CONTENTS. PAGE, XIV. Reformation in Sweden, Denmark, France, Spain, &c. XV. On the Consequences of the Reformation........................... SKETCH OF THE GERMAN AND ENGLISH REFORMATION. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. THE period of which we are now about to treat, opened with a prospect, of all others, the most gloomy in the eyes of every true Christian. Corruption, both in doctrine and practice, had exceeded all bounds: and the general face of Europe, though the name of Christ was every where professed, presented nothing that was cheering to the mind of a true Christian. Although great efforts had been made to emancipate the Church of Christ from the oppression and degradation under which the "Powers of Darkness" had bound it down; and though many individuals had, thereby, been brought to a personal and saving knowledge of the truth; still there had been no perceptible influence wrought on the Church generally; nor had any Reformation in her general character taken place in any part of Europe. The Members of God's Spiritual Church were few and feeble; utterly incapable of making effectual impression on the kingdom of Antichrist. The Roman Pontiffs were still the uncontrolled Patrons of Iniquity; neither the scandalous crimes of Alexander VI., nor the military ferocity of Julius II. seem to have lessened the dominion of the Court of Rome; or to have so impressed the minds of men with a sense of the enormity of their guilt, as to have created a determination to prevent their recurrence. All this would be incredible and unaccountable, did not History attest its truth; and were we not well informed, that the subjection of the mind of man to the doctrines and principles of Popery, had, at this time, become both universal and complete insomuch, that the nations of Christendom differed from those of Paganism, in nothing, save the name. In the midst of all this darkness and hopelessness, God did not leave his Church utterly to perish; his face had, indeed, been long hidden, but he was now about to arise to vindicate his own cause, and to manifest that His unaided Spirit was alone effectual to the accomplishment of all those gracious purposes of love and mercy to his Redeemed Church, which were now about to be disclosed: although suppressed, the indignant struggles of piety after a holier faith were not annihilated; many in solitude and privacy, forwarded the day of vengeance by their patient suffering, and Christian supplication to the God of Truth. Slowly, but effectually, all things were now working together for good, to the oppressed and despised people of God; whose word had wrought effectually in many hearts; whilst a variety of circumstances, some apparently casual, were combining to produce effects of the most astonishing and beneficial nature, on the political and moral constitution of the world. The era of the Reformation, says an anonymous writer, is one of the most interesting in the page of History. The change which then took place in religious opinions, was the necessary result of various concurring causes, which gradually developed themselves, as mankind advanced in knowledge. The effects which it produced, were almost instantaneously felt in every country of Europe, and still continue to maintain a sensible influence upon the religion, the policy, the literature, and the science of many nations. At that era, new energies were excited in the human breast, |