CHAP. III. tory, vol. iv. p. 96. Note [h]. 7. And what still more eminently discovered an antichristian Eccl. His spirit of division, of enmity, and a sordid thirst for pre-eminence, in the reforming party, was Luther's refusing to comprehend in this league, the followers of Zuingle, and those who had adopted the sentiments and confession of Bucer, although they were his brethren, in the present necessary work of reforming the church. 8. Time and contentions roll on, and more violent and iniquitous measures ensue. The emperor, confederate with the pope, raised an army of thirty-six thousand men in order to reduce the Protestants to obedience. The Protestants, far superior in number, amounting to eighty-five thousand, pushed forward their armies, and cannonaded the camp of the emperor at Ingolstadt, but their long fomented divisions, jealousies, and spirit of contention among themselves, prevented their success. Hist. of Charles V. vol. iii. p. 336, & 343347, & Ecc. Hist. voi. iv. p. 109. Hist. of vol. iii. p. 353, 354. 9. Had the Reformation been carried on under the name of a political revolution, on the side of freedom, things might have been kept in their proper order; but when divisions, perfidy, war, and bloodshed, make up the greatest part of their transactions, and all carried on under the name of the Prince of Peace, and the pretext of maintaining his religion, the truth was distorted into falsehood, the precepts of the Gospel trodden under foot, and the reason of mankind insulted. 10. Whatever credit may be due to the princes in the defence of their natural and civil rights, the peaceable religion of Jesus is manifestly put out of the question by their conduct: and whatever deception there be in the case under religious pretexts, the honor of this deception is due to Luther and the rest of the Protestant priesthood. 11. From the year 1517, in which the Reformation commenced, until the year 1546, in which Luther died, nothing but the fruits of corrupt ambition are manifest from the whole face of history, during that period of more than twenty-eight years. Endless controversies, debates about diets and councils, violence and wars, are the distinguishing marks of those times of discord. And even the means by which the Reformation was finally established, were as opposite to the precepts of the Gospel, as bloodshed and robbery are opposite to peace and good will. 12. While the Papists and Protestants, and their armies, were Charles V. concerting plans to subdue each other by the sword, MAURICE, duke of Saxony, a professed protestant, and a perfect master in the art of dissimulation, perfidiously makes a league with the emperor, and engages to take up arms against his father-in-law, and to strip his nearest relation of his honors and dominions. JOHN FREDERICK, elector of Saxony, was his uncle, and his father-in-law was PHILIP, landgrave of Hesse. Ibid. p. 358. 13. Accordingly, MAURICE having assembled about twelve thousand men, defeated the troops which the elector had left to guard his country, and took possession of his dominions. The CHAP. III. news of these conquests soon reached the camps, and filled the Papists with joy, and the Protestants with terror. vol. iii. p. 14. The maxims of the princes, with regard to the conduct of History of the war, differed as widely as those by which they were influenced Charles V. in preparing for it. Perpetual contrariety, jealousy, and a spirit 343. of contention prevailed. These multiplied dissensions flowing from the inconsistency of their natural tempers, rendered them more violent. 15. It was but a little while before Maurice took possession of Ibid. p. 339. his uncle's dominions, that the confederated Protestants, "declared their own resolution to risk every thing in maintenance of their religious rights." But a spirit of discord and anxiety for their temporal interest and safety, manifestly prevailed to put religion out of the question. 16. The elector returned with an army towards Saxony, and Ibid. p. 364. the greater part returned with their respective leaders into their own countries, and dispersed there. All the princes in person, and the cities by their deputies, were compelled to implore mercy of the emperor in the humble posture of supplicants. City after city, even those who had been the most highly distinguished for Ibid. p. 365. their zeal in their way of reformation, now submitted to such conditions as the emperor was pleased to give them. 17. For no sooner was the example set of deserting the common cause, than the rest of the members became impatient to follow it, "and seemed afraid (says Robertson,) lest others, by Ibid p. 363, getting the start of them in returning to their duty, should, on 364. that account, obtain more favorable terms. Thus a confederacy, lately so powerful as to shake the imperial throne, fell to pieces, and was dissolved in the space of a few weeks." 18. After these things the emperor passes on to Saxony, and Ibid. p. 405, the elector and landgrave, the two most powerful protectors of 416-421. the Protestant cause, are made prisoners, with the most humiliat- Ibid. p. 413, ing and aggravating terms of submission; and the perfidious 447. MAURICE becomes elector of Saxony. 19. Finally, the emperor entered Augsburg, and with great Ibid. p. 431. pomp, re-established the rites of the Romish worship. And a creed was drawn up containing the essential doctrines of the Romish Church. tory, vol. iv. p. 113. 20. "The greatest part of those (says Mosheim,) who had the Eccl. Hisresolution to dispute the authority of this imperial creed, were obliged to submit to it by the force of arms, and hence arose deplorable scenes of violence and bloodshed, which involved the empire in the greatest calamities." Thus the Protestant power was reduced to its lowest extremity, while the Papal power seemed to recover its usual strength. 21. The landgrave of Hesse, through the counsel of his treach CHAP. III. 1ory, vol Ibid. p. 116. Ibid. p. 117, erous son-in-law Maurice, and under the promise of liberty, had submitted to the unjust demands of the emperor; but contrary to the most solemn treaty, he was perfidiously imprisoned, and kept for several years in a close and severe confinement; and many entreaties were made for his liberty from time to time, by many European princes, particularly by Maurice, but without effect. 22. MAURICE, perceiving at length that he was duped by the emperor, entered secretly into a league with the king of France, and several German princes, for the maintenance of their rights and liberties; and by secret intrigue, marched a powerful army against the emperor, and surprised him unawares at Inspruk, where he lay with a handful of troops, and without the least apprehension of danger. 23. By this sudden and unforeseen event, was that powerful 118 & 274. emperor brought to conclude a treaty of peace with the Protestants, which was done at Passau in the year 1552. This they call the Bulwark of peace and liberty! And thus, by the sword of a traitor and a base usurper, did the beastly power of papal hierachy receive a deadly wound. 24. It was well said, by Dr. Robertson, concerning Maurice History of and his perfidious treaty with the emperor, that "History hardly Charles V. records any treaty that can be considered as a more manifest violation of the most powerful principles which ought to influence human actions." vol. iii. p. 353. 25. Yet that same artful dissembler, the treacherous Maurice, who entered into a league with the Papists against the Protestant -who perfidiously and inhumanly stripped his nearest relation of Ibid. p. 358. his honor and dominions and usurped his place-whom the Protestants branded as an apostate from religion, a betrayer of liberty, a contemner of the most sacred and natural ties; that same perfidious monster, according to the projects of Luther, must, of necessity, be the supreme head of the church! 26. Maurice, however, did not live to see the effects of all his inglorious and treacherous conduct, for he died the following year, of a wound received, while he was fighting against ALBERT, of Brandenburg. Such were the means used in Germany by Luther and his followers, in reforming a corrupt church, and in establishing what they call religious peace. 27. In Switzerland the Reformation was also carried on by means diametrically opposite to the precepts of the Gospel. Zuingle (who was cotemporary with Luther) fell in a battle, in the year 1530, while he was defending his reformed gospel, sword in hand, against the Papists. 28. The Reformation in England, took its rise from a rupture between the Pope and HENRY VIII, concerning a divorce which the Pope refused to grant this licentious monarch. "A prince (says Mosheim,) who in vices and abilities was surpassed by none who swayed the sceptre in this age." 29. "The English nation was delivered from the tyranny of Rome, by HENRY's renouncing the jurisdiction and supremacy of its imperious pontiff." And what next? "Soon after this, HENRY was declared by the parliament and people supreme head, on earth, of the church of England, the monasteries were suppressed, and their revenues applied to other purposes." CHAP. III. Eccl. His tory, vol. iv. p. 101. ibid. p. 103. 30. But this is not all, he extended his supremacy as far as Ibid. p. 124. his power permitted. In the year 1555, George Brown, a monk of the order of St. Augustin, he created archbishop of Dublin, who caused the king's supremacy to be acknowledged in that nation. HENRY shewed soon after, that this supremacy was not a vain title; for he banished the monks out of that kingdom, confiscated their revenues, and destroyed their convents." 31. Thus the same means that had been used by the bloody Constantine and his successors, in abolishing Paganism, and in promoting their pretended gospel, were also used by the Reformers, under a pretence of abolishing superstition, and restoring pure religion. As their fathers did, so did they. 32. From Diotrephes to Constantine, and from Constantine to Leo, and from Leo to Luther, and so along down through the Reformation, one and the same spirit of antichristian tyranny is manifest from the whole tenor of orthodox history; a sordid thirst for dominion and supremacy, accompanied with a cool barbarity towards all who differ from the ruling party. p. 55. 33. To the above words of Dr. Mosheim may be added the following from bishop Challoner, "The foundations of the Grounds of Reformation of England were laid by manifold sacrileges, in C. Doc. pulling down monasteries, and other houses dedicated to God, [upon the principles of their own acknowledged ancestors] rifling and pillaging churches, alienating church lands, &c.; as may be seen in the history of the Reformation by Dr. Heylin." 34. "Wheresoever the reformed gospel was preached, it brought forth seditions, tumults, rebellions, &c., as appears from all the histories of those times. Insomuch that in France alone, the reformed gospellers, besides innumerable other outrages, are said to have destroyed no less than twenty thousand churches.* How little does such a Reformation resemble the first establishment of the Church of Christ!" Jeru. and Babel, p. 163. Grounds of 56. C. Doc. p. 35. The Protestants of France were Calvinists, the disciples and followers of JOHN CALVIN, whose principles were to defend his reformed religion by the sword, and put heretics to death. In the year 1560, the riotous Calvinists were called Huguenots; [i.e. confederates] and it was but natural for the disciples to be as their lord. Mosheim observes concerning their commotions in that country, that, "both the contending parties committed iv. p. 373. Eccl. His tory, vol. CHAP. III. such deeds as are yet, and always will be, remembered with horror." 36. These outrages, however, were calmed by HENRY IV, king of France, who renounced Protestantism and made a public profession of Popery. Nothwithstanding, by an edict, drawn up in the year 1598, called the edict of Nantes, he gave the ProIbid. p. 373. testants liberty of conscience, and "a full security (says Mosheim,) for the enjoyment of their civil rights and privileges, without persecution or molestation from any quarter." 2 Cor, xi. 13-15. 37. The honor, therefore, of this religious liberty, is due to the Papists, and not to the Protestants. But it must be observed, that this liberty proceeded from political and sinister motives: as the religious peace, of Passau, flowed from Maurice's treacheries. 38. Such then, as have been stated, were the first means which the Protestants used, in reforming a base and superstitious church; and re-form it they did, into as many different shapes and forms, as have been sufficient to keep the whole world in perplexity, and which would require the labor of a life to expose to full view. 39. But if such means, as those by which the Reformation commenced, and was promoted, and finally established, under the name of Christ, were contrary to the precepts and example of Christ, it still remained an incontestible truth, that the whole work, from beginning to end, was the work of antichrist. 40. Seeing that such false and deceitful terms as the blessed Reformation, a religious peace, a glorious cause, &c., are applied to quarrelling, wrangling, animosity, endless dissensions, perfidy, frauds, usurpations, fightings, wars and bloodshed, with all of which the Reformation was replete; and seeing that the promoters of such a cause called themselves the ministers of Christ; then with the strictest justice and propriety may also the following titles be applied to such. 41. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. |