warring witnesses, who fought" the good fight of faith". the silent but inextinguishable impulse given by the partial glimmerings of illumination imbibed by those who returned from the croisades-the melioration of their tastes respecting terrestrial comforts-a comparative tone of independence of character, resulting from their long enjoyed semi-freedom, connected with their unrestrained, licentious, undisciplined mode of life, while on their pilgrimages, and during their residence in the Holy land--and the opposition exhibited by successive princes, especially after the daring defiance of Philip to Boniface, and the high prerogatives assumed by the civil potentates at the council of Constance three other events in their combination, decidedly introduced a new era in the history of the world; and in a very lucid degree, developed the wisdom of Jehovah in his providential government, and the mercy of Immanuel in the direction of that "church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

3. Typography.-That art was discovered about the year 1440, and its universal adoption has revolutionized mankind. Now it has become in the plastic hands of fervid Christians, a machine, which like the miraculous tongues of the Apostles, proclaims to all people in their own language" the wonderful works of God." The first purely evangelical Reformer, a printed Bible, appeared in 1450.

4. The overthrow of the Constantinopolitan Empire.— When the Turks had captured the imperial city Constantinople, they speedily conquered all the European possessions belonging to the Greek Emperors. To avoid the calamities which they saw impending over their native land, multitudes of the most learned Greeks fled into Italy and Germany, and transported with them the intellectual treasures which had so long been immured in the monasteries and other depositories of learning. Through "the

establishment of the press, those writings were quickly disseminated in all countries, and excited an unquenchable thirst after knowledge; so that the ancient Latin and Greek languages became the objects of general study, and none of the higher orders were contented without the perfect acquisition of those tongues which then formed the chief avenue to all intelligence."

5. The discovery of America.-That event filled Europe with universal enterprise. All the nobler qualities of the heart, and all the dignified capacities of the mind, in their combined refinement and energy, which had so long continued dormant under the iron yoke of Antichrist, then found ample room for display. It was impossible, after marine voyages so long protracted at such great distances, with novel books as their only resource for amusement, and where the Pope's name had never been heard, that men should not realize some feelings of that superiority, the consequence of their being so long uncontroled, which would take advantage of the first concurrence of things, and escape from the shackles in which their own superstitions no longer confined them.

Antichrist, in conformity with his audacious claim, having exercised his prerogative in partitioning the East Indies, and the Columbian continent between Portugal and Spain; and having by persecution reduced to temporary silence the clamours of those who detested his Hierarchy; all the kingdoms of the Beast appeared willing supinely to acquiesce in the enormous mass of Popish absurdities, and to submit without a murmur to every exaction which a mandate from the Vatican inculcated. Neither the corruption of the inferior clergy, nor the restoration of literature, nor the avarice, the ferocity, even the bestiality of the Popes, Alexander, Julius and Leo, nor the inexpressible abominations of the Monks and Nuns, nor the depraved and miserable condition of the nations, im

poverished and vitiated by the ecclesiastic adherents of those papal monsters, produced at the commencement of the sixteenth century a solitary complaint so loud as to be heard, or sufficiently energetic to be regarded.

That death-like repose, and it is scarcely possible to say which of its characters is most astonishing, the Pontifical temerity in exercising its usurpations, or the slavish infatuated submission of the people, was suddenly interrupted by the inflexibility, the intelligence, and the virtue of a monk of Wittemberg, who like David, commenced the battle against the Goliah of the uncircumcised Philistines.

In 1517, Tetzel a Dominican monk travelled through Germany, for the purpose of selling indulgences granted by the Atheistic Leo, which proffered to the purchaser, the remission of all sins past, present and future, however enormous, innumerable and aggravated. The impudent Friar in the course of his journey arrived at Wittemberg, where Luther at that period was professor of Theology. There, with boundless insolence of manners and astonishing indecency, he detracted from the power and merits of Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind; and iniquitously boasted that "he had saved more souls from hell by those indulgences, than Peter had converted." The deceptions which he propagated exhibit the shameless and bold frauds that he practised upon the fears of his audience "the moment the money tinkles in the chest," said Tetzel, "your father's soul mounts up out of Purgatory."

The intrepid Martin roused to the just standard of christian indignation, on the thirtieth day of October 1517, published ninety-five propositions; in which he pronounced the indulgences delusive, and declared the Pope a participant of the guilt. The press aided the cause. Within fifteen days, Germany was filled with that publication, in which commenced the rupture that has

despoiled the triple crown of its dignity, and obliged "the Man of Sin" to surrender a large portion of his predomi

nance.

Those propositions which simply investigated the extent of the Papal power, concerning the remission of sin, excited the utmost rage of Tetzel, who replied; and was supported by a number of other Dominicans, who resented that attack upon their order. Against all those adversaries, Luther maintained his sentiments. "The common people heard him gladly:" and his success was so great, that even the indifference and contempt of the voluptuous Leo were electrified. He commanded Luther to appear before Cardinal Cajetan, "either to retract or to suffer punishment." Luther refused the former and escaped from their menaced condemnation. Several attempts were made to cajole the Reformer into submission and so circumscribed were his views, that had not the Lord permitted his enemies to proceed to the most outrageous opposition, the truth would have been retarded in its progress, if not altogether concealed. Public disputations, at which vast numbers of the most learned men were present, continually recurred and tended to the dissemination of the truth. In 1519, a famous controversy was held at Leipsic, and in the course of the debate Luther's arguments demolished the "authority and supremacy of the Roman Pontiff;" and added to the holy contest, a renowned fellow combatant, Philip Melancthon.

During the following year, the religious dissensions having continually and rapidly increased; Leo the Pope consented to the importunate demands of the Dominicans, and issued his bull against Luther, condemning his writings to be burnt, and commanding him to retract his errors within 60 days, upon the menace of excommunication. That Papal arrogance decided the Reformer. Without delay, he performed the most splendid action in fortitude

and daring which is recorded in the annals of the world. He appealed from the Pope to a general council, and stigmatized the Atheistical sensualist Leo, "as a rash, iniquitous tyrannical judge, a hardened heretic and apostate; as Antichrist, the enemy and opposer of the sacred scriptures; and a proud and blasphemous despiser of the Church of God." He directed a large fire to be kindled, into which, in the presence of the University of Wittemberg and immense multitudes of spectators, he contemptuously cast the bull of excommunication, the Papal decretals, and the whole canon law; thus declaring his resolution to defend himself against all the attempts of his enemies. To justify that noble and extraordinary measure, he selected thirty of the most blasphemous positions respecting the Pope's authority, and with the addition of some comments, printed and universally dispersed them. As a consequence of the light which they diffused, and the spirit of resistance to the ignominious vassalage, under which the people had so long groaned; '' notwithstanding a continual succession of Papal fulminations against Luther, no person would execute the Pope's command for his seizure and death.

In the year 1521, was held the diet of Worms. Before which assembly, consisting of all the Princes, Nobles and Ecclesiastical dignitaries of the Empire, Luther was summoned to appear. Frederic the elector of Saxony procured from Charles the Emperor and other Princes, a full protection; and every possible precaution was used to guard the Reformer's life. Accompanied by several of his friends, he proceeded towards Worms; at a short distance from which, Spalatinus the Elector's Secretary wrote to him, advising his return. In that situation; with the Pope's condemnation, the Imperial mandate to seize his writings, the utter malignity of every Romish adherent, and the fact that even the public faith could not