the Gospel-Effects of his Preaching-Opposition-Familiar Manner-Love of Music-Imitation of Christ BOOK IX-Page 226. Aspect of the Church-Effects of Luther's Teaching-Wisdom of God-Agitation of the People-Luther BOOK X-PAGE. 259. Movement in Germany-War between Francis I. and Charles V-Inigo Lopez de Reculde-Siege of Pam- Matrimony--Luther's Marriage-Domestic Happiness--The Elector John-The Landgrave Philip-Po- liander's Hymn-New Ordination-Diet at Augsburg-League of Torgau-The Evangelic Union-The Rulers Take Counsel Together "-The Emperor's Message—The Reformation and the Papacy. Spiritual Slavery-Christian Liberty-Effect of the Gospel on Zwingle-Leo Judah at Zurich-The Chal- lenge-Zwingle and Faber--Zwingle Tempted by the Pope--" Zwingle's Passion "-Tract against Ima- ges-Wooden Idols--The Unterwalders--Public Meeting-Hoffman's Defence of the Pope-The Mass -Schmidt of Kussnacht--Results of the Conference-Oswald Myconius at Zurich-Thomas Plater-- The Swiss Aroused-Hottinger Arrested-His Martyrdom-Persecution Invoked-Swiss and German Reformations-The Jewish and Pagan Elements--Zwingle's and Luther's Tasks-The Council and the People-Abduction of Exlin-Riot and Conflagration-The Wirths arrested-The Prisoners Surrender- ed-A Spectacle to the World-"Cruel Mockings Faithful unto Death "-Father and Son ou the Scaffold-Abolition of the Mass--The Lord's Supper--Brotherly Love-Zwingle on Original Sin-Attack The Reformation in France-Persecution of the Vaudois-Birthplace of Farel-La Saint Croix-The Priest's Wizard-Farel's Superstitious Faith-The Chevalier Bayard-Louis XII-The Two Valois- Lefevre-His Devotion-Farel's Reverence for the Pope-Farel and the Bible-Gleams of Light-Le- fevre Turns to St. Paul-Lefevre on Works-University Amusements-Faith and Works-Paradoxical Truth-Farel and the Saints-Allman Refutes De Vio-Pierre Olivetan-Happy Change in Farel-In- dependence and Priority-Of the Reformation in France-Francis of Angoulême-Two Classes of Com- batants-Margaret of Valois-Talents of the Queen of Navarre-The Bishop and the Bible-Francis En- courages Learning-Margaret Embraces the Gospel-Poetical Effusions-Of the Duchess of Alencon- Margaret's Danger-Violence of Beda-Louis Berquin-Opposition to the Gospel-The Concordat―The Concordat Resisted-Fanaticism and Timidity-The Three Maries-Beda and the University-The King and the Sorbonne-Briconnet in His Diocese-The Bishop and the Curates-Martial Mazurier-Marga- ret's Sorrows-Strength under Trial-Death of Philibert of Nemours-Alone, Not Lonely-The Wander- ing Sheep-Briconnet's Hope and Prayer-Sufficiency of the Scriptures-Lefevre's French Bible-The People "Turned Aside "-Church of Landouzy-The Gospel and the French Court-Margaret's Lamen- tations-Briconnet Preaches Against the Monks-Two Despotisms-Briconnet Draws Back-Leclerc the Wool-Comber-Leclerc's Zeal and Sufferings-A Mother's Faith and Love-Secret Meetings for Wor- ship-Berquin Imprisoned by the Parliament-Charges Against Berquin--Liberated by the King-Pa- vanne's Recantation and Remorse--Zeal of Leclerc and Chatelain--Peter Toussaint-Leclerc Breaks the Images-Uproar among the People-Martyrdom of Leclerc and Chatelain-The Gospel Expelled from Gap-Anemond's Zeal-Farel Preaches to His Countrymen-Pierre De Sebville-Anemond Visits Lu- ther-Luther's Letter to the Duke of Savoy-Farel's Arrival in Switzerland-Ecolampadius and Farel- Cowardice of Erasmus-French Frankness" Balaam "-Farel's Propositions-Faith and Scripture-The Reformation Defended-Visits Strasburg-Ordination of Farel-Apostolical Succession-Farel at Mont- beliard-The Gospel at Lyons-Anthony Papillon-Sebville Persecuted-Secret Meetings at Grenoble- Effects of the Battle of Pavia-Trial and Arrest of Maigret-Evangelical Association-Need of Unity— Christian Patriotism-Influence of Tracts-The New Testament in French-Bible and Tract Societies- Farel at Montbeliard-Oil and Wine-Toussaint's Trials-Farel and Anemond-The Image of Saint Anthony-Death of Anemond-Defeat and Captivity of Francis I-Consternation of the French-Oppo- sers of the Faith-The Queen-Mother and the Sorbonne-Cry for Heretical" Blood-Parliament Esta- blishes the Inquisition-Charges Against Briconnet-Cited Before the Inquisition-Dismay of the Bishop -Refused a Trial by His Peers-Briconnet's Temptation and Fall-Retractation of Briconnet-Compar ed with Lefevre-Beda Attacks Lefevre-Lefevre at Strasburg-Meets Farel-Berquin Imprisoned- Erasmus Attacked by the Monks and the Sorbonne-Appeals to the Parliament and the King-More Vic- tims in Lorraine-Bonaventure Renne!-Courage of Pastor Schuch-Martyrdom of Schuch-Peter Caroli and Beda-The Martyrdom of James Pavanne-The Hermit of Livry-Seized and Condemned--Resour- ces of Providence-John Calvin-The Family of Mommor-Calvin's Parentage-Calvin's Childhood- His Devotion to Study-Infant Ecclesiastics--Calvin Proceeds to Paris-Reformation of Language-Pro- testant France-System of Terror-The "Babylonish Captivity "-Toussaint Goes to Paris-Toussaint in Prison-"Not accepting Deliverance "-Spread of Persecution-Project of Margaret-For the Delive- HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION. BOOK I. STATE OF EUROPE PRIOR TO THE REFORMATION. THE world was tottering on its old foundations when Christianity appeared. The various religions which had sufficed for an earlier age, no longer satisfied the nations. The mind of the existing generation could no longer tabernacle in the ancient forms. The gods of the nations had lost their oracles-as the nations had lost their liberty in Rome. Brought face to face in the capitol, they had mutually destroyed the illusion of their divinity. A vast void had ensued in the religious opinions of mankind. A kind of deism, destitute of spirit and vitality, hovered for a time over the abyss in which had been ingulfed the superstitions of heathenism. But, like all negative opinions, it had no power to edify. The narrow prepossessions of the several nations had fallen with the fall of their gods-their various populations melted, the one into the other. In Europe, Asia, Africa, all was but one vast empire, and the human family began to feel its comprehensiveness and its unity. Then the Word was made flesh. God appeared among men, and as Man, to save that which was lost. In Jesus of Nazareth dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This is the greatest event in the annals of all time. The former ages had been a preparation for it; the latter unroll from it. It is their centre and connecting link. From this period the popular superstitions had no significancy, and such feeble relics of them as outlived the general wreck of incredulity, vanished before the majestic orb of eternal truth. The son of Man lived thirty-three years on this earth. He suffered, he died, he rose again-he ascended into heaven. His disciples, beginning at Jerusalem, travelled over the Roman Empire and the world, everywhere proclaiming their Master the author of everlasting salvation. From the midst of a people who rejected intercourse with others, proceeded a mercy that invited and embraced all. A great number of Asiatics, of Greeks, of Romans, hitherto led by the priests to the feet of dumb idols, believed at their word. "The Gospel suddenly beamed on the earth like a ray of the sun," says Eusebius. A breath of life moved over this vast field of death. A new, a holy people was formed upon the earth; and the astonished world beheld in the disciples of the despised Galilean, a purity, a self-denial, a charity, a heroism, of which they retained no idea. The new religion had two features among many others which especially distinguished it from all the human systems which fell before it. One had reference to the ministers of its worship, the other to its doctrines. The ministers of paganism were almost the gods of those human inventions. The priests led the people, so long at least as their eyes were not opened. A vast and haughty hierarchy oppressed the world. Jesus Christ dethroned these living idols, abolished this proud hierarchy, took from man what man had taken from God, and re-established the soul in direct communication with the divine fountain of truth, by proclaiming himself the only Master and the only Mediator. "One is your master, even Christ, (said he,) and all ye are brethren." Matt. 23. As to doctrine, human religions had taught that salvation was of man. The religions of the earth had invented an earthly salvation. They had taught men B that heaven would be given to them as a reward; they had fixed its price, and what a price! The religion of God taught that salvation was His gift, and emanated from an amnesty and sovereign grace. God hath given to us eternal life. 1 John 5: 11. Undoubtedly Christianity cannot be summed up in these two points: but they seem to govern the subject, especially when historically viewed. And as it is impossible to trace the opposition between truth and error in all things, we have selected its most prominent features. Such were the two principles that composed the religion which then took possession of the empire and of the whole world. The standing of a Christian is in them; and, apart from them, Christianity itself