entertained of an amicable adjustment of the differences in discussion. But the imprudent arrogance of the court of Rome, blasted these fair blossoms, and renewed the controversy with increased asperity.

A public dispute which took place at this time, between Eckius, a zealous champion in the papal cause, and Carlostadt, a convert to the sentiments of Luther, proved eminently serviceable. The controversy itself turned upon the powers and freedom of the human will; and was followed by another between Luther and Eckius, concerning the authority and supremacy of the Roman pontiff. One of the effects (not unfrequently the result of disputation) was an increase of bitterness on the part of Eckius, who from that period meditated the destruction of Luther.

Among the spectators of this ecclesiastical combat was Philip Melancthon, professor of Greek at Wittemberg, an intimate friend of Luther, as well as a promoter of his views, To the learning and influence of Melancthon, the Reformation must be allowed to be considerably indebted; though it is equally certain that the natural timidity of his disposition, and his excessive veneration for the great, prevented his improving that influence to its proper extent.

While the cause of Antichrist was thus visibly on the decline in Germany, it received a mortal wound in Switzerland from Ulric Zuingle, a canon of Zurich, a man who united with an extensive fund of learning, a spirit truly heroic. Disgusted by the sale of indulgences, entrusted to the ministry of an Italian monk, whose name was Samson, he commenced a resolute opposition against him, attended with considerable success. The effect of his exertions was so great as to discredit the pope's supremacy throughout the greater part of Switzerland.

The cause of the Reformation was still farther promoted by an imprudent step which Leo X. at the instigation of the Dominicans, was induced to take. Overcome by their importunity, he issued out a bull against Luther, dated the 15th of June 1520, in which fortyone pretended heresies, extracted from his writings, were solemnly condemned; and he was required within sixty days to retract his errors, and to solicit mercy from the offended pontiff, on pain of excommunication.

I

Foreseeing the inevitable effect of this rash measure, Luther prudently withdrew from the communion of a church which he had long considered as essentially corrupt and erroneous, and by putting the church of Rome out of his com

munion, deprived the pontiff's subsequent excommunication of all force and meaning. In the presence of an immense multitude of people of all ranks, he committed to the flames both the bull that had been issued against him, and the decretals and canons, relating to the pope's absolute jurisdiction. In about a month after this magnanimous step had been taken by the Saxon reformer, a second bull was issued out against him, by which he was expelled from the communion of the church, for having insulted the majesty of the Roman pontiff.*

The death of Maximilian I. making way for his grandson Charles V. to succeed him in the empire, Leo X. urged upon him the necessity. of punishing Luther in the most exemplary manner; while Frederick the Wise, employed his influence with Charles, to shield him against the thunder of the Vatican. Indebted to the exertions of Frederick for his elevation to the empire, Charles had gratitude enough to satisfy: the elector's demands. He resolved, therefore, that Luther should appear before a diet to be assembled at Worms, in order to secure him a public hearing, before any urgent steps were taken against him. The conduct of Luther: before this assembly, was marked with equal.

* See Mosheim's Eccl. Hist, Cent. XVI. sect. i. p. 322.

modesty and firmness. On his return from Worms, he was surprized by some emissaries of the elector, disguised in masks, who conveyed him to the castle of Wartenburg, where he employed his involuntary leisure in composing works, which contributed greatly to the success of the cause in which he had embarked.

The death of Leo occurring at this period, he was succeeded in the pontificate by Adrian VI. a native of Utrecht. Adrian, it appears, was possessed of more honesty than was consistent with the policy of that age; and was therefore warmly censured for his concessions on the subject of the corruptions of the church. Dying, however, in the course of a year, he was succeeded by Clement VII. a man as remarkable for a reserved character as Adrian had been for his frankness. The success of Luther, rapidly progressive, excited the attention of almost every nation, while it prompted to that freedom of investigation, which is the best friend of truth. The divisions which, however, crept in among the reformers on the subject of the manner in which the body and blood of Christ were present in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, by diverting their energy from their original object, proved productive of the most unfavourable effects.

Finding that Luther gained continual and important accessions of strength, the papists turned their attention to a species of warfare, upon which they placed more dependance, than upon that of argument; and intimated their intention of making war upon the Lutheran party. But this malicious purpose was providentially defeated by the existing troubles of Europe. The result of the diet assembled at Spire, proved much more favourable to the friends of the Reformation; the German princes refusing to execute the sentence that had been pronounced at Worms against Luther and his followers.

But the advantages resulting from the first diet of Spiré were very limited in their duration, as, in a new diet assembled in the year 1529, in the same place, every change in the doctrine, discipline, or worship of the church of Rome, was declared unlawful, until a general council should be assembled for the purpose of adjusting the disputed points. This decree being considered intolerable by the Elector of Saxony, the Landgrave of Hesse, and the other members of the diet, who favoured the Reformation; they entered a solemn protest against it on the 19th of April, and appealed to a future council. From this circumstance arose the denomination of PROTESTANTS, which has ever since been