thus overlooked.1 —Nothing can be further from my intention than to admit, that the Confession of Augsburg countenances any such system as this: it has merely omitted to guard against it so clearly and distinctly as our articles have done.

But these are only specks in the sun. As a whole, the work is admirable; a noble monument of what the reformers contended for,namely, Christian truth, liberty, and spiritual worship, as opposed to "will-worship" and mere outward observances, to intolerable burdens imposed upon conscience, and to the prostitution of every thing high and holy to subserve the purpose of acquiring gain or power.2

A. D.

1530.

respecting

We now turn to the proceedings adopted Proceedings after the reading of the confession.-The the Conlegate, with the other papal emissaries, had been fession. anxious that the protestants should not at all be heard, but that a decision should at once be pronounced against their tenets, as already condemned by Leo X; and that force should be resorted to to put them down in short, that the edict of Worms should be strictly executed. 3 As this could not be carried, the legate ab

1 Scott's Works vol. vii. pp. 136-145. See 1 Kings viii. 57, 58; Psalm cxix. 36; cxli. 4; Phil. ii. 13. "Incline our hearts to keep this law," &c.

Melancthon justly says, "De nobis extabunt testimonia ad omnem posteritatem, nos piè et religosè sensisse, et studium collocasse in illustrandâ doctrinâ ecclesiæ catholicæ, et amplificandâ gloriâ Christi. Hic cultus est vere λoyin harpeía, quæ maxime placet Deo, verbum Dei pure tractare et docere." Epist. i. 120: de Conventu Augustano. 3 Seck. ii. 171. Mel. Epist. i. 4, 9.

CHAP.

I.

sented himself when the confession was read,
that he might not even seem to compromise
the rights of the church, by admitting that to a
hearing, which she had condemned. 1 'The
emperor, however, desired his advice respecting
the confession, and he accordingly read it in
private, with the divines who accompanied
him; and thought, says Father Paul, "that a
censure of it ought to be published in his
name:" yet," foreseeing that this would give
occasion to greater tumults, and saying plainly
that the difference for the most part seemed
verbal, and it imported not much whether men
spake after one manner or another; and that it
was not reasonable that the apostolic see should
take part in the disputations of the schools; he
refused to have his name used in these conten-
tions." On the whole, however, he concluded,
"that, the doctrine of the Lutherans having
been read, to remove prejudice," that is, to ef-
face the impression which had been made in
its favour, a confutation of it should be
read likewise-but not published, for fear of
opening a way to disputations; and that means
should be used, by proposing favours and
threats, to prevent the protestants from going
further." This statement, from the pen of a
discerning and independent Romanist, presents
a curious display of the public policy of the
papal church, in combination with the private
feelings of many leading churchmen of that
communion-mere worldly, and perhaps scep-
tical politicians in a priestly garb. 3
In the

1 Such were the instructions which he had received from the pope. Seck. ii. 210. 2 F. Paul, 52.

3 In his sunt quidam belli homines, palam Epicurei Kai abeo, qui secure irrident omnes religiones."-" Neque

view of such men, the points in dispute among religious parties are not, in themselves, worth notice, and it matters little how they are decided-" whether men speak after one manner or another: " but authority must be upheld and submitted to; the plea of conscience, in such matters, cannot be allowed-indeed it can hardly be conceived of; "favours," on the one hand, and "threats" on the other, must surely produce compliance!

The emperor's counsellors concurring in the last-recited opinion of the legate, the confession was delivered into the hands of the popish divines, particularly Faber and Eccius, that they might prepare a refutation of it. And on this work they employed between five and six weeks.

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1530.

treatment

During this time all things "hung in Harsh doubt," and a tedious "languor" oppressed of the Prothe protestants. The period was, however, testants. made sufficiently painful, as well as wearisome, to them. This we shall see more fully hereafter but we may here remark, that during this period Campeggio's plan of " favours and threats," particularly the latter, began to be put in practice; and it was applied to different individuals in the manner which was thought most likely to reach their respective cases. The elector of Saxony had never yet received formal investiture in his dignities and dominions from the emperor, though his right was unquestioned, and he had had actual possession for some years. He now applied for

ignoramus, quam ridiculæ videantur hæ disputationes de religione, et de evangelio, Epicureis illis, qui principes concitant adversus nos." Melanc. Ep. i. 120.

1 Incerta hærebant, languebantque omnia. Seck. ii. 180.

E

The "Re

futation"

of the

the performance of this ceremony; but was surprised by a refusal! "The emperor would not grant it, unless the elector would return to the catholic church." Such a proceeding might seem to indicate, on the part of the emperor, further views than he would choose to avow. In the same terms he refused to ratify the marriage of the elector's pious and excellent son, John Frederick, with Sibylla of Cleves. This was the more mean and cruel, as, in order to break off a match between his own sister (subsequently queen of Portugal,) and this young prince, Charles had promised to afford every countenance in his power to any other suitable alliance. In like manner, he threatened to deprive the marquis of Brandenburg of the guardianship of his nephew. To the landgrave of Hesse, on the other hand, he held out the hope of the restoration of Ulric of Würtemberg, who had been expelled from his dukedom-an object which the landgrave had much at heart. 1 But such" threats and favours" were as unavailing as they deserved to be; and no one of the protestant princes was induced by them to swerve in the least from the principles which they had in common avowed. 2

66

At length the popish divines presented their Refutation of the Confession. "The concluConfession. sion of it," says Sleidan, 3 was severe and hard; no less than the ban of the empire being threatened to those that obeyed not:" that is, I presume, the divines came to this decision, and submitted it for the sanction of the states, who alone could pronounce such a sentence. The emperor is said not to have approved the

1 Robertson, iii. 85. 2 Sleid. 132. Seck. ii. 194. 3 Sleid. 130.

harsh and invective tone of the refutation; 1 and Du Pin observes, that " the princes were of opinion, that all the biting expressions, which the divines could not help bringing in, should be taken out." 2-Thus qualified, it was read, on the third of August, in a full assembly of the states, the emperor premising that it had his approbation, and should receive his support.3

As already intimated, the refutation divided the articles of the confession into three classes, one of which, containing doctrines common to both parties, it wholly approved; another it wholly rejected; and the third it partly approved and partly condemned. The substance of four, out of six, doctrinal articles wholly rejected, is thus stated by Du Pin, "That men are not justified by the merit of good works, but by faith alone."-With respect to the marriage of priests, wonder was expressed, how the protestants could demand it," since it was never in use from the very age of the apostles!" -The mass was affirmed, of course, to be "a sacrifice for the quick and dead," and this extraordinary argument was used in its support: "That Daniel had prophesied long before, that when Antichrist should come the daily offering should cease: that that was not indeed yet come to pass; but that nevertheless, in those places where mass was despised, altars de

1 Seck. ii. 172.

2 Du Pin, vi. 117.-Melancthon says: "Eccius his diebus questus est apud suum quendam amicum, Cæsarem pene tertiam scripti sui partem induxisse: ac suspicor præcipua libri ornamenta deleta esse, hoc est, insignia mendacia et sycophantias stolidissimas." Ep. iii. 179.

Melane. Ep. i. 12. Seck. ii. 172.

Dan. viii. 9-12,

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1530.