wanted. The editors of Beausobre's Histoire de la Reformation say that something of this kind was found among his papers, with the title of Preliminaires de la Réformation; but we are not informed whether it was ever printed, and it appears there is no knowledge of it in this country. SECTION V. Causes that led to the Saxon and German Reformation. THE more proximate causes of the Saxon and German Reformation, first begun in the early part of the sixteenth century, may be sought for:-I. In the continued profligacy and laxity of the clergy. II. The pride and obstinacy of the Roman Court. III. The extravagance and indifference of the supreme Pontiff, Leo X. IV. The recent invention of the invaluable art of printing. V. The disgraceful use which Tetzel and others made of the doctrine and sale of indulgences. VI. The persevering boldness of Luther. And, lastly, though by no means the least, VII. The avarice and ra * I have made diligent, and even laborious, inquiry among the London booksellers, concerning this, but without success; Mr. Butler says "it has not found its way to the London market."-Revolutions, &c. p. 87. pacity of several princes, and inferior magistrates, who instigated and encouraged opposition to the papal power, that they might themselves partake of the spoils or the prerogatives of the Church.* Other causes have been enumerated by Pro testant writers. Dr. Sturges,† in particular, mentions, as one of these pre-disposing causes, "the doctrines which the Church ingrafted on Christianity and imposed on the world;" doctrines," he adds, "unauthorized by Scripture, repugnant to the common sense of mankind, and for the most part calculated to answer some indirect purpose of policy or profit." It would be foreign to the object of this work to engage in any controversy on the side of Catholicism; and were it not so, there are few writers, whose positions, in many cases, I should feel more repugnance in combating than those of this learned and gentlemanly author; but, with submission, it would appear, that the question of doctrines is one the most remote from this subject. For, in the first instance, it was not against the Catholic dogmata, but against the abuses, and the corruptions of the papal court, or, as Dr. Sturges himself justly expresses§ it," the gross instance of *"Pinguis est panis Christi, et præbêbit delicias régibus." Vide ante, p. 39. papal abuse," "in the case of indulgences," that Luther and others directed their zeal. Our intrepid Reformer does not appear at all to have contemplated an attack against the trinity, transubstantiation, original sin, vicarious punishments, purgatory, praying for the dead, the use of images and pictures as helps to devotion, the veneration of reliques, the sacraments, the Catholicity and authority of the Church, tradition, the invocation of saints, or even against the use and sale of indulgences. It was not, I say, against all or any of these Catholic tenets, that the Reformers, in the first instance, protested; nor are we certain, had no flagrant abuse been made of some branches of discipline, that any efforts would then have been made to restore the ancient simplicity of faith, or the purity of the primitive discipline. It will not be contended, that the doctrines just enumerated are not, as Dr. Sturges asserts, some of them at least " unauthorized by Scripture," or even or even "repugnant to the common sense of mankind;" but certainly, neither their unscripturalness, nor their repugnance to common sense, had any share in producing the earliest efforts of the Reformers; nor were they alleged as grounds of complaint. They embrace all, or at least the most prominent features of the Catholic creed; and some of them are retained by Dr. Sturges himself. It is worthy of remark, that of most of those Catholic tenets which the majority of the reformed churches have thought proper to retain, there has always been a learned and respectable, if not a very numerous, class who strenuously maintain, that even they" are unauthorized by Scripture, repugnant to the common sense of mankind, and for the most part calculated to answer some indirect purpose of policy or profit." Similar causes may produce similar events; if, then, Dr. Sturges's reasoning be conclusive in this instance, let the Church of England look to it, lest reform or ruin should be denounced even against her establishments.* * The reader will do well to read, with peculiar attention, that spirited, though it is to be hoped somewhat too severe, publication, the Hints to the Legislature and the Public on the nature and effects of Evangelical Preaching. By a Barrister. The two last parts are by far the best. And those who feel concerned for the safety of our national Church, which every peaceable man ought to do, should read, with some allowance, the second edition of Simpson's Plea for Religion and the Sacred Writings. In this writer one may almost recognize the spirit which formerly animated the souls of St. Bernard, Gerson, the Cardinal Julian, and Giovanni Francesco Pico; and it is not a little curious to hear a respectable clergyman of our own national establishment in the 18th century thus express himself:-" :-"I do not see how I can, either in honour or conscience, continue to officiate any longer as a Minister of the Gospel in the Establishment of my native country. It appears to me, in my coolest and most considerate moments, to be, with all its excellencies, a main branch of the anti-christian system. It is a strange mixture, as hath been already observed, of what is secular and what is It may be expected from a Protestant writer, that he should enumerate among the causes of the Reformation, the secret, if not even the open and visible, interposition of Divine Providence. And some will even think, that the fulfilment of the Apocalyptical prophecies, and the pre is spiritual. And I strongly suspect, the day is at no very great distance, when the whole fabric shall tumble into ruins, and the pure and immortal religion of the Son of God rise more bright, lovely, and glorious from its subversion. The several warnings of the Sacred Oracles seem to be of vast importance, and necessary to be observed: Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul; be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the day of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. Jer. li. 6.—We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed; forsake her, and let let us go every one unto his own country. Ibid. li. 9.-When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, stand in the holy place, then let them which be in Judea, flee to the mountains. Matt. xxiv. 15, 16.-These are only remotely applicable to the business in hand. The following is more directly so.-I heard a voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY People, that ye BE NOT PARTAKERS OF HER SINS, AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. Rev. xviii. 4." It is to be hoped this good man's fears were much too strong, and his representations too highly coloured. Mr. Simpson died soon after the second edition of the "Plea," which contained the Appendixes, was printed, but before it was published; and his executors took some pains to prevent its circulation. His son, the present Mr. Simpson, on his coming of age, claimed possession of the work and gave it to the world, The book made some noise at the time, but seems now to be little read. It is the production of a singularly honest and pious man. |