ever, taking for granted, that they would not be contented at Rome with this letter of Luther's, written, as it was, in general terins only, proposed to refer the matter to some other judgement; and it was agreed between them, that the elector of Triers should be the judge, and Coblentz the place of conference: but this came to nothing; for Luther afterwards gave some reasons for not going to Coblentz, and the Pope would not refer the matter to the elector of Triers. During all these treaties, the doctrine of Luther spread, and prevailed greatly; and himself received great encou ragement at home and abroad. The Bohemians about this time sent him a book of the celebrated John Huss, who had fallen a martyr in the work of Reformation; and also letters, in which they exhorted him to constancy and perseverance, owning, that the divinity, which he taught, was the pure, the sound, and orthodox divinity. Many great and learned men had joined themselves to him; among the rest Philip Melancthon, whom Frederic'had invited to the university of Wittenberg in August, 1518, and Andrew Carolostadius, archdeacon of that town, who was a great linguist. They desired, if possible, to draw over Erasmus to their party; and to that end we find Melancthon directing a letter to that great man, dated Leipsic, Jan. 5, 1519. The elector of Saxony was desirous also to know Erasmus's opinion of Luther, and might probably think, that as Erasmus had most of the monks for his enemies, and some of those, who were warmest against Luther, he might easily be prevailed on to come over to their party. But Erasmus, whatever he might think of Luther's opinions, had neither his impetuosity, nor his courage. He contented himself therefore with acting and speaking in his usual strain of moderation, and wrote a letter to the elector Frederic, and likewise a friendly letter to Luther. When this letter was wrote, Erasmus and Luther had never seen each other: it is dated Louvain, May 30, 1519, and it is hardly possible to read it without suspecting, that Erasmus was intirely of Luther's sentiments, if he had had but the courage to have declared it. He concludes thus: "I have dipped into your cominentaries upon the Psalms; they please me prodigiously, and I hope will be read with great advantage. There is a prior of the monastery of Antwerp, who says he was your pupil, and loves you most affectionately. He is a truly Christian man, and almost the only one of his society

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ciety who preaches Christ, the rest being attentive either to the fabulous traditions of men, or to their profit. I have written to Melancthon. The Lord Jesus pour upon you his Spirit, that you may abound more and more, every day, to his glory and the service of the church. Farewell." Frederic elector of Saxony was the patron and protector of Luther: but George, a prince of the same house, opposed Luther to the utmost of his power. The former desired Erasmus to give him his opinion concerning Luther; and Erasmus gave it jocosely: but gravely told the archbi shop of Mentz, that the monks condemned many things in the books of Luther as heretical, which was esteemed as orthodox in Bernard and Austin. Erasmus wrote to cardinal Wolsey, that the life and conversation of Luther were universally commended; and it was no small prejudice in his favour, that his morals were unblameable, and that no reproach could be fastened upon him by calumny itself. "If I had really been at leisure, says Erasmus, to peruse his writings, I am not so conceited of my own abilities, as to pass a judgement upon the performance of so considerable a divine: though even children, in this knowing age, will boldly pronounce, that this is erroneous, and that is heretical."

Erasmus, in 1519, wrote to Melancthon, that all the world agreed in commending the moral character of Luther; and wished that God might grant him success equal to the liberty which he had taken. Melancthon was always mild and moderate, and had a sincere affection for Luther; but sometimes could not refrain from complaining of his bold and impetuous temper. However, Erasmus entertained hopes, that the attempts of Luther, and the great notice which had been taken of them, might be serviceable to true Christianity. In this he was not mistaken, as the event proved; for, from this period, Luther's writings and the cause of Reformation spread all over the Christian world, and brought into full blaze the glimmering light, which had before been introduced by Wickliffe, Huss, and other learned and good men.

Frederic of Saxony, one of the most virtuous and illustrious prinees of that century, was a friend both to Luther, and to the Reformation; and the Protestants have great reason to reverence and bless his memory. When he might have been chosen emperor, he declined it, and gave

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the crown to Charles V. Erasmus wrote a letter to him, which was very favourable to Luther. Andrew Bodestine, from his native place called Carolostadius, defended the writings of Luther. Bucer was present, when Luther maintained his doctrine before the Augustine friers at Heidelberg, and told Rhenanus, "That his sweetness in answering was admirable, and his patience in hearing incomparable that the acuteness of St. Paul, in resolving doubts, might have been seen in Luther; so that he brought them all into admiration of him, by his concise and nervous answers, taken out of the storehouse of the Holy Scriptures." Luther was honourably entertained at Heidelberg, by Wolfgang the count Palatine: and Erich duke of Calem berg espoused his cause. Ernest duke of Lunenberg was educated under the inspection of his uncle Frederic, sirnained the Wise, elector of Saxony, who sent him early to the university of Wittenberg, where he made a great progress in learning, and had an opportunity to converse with Luther, when he began to discover his sentiments about the hierarchy, and the doctrines of the see of Rome. Er nest boldly embraced the doctrine of Luther and his example was followed by his brothers Otho and Francis; as also by Philip of the line of Grubenhagen. These princes made the necessary preparations to introduce the Reforination into the circle of Lower Saxony; as the elector their uncle was doing in that of Upper Saxony. Ernest was determined to pursue the glorious scheme he had formed, gradually to abolish the errors and abuses that had crept into the church. His concern was so great for extending the knowledge of the pure faith, that he generously sent learned men to the county of Hoya, East Frieseland, and other parts of Germany, to preach the Gospel in its native simplicity.

Eckius had wrote some notes upon the first thesis of Luther, which were answered by Carolostadius; and a conference was agreed on at Leipsic, by the consent of prince George of Saxony, uncle to the elector Frederic. Eckius appeared; and was met by Luther, who was accompanied by Melancthon and Carolostadius. Both parties were well received by the prince, the senate, and university, who appointed a great hall in the castle for the place of conference, which was solemnly opened on June 27, 1519. The first disputation was concerning free will, which Eckius undertook

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to prove by a passage in Ecclesiasticus; and was opposed by Carolostadius, who denied that free will had a distinct operation from grace. This dispute continued a whole week; in which time, Luther preached a sermon, in the chapel of the castle, upon the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, where he declaimed against the authority of the Pope. The dispute was then carried on between Luther and Eckius, upon thirteen propositions extracted by the latter out of the writings of the former; the last, and principal of which, was against the supremacy of the Pope. Eckius attempted to prove the doctrine of indulgences, by the an thority of the general councils of Vienna, Lateran, and Constance: Luther replied, that he preferred works of charity before indulgences; and supported his opinion by the authority of St. Paul and St. Augustine, who say, we can do no good without charity and grace. Eckius seemed to make this question a matter of nothing but Luther had the advantage of the argument. The conference at Leipsic continued fourteen days; and the dispute was left to the decision of the universities of Paris and Erfurt: but Luther opened the whole to the world, by publishing a tract, entitled, "Resolutions of the Propositions disputed at Leipsic," and addressed to Spalatinus. Melancthon wrote with great moderation upon these conferences.

Zuinglius began, about this time, to write against par dons and indulgences. Luther wrote a book "Of Christian Liberty;" which he dedicated to the Pope. He also addressed another book to the nobility of Germany, wherein he shook three principal bulwarks of Popery, by opposing the doctrine, "That temporal magistrates were subject to the spirituality; that the Pope is the only judge of the Scripture; and that he only can call a council.' Luther shewed what things should be handled in councils; and asserted, that the Pope yearly drained Germany of three mil lions of florins. He pointed out the necessity of reforming schools and universities; declared that heretics should be convinced by Scripture, and not awed by fire; imputed the misfortunes of the emperor Sigismund to his breach of faith with Huss and Jerom; and exposed the inconveniences, resulting from the council of Constance.

What the divines of Paris and Erfurt neglected, those of Louvain and Cologne attempted. The former consulted with the cardinal de Tortosa, afterwards pope Adrian VI.

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and condemned twenty-two propositions extracted from Lu ther as heretical, or approaching to heresy, and declared that his writings ought to be burnt. Those of Cologne concurred; and agreed, that Luther ought to be obliged to make a public recantation. Luther declared, he disregarded. the censures of these two universities; and that Occam, Stapulensis, Huss, and other eminent men were unjustly condemned after the same manner. He accused the universities of rashness, of want of charity, and contempt of justice; after which, he sharply confuted their censures, without any respect to their persons.

The emperor Maximilian was so far from suffering himself to be persuaded to proceed against Luther, that he used to say " If the clergy would lead pious lives, Luther would have no room for a Reformation." But his successor was of a different disposition; and gave occasion to the violent measures that were taken to nip the Reformation in its bud. Luther wrote a letter to the new emperor, Jan. 15, 1520, before his arrival in Germany, to vindicate his conduct, and entreat his protection from the power of numerous adversaries, who had persecuted him for three years, and were resolved that he should perish with the Gospel. He told the emperor, he would not desire his protection, if he was convicted of impiety or heresy: but desired, he would not let him be condemned without hearing; and declared, he would either be silent, or refer himself to the judgement of any impartial universities, before which he was ready to appear.

The elector of Saxony was again solicited to give up Lu ther, who was compelled to fall upon the Pope, to vindicate himself by appealing to a general council; the calling whereof was delayed upon various pretences, whereby the cause of Rome became more and more suspected. About the same time, the Pope's quarrel with Henry VIII. made way for the introduction of the Reformation in England? and the house of Navarre, in revenge for the Pope's siding with Ferdinand the Catholic, encouraged the Protestant religion to the utmost of their power in France. Besides allthis, many sensible honest men, even among the Roman Catholics, were quite unconcerned at the rough treatment which Luther shewed the papal see, because they knew it deserved his resentment.

Luther also wrote to the elector of Mentz, who answered