaflle  afting  a  play 
 called,  Trick  iipon  Trkk,  or  Methodifm  difplayed.  If 
 we  were  to  relate  every  abilird  ftory  of  this  fort 
 a  volume  would  not  contain  them.  The  above- 
 mentioned  fadls  anfwer  the  end  we  aim  at,  that 
 is,  of  fhewing,  from  the  example  of  Mr.  Wef- 
 ley,  to  what  dangerous  lengths  enthufiafm  and 
 the  fuppofition  of  internal  feelings,  may  carry 
 well-meaning  and  fenfible  people. 
 
 Having  thus  given  Mr.  Wefley*s  own  account 
 of  his  dodrine  and  it's  efFedls,  we  will  now  pro- 
 ceed to  fpeak  of  his  morality.  And  here  we 
 muft  do  him  the  juftice  to  acknowledge,  notwith- 
 llanding  his  principles  may  feem  to  lead  to  care- 
 leffnefs  of  manners,  that  in  all  his  fermons  and 
 adlions  he  appears  to  prefs  on  his  followers,  in 
 the  ftrongeft  terms,  the  obfervation  of  every  pre- 
 cept of  morality.  Nothing  can  be  more  fevere 
 than  the  following  rules  he  lays  down  for  his  own 
 condud. 
 
 "  Ift.  To  ufe  abfolute  opennefs  and  unreferve, 
 *'  with  all  I  fliould  converfe  with. 
 
 "  II.  To  labour  after  continual  ferioufnefs ;  nor 
 ''  willingly  indulging  myfelf  in  any  the  leaft  le- 
 *'  vity  of  behavio-ur,  or  in  laughter,  no  not  for 
 "a  moment. 
 
 "  Jil.  To  fpeak  no  word  which  does  not  tend 
 "  to  the  glory  of  God,  in  particular,  not  a  tittle 
 "  of  worldly  things.  Others  may,  nay,  muft. 
 *^  But  what  is  the:  to  me.    And, 
 
 *'  IV.  To  take  no  pleafure  which  does  not 
 *'  tend  to  the  glory  of  God,  thanking  God  every 
 "  moment  for  all  I  do  take,  and  therefore  re- 
 -"  jeding  every  fort  and  every  degree  of  it,  which 
 '*  i  feel  I  cannot  fo  thank  him  in  and  for." 
 
 It 
 
APPENDIX.         267 
 
 It  remains  now  only  to  fpeak  of  the  difciplinc 
 of  his  fed.  — After  Mr.  Wefley  had  embraced 
 the  opinions  of  Bohler,  a  regular  Ibciety  was 
 formed,  which,  a  ihort  time  after,  ufed  to  af- 
 femble  at  a  room  in  Fetter-lane,  Fleet-ftreet. 
 This  fociety  was  compofed  of  a  mixture  of  Mo- 
 ravians and  Methodiits.  Count  Zinzerdorf  and 
 fome  more  Moravians  arriving  in  England  in  the 
 year  1740.  joined  this  fociety  in  Fetter-lane,  and 
 preached  dodtrines  which  Mr.  Wefley  and  fome 
 others  did  not  approve.  He  found  [hat  their  doc- 
 trine was  rank  Antinomianifm  ;  that  tliey  made 
 void  the  law.  They  taught,  "  That  all  per- 
 "  fons  who  had  any  doubt  or  fear  concerning 
 *'  their  being  in  a  ftate  of  acceptance  with  God 
 "  were  entirely  deftitute  of  any  faving  faith,  and 
 *'  that,  in  order  to  obtain  it,  they  had  better 
 *'  leave  off  the  ufe  of  the  facraments  and  other 
 "  means,  thefe  being  a  hindrance  to  their  fo  do- 
 *'  ing."  And,  with  regard  to  their  practice, 
 Mr.  Wefley  found  they  were  crafty,  cunning, 
 fubtle,  and  full  of  diflimulation.  —  Mr.  Wef- 
 ley warmly  oppofed  thefe  Moravians,  upon  which 
 there  arofe  a  divifion  in  the  fociety  ;  the  greater 
 number  of  the  members  adhered  to  the  tenets 
 abovementioned,  and,  after  fome  months  fruit- 
 lefs  debate  concerning  them,  an  intire  fepara- 
 tion  enfuedi  Mr.  Wefley,  andthofe  of  his  fen- 
 timents,  withdrawing  from  the  refl:  to  a  place  call- 
 ed the  Foundery  in  Moorfields, where  they  formed 
 themfelves  into  an  independant  body. 
 
