CEN T. doctrines and discipline of the church of Geneva ;. SECT. III. though they were restrained from declaring themPART II selves fully and openly on this head, by their XVI. apprehensions of forfeiting the privileges they derived from their adherence to the confession of Augsburg. The French refugees also, who had long been accustomed to a moderate way of thinking in religious matters, and whose national turn led them to a certain freedom of inquiry, being dispersed abroad in all parts of the protestant world, rendered themselves so agreeable, by their wit and eloquence, that their example excited a kind of emulation in favour of religious liberty. All these circumstances, accompanied with others, whose influence was less palpable, though equally real, instilled, by degrees, such a spirit of lenity and forbearance into the minds of protestants, that at this day, all Christians, if we except Roman catholics, Socinians, Quakers, and Anabaptists, may claim a place among the members of the Reformed church. It is true, great reluctance was discovered by many against this comprehensive scheme of church-communion ; and, even in the times in which we live, the ancient and less charitable manner of proceeding hath several patrons, who would be glad to see the doctrines and institutions. of Calvin universally adopted and rigorously observed. The number, however, of these rigid doctors is not very great, nor is their influence considerable. And it may be affirmed with truth, that, both in point of number and authority, they are much inferior to the friends of moderation, who reduce within a narrow compass the fundamental doctrines of Christianity on the belief of which salvation depends, exercise forbearance and fraternal charity towards those who explain certain doctrines in a manner peculiar to themselves, and desire to see the enclosure (if I may use that expression) of the Reformed church rendere rendered as large and comprehensive as is pos- C EN T. şible [s]. XVI. SECT. III. the Re III. The founder of the Reformed church was PART II. Ulrick Zuingle, a native of Switzerland, and a The founman of uncommon penetration and acuteness, dation of accompanied with an ardent zeal for truth. This formed great man was for removing out of the churches, church laid and abolishing in the ceremonies and appendages by Zuingle of public worship, many things which Luther was disposed to treat with toleration and indulgence, such as images, altars, wax-tapers, the form of exorcism, and private confession. He aimed at nothing so much as establishing, in his country, a method and form of divine worship remarkable for its simplicity, and as far remote as could be from every thing that might have the smallest tendency to nourish a spirit of superstition [t]. Nor were these the only circumstances in [s] The annals of theology have not as yet been enriched with a full and accurate History of the Reformed Church. This task was indeed undertaken by Scultet, and even carried down so far as his own time, in his Annales Evangelii Renovati; but the greatest part of this work is lost. Theod. Hasæus, who proposed to give the Annals of the Reformed Church, was prevented by death from fulfilling his purpose. The famous work of James Basnage, published in two volumes 4to, at Rotterdam, in the year 1725, under the title of Histoire de la Religion des Eglises Reformées, instead of giving a regular History of the Reformed Church, is only designed to shew that its peculiar and distinguishing doctrines are not new inventions, but were taught and embraced in the earliest ages of the church. Maimbourg's Histoire du Calvinisme, is remarkable for nothing but the partiality of its author, and the wilful errors with which it abounds. [] The design of Zuingle was certainly excellent; but in the execution of it perhaps he went too far, and consulted rather the dictates of reason than the real exigencies of human nature in its present state. The present union between soul and body, which operate together in the actions of moral agents, even in those that appear the most abstracted and refined, renders it necessary to consult the external senses, as well as the intellectual powers, in the institution of public worship. Besides XVI. CENT. in which he differed from the Saxon reformer; SECT. III. for his sentiments concerning several points of PART II. theology, and more especially his opinions relat The contro tween the ing to the sacrament of the Lord's supper, varied widely from those of Luther. The greatest part of these sentiments and opinions were adopted in Switzerland, by those who had joined themselves to Zuingle in promoting the cause of the Reformation, and were by them transmitted to all the Helvetic churches, that threw off the yoke of Rome. From Switzerland these opinions were propagated among the neighbouring nations, by the ministerial labours and the theological writings of the friends and disciples of Zuingle; and thus the primitive Reformed church, that was founded by this eminent ecclesiastic, and whose extent at first was not very considerable, gathered strength by degrees, and made daily new acquisitions. IV. The separation between the Lutheran and versy be- Swiss churches was chiefly occasioned by the Lutherans doctrine of Zuingle, concerning the sacrament and Re- of the Lord's supper. Luther maintained, that erning the the body and blood of Christ were really, though formed con eucharist. in a manner far beyond human comprehension, present in the eucharist, and were exhibited together with the bread and wine. On the contrary, the Swiss reformer looked upon the bread and wine in no other light, than as the signs and symbols of the absent body and blood of Christ; and from Besides, between a worship purely and philosophically rational, and a service grossly and palpably superstitious, there are many intermediate steps and circumstances, by which a rational service may be rendered more affecting and awakening, without becoming superstitious. A noble edifice, a solemn music, a well ordered set of external gestures, though they do not, in themselves, render our prayers one whit more acceptable to the Deity than if they were offered up without any of these circumstances, produce, nevertheless, a good effect. They elevate the mind, they give it a composed and solemn frame, and thus contribute to the fervour of its devotion. XVI. from the year 1524, propagated this doctrine in CEN T. a public manner by his writings, after having ser. III. entertained and taught it privately before that PART. II. period [u]. In a little time after this [w], his example was followed by Oecolampadius, a divine of Basil, and one of the most learned men of that century [x]. But they were both opposed with obstinacy and spirit by Luther and his associates, particularly those of the circle of Suabia. In the mean time, Philip, landgrave of Hesse, apprehending the pernicious effects that these debates might have upon the affairs of the protestants, which were, as yet, in that fluctuating and unsettled state that marks the infancy of all great revolutions, was desirous of putting an end to these differences, and appointed for that purpose, a conference at Marpurg, between Zuingle, Luther, and other doctors of both parties [y]. This meeting, however, only covered the flame, instead of extinguishing it; and the pacific prince, seeing it impossible to bring about a definitive treaty of peace and concord between these jarring divines, was obliged to rest satisfied with having engaged them to consent to a truce. Luther and Zuingle came to an agreement about several points; but the principal matter in debate, even [u] Zuingle certainly taught this doctrine in private before the year 1524, as appears from Gerdes, Historia Renovat. Evangelii, tom. i. Append. p. 228. [w] In the year 1525. [x] Jo. Conr. Fueslini Centuria I. Epistol. Theolog. Reformat. p. 31, 35, 44, 49.- Oecolampadius was not less remarkable for his extraordinary modesty, his charitable, forbearing, and pacific spirit, and his zeal for the progress of vital and practical religion, than for his profound erudition, which he seemed rather studious to conceal than to display. [y] Zuingle was accompanied by Oecolampadius, Bucer, and Hedion. Luther had with him Melancthon and Justus Jonas from Saxony, together with Osiander, Brentius, and Agricola. XVI. CENT.even that which regarded Christ's presence in the eucharist, was left undecided; each party PART IL appealing to the Fountain of wisdom to terminate this controversy, and expressing their hopes that time and impartial reflexion might discover and confirm the truth [z]. The pro V. The Reformed church had scarcely been gress of founded in Switzerland by Zuingle, when this puces so far Christian hero fell in a battle that was fought, down as the in the year 1530, between the protestants of these dis death of Luther. Zurich, and their Roman-catholic compatriots, who drew the sword in defence of popery. It was not indeed to perform the sanguinary office of a soldier that Zuingle was present at this engage. ment, but with a view to encourage and animate, by his counsels and exhortations, the valiant defenders of the protestant cause [a.]. After his death, [x] Ruchat, Histoire de la Reformation de la Suisse, vol. i: passim, vol. ii. livr. vi. p. 463.-Hottinger, Helvetische Kirchen-Geschichte, part III. p. 27, 51, 483.-Val. Ern. Loscheri Historia Muum, part I. cap. ii. iii. p. 55. cap. vi. p. 143.Fueslin, Beyträge zur Schweizer Reformation, tom. iv. p. 120. [a] The Lutherans, who consider this unhappy fate of Zuingle as a reproach upon that great man in particular, and upon the reformed church in general, discover a gross ignorance of the genius and manners of the Swiss nation in this century. For as all he inhabitants of that country are at present trained to arms, and obliged to take the field when the defence of their country requires it, so in the time of Zuingle this obligation was so universal, that neither the ministers of the gospel, nor the professors of theology, were exempted from this military service. Accordingly, in the same battle in which Zuingle fell, Jerome Potanus, one of the theological doctors of Basil, also lost his lite. See Fueslini Centuria I. Epistolar Theol. Reformator. p. 84. Erasmus also spoke in a very unfriendly manner of the death of Zuingle and his friend Oecolampadius. See Jortin's Life of Erasmus, vol. i: p. 522. It is not therefore surprising to find the bigotted Sir Thomas More insulting (with the barbarity that superstition seldom fails to produce in a narrow and peevish mind) the memory of these two eminent reformers, in a letter to the furious |