disappears. On their preservation or their loss depended its decline or its growth. One of these principles was to govern the history of the religion, the other its doctrine. They both presided in the beginning. Let us see how they were lost: and let us first trace the fate of the former. The Church was, in the beginning, a community of brethren. All its members were taught of God; and each possessed the liberty of drawing for himself from the divine fountain of life. John 6: 45. The epistles, which then settled the great questions of doctrine, did not bear the pompous title of any single man or ruler. We find from the Holy Scriptures that they began simply with these words: "The apostles, elders, and brethren, to our brethren." Acts 15: 23. But the writings of these very apostles forewarn us that from the midst of these brethren there shall arise a power which shall overthrow this simple and primitive order. 2 Thess. 2. Let us contemplate the formation, and trace the developement, of this power alien to the Church. Paul of Tarsus, one of the chiefest apostles of the new religion, had arrived at Rome, the capital of the empire and of the world, preaching the salvation that cometh from God only. A church was formed beside the throne of the Cæsars. Founded by this same apostle, it was at first composed of converted Jews, Greeks, and some inhabitants of Rome. For a while it shone brightly, as a light set upon a hill, and its faith was everywhere spoken of. But 'ere long it declined from its first simplicity. The spiritual dominion of Rome arose as its political and military power had done before, and was slowly and gradually extended. The first pastors or bishops of Rome employed themselves in the beginning in converting to the faith of Christ the towns and villages that surrounded the city. The necessity which the bishops and pastors felt of referring, in cases of difficulty, to an enlightened guide, and the gratitude which they owed to the metropolitan church, led them to maintain an intimate union with her. As is generally the consequence in such circumstances, this reasonable union soon degenerated into dependance. The bishops of Rome regarded as a right the superiority which the neighbouring churches had voluntarily yielded. The encroachments of power form a large portion of all history: the resistance of those whose rights are invaded, forms the other part and the ecclesiastical power could not escape that intoxication which leads those who are lifted up to seek to raise themselves still higher. It felt all the influence of this general weakness of human nature. Nevertheless, the supremacy of the Roman bishop was 10 CO-OPERATION OF THE BISHOPS-VISIBLE UNITY. If Rome be the queen of cities, why should not her pastor be the king of bishops? Why should not the Roman church be the mother of Christendom? Why should not all nations be her children, and her authority be the universal law? It was natural to the heart of man to reason thus. Ambitious Rome did so. at first limited to the overlooking of the churches in | pressed it into the form of a more compacted body. the territory lawfully subject to the Prefect of Rome. To the errors that arose in the schools of deism, or in But the rank which this imperial city held in the world the various sects, was opposed the truth "one and offered to the ambition of its first pastors a prospect of universal" received from the apostles and preserved wider sway. The consideration which the different in the church. All this was well, so long as the inChristian bishops enjoyed in the second century was visible and spiritual church was identical with the in proportion to the rank of the city over which they visible and outward community. But soon a great presided. Rome was the greatest, the richest, and the distinction appeared: the form and the vital principle most powerful city in the world. It was the seat of parted asunder. The semblance of identical and exempire, the mother of nations. "All the inhabitants ternal organization was gradually substituted in place of the earth are hers," said Julian, and Claudian de- of the internal and spiritual unity which is the very clares her to be "the fountain of laws." essence of a religion proceeding from God. Men suffered the precious perfume of faith to escape while they bowed themselves before the empty vase that had held it. Faith in the heart no longer knit together in one the members of the church. Then it was that other ties were sought; and Christians were united by means of bishops, archbishops, popes, mitres, ceremonies, and