 It  is  the  cufl:om  of  Mr.  Wefley's  followers  to 
 meet  once  a  week  at  fome  private  houfes  in  fmall 
 companies  called  bands  about  ten  in  each,  the 
 married  men  by  themfelves,  and  the  married  wo- 
 men likewife ;  in  the  fame  manner  the  fingle  men 
 by  themfelves,  and  the  fingle  women  alfoj  alone. 
 
 Each 
 
s68         APPENDIX. 
 
 Each  of  thefe  bands  have  a  leader.  The  end  of 
 thefe  meetings  is,  that  every  one  may  confefs 
 their  faults  to  each  other,  and  relate  their  feveral 
 experiences,  according  to  the  cufbom  of  the  mem- 
 bers of  the  Moravian  church.  Thefe  bands  are 
 looked  upon  as  a  kind  of  difbinft  and  fuperior 
 body,  while  others  are  only  looked  upon  as  mem- 
 i)ers  of  the  fociety  at  large. 
 
 To  the  above  fingular  pradice  was  added  ano- 
 ther, namely,  the  keeping  a  love  feaft  once  a  month,; 
 the  entertainment  confiding  of  a  fmall  quantity  of 
 cakes,  or  Paftrycooks  buns  to  eat,  and  water  or  tae 
 to  drink:  their  employment  is  finging  hymns,  re- 
 lating experiences,  and  conclude  with  prayers; 
 fometimes  their  preacher  gives  them  an  exhorta- 
 tion. —  They  have  alfo  a  cuftom  of  keeping 
 watch  nights,  i.  e.  finging,  and  praying,  and 
 preaching,  from  about  eight  o'clock  at  night  to 
 hvelve.  They  have  this  fervice  once  a  month, 
 generally  on  a  Friday.  Mr.  Weiley  fays,  in  his 
 fifth  Journal,  p.  35.  '*  We  have  often  a  peculiar 
 *'  bleffing  at  thefe  feafons.  There  is  generally  a 
 •'  deep  awe  on  the  congregation,  perhaps,  in  foine 
 "  meafure,  owing  to  the  filence  of  the  night." 
 The  number  of  Mr.  Wefley's  followers  greatly 
 increafing,  in  order  to  keep  them  together,  he 
 thought  proper  to  authorife  feme  of  his  lay  mem- 
 bers to  preach  •,  but  he  refufed,  at  the  fame  time, 
 to  let  tliem  adm.inifter  either  of  the  facraments. 
 The  number  of  thofe  commifiloned  by  Mr.  Wef- 
 3ey  are  at  this  time  confiderably  large,  I  am  told, 
 more  than  an  hundred.  Common  mechanics, 
 women,  and  boys  are  employed  in  this  miniftry 
 of  public  preaching,  without  any  human  qualifica- 
 tions. The  greateil  part  being  able  neither  to 
 write  or  fpeak  their  mother  tongue  with  any  de- 
 gree of  corrednefs.    However,  Mr.  Wefley  fays, 
 
 that 
 
APPENDIX.         2%. 
 
 that  "  We  cannot  but  own  that  God  gave  wif- 
 "  dom  from  above  to  thefe  unlearned  and  igno- 
 "  rant  men  •,  fo  that  the  work  of  the  Lord  prof- 
 "  pered  in  their  hands."  —  Mr.  WeQey,  his 
 brother,  and  many  of  their  lay  preachers,  have 
 preached,  and  formed  large  focieties  in  feveral 
 parts  of  Great-Britain  and  Ireland,  at  Briftoi, 
 Newcaftle,  Edinburgh,  Cardiff  in  Wales,  &c. 
 At  the  time  of  their  firft  preaching  in  the  fields 
 and  other  places  not  allowed  of  by  the  eftabhlh- 
 ed  clergy,  care  was  taken  that  it  fhould  be  done 
 at  fuch  times,  that  perfons  might  not  be  hinder- 
 ed from  attending  on  the  public  fervice  of  the 
 church.  But  for  fom.e  years  paft,  Mr.  Wefley 
 has  had  two  chapels  in  London,  where  they  read 
 the  Liturgy,  and  adminifter  the  facrament  of  the 
 Lord's  fupper,  much  about  the  fame  time  in  the 
 forenoon  that  the  public  worfhip  is  performed 
 in  the  church  of  England,  and,  in  confequence  of 
 this,  their  people,  in  and  about  this  metropolis, 
 fcldom  now  frequent  their  parilh  churches  at  all*. 
 
