Hence

and death of the Redeemer. arose in 1524 a vehement controversy, which finally terminated in that distinction of doctrine and worship which now divides the greatest part of the Protestant World, under the distinguishing appellations of Lutherans, and Calvinists.

IN 1529, Charles V. zealous for the unity of faith and worship, convoked another Diet at Spires; in which every change in the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Catholic Church, was declared impious, and unlawful. Against this arbitrary decree, John, Elector of Saxony, George, Elector of Brandenburgh [Ancestor of the Kings of Prussia] the Landgrave of Hesse, the Prince of Anhalt, and the Duke of Lu

nenburg

nenburg [Progenitor of the House of Hanover] protested in form; and their protest was powerfully seconded by Strasburg, Constance, and eleven other free Cities of the Empire. From this celebrated Protest originated the name of Protestants, now unanimously adopted by all professing Christians, who have abjured the Romish Communion. After the dissolution of the Diet, the Protestant Princes re-assembled at Augsburg, to strengthen themselves by a league and covenant; and it was then that Melancthon drew up the famous Confession of Faith, which has ever since formed the basis of the Lutheran System.

ABOUT this time the Swedes, under Gustavus Vasa, embraced the Reforma

tion, at the preaching of Olaus Petri; who had translated the Bible into the Swedish Tongue; as did the Danes, soon afterward, under Christiern III. In France the reformed opinions had been received by great numbers of Zealous Christians, as early as the year 1523. They were persecuted with fiery Zeal by Francis I. though the Protestants were countenanced by the King's Sister, Margaret Queen of Navarre, the Mother of that Henry de Bourbon, who afterward abjured his religion, to faci litate his accession to the throne of France, under the well known name of Henry IV.

THE Protestant doctrines had also been embraced by Multitudes of devout Professors in Hungary, Bohemia, the Netherlands,

Netherlands, and the British Islands,

VIII. broke with the

when Henry VIII.

Church of Rome, because Clement VII, would not consent to dissolve his marriage with Catharine of Arragon, Aunt to Charles V. who, having been first espoused by his Brother Arthur, the inconstant Henry either felt, or affected, scruples of conscience, on account of consanguinity. To this measure the Monarch is supposed to have been instigated by Thomas Cranmer, a Student of Divinity who had embraced the new doctrines, and was afterward elevated to the See of Canterbury. But the uxorious Tