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together to signify the Trinity! Nay, there is now in the church of St. Nicholas at Petersburg, a picture of an old man holding a globe, and surrounded with angels, on which God the Father is inscribed !" It is however added, that during the reign of Peter the Great, the holy synod censured the use of such pictures, and Peter would have had them taken down, but was fearful of an insurrection of the people.

In Russia, all nations have the free exercise of their religion; and it is worthy of remembrance, that Peter the Great did much for the ecclesiastical, as well as civil government of that partially civilized country. During the attack, and upon the repulse of the French Emperor, their strange and semi-barbarous superstitions appeared; but their present connection with Great Britain will, it is to be hoped, conduce to their essential improvement.

PROTESTANTS

UNDER the appellation of Protestants, we include all who dissent from Popery, in whatever country they reside, or in whatever sects they have been since distributed. Abroad they are divided into two sorts-the Lutherans, who adhere to Luther's tenets; and the Reformed, who follow the discipline of Geneva. They were called Protestants, because, in 1529, they protested against a decree of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, and declared, that they appealed to a general council. At present this vast class comprehends those whom Papists used contemptuously to style Hugonots in France; the Refugees in Holland, who fled thither upon the revocation of the edict of Nantz, 1685; the Presbyterians in Scotland; the Episcopalians and Nonconformists in England; together with a numerous body of Christians in America.

As the Protestants originated at the Reformation, it will be proper to give an account of this illustrious period of Ecclesiastical History.

THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY.

FOR the three first centuries the Religion of Jesus Christ stood on its own basis, was rapidly propagated among Jews and Gentiles, and suffered severe persecutions from the Roman emperors. At the commencement of the fourth century Constantine became a convert to Christianity, and incorporated it with the state. "It was not till the fifth, or near the sixth century, that the Bishop of Rome arrogantly assumed an illegal supremacy over his fellow pastors, and in process of time aimed at a secular government of princes as well as subjects. Though several emperors embraced and defended Christianity, yet the gradual decay of the Roman empire was a serious impediment to the rising preachers of the newly-established religion. Those accomplishments which adorned the conquests of the Romans, and the perfection of science which had dignified their state to such an extent, were gradually swept away by the barbarous nations which defeated them, and the close of the sixth century could not trace a vestige of that exalted nation's government, or its laws. Between four and five hundred years was the glorious luminary of the gospel eclipsed by the dismal return of ignorance and of superstition."

The Crusades, commonly called the Holy Wars, were expeditions undertaken by the Catholics to drive the Turks from Palestine, or the land of Judea, and thus to rescue the holy sepulchre out of the hands of Infidels. There were eight of these crusades; the first in the year 1096, the last in 1270, assisted by prince Edward, afterwards Edward I., King of England. The number of lives lost is incredible, See "Mill's History of the Crusades," two volumes," Robertson's Charles the Fifth," and Hume's "History of England." Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered," diffusely translated by Hoole, is founded on the crusades, and affords considerable amusement. reader is referred to "The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales, 1188," by Giraldus. The object the good Archbishop had in view when he traversed the Principality, was to enlist young persons for this under

The

taking. According to this account miracles were worked: particularly when his Grace wanted a pulpit—the ground kindly rose underneath him, and gave him a commanding view of his audience, which he no doubt eloquently improved! The work affords an interesting picture of our Catholic ancestors, and should excite in us, their Protestants descendants, gratitude that we are freed from the yoke of Anti-christian tyrrany.

The Inquisition was a tribunal erected by the popes for the examination and punishment of heretics. It was founded in the twelfth century, by Father Dominic and his followers, who were sent by Pope Innocent the Third to inquire into the number and quality of heretics, and then to send an account to Rome.. Hence they were termed inquisitors, and their court the Inquisition. Its cruelties were indescribable. See "Dr. Chandler's History of the Inquisition," which is full of information on the subject. Mr. Butler, the Catholic writer, announcing to his readers the recent abolition of the Inquisition in Spain, adds, in the true spirit of Christianity, "so perish every mode of religious persecution, by whom or against whomsoever raised!"

To the dark ages, (as they are by some justly termed, and by others, called the night of time,) are to be attributed the doctrine of indulgences, partial absolution, transubstantiation, the creation and worship of saints, purgatory, monastic seclusion, &c. So swift was the extinction of knowledge, and its revival so impeded, that persons of eminence in point of station could scarcely read or write. The clergy themselves, who engrossed what little science was remaining, could scarcely translate the liturgy; and when ordained, were obliged to affirm, that they could read the Gospels and Epistles, and explain them.

The corrupt state of the church prior to the Reformation, is acknowledged by an author who was both able to judge concerning this matter, and who was not overforward to confess it. For some years (says Bellarmine) before the Lutheran and Calvinistic heresies were published, there was not, as contemporary authors testify,

any severity in ecclesiastical judicatories, any discipline with regard to morals, any knowledge of sacred literature, and reverence for divine things; there was not almost any religion remaining." Such a confession, made by the avowed champion of popery, should not pass unnoticed by Protestants; and before the enemies of Protestantism inveigh against the Reformation, let them consider its necessity, and contemplate the innumerable advantages with which it was attended.

A curious symbolical representation of the Reformation was exhibited before Charles V. and his brother Ferdinand, at Augsburg, in 1530, at the time when the Lutherans presented their confession of faith to that assembly. As the princes were at table, a company of persons offered to act a small comedy for the entertainment of the company. They were ordered to begin; and first entered a man in the dress of a doctor, who brought a large quantity of small wood, of straight and crooked billets, and laid it on the middle of the hearth, and retired. On his back was written Reuchlin. When this actor went off, another entered, apparelled also like a doctor, who attempted to make fagots of the wood, and to fit the crooked to the straight; but having laboured long to no purpose, he went away out of humour, and shaking his head. On his back appeared the name of Erasmus. A third, dressed like an Augustinian monk, came in with a chafing-dish full of fire, gathered up the crooked wood, clapped it on the fire, and blew it till he made it burn, and went away; having upon his frock the name of Luther. A fourth entered dressed like an emperor, who seeing the crooked wood all on fire seemed much concerned, and to put it out, drew his sword and poked the fire with it, which only made it burn the brisk

er.

On his back was written Charles V.. Lastly, a fifth entered in his pontifical habit and triple crown, who seemed extremely surprised to see the crooked billets all on fire, and by his countenance and attitude betrayed excessive grief. Then looking about on every side to see if he could find any water to extinguish the flame, he cast his eyes on two bottles in a corner of the room, one of which

was full of oil and the other of water, and in his hurry he inadvertently seized the oil, and poured it on the fire, which unfortunately made it blaze so violently that he was forced to walk off!-on his back was written Leo X. The reader who is acquainted with the history of the Reformation, will perceive the propriety of the representation here given of those several characters, who were instrumental in bringing about that memorable event.

Nothing more shall be added but the testimony of Mosheim respecting the happy consequences with which it was attended. Speaking of the Reformation (which a deceased friend, the Rev. H. Worthington, happily termed the second redemption of mankind), it is remarked, "the true nature, genius and design of the Christian Religion, which even the most learned and pious doctors of antiquity had but imperfectly comprehended, were now unfolded with evidence and drawn like truth from an abyss in which they had hitherto lain concealed. It is true the influence of error was far from being totally suppressed, and many false and absurd doctrines are still maintained and propagated in the Christian world. But it may nevertheless be affirmed, that the Christian societies, whose errors at this day are the most numerous and extravagant, have much less absurd and perverse notions of the nature and design of the Gospel, and the duties and obligations of its votaries, than were entertained by those doctors of antiquity, who ruled the church with an absolute authority, and were considered as the chief oracles of theology. The Reformation also contributed much to soften and civilize the manners of many nations, who, before that happy period, were sunk in the most savage stupidity, and carried the most rude and unsocial aspect. It must indeed be confessed, that a variety of circumstances not immediately connected with religion, combined to produce that lenity of character and that milder temperature of manners, maxims, and actions, that gradually appeared in the greatest part of the Europeans after that period, which was signalized by the reformative exertions of Luther! It is, nevertheless, evident, beyond all contradiction, that the disputes concerning religion, and the accurate and ra

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