 ^  In  a  (hort  hiftoiy  of  Methodifm  juft  publifhed  from  the 
 Foundery,  we  have  the  following  extraordinary  paragraph, 
 page  9.  *'  At  prefent  thofe  who  remain  with  Mr.  Wefley  are 
 "  moftly  church  of  England-men.  They  love  her  articles, 
 "  her  homilies,  her  liturgy,  her  difcipline,  and  unwillingljr 
 *'  vary  from  it  in  any  inilance."  —  How  Mr.  Welley  can 
 venture  to  make  fuch  a  declaration  mull  appear  to  every  man 
 very  aftonilhing  ;  for  can  they  be  faid  to  approve  articles 
 who  preach  up  doftrines  not  to  be  found  in  thofe  articles. 
 For  what  article  of  the  church  of  England  can  Mr.  Wefley 
 find  which  teaches  the  dodrines  of  fudden  and  inftantaneous 
 affurances  of  pardon,  and  which  allows  the  ability  of  a  human 
 creature  to  attain,  on  this  fide  heaven,  finlefs  perfe£lion ;  and 
 they  certainly  give  but  an  indifferent  mark  of  their  love  of  the 
 difcipline  of  a  church,  who  are  continually  fowing  the  feeds  of 
 dilTention  in  that  church.  —  Surely,  Mr.  Wefley  forgets  that 
 every  man  is  enjoined,  by  the  difcipline  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land, to  pay  obedience  to  his  ordinary,  and  that  he  folemnly 
 avows  he  will  do  fo  when  he  takes  holy  orders, — If  Mr.  Wefley 
 
 To 
 
2^0        APPENDIX. 
 
 To  the  different  reparations  already  mentioned 
 amongft  Mr.  Wefley's  people,  there  has  of  late 
 been  another  added,  under  the  leading  of  a  per- 
 fon  named  Maxfield.  This  man  was  for  feveral 
 years  a  lay  preacher  to  Mr.  Wefley's  focietieSi 
 but  at  length,  by  fome  means  or  other,  got  epiP- 
 copaily  ordained  both  Deacon  and  Prieft.  Some 
 time  after  his  appointment  to  the  latter  office,  he 
 began  to  refine  on  the  tenets  of  his  mafter,  and 
 in  confequence  thereof  foon  colle6ted  a  number 
 of  admirers.  The  principal  difference  in  opinion 
 between  him  and  the  above  gentleman  is  faid  to 
 confift  in  this,  that  whereas  the  latter  affirms,  the 
 poifibility  and  necelfity  of  finlels  perfection  in  this 
 life,  without  any  limitation  at  all  -,  the  former  on 
 the  contrary,  declares,  "  That  it  is  attainable  in 
 the  fpirit  only  and  not  in  the  flefh."  —  Upon  the 
 rupture  between  Mr.  Wefley  and  the  pretended 
 prophet  Bell^Mr.Maxfield''s  attachment  to  that 
 enthufiafl  and  his  party,  gave  fo  much  diftafte  to 
 Mr.  Wefley,  that  he  found  it  neceffary  to  make 
 an  order,  that  he  Ihould  either  dififl  from  fre- 
 quenting the  meetings  which  had  been  fet  on 
 foot  by  thefe  deluded  creatures,  or  elfe  be  fepa- 
 rated  from  his  fociety.  —  Whereupon  Maxfield 
 declared  that  he  would  be  neither  confined  in  his 
 converfation,  or  limited  in  his  preaching,  and 
 immediately  withdrew  with  his  followers,  firfl  to 
 a  meeting  in  Snow's  Fields,  Southwark,  and  af- 
 terwards to  a  place  which  his  difciples  have  built 
 for  him  in  Berwick-Street,  Weftminfter,  where 
 the  liturgy  is  read,  and  the  facrament  adminiftered 
 according  to  the  rites  of  the  church  of  England. 
 
 would  give  the  world  a  convincing  proof  that  he  is  in  earneft, 
 let  him  fhut  up  his  conventicles,  recall  his  Lay  Preachers, 
 and  ingenuoufly  and  publicly  acknowledge  the  abfurdity  of 
 his  peculiar  tenets. 
 
 b  An  illiterate  perfon,  a  Lifeguard-man,  who  pretended 
 to  have  thcgiftof  prophcfy. 
 
 the 
 
APPENDIX.         z/r 
 
 An  Account  of  Mr,  Whitfield  and  his  Sect, 
 
 MR.  George  Whitfield  was  brought  up  at 
 Pembroke  College  in  Oxford,  where  he 
 took  the  degree  of  Batchelor  of  Arts.  In  the  year 
 1736- or  37.  he  came  to  London,  and  preached 
 in  ieveral  churches  in  and  about  the  metropolis. 
 The  free  manner  he  made  ufe  of,  the  ftrength 
 and  excellency  of  his  voice,  together  with  the 
 particularity  of  fome  of  his  doftrines,  procured 
 him  great  numbers  of  followers.  He  dwelt  very 
 much  in  his  lermons  on  the  duties  of  mortifica- 
 tion and  felf-denial,  inculcated  the  doftrine  of 
 jullification  by  faith  alone,  and  the  neeefTity  of  re- 
 generation. —  In  all  his  fermons  he  made  it  too 
 much  his  euilom  to  inveigh  with  great  feverity 
 againft  the  clergy,  making  them  as  bad  as  the 
 priefts  of  Baal,  or  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  in  the 
 time  of  our  Saviour.  —  "  Though  we  are  buc 
 "  few,  fays  he,  and  ftand,  as  it  were,  alone  like 
 "  Elijah  i  and  though  they,  like  the  priefts  of 
 "  Baal,  are  many  in  number,  yet  I  doubt  not  but 
 *'  the  Lord  will  appear  for  us,  as  he  did  for  that 
 *•  Prophet,  and  make  us  more  then  conquerors  *." 
 —  And  in  page  98  of  the  fame  journal,  he 
 ipeaks  of  them  in  this  manner  —  "  Well  may 
 "  the  heads  of  our  church  be  faid  to  rejedl  the 
 *'  kingdom  of  God  againft  themfelves.  I  fear 
 "  God  will  Iliortly  take  it  from  them.  They  fo 
 *'  imitate  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  in  their 
 *'  crimes,  I  fear  they  will  be  made  partakers  of 
 *'  their  puniftiment,  and  of  their  deftructlon  ''." 
 Mr.  Whitfield  was,  in  a  very  ftiort  time,  for- 
 bid to  preach  in  any  of  the  churches,  upon  which 
 
 a  See  the  coatlnuation  of  Mr.  Whitfield's  journal  during 
 the  time  he  was  detained  in  England  by  the  embargo. 
 
 b  And  his  followers  and  tlieir  oppofers  of  the  church  of 
 England  are  generally  diftinguifhed  in  his  journals,  by  the  very 
 different  appellations  of  the  children  of  Chrift  and  the  chil- 
 dren of  Belial. 
 
 without 
 
272         APPENDIX. 
 
 without  any  of  the  fcruples  of  Mr.  Wefley,  he 
 had  recourfe  to  field-preaching.  Mr.  Whitfield 
 left  England  about  the  year  1738.  to  go  to  Ame- 
 rica ;  where  he  was  well  received  by  many  of  the 
 DiiTenters.  He,  about  this  time,  formed  a  de- 
 fign  of  building  an  Orphan-houfe  in  Georgia, 
 upon  the  plan  of  that  of  Mr.  Franks's  at  Hall ; 
 for  the  building  of  which  he  afterwards  colle6t- 
 ed  in  England,  and  carried  over  very  confiderable 
 fums  of -money.  This  Orphan-houfe  in  a  Ihort 
 time  profpered,  according  to  his  account,  ex- 
 ceedingly, and  became  of  great  fervice  (as  many 
 1  believe  acknov*^ledge)  to  the  Colony. 
 
 Mr.  Whitfield's  communications  with  the  Dif- 
 fenters  caufed  him  foon  to  embrace  the  doftrines 
 of  Calvin  ;  for  it  feems,  that  both  Mr.  Whitfield 
 and  Mr.  Wefiey,  when  they  at  firft  took  upon 
 them  the  important  bufinefs  of  fetting  others 
 right,  were  themfelves  very  much  uniettled  in 
 their  own  principles.  Upon  Mr.  Whitfield's  re- 
 turn to  England  he  foon  publicly  declared  his 
 opinions  on  election  and  reprobation,  upon  which 
 he  was  warmly  oppofed  by  Mr.  John  Wefley.  A 
 feparation  between  them  enfued.  A  large  party 
 continued  attached  to  Mr.  Whitfield.  Both  his 
 dodrine  and  diicipline  were,  indeed,  better  calcu- 
 lated to  pleafe  the  multitude:  He  being  neither 
 fo  regular  in  his  difcipline  nor  fo  llrid:  in  his  man- 
 ners as  Mr.  Wefiey.  I  was  informed,  two  or  three 
 years  ago,  from  good  authority,  that  near  thirty 
 thoufand  people  owned  themfelves  of  Mr.  Whit- 
 field's fed.  In  London  two  very  large  conventi- 
 ticles  belong  to  Mr.  V/hitfield,  the  one  in  Moor- 
 fields,  the  other  in  Tottenham-Court-Road  \ 
 
 *  We  thought  it  unneceiTary  to  give  a  longer  account  of 
 Mr.  Whitfield,  and  his  feft,  fince  the  doftrines  of  Calvin  are 
 known  to  every  one  :  and  as  to  his  difcipline  it  is  much  the 
 fame  with  that  of  Mr.  Wefley,  being  both  formed  upon  the 
 plan  of  the  Moravian  brethren. 
 
DATE  DUE 
 
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