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Reformation was the revival of learning, by means of the emigration of learned Greeks to the West, the translation of ancient authors, and the art of printing. This brought the ignorance of the priests and monks into contempt, and destroyed in a great degree their influence, And many learned men of that day, as the great Erasmus of Rotterdam, turned the keen edge of their satire and ridicule against the ignorant priests and monks, and the superstitions of the church; which had no small influence in making way for the Reformation. It was even said that Erasmus laid the egg which Luther hatched.

VIII. Some rays of true light had also shone out upon the world from the obscure retreat of the Waldenses, from the writings and preaching of Wickliffe, and of Huss, and Jerome of Prague, and their Bohemian Brethren, and other obscure sects, among whom the truth was still held.

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1 Luther opposes indulgences.-2. Pope's first bull, which Luther burns.-3. Joined by Melancthon -4. Luther at Worms. 5. Carolostadt.-6. Zwingle.-7. Dispute among the Reformers.-8. War of the Peasants.-9. Diets of Spire -10. Anabaptists.-11. Council of Trent, and the pacification ratified at Augsburgh.-12. England.-13. Scotland.14. Ireland.-15. Netherlands.

I. ALL these circumstances combining their infiu. ence to make way for the Reformation, and pre

paring the minds of the people for such an event it yet commenced, as we may say, by accident, and without any ultimate view to such a result. Martin Luther, an Augustinian friar, and professor of theology in the university of Wittemberg, was a man of superior talents, learning, and eloquence. By the reading and study of the Scriptures, his mind was enlightened to see many of the errors that existed in the Romish church. He therefore took great offence at the impudent and extravagant manner in which John Tetzel preached the sale of indulgences. This man, without modesty or shame, had been employed by the archbishop of Mentz, and Magdeburg, on account of his impudence, to preach indulgences to the Germans, in the name of the Roman pontiff, Leo X. In the performance of this office, he extolled the merit and efficacy of his wares, so extravagantly, as impiously to detract from the merits of Jesus Christ. Hence Luther, moved with just indignation, publicly exposed at Wittemberg, on the first day of October, 1517, ninety-five propositions; in which he chastised the madness of these indulgence-sellers generally, and not obscurely censured the pope himself, for suffering the people to be thus diverted from looking to Christ. A controversy therefore immediately arose between Luther and Tetzel who andertook to defend himself. Luther acknow. ledged the pontiff could remit the human punishments for sin, or those inflicted by the church; but denied his power to absolve from the divine punishments, either of the present or future world; and maintained that these divine punishments must be removed either by the merits of Jesus Christ, or by voluntary penance endured by the sinner. Pope Leo at first thought this dispute

between two monks a small matter, and took no account of it. But it was not long before he discovered that it was a serious business, and that the greater part of Germany was taking sides with Luther against the authority of the Roman

see.

II. Luther was summoned to appear before cardinal Cajetan, the pope's legate, at Augsburg, in the month of October, 1518. They had several interviews to no effect. Cajetan manifested nothing like a spirit of conciliation; but peremptorily required Luther humbly to confess his errors, without being convinced of them, and to submit his judgment to that of the pontiff. This he could not do; and therefore appealed from the pontiff ill-informed, to the same when better informed. Another legate was appointed to confer with Luther, of a more mild and conciliating disposition; and he prevailed so far as to induce him to write a very submissive letter to Leo X. in which he promised to be silent, provided his enemies would also be so. Shortly after, Luther engaged in a public disputation with John Eckius, respecting the power and authority of the Roman pontiff. Eckius was greatly exasperated, and hastened to Rome, with a determination to effect his destruction. Associating with him Cajetan, and other influential enemies of Luther, in the pontifical court, he prevailed on Leo X. to excommunicate him forthwith. The pope therefore, most imprudently Issued his first bull against Luther, on the 15th of June, 1520; in which forty-one tenets of his were condemned, his writings adjudged to the flames, and he was commanded to confess his faults within sixty days, and implore the clemency of the po tiff, or be cast out of the church. As

soon as Luther heard of this sentence of the pope he first appealed to a general council; but foreseeing that this would avail him nothing, he formed the bold determination at once to withdraw from the Romish church, before he should be excommunicated by the second bill of the pontiff. In order that he might do this in a formal and public manner, on the 10th of Dec., 1520, he caused a fire to be kindled without the walls of the city, and in the presence of a vast multitude of spectators, committed to the flames the bull issued against him, together with a copy of the pontifical canon law. By this he signified that he would be no longer a subject of the Roman pontiff, and conse quently that the second decree that was daily expected from Rome, would be nugatory. The pope's bull of excommunication arrived soon after.

III. Having taken this bold step of publicly withdrawing from the church of Rome, it only remained to Luther and his adherents to attempt to found a new church, embracing doctrines more in conformity with the Holy Scriptures. From this time therefore he set out to search for the truth with renewed diligence; revised and confirmed the opinions he had already advanced, and proceeding still further, attacked the very citadel of the pontifical authority, and shook it to the foundation. In this heroic enterprise, he had the aid of excellent men in various parts of Europe, as well as the doctors at Wittemberg, who joined his party, and especially Philip Melancthon. This amiable and exce lent man, and profound scholar, proved to be a most important coadjutor, and next to Luther himself, acted the most conspicuous part in the Reformation. And as the fame of Luther's wisdom and heroism, and the great

learning of Melancthon drew a great number of young men to Wittemberg, the principles of the Reformation were spread with great rapidity through various nations.

IV. In the mean time Maximilian I. emperor of Germany, died, and his grandson, Charles V. king of Spain, was elected his successor, A. D. 1519. Leo X. reminding Charles of the office he had assumed, of advocate and defender of the church, urged him to inflict due punishment upon that rebellious member of the church, Martin Luther. Charles, however, determined to give him a hearing, and therefore had him summoned to attend a diet to be assembled at Worms. Luther appeared at Worms, being protected by a safe conduct from the emperor, and boldly pleaded his cause before the diet. This journey to Worms was a hazardous undertaking, considering the power and malignity of his enemies. Even the emperor's safe conduct might not be a sufficient protection, as had been the case with John Huss. But Luther was firm, and being warned of the danger by his friends, he replied, that he would go thither, if there were as many devils there, as there were tiles upon the roofs of their houses. Luther made a manly and able defence before the diet, and concluded with these words:

"Let me then be refuted and convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest arguments; otherwise I cannot and will not recant, for it is neither safe nor expedient to act against conscience. Here I take my stand. I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen." But his enemies prevailed; and, although he obtained the liberty of returning home unmolested, yet an edict was published after his de

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