canons. The Living Church retiring by degrees to the lonely sanctuary of a few solitary souls, an exterior church was substituted in place of it, and installed in all its forms, as of divine institution. Salvation no longer flowing forth from that word which was now hidden; it began to be affirmed that it was conveyed by means of certain invented forms, and that none could obtain it without resorting to such means! No one, it was said, can, by his faith, attain to everlasting life: Christ communicated to the apostles, and the apostles to the bishops, the unction of the Holy Spirit; and this Spirit is found only in this order of communication. In the beginning of the Gospel, whosoever had received the spirit of Jesus Christ, was esteemed a member of the church: now the order was inverted; and no one, unless a member of the church, was counted to have received the spirit of Jesus Christ. Hence it was that, when heathen Rome fell, she bequeathed to the humble minister of the God of peace, seated in the midst of her own ruins, the proud titles which her invincible sword had won from the nations of the earth. The bishops of the other parts of the empire, yielding to the charm that Rome had exercised for ages over all nations, followed the example of the Campagna, and aided the work of usurpation. They willingly rendered to the Bishop of Rome something of that honour which was due to this queen of cities: nor was there at first anything of dependance in the honour thus yielded. They acted toward the Roman pastor as equals toward an equal; but usurped power swells like the avalanche. Exhortations, at first simply fraternal, soon became commands in the mouth of the Roman pontiff. A chief place among equals appeared to him a throne. As soon as the notion of a supposed necessity for a visible unity* of the church had taken root, another error began to spread, namely, that it was needful that there should be some outward representative of that The bishops of the west favoured this encroachment of the Roman pastors, either from jealousy of the eastern bishops, or because they preferred subjection to a pope to the dominion of a temporal power. On the other hand, the theological sects which dis-unity. Though no trace of any primacy of St. Peter tracted the east strove, each for itself, to gain an in- above the rest of the apostles appears in the Gospels; terest at Rome, hoping to triumph over its opponents although the idea of a primacy is at variance with the by the support of the principal of the western churches. mutual relations of the disciples as "brethren," and Rome carefully recorded these requests and inter- even with the spirit of the dispensation which requires cessions, and smiled to see the nations throw themselves all the children of the Father to minister one to another, t into her arms. She neglected no opportunity of increas-1 Pet. 4: 10, acknowledging but one Master and ing and extending her power. The praises, the flattery, Head; and though the Lord Jesus had rebuked his and exaggerated compliments paid to her, and her being disciples whenever their carnal hearts conceived desires consulted by other churches, became in her hands as of pre-eminence; a primacy of St. Peter was invented, titles and documents of her authority. Such is the and supported by misinterpreted texts, and men proheart of man exalted to a throne; flattery intoxicates ceeded to acknowledge in that apostle, and in his prehim, and his head grows dizzy. What he possesses tended successor, the visible representative of visible impels him to aspire after more. unity-and head of the whole Church! The doctrine of " the Church," and of " the necessity for its visible unity," which had gained footing as early as the third century, favoured the pretensions of Rome. The great bond, which originally bound together the members of the church, was a living faith in the heart, by which all were joined to Christ as their one Head. But various causes 'ere long conspired to originate and develope the idea of a necessity for some exterior fellowship. Men, accustomed to the associations and political forms of an earthly country, carried their views and habits of mind into the spiritual and everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Persecution-powerless to destroy, or even to shake, the new community-com Suburbicaria loca. See the sixth canon of the Council of Nice, cited by Rufinus as follows: Et ut apud Alexandriam et in urbe Roma vetusta consuetudo servetur ut vel ille Egypti vel hic suburbicariarum ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat, &c. Hist. Eccles. Julian Orat. I. The constitution of the patriarchate contributed farther to the exaltation of the Roman papacy. As early as the first three centuries, the churches of the metropolitan cities had been held in peculiar honour. The Council of Nice, in its sixth canon, named especially three cities whose churches, according to it, held an anciently-established authority over those of the surrounding provinces. These were Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. The political origin of this distinction does not disparage that unity which is the manifested result of the partaking of the life of the Head by the members; but only that lifeless form of unity which man has devised in place of it. We learn from John 17: 21-23, that the true and real One-ness of BELIEVERS was to be manifested, so that the world might believe that the Father had sent Jesus. Hence we may conclude that the things which divide, instead of gathering, the "little flock" are contrary to his mind: and among such things must be classed, not alone the carnality of names, (1 Cor. 3: 4,) but every commandment or requirement of men that excludes the very weakest whom God has received. (Rom. 14: 1-3; Acts 11: 17, compare Acts 2: 44, &c.)-Translator. From the previous reflections it is clear that the author PATRIARCHATES-POLICY OF ROME CHARLEMAGNE. 11 These events occurred in the west at the beginning of the seventh century, at the precise period that the Mahometan power arose in the east, and prepared to overrun another division of the earth. may be discerned in the name which was at first given | Visigoths, and at last the Lombards and the Angloto the bishops of these cities; they were called exarchs, Saxons came bowing the knee to the Roman pontiff. like the political governors.* In later times they bore It was the sturdy shoulders of the idolatrous children the more ecclesiastical name of patriarch. It is in the of the north which elevated to the supreme throne of Council of Constantinople that we find this title first Christendom a pastor of the banks of the Tiber. used. This same council created a new patriarchate, that of Constantinople itself, the new Rome, the second capital of the empire. Rome at this period shared the rank of patriarchate with these three churches. But when the invasion of Mahomet had swept away the bishoprics of Alexandria and Antioch-when the see of Constantinople fell away, and, in later times, even separated itself from the west, Rome alone remained; and, the circumstances of the times causing everything to rally around her, she remained from that time without From that time the evil continued increasing. In the eighth century we see the bishops of Rome on the one hand resisting the Greek emperors, their lawful sovereigns, and endeavouring to expel them from Italy; while on the other they court the French mayors of the palace, and demand from this new power, now arising in the west, a share in the wreck of the empire. We New and more powerful partisans than all the rest see Rome establish her usurped authority between the soon came to her assistance. Ignorance and supersti-east, which she repelled, and the west, which she courttion took possession of the church, and delivered it up to Rome, blindfold and manacled. a rival. Yet this bringing into captivity was not effected with out a struggle The voices of particular churches frequently asserted their independence. This courageous remonstrance was especially heard in proconsular Africa and in the east.t ed; thus erecting her throne upon two revolutions. Alarmed by the progress of the Arabs, who had made themselves masters of Spain, and boasted that they would speedily traverse the Pyrenees and the Alps, and proclaim the name of Mahomet on the seven hills; terrified at the daring of Aistolpho, who, at the head of his Lombards, threatened to put every Roman to To silence the cries of the churches, Rome found death, and brandished his sword before the city gates; new allies. Princes, who, in those troublesome times, Rome, in the prospect of ruin, turned on all sides for often saw their thrones tottering, offered their adherence protection, and threw herself into the arms of the Franks. to the Church, in exchange for her support. They The usurper Pepin demanded the confirmation of his yielded to her spiritual authority, on condition of her claim to the throne: the pope granted it; and, in repaying them with secular dominion. They left her to turn, obtained his declaration in defence of the "Redeal at will with the souls of men, provided only she public of God." Pepin recovered from the Lombards would deliver them from their enemies. The power their conquests from the emperor; but, instead of of the hierarchy in the ascending scale, and of the im-restoring them to that prince, he deposited the keys of perial power which was declining, leaned thus one the conquered cities on the altar of St. Peter's; and, toward the other-and so accelerated their twofold with uplifted hand, swore that it was not in the cause destiny. of man that he had taken arms, but to obtain from God the remission of his sins, and to do homage for his conquests to St. Peter! Thus did France establish the temporal power of the popes. Rome could not lose by this. An edict of Theodosius II. and of Valentinian III. proclaimed the Bishop of Rome "ruler of the whole Church." Justinian issued a similar decree. These decrees did not contain all that the popes pretended to see in them. But in those times of ignorance it was easy for them to gain reception for that interpretation which was most favourable to themselves. The dominion of the emperors in Italy becoming every day more precarious, the bishops of Rome took advantage of it to withdraw themselves from their dependance. Charlemagne appeared. At one time we see him climbing the stairs of St. Peter's. devoutly kissing the steps; again he presents himself, but it is as master of all the nations composing the western empire, and of Rome itself. Leo III. decided to confer the rank on one who already possessed the power; and in the year 800, on Christmas day, he placed the crown of the Roman emperors on the brow of the son of Pepin.t But already the forests of the north had poured forth From this period the pope belonged to the empire of the most effectual promoters of papal power. The the Franks, and his connexion with the east was at an barbarians who bad invaded the west, and settled them- end: thus loosing his hold on a decayed tree, nodding selves therein-but recently converted to Christianity, to its fall, in order to graft himself upon a wild, but ignorant of the spiritual character of the Church, and vigorous, sapling. Little could he then have dared to feeling the want of an external pomp of religion-pros-hope for the elevation that awaited his successors among trated themselves, in a half savage and half heathen state of mind, at the feet of the chief priest of Rome. At the same time the people of the west also submitted to him. First the Vandals, then the Ostrogoths, a short time after the Burgundians and the Alains, then the the German nations to which he thus joined himself." Charlemagne bequeathed to his feeble successors only the wreck of his own power. In the ninth century disunion everywhere weakened the civil authority. Romo perceived that this was the moment to exalt herself. What better opportunity could offer for achieving the Church's independence of the state than when the crown of Charles was broken, and its fragments scat See the Council of Chalcedon, canons 8 and 18, & tapxos τῆς διοικήσεως. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, speaking of Stephen, Bishop of Rome, has these words: Magis ac magis ejus errorem deno-tered over his former empire? tabis qui hæreticorum causam contra Christianos et contra Ecclesiam Dei asserere conatur.....quí unitatem et veritatem de divina lege venientem non tenens...... Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est." (Ep. 74) Firmilian, Bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, writing in the latter part of the third century, observes: "Eos autem qui Romæ sunt non ea in omnibus observare quæ sunt ab origine tradita et frustra auctoritatem apostolorum prætendere....... Cæterum nos (the) bishops of the churches of Asia, more ancient than the Roman church) veritati et consuetudinem jungimus, et consuetudmi Romanorum consuetudinem sed veritatis opponimus; ab initio hoe tenentes quod a Christo et ab apostolo traditum est." (Cypr. Ep. 75.) These testimonies are of high importance. It was then that the pretended decretals of Isidorus appeared. In this collection of alleged decrees of the popes the most ancient bishops, contemporaries of Tacitus and Quintilian, were made to speak the barbarous Latin of the ninth century. The customs and * Fremens ut leo... asserens omnes uno gladio jugulari. (Anastasius, Bibl. Vit. Pontif., p. 83.) t Visum est et ipsi Apostolico Leoni... ut ipsum Carolum imperatorem nominare debuisset, qui ipsam Romam tenebat ubi semper Cæsares sedere soliti erant et reliquas sedes... (Annalista Lambecianus ad an. 801.) |