SERMON IV.

PSA L. lxxx. V. 9.

THOU PREPAREDST ROOM BEFORE IT,

THOU DIDST CAUSE IT TO TAKE DEEP

ROOT, AND IT FILLED THE LAND.

HE genuine fimplicity of Christian

ΤΗ

Faith and Chriftian Worthip was but of fhort duration. After the three, or at moft the four, first centuries, every fucceeding age became memorable only by a new train of useless, and often worse than useless, ceremonies. The power of the Sovereign Pontiff of Rome foon gained an establishment. Much blood and treasure were loft in an Enterprize, first dictated by mad zeal, and carried on with unabating fury, and with visionary hopes of heavenly affiftance. The manfions of learning were but few, and those few abounded

F 3

bounded with barbarous compofitions, and fcholaftic jargon. The excellent models of Greece and Rome were little attended to, and scarce understood. The manfions of piety and devotion abounded with idleness, effeminacy, luxury, and every kind of vice. The very altars became a refuge for those who by their crimes had forfeited all pretenfions to the pity of their fellow creatures, and the protection of fociety. The fulminations of the Bishop of Rome had terrified and humiliated kings themselves; had sometimes overturned thrones, or had fhaken their foundations. The power of Abfolution, which was granted to the Ministers of Chrift for the encouragement of repenting finners, had long been a fource of wealth, and a plea for extortion. The commandments of men were taught for doctrines, and the clamours for implicit and unbounded deference grew louder, in proportion as the just title to it became weaker.

Unbelievers have enlarged upon these abuses, fome of which excite pity rather than indignation, with a defign to difparage the Christian Religion; and there may be fatire, but there is no argument, in deriding ambi

tious

tious prelates, and in ftiling them at the fame moment the fucceffors of meek and indigent Apostles.

Waving therefore that calumny, which carries no real fting, we have reafon to rejoice that the revival of learning created a fpirit of enquiry. Improvements of every kind are gradual, and attended with difficulty. Succeeding generations are not fenfible of every impediment. Rooted prejudices are not removed without great labour and circumspection. Precipitate measures defeat their own purposes.

The effects of Wickliffe's preaching were probably more important than we at prefent imagine. The fear of punishment may and often does prevent outward and publick oppofition, but operates little upon individuals, and upon private focieties united together by one common caufe. Indeed the Lollards were numerous in defiance of every, menace.

The obfervations which it is intended to make on the conduct and principles of our firft Reformers will not admit of methodical arrangement. If we can filence objections

which are frivolous, and anfwer fuch as are important, our zeal in the common caufe will be animated, and the humbleft efforts may be crowned with a small degree of fuccefs.

To an impartial enquirer it will perhaps be obvious, that in contemplating the Reformation, as in contemplating other material changes, both friends and enemies have laid too great a ftrefs upon the character and conduct of the feveral parties concerned. Malignity has exaggerated, mistaken candour has attempted to defend, avowed mifcarriages and defects. As if our blessed Master had foreseen the perverfenefs of men in arguing against his Religion from the conduct of its Teachers, he made him an Apoftle who he knew was a Traitor. If his treachery, if the pufillanimity of St. Peter, if the general defection of the Disciples, be no difparagement to the Gofpel, with what propriety is fo much invective accumulated upon the first Reformers? * Luther, in particular, has been ftigmatifed with unmerited reproach. Perfect purity of conduct is scarce ever to be

See Bayle's Life. and Mofheim, 4to edit. V. II.

expected

expected where human nature is concerned. Disappointment and avarice produced in bim the first oppofition to Papal power; but what begun in refentment might be carried on from better motives. These motives being not fubject to human cognizance, must be left to the Tribunal to which alone he is amenable.* As little to the purpose of our adversaries was it to arraign the character of Henry the eighth. Indeed, he is not to be confidered as a Reformer, though he first prepared the way. The learned Commentator on the Laws of England has juftly obferved, that in his reign" the fpirit of perfecution was "not abated, but only diverted in a lay chan"nel;" and, after ftating the law of the fix articles which established the fix moft contefted points of Popery, he allows "that this "Prince was equally intent on destroying "the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome, “ and establishing all other their corruptions "of the Chriftian Religion." Such a mode of conduct promised none of the falutary ef

* Erafmus fays of Luther-Hominis vita magno omnium confenfu probatur. Jam id non leve præjudicium eft tantam effe morum integritatem, ut nec hoftes reperiant quod calumnientur. Epiftola ad Thomam Cardinalem, as quoted by Atterbury.

† Book 4. C. 2.

fects