man pontiffs among the Swedes was entirely prostrate.
30. Christian [I., commonly called Cliristiern, king of Denmark [A.D.
1513-1523], who was, either from natural temperament or from the influ
ence of bad counsels, an oppressive and cruel monarch, endeavoured to im-
bue the Danes with a knowledge of the Lutheran religion as early as the
year 1521 For he first invited Martin Reynhard, a disciple of Carolostadt,
from Saxony iyi the year 1520, and made him professor of theology at Co-
penhagen; and on his leaving the kingdom in 1521, he invited Carolostadt
himself to Denmark ; who however soon returned to Germany. The king
even invited Luther to come to Denmark, but without success ; and he
adopted other measures, calculated to subvert the authority of the Roman
pontiff in his territories. But in all this, Christiern was not actuated by
zeal for true religion, but by the desire of increasing his own power and
grandeur. At least, it seems evident from his conduct, that he patronised
the Lutheran religion in order to obtain by it absolute dominion, and to
wrest from the bishops their possessions and their power. (56) But his
projects were unsuccessful. For the different orders of the realm con
spired against him in 1523, and deposed and banished him from the king,
dom, on account of his various acts of cruelty and oppression, and partic
ularly for his attempts to destroy the liberties of Denmark and to abolish
the established religion. (57) In place of him, Frederic duke of Holstein
and Sleswiclc, uncle to Christiern, was called to the throne.
31. This Frederic the successor of Christiern, [A.D. 1523-1 533 J,
proceeded \ v ith more prudence and moderation. He permitted George
(55) Jo. Baaz, Inventarium Eccl. Sueo- monarchy ; and the power of the kings was
Gothorum, Lincoping, 1642, 4to. Abrah. greatly limited by the council of the state,
Scultetus, Annales Evangelii renovati ; in which consisted partly of clergymen, and
Herm. von der HardCs Historia litter. Re- partly of civilians. The civil counsellors
format., pars v., p. 83 and 110, &c. Ray- were from the highest nobility; the clerical
naCs Anecdotes Histor. politiques militaires, were archbishops and bishops. The rev-
tort,, i., pt. ii., p. 1, &c., and others, [Dan. enues of the kings were small; and the
Gcrdcs, Historia Evang. renovati, torn, iii., clergy were in possession of the most impor-
p. 277, &c. Schroeckh s Kirchengesch. seit tant castles and fortresses. Hence there
der Reform., vol. ii., p. 3. &c. TV.] was constant jealousy between the nobility
(56) See Jo. Grammes Diss. de Reforma- and the clergy; and the former wished to
tioae Danio3 a Christierno tentata ; in torn, see the latter humbled. Christiern so de.T-
lii. Scriptor. Societ. scientiar. Hafniensis, terously availed himself of this jealousy, that
p. 1-90. by it he stripped the clergy of their power,
(57) See the causes which induced the and introduced the reformation into the king-
states of Denmark to renounce subjection to dom. He forcibly took from the papal
king Christiern, in Jo. Pet. a Ludcicig s Re- preacher of indulgences, Arrimbold, a large
liquiae Manuscriptor., torn. v.. p. 315, &c., sum of money, collected by the sale of in-
where those states thus express themselves, dulgences ; and he caused a Danish trans-
p. 321 : Lutherans hasresis pullulatores con- lation of the New Testament to be made,
tra jus pietatemque, in regnum nostrum Ca- After his deposition, he heard Luther preach
tholicurn introduxit, Doctorem Carolostadi- in Germany, with great pleasure ; yet as he
urn, lortissimum Lutheri athletam, enutrivit. was hoping for succour from Charles V., he
[The grounds of the reformation were much did not openly profess the Lutheran doctrines,
the same in Denmark, as in Sweden. The But his queen Isabella, sister to the emperor
interests of the state demanded a depression Charles V., professed it, and died in it, with
f the clergy. Denmark was an elective great constancy, in the year 1525. Schl.~\
BOOK IV. CENTURY XVI. SEC. I. CHAP. II.
J -thnson (Johannis), Jo. Taitsan, and others publicly to preach in the realm
Jhe doctrines they had learned from Lulhtr :(58) but he did not venture to
change the ancient government and constitution of the church. He more,
over greatly aided the progress of the reformed religion, by procuring a
decree of the senate, at the diet of Odensee A.D. 1527, by which the citi
zens were left at liberty either to continue in the old religion or to em-
brace the new, as they saw fit. For under the protection of this decree,
the preachers of the reformed religion discharged their functions with so
much success, that the greatest part of the Danes at length abandoned the
Roman pontiff. Yet the glory of delivering Denmark altogether from the
Roman bondage, was reserved for Christian III. [A.D. 1534-1559], a king
of distinguished piety and prudence. For he, after stripping the bishops
of their odious power, and restoring to their rightful owners a great part
of the possessions which the church had got into her hands by base arts,
called John Bugenliagius from Wittemberg, and with his aid, regulated
the religious affairs of the whole realm, in an enlightened and judicious
manner; and then in the assembly of the states at Odensee, in 1539, per
suaded the chiefs of the nation to sanction the begun reformation in reli
gion. (59)
32. In regard to the reformation however, both in Sweden and Den
mark, we should carefully discriminate between a reformation or change
of religion, and a reformation of the lisliops : two things, nearly related
indeed, yet so distinct that either may exist without the other. For the
religion of a people might be reformed, while the rank and power of the
bishops remained the same ; and on the other hand, the bishops might be
deprived of a portion of their wealth and authority, and yet the old religion
be retained. In the reformation of religion and worship, [in these coun.
tries], there was nothing that deserved censure ; for no violence or impo
sition was practised, but every thing was done in a reasonable and reli
gious manner. But in the reformation of the bishops and clergy, there ap
pears to have been something defective. For violent measures were adopt
ed ; and the bishops, against their wills and their efforts to the contrary,
were deprived of their honours, their prerogatives, and their possessions.
Yet this reformation of the clergy in both those northern kingdoms, was
not a religious, but a mere civil and secular transaction ; and it was so
necessary, that it must have been undertaken, if no Luther had arisen.
For the bishops had by corrupt artifices got possession of so much wealth,
so many castles, such revenues, and so great authority, that they were
far more powerful than the kings, and were able to govern the whole
realm at their pleasure ; indeed they had appropriated to themselves a large
portion of the patrimony of the kings, and of the public revenues. Such
therefore was the state both of the Danish and the Swedish commonwealths
(58) See Jo. Molleri Cimbria litterata, religionis in vicinis Daniae regionibus et po-
tom. ii., p. 886, &c. Christ. Olivarius, tissimum in Cimbria ; in his Dissert. His-
Vit-a Pauli Eliae, p. 108, &c. Eric Pontop- torico-Theologicse, p. 24, &c., Kilise, 1715,
pidan s Annales eccles. Danicae, torn, iii., 4to. [Also Dan. Gerties, Historia Evange
ls 139, &c. Iii renovati, torn, iii., p. 338, &c. Schroecfik s
(59) Eric. Pontoppidan s Concise History Kirchengesch. seit der Reform., vol. ii., p.
of the Reformation in Denmark, written in 59, &c. A still better account may be ex-
Danish, Lubec, 1734, 8vo, and his Annales pected in the Ecclesiastical History of Den-
ecclesiae Danica?, torn, ii., p. 7UO, &c., torn, mark, now preparing, and partially published,
iii., f 1, &c. Ht nry Muhtius, de Reformat, by Fr. Miintc\, bisbpp of Seeland, TV.]
HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION.
47
in the tirno of Luther, that either the bishops, who shamefully abused then
riches, their prerogatives, and their honours, must be divested of the high
rank they held in the state, and be deprived of a large portion of their ill.
gotten wealth ; or the ruin of those kingdoms, the irreparable detriment of
the public safety and tranquillity, and the, sinking of their kings into con-
tempt, with an utter inability to protect the people, must be anticipated.
33. In France, Margaret [born 1492, died 1549] queen of Navarre,
and sister to Francis I. king of France, the perpetual enemy and rival of
Charles V., was pleased with the principles of the reformed religion : and
hence several pious men, well acquainted with the scriptures and sustained
by her protection, ventured to teach this religion and to form religious so-
cieties, in one place and another. It appears from document 4 " of unques
tionable authority, that as early as the year 1523, there were in most of
the provinces of France, a multitude of persons opposed to the principles
and the laws of the Romish church ; and among them were men of high
character, and also prelates. As this number continually increased, and
as religious commotions took place here and there, the king and the ma
gistrates protected the ancient religion by the sword, and by penal inflic
tions, and a large number of pious and good persons were cruelly put to
death. (60) But this cruelty advanced, rather than retarded, the progress of
(60) Sec Theod. Bezels Histoire des Egli-
ses Reformees de France, tome i., livre
i., p. 5, &c. Elias BenoisCs Histoire de
1 Edit de Nantes, torn, i., livre i., p. 6, &c.
Christ. Aug. Salig s Historic der Augs-
burgischen Confession, vol. ii., p. 190, &c ,
and others. \_Gerdes, Historia Evangelii
renovati, torn, iv., p. 1, &c. Schroeckk s
Kirchengesch. seit der Reformat., vol. ii.,
p. 208, &c. France was the first country,
where the reformation that commenced in
Germany and Switzerland, very soon and
under the severest oppressions, found many
adherents. No country seems to have been
so long and so well prepared for it, as this :
and yet here it met the most violent opposi
tion ; and no where was it later, before it
obtained legal toleration. No where did it
occasion such streams of blood to flow ; no
where give birth to such dreadful and deadly
civil wars. And no where have state policy,
court intrigue, political parties, and the am
bition of greatness, had so powerful an influ
ence on the progress and fortunes of the ref
ormation, as in France. Schroeckh. The
friendship of Francis I. to the sciences, and
bis attachment and generosity to learned
men, induced many persons of genius who
wers favourable to the reformation, to take
up their residence in France ; and thus the
writings cf the Reformers, which were i n
general better compositions than the books
of the papists, were introduced extensively
into France, and were there eagerly read ;
and by these writings such as had before
taken no part in the religious contests, were
convinced of the necessity of a reformation,
and brought to desire it. The university of
Paris indeed had already in 1521, declared
expressly against Luther and his writings.
(See the Determinatio Facultat. Theol. Par
is, super doctrina Lutherana ; in Gerdes,
Historia Evangel, renovati, torn, iv., Ap
pend. No. ii.,p. 10, 11.) Yet the doctrine
of Luther and Melanclhon, from the first, had
many friends in France ; indeed, there was
a time when Francis I., to gratify the wish
es of his sister, Queen Margaret, was dis
posed to invite Mclanctlion to take residence
in France. The first movement with a di
rect view to produce a reformation, was at
Meaux, where the devout and learned bishop
William Brissonct, gave support and protec
tion to James le Fcvre, William Farrell, and
Gerard Rousscl, and permitted them openly
to preach against the old superstitions and
abuses of the Romish church, and to gather
a small congregation. But as soon as the
thing became extensively known, the parlia
ment in the year 1533, ordered a rigorous
investigation of the subject. John le Clcrc,
a woollen-spinner, but who had become a
preacher to the new congregation at Meaux,
published in this year a letter against indul
gences, in which the pope was represented
as Antichrist. He was therefore beaten
with rods, branded with a hot iron, and ban
ished ; and afterwards, died a martyr at
Metz. The congregation were dispersed all
over France. Brissonct, terrified by the re
sentment of the king, drew back ; and novr
condemned the doctrines he had hitherto ap
proved. Farrell went to Switzerland, re
formed Miimpelgard, and adhered firmly to
BOOK IV. CENTURY XVI. SEC. I. CHAP. II.
the new religion. The friends of reformation however in France, experien
ced various fortune, sometimes adverse, and sometimes tolerable, during the
reign of Francis I. [A.D. 1515-1547]. For the king, being either of nc
religion or of a dubious one, conducted towards them just as his own advan.
tage or state policy seemed to require. When he wished to conciliate
the good-will of the German P otcstants, and by them inflict a wound
upon his enemy Charles V., he was mild, humane, and equitable towards
them ; but on a change of circumstances, he assumed different char
acter, and showed himself implacable towards them.
34. The other countries of Europe did not exhibit so many and sa
clear indications of a defection from the Romish institutions and customs,
prior to the presentation of the Confession of Augsburg. And yet it can
be proved by the most credible testimonies, that Spain,(61) Hungary,(62)
.he reformed doctrines till his death. Le now smoked, till the death of the king.
Fexre and Roussel betook themselves to Especially the honest Waldensians in the
Navarre, to Queen Margaret, where they mountains of Provence, at Merindoles and
did not indeed openly break with the Romish Cabriers, became the victims of a most cruel
church, yet greatly promoted the spread of persecution. Merindoles was destroyed ;
pure doctrine. In the mean time, the evan
gelical multiplied exceedingly in Beam and
Guienne, through the protection of Marga
ret. Francis therefore, being prompted by
the bishops, sent for this queen, and rebuked
her for suffering these innovations to take
place. She promised him, she would go no
farther in this thing, provided the following
concessions were granted her : 1st, That no
mass should be said, unless there were per
sons to receive the eucharist. 2d, That the
elevation of the host should cease. 3d, The
worship of it also. 4th, That the eueharist
should be administered in both kinds. 5th,
That in the mass, there should be no men
tion made of Mary and the saints. 6th,
That common, ordinary bread should be
taken, broken, and distributed. And 7th,
That the priests should not be compelled to
a life of celibacy. But these propositions
were rejected ; and the preachers she had
brought with her to Paris were thrown into
prison, and with great difficulty, at her in
tercession, set at liberty. At last, cardinal
Tournon so far wrought upon the king, by
his fierce persecuting zeal, that he strictly
commanded his sister to avoid all innovations
in religious matters ; and, notwithstanding
the intercession of the Protestant princes of
Germany, he caused the evangelical to be
punished in the most cruel manner. Gal
lowses were erected, and the flames kindled,
against the professors of the reformed doc
trine ; and yet they were so lar from being
exterminated, that their number increased
continually. The persecution became still
heavier in the year 1534, when some incon
siderate persons, in their rash zeal, posted
up satirical papers against the popish mass
in various places, and even on the royal pal
ace. The blood of the unhappy Protestants
and its inhabitants, who had chiefly taken
refuge at Cabriers, were either butchered 01
burned alive, or sent to the galleys. Cardinal
Tournon was the instigator, and Oppeda the
president of the parliament of Aix, was the
chief actor in the bloody scene. Yet all
was done with the consent of the kji;g ;
though, in the end, he could not approve of
all that had taken place, but execrated this
worse than barbarian deed ; and on his
deathbed, enjoined upon his successor to
subject it to an investigation. SckL]
(61) [The emperor Charles V. being king
of Spain, and carrying on extensive wars in
Italy, Germany, and Spain, his Spanish and
German subjects of all ranks and professions,
were necessarily brought into close contact.
Many Spanish officers and soldiers and also
statesmen and theologians, of course learned
something of the reformed religion ; and not
a few of them embraced it. Yet the rigours
of the Inquisition, and the complete ascend
ency of popery in Spain, induced the evan
gelical Spaniards for a long time either tar
conceal their religious sentiments, or to prop
agate them in the most covert manner. Yet
before the year 1550, the Protestants hiid
become so numerous in Spain that they ven
tured to appear openly. They could number
a great many persons of distinction, arid had
increased so rapidly that it seemed as if the
whole nation would soon embrace the re
formed religion. But the Catholics taking
the alarm, a most violent persecution ensued,
which raged till not a heretic dared to show his
head in that country. See Michael Gcddcs^
Martyrology of Protestants in Spain ; in his
Miscellaneous Tracts, vol. i., p. 54o, &c., and
Latin, in Moshcim s Dissert. Hist. Eccles .
vol. i., p. 663, &c. Reginald* Gonsahi Re-
latio de Martyribus Protes .antium in Hispan
HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION.
Bohemia,(63) Britain,(64) Poland,(65) and the Netherlands,(66) now
abounded in great numbers of friends to the doctrines inculcated by Lw.
ia ; in Dan. Gerdes s Miscellanea Groning.,
torn, iv., p 681, &c., and SchroeckK s Kir-
chengesch seit der Reform., vol. ii., p. 791,
&c. Tr.J
(62) [Hungary is one of the countries
which early received some light from the
Reformation, but in which it was resisted so
strenuously, that it never absolutely triumph
ed, and never became the religion of the
state. As early as 1522, several Hungari
ans educated at Wittemberg, introduced the
Lutheran doctrines into their native country.
These doctrines spread rapidly ; and other
Hungarians, trained in the school of Luther,
became successful preachers to their coun
trymen. But persecution commenced in
1525, and was renewed from time to time,
with such success as nearly to destroy the
reformed churches. There were some Mo
ravians or Hussites in the country, before
the times of Luther, and likewise some
Waldensians. Mary, widow of Lewis II.
and sister to Charles V., was friendly to the
Lutherans ; and she checked the persecuting
zeal of king Ferdinand, who was her brother.
In the year 1530, five free cities in the north-
em part of Hungary, declared for Lutheran-
ism, and presented a confession of their faith
to the king. The next year Matthias De-
vay, the Luther of Hungary, began his ca
reer. The most rapid increase of the Re
formed, was about the year 1550. In the
year 1555, the five above-named free cities,
and also twelve market-towns in the county
of Zipf, with a few a towns in lower Hun
gary, and several noblemen, obtained liber
ty to practise the reformed religion. See
Schrocckh, 1. c., vol. ii., p. 723, &c. Tr.]
(63) [As early as the year 1519, the Hus
sites in Bohemia opened a friendly corre
spondence with Martin Luther, and exhorted
him to persevere in the good work, assuring
him there were very many in Bohemia vho
prayed night and day for the success of his
cause. (Luther s Lat. Works, ed. Jena,
torn, i., p. 366, &c.) The intercourse con
tinued free, and was salutary both to the
Bohemians and the Lutherans, till the year
1525, when it was suspended for ten years,
in consequence of some slanderous reports
respecting Luther propagated in Bohemia.
But in 1535, the intercourse was renew
ed ; evangelical doctrines spread in the
country ; and the Hussites corrected their
former creed, without entirely abandoning
it. The evangelical were divided among
themselves, and were exposed to persecu
tion : yet they multiplied greatly, and finally
obtained free toleration. See Adr. Regen-
VOL. III. G
volscii Systema Historiae Chronolog. Eccle-
siar. Slavonicar., cap. ix., p. -54, dec. and
Jo. Th. Eisner s Brevis conspectus doc
trine Fratrum Boemorum ; in Gerdes, Mis
cellanea Gron.ng., torn, vi., pt. i., p 381, &c.
-TV.]
(64) [In England, the Wickliffites, though
obliged to keep concealed, had not been ex
terminated by 150 years persecution. Lu
ther s writings were early brought into Eng
land, and there read with avidity. This
quickened persecution ; and six men and one
woman were burned at the stake in Coven
try, on Passion Week, A.D. 1519. In 1522,
kingHenry VIII. wrote a confutation of Lu
ther s doctrines ; but to no purpose. Bil-
ney, Latimcr, and others at Cambridge,
formed a society, which read and circulated
Luther s books, as early as 1523. William
Tindal made an English translation of the
New Testament, which he printed at An
twerp, and circulated in England in 1526.
The next year, king Henry began to question
the legality of his marriage with his brother s
widow, and proceeded to solicit from the
pope a divorce. The negotiation was pro
tracted till the king was out of all patience,
and he proceeded without the pope s con
sent to divorce his queen. The pope cen
sured his conduct, and a quarrel ensued, the
result of which was, that Henry, with the
consent of the parliament, abolished the pa
pal authority in England, A.D. 1533. Du
ring this period, though persecution had
been kept up, the number of the Reformed
had greatly increased, and the nation was
ripe for a secession from Rome. See Bvr
net s History of the Reformation, book i., ii.
Gerties 1 Historia Evang. renovati, torn, iv
p. 172, &c. Schrocckh" s Kirehengesch.
seit d. Ref., vol. ii., p. 505, &c. Through
England, some of the writings of the early
reformers might reach Scotland, then sunk
in ignorance, superstitiously devoted to
its priests, and still more passionately at
tached to its nobles the heads of the Scot
tish clans. Patrick Hamilton, a young no
bleman, and abbot of Ferme, eager to know
more of the Reformed religion, went to Ger
many, and studied some time at Marpurg.
Returning with one of his three companions
to Scotland, he began to preach the doc
trines of the Reformers. The priests ar
raigned him for heresy, convicted him, and
he was burned alive at St. Andrews, A.D.
1527, in the 24th year of his age. From
this time the Protestant doctrines made a
slow but constant progress, amid ever
wakeful persecution, in Scotland, till the
50
BOOK IV.- CENTURY XVL SEC. L CHAP II.
ther ; some of whom repaired to Wittemberg, for the sake of enjoying the
instructions of so great a master and guide. Some of these countries, af
terwards, made themselves wholly free from the Romish yoke ; in others,
numerous congregations arose, that rejected the decrees of the pontiff, and
which have existed down to the present times, though amid various mo
lestations ; in others, the most cruel persecutions and inhuman laws, after
a short time, extinguished the knowledge that had been obtained and wide
ly circulated of the reformed religion. It may be unhesitatingly assert
ed, for the adherents of the Roman pontiffs themselves admit it, that
the entire fabric of the Romish church would have been quickly demolish,
ed, had not its defenders opposed the multitude of assailants, already in the
breach, with fire and sword.
year 1547, when the famous Scottish reform
er, John Knox, arose. See Schroeckh, 1. c. t
p. 435, &c. Robertson s History of Scot
land, b. ii. ; Gcrdcs Hist. Evang. renovati,
vol. iv., p. 210, &c., 229, 234, 291, &c., 304,
&c.,321. Tr.]
(65) [Before the Reformation, a consider
able body of Hussites had removed from
Bohemia to Poland ; where their doctrines
spread considerably, especially among the
nobility, and roused the spirit of persecu
tion. Luther s writings at once circulated
among the dissenters from the church of
Home, corrected their views, and strength
ened t .ieir opposition to popery. Even some
of the bishops favoured evangelical doctrines ;
and as early as 1525, there were several
evangelical preachers in Poland, and also in
Polish Prussia. But so vigorous a perse
cution was kept up, that Protestant worship
could be maintained only in private, till near