CENTURY XVI. CHA P. I. THE REFORMATION UNDER THE CONDUCT OF LUTHER. PRELIMINARIES. THE HE fixteenth century opened with a profpect of all others the most gloomy, in the eyes of every true Chriftian. Corruption both in doctrine and in practice had exceeded all bounds; and the general face of Europe, though the name of Christ was every where profeffed, prefented nothing that was properly Evangelical. Great efforts indeed had been made to emancipate the Church from the powers of darkness;" and in confequence many individual fouls had been conducted into the path of falvation. Still nothing like a general reformation had taken place in any part of Europe. For it must be confeffed, that the labors of Claudius of Turin, of the Waldenfian Barbs, of Wickliff, and of Hufs, had not been fufficiently directed against the predominant corruptions in doctrine, though the practical abufes of the popedom had been oppofed with ingenuous freedom and difinterested courage. The external branches only, rather than the bitter root itself, which fupported all the evils of falfe religion, being attacked, no pernranent or extenfive change had enfued. The Waldenfes were too feeble to moleft the popedom; and the Huffites, divided among themfelves, and worn out by a long feries of contentions, were reduced to filence. Among both were found perfons of undoubted godlinefs, but they appeared incapable of making effectual impreffions on the kingdom of antichrift. The Roman. pontiffs were still the uncontrouled patrons of impiety: neither the fcandalous crimes of Alexander VI., nor the military ferocity of Julius II.,-pontiffs whofe actions it is impertinent to the plan of this history to detail, feem to have leffened the dominion of the court of Rome, or to have opened the eyes of men fo as to induce them to make a fober investigation of the nature of true religion. But not many years after the commencement of this century, the world beheld an attempt to restore the light of the gospel, more evangelically judicious, more fimply founded on the word of God, and more ably and more fuccessfully conducted than any which had ever been feen fince the days of Auguftine. Martin Luther, whom Divine Providence raised up for this purpose, was evidently the inftrument rather than the agent of this reformation. He was led from step to ftep, by a series of circumstances, far beyond his original intentions; and in a manner, which might evince the excellency of the power to be of God and not of man*. Even the reformations, which took place in feveral other parts of Europe, befides Germany, the scene of Luther's tranfactions, were in a great measure derived from the light, which he was enabled to diffuse among mankind. And as the peculiar excellency of the revival of godliness now before us * 2 Cor. iv. 7. lay lay in this, that it was converfant in fundamentals of doctrine, rather than in correction of mere abuses of practice, hence the hiftory of Lutheranism recommends itself in an efpecial manner to the ftudy of every theologian. That I may be able to furnish the reader with a clear and fatisfactory view of this important part of ecclefiaftical hiftory, I fhall particularly avail myfelf of the labors of the learned Seckendorf, who published a latin tranflation of Maimbourg's history, and who, in a diffufive comment, often corrected and refuted it, and at the fame time fupplied from the very best materials whatever might be wanted to illuftrate the progrefs of Lutheranifm. The authentic documents derived from the archives of the royal house of Saxe Gotha, and the original papers of Luther, Melancthon, and other reformers are largely quoted by this author. He adverts alfo continually to the oppofite accounts of the Romish writers. In fine, he feems to have examined all the best sources of information on this fubject, and to have placed before his readers, whatever might be needful to inform their judgments. I follow Seckendorf therefore as my principal guide, yet not exclufively; I also make ufe of father Paul, of Du Pin, of Sleidan, Thuanus, &c. &c. The merely modern writers, who too commonly treat these interesting matters in a fuperficial manner, content with elegance of ftile, and an indulgence to the popular tafte, afford little fervice towards the execution of my plan. In a manufcript hiftory, extending from the year 1524 to 1541, compofed by Frederic Myconius, a very able coadjutor of Luther and Melancthon, the author describes the ftate of religion in the beginning Louis Maimbourg, a learned Jefuit, wrote celebrated histories of Calvinifm, Lutheranifm, Arianifm, &c. &c. ning of this century in ftriking terms. "The paffion and fatisfaction of Chrift, were treated as a bare hif tory, like the Odyffey of Homer: Concerning faith, by which the righteoufnefs of the Redeemer and eternal life are apprehended, there was the deepest filence: Christ was defcribed as a fevere judge, ready to condemn all who were* deftitute of the interceffion of faints and of pontifical intereft. In the room of Chrift, were fubftituted as faviours and interceffors, the Virgin Mary, like a Pagan Diana, and other faints, who from time to time had been created by the popes. Nor were men, it feems, entitled to the benefit of their prayers except they deserved it of them by their works. What fort of works was neceffary for this end was diftinctly explained; not the works prefcribed in the decalogue, and enjoined on all mankind, but fuch as enriched the priests and monks. Thofe, who died neglecting thefe, were configned to hell, or at leaft to purgatory, till they were redeemed from it by a fatisfaction made either by themfelves or by their proxies. The frequent pronunciation of the Lord's prayer and the falutation of the Virgin, and the recitations of the canonical hours, conftantly engaged those who undertook to be religious. An incredible mafs of ceremonious obfervances was every where vifible; while grofs wickedness was practifed, under the encouragement of indulgences, by which the guilt of the crimes was easily expiated. The preaching of the word was the leaft part of the epifcopal function: rites and proceffions employed the bishops perpetually, when engaged in religious exercifes. The number of clergy was enormous, and their lives were moft fcandalous. I fpeak of those whom I have known in the town of Gothen, &c." If we add to this the teftimony of Pellica Seckendorf, Vol. I. p. 4. nus, nus, another of Luther's followers, "that a Greek Teftament could not be procured at any price in all Germany," what can be wanting to complete the picture of that darkness in which men lived, and in what did the Chriftian nations differ from Pagans, except in the name? It may be proper to mention, that even the university of Paris, the firft of all the famous schools of learning, could not furnish a fingle perfon capable of fupporting a controverfy against Luther on the foundation of Scripture. And fcarcely any Chriftian doctor in the beginning of this century had a critical knowledge of the word of God. The reader may find it useful to be detained a little longer in contemplating the fituation of the Christian world at the time of Luther's appearance. The obfervations I have to offer for this purpose fhall be arranged under four diftinct heads; and they will, I truft, affift us in demonftrating the importance of the reformation, and fully evince that the difference between popery and proteftantifm is not merely verbal, 1. The popish doctrine of indulgences was then in the highest reputation. We fhall be in no danger of mifrepresenting this doctrine, if we ftate it according to the ideas of one of the ableft champions of popery. The church, he tells us, impofes painful works or fufferings on offenders; which, being difcharged or undergone with humility, are called fatisfactions; and when regarding the fervor of the penitents or other good works, the remits fome part of the task, this is called "an indulgence." For he pretends that the infinite fatisfaction of Chrift may be applied in two ways, either by entire remiffion, without the reservation of any punishment, or by the changing Page 132. Id. + Boffuet bishop of Meaux, in an expofition of the doctrine of the Catholic church in matters of controversy. |