converting the most beneficial, into the most execrable and pernicious, deeds.

In the eyes of its authors, the cause of the reformation, it is evident, appeared of the utmost consequence, as involving the dearest interests of man in the present and future life. In their separation from the Romish church, and their opposition to her speculative and practical principles, they were influenced both by a regard to the authority of God, and the improvement and happiness of their fellow creatures. They had it in view to secure whatever is valuable in truth, or grateful in liberty, or consoling in religion; and it would have been very strange, if objects that press on every point of man's moral and intellectual nature, and which, taken separately, have justified the noblest efforts of zeal and courage, if these objects, when united together, had not wound up their faculties to the highest pitch, nay, infused into their exertions a degree of energy that we, perhaps, in the meditative tranquillity of the closet, may be apt to mistake for violence and ferocity. There will, indeed, be little consistency in our admiration of a Howard or a Clarkson, if we refuse to bestow it in due proportion upon the Reformers,-merely because in matters of at least equal moment to the well-being of man, they discovered, if possible, a greater degree of generous and ardent enthusiasm. But besides that the objects were of too much importance to allow of their being obtained with coldness and indifference, it should be remembered, that the Reformers, in asserting the noblest kind of freedom, met with the most violent opposition from the most profligate and hypocritical of men. Their adversaries were in possession of power and authority;—and were so interested in the errors, abuses, corruptions, and oppressions, on which the Reformers made their attack, that there was no instrument they scrupled to have recourse to, in order to effect their destruction. When sophistry and calumny failed, they employed threats, imprisonment, and tortures. Now persons of very great temperance and moderation, if they meet with opposition in the pursuit of a favourite object, scarcely retain the mastery of themselves. Mr. Hume, for instance, who is not to be suspected of enthusiastical feeling; and whom Dr. A. Smith considered, as approaching as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man as perhaps the nature of human frailty will permit,' having made literary distinction his ruling passion, was so exasperated by a sober critique on his "Treatise of Human Nature," as to hold the critic, for some time, at sword's point, trembling for his life. And yet this model of perfection, who was thus inordinately provoked, by what a wise man would have deemed a trifle, is the very person who loads the Reformers with opprobrious epithets, because they

did not choose to see their fellow creatures ruined in both worlds, -to be deprived of liberty, stript of their possessions, imprisoned, or banished, or brought to the stake, by a gang of corrupt and abandoned wretches, in the shape of ministers of religion,without invoking the execration of mankind on their vices and intrepidly resisting their oppressions. They must, indeed, have been little allied to human beings, if they had shewn the calmness of modern philosophers, in these scenes of peril and confusion. Whatever claims they might have had on our won, der, they would certainly have had none on our gratitude. They would have been so discouraged by the difficulties, or terrified by the dangers of their undertaking, as to have entirely failed of success, had they not been endowed with an extraordinary degree of religious fervour and moral heroism. Finer instruments, with less power and energy, would have been unfit for

their work.

After all, it does not strike us, that their roughness, their violence, or their enthusiasm, by any means lessens the benefits they have transmitted to us. Neither our knowledge, nor our virtue, nor our happiness, degenerates in nature, or in value, even though originating in the zeal of Luther, or Calvin, or Knox. While the excesses of these men may be fairly at tributed to the strange and difficult nature of their work, the darkness and confusion of the times, and the cruelty and barbarity of their enemies,-the enthusiasm that sustained them amidst labour and danger and suffering, serves to evince, that they were "honest in the sacred cause," and that they in downright reality wished to procure for us the blessings we now enjoy. A faithful history, however, of their principles and conduct, would form their best eulogium; and while we anxiously desire to see, in our vernacular tongue, a general history of the reformation, that, uniting depth with elegance, and philosophy with religion, might set the merits of the Reformers in their proper light, we in the mean time thankfully accept such partial contributions as may facilitate the execution of the more comprehensive undertaking.

Of this description is the work before us; and we consider the Scotch segment of the history of the reformation, as nearly ready for incorporation with the general fabric. Dr. Cook has been very industrious in collecting the materials of which it is composed; and for working them up has he has done, he merits the praise of accuracy, fidelity, and impartiality. He has omitted nothing material to the event he relates: nor, if we except a rather unnecessary enlargement on the civil transactions of the time, has he encumbered his narrative with any irrelevant facts. He appears, indeed, to have wished to make, on the minds of his readers, an impression in favour botn of the Vol. VIII.

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talents and virtues of the Reformers; but he does not attempt to effect this purpose, by concealing or discolouring unfavourable circumstances, no man being more ready to condemn whatever was unwarrantable in their proceedings. The reflections that occur, in the course of the story, on characters and. events, though not very profound, and sometimes having too much the air of affecting to philosophize, are yet, for the most part, solid and judicious,-friendly to humanity, to liberty and religion. Some persons, however, may be disposed to complain that the author has discovered too much deference to mere philosophers, and too little courage in explicitly avowing, and boldly maintaining the principles of revelation. With regard to the style of these volumes, it is clear, manly and elegant; but not so simple and easy as we could wish,-and perhaps a little more loose and bustling than befits the dignity and tranquillity of the historic muse.

In the first part of the introductory book, Dr. Cook gives å brief, but clear and satisfactory, account of the rise and establishment of the Roman hierarchy; points out the means to which the popes had recourse, in order to render it permanent ; and examines its influence on the civil government, administra tion of justice, morals,* intellect, and happiness of Europe. From this examination, the necessity of the reformation being evident, the second part insists on the causes that gave rise to that great event, viz. the errors of the popes-their factious elec tions and shameful contests-the spirited opposition of several councils to their exorbitant pretensions-the revival of learning the invention of printing-and the oppression and abuses in the matter of indulgences, rousing the indignation of Luther. Having thus prepared the way, our author enters on his subject; and,the value of the work will serve us as an apology in giving a pretty large abstract of its contents.

So early as 1528, the desire of reformation, in religious matters that agitated other parts of Europe, made its appearance in Scotland. The doctrines of Luther were rapidly and widely diffused among all ranks of the community: but the abettors of them were, for thirty years after that period, exposed to the violence, first of an irregular, and afterwards of a more syste matic persecution; many of them falling victims to the groundless fears, or interested malignity, of their enemies. Of these victims, the first was Patrick Hamilton, abbot of Fearn, a young nobleman of genius and learning, of graceful appear ance, and well tempered zeal in favour of the Lutheran tenets,which he had imbibed, during his travels, from the conversa

*Here, our author, in a very able and conclusive note, exposes thẹ sophistry of Mr. Hume's reasoning on the harmless tendency of indulgences.

tion of Luther and Melancthon, and propagated on his return with great success. This alarmed the priesthood; and having allured him to St. Andrews, they employed Campbell, the prior of the Dominicans, to insinuate himself into his confidence, and learn the true nature of his opinions. The trick succeeded. Hamilton was accused of heresy before the Archbishops of St. Andrews and of Glasgow, and condemned to the flames, While at the stake, Campbell, amongst others, importuning him to retract, he at first mildly beseeched him to retire, which, being ineffectual, he solemnly accused him of perfidy, and called upon him to answer it before the tribunal of God. This accusation, with the other circumstances of the scene, took such an effect on Campbell's mind, that, after lingering about a year in deep melancholy, he died in despair or insanity. As this event so soon followed the death of Hamil ton, it only excited greater attention to his doctrines.

About this time the nation was distracted with the feuds of the rival families, which, engrossing the attention of all classes, afforded the reforming teachers a short repose. In 1588, however, the flame of persecution burnt with greater violence. Forrest a benedictine friar, and a disciple of Hamilton, in consequence of vindicating the memory of his master, and being found guilty of possessing an English translation of the New Testament, was condemned to the stake by the clergy and as it was resolved to burn the heretic alive, an attendant of the archbishop advised that the torture should be inflicted in a low cellar, the smoke of Patrick Hamilton having infected all those on whom it blew.' The following year, Straiton and Gourlay, the former for refusing to pay tithes, and the latter for denying the existence of purgatory, and the pope's jurisdiction in Scotland, suffered a like fate. Shocked at such cruelty, several men of learning fled to England.

Statutes had been enacted in 1526 against the innovations. Still, though the king at the request of the pope, enforced by the importunity of the priests, consented to their renewal, the barbarous and impolitic fury of persecution, abated a little for some years. But the bishops, met in convocation at Edinburgh 1539, having lamented the decay of the church, resolved on harsher measures; and accordingly friars Keillor and Beveridge, Sir Duncan Simpson, a regular clergyman, Forrester a gentleman, and Forrest, vicar of Dollar, were compelled to appear before them, and being unable to clear themselves, were burnt together in the same fire on the Castle-hill of Edinburgh..

Forrest had, some time before this, been summoned by the Bishop of Dunkeld, for preaching to his people every Sunday upon the gospel and the epistle of the day. The bishop, who seems to have been anxious to save the vicar, warned him that he would thus bring upon himself the sus•

picion of heresy; and the advice which he gave him, conjoined with the de claration accompanying it, gives a strange view of the state of some, even of the most dignified of the clergy: "If you can find a good gospel, or a good epistle which may support the holy church, you have my permission to preach it." Forrest replied, that he had read both the Old Testament end New, and had never found in either of them an ill gospel, or an ill epistle. Upon this information, for it was plainly information to him, the prelate observed: "I thank God I have lived well these many years, and never knew either the Old or New Testament. I content myself with my portesse and pontifical; and if you do not leave these fancies, you will repent when you cannot mend it." The prediction that Forrest would suffer was fulfilled but be had even then prepared himself for it: for he con cluded this singular conversation by saying, that he believed it to be his duty to do what he did, and that he would shrink from no danger to which in consequence of adhering to what was right, he might be exposed. p. 159.

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The new doctrine being embraced in every part of the country, it was judged expedient to make examples of the more zealous innovators, in various districts. Russel and Kennedy were cited before the Archbishop of Glasgow, and though the prelate discovered great reluctance, they were condemned to the usual punishments. Such violent proceedings alarming the Protestants, many of them, and among others the celebrated Buchanan, saved themselves by voluntary exile.

The violence of the church against the Reformers was natural; and the concurrence of James V. (who now sat on the throne) with the views of the clergy, arose from several causes. The enemies of Luther took care to stigmatize his tenets as inimical to all legitimate authority. The support of the clergy, James found, was necessary to counterbalance the influence of the nobles. The conduct of the English led him to court an alliance with France, which was cemented by his marriage into the royal family and afterwards into the family of Guise. Thus interest and affinity co-operating with the prepossessions of education, induced James to support the priesthood in exterminating the new principles. Such opposition might have crushed the reformation in its infancy, had not the nobility, the rivals of the clergy, soon discovered the tendency of the innovations to encrease both their wealth and power, and shewn a disposition to countenance the Reformers. Henry the VIII. having himself apostatized from the see of Rome, endeavoured to persuade his nephew to follow his example; and though his arguments failed to move the king, they yet served to form among the Scotch nobles a considerable party, who were induced, more than ever, to favour the religious innovations.

The increased earnestness of those who composed it to accelerate the reformation, displayed itself in the protection which they extended to its teachers. These teachers, unlike the established clergy, mingled with the people; they embraced every opportunity of instructing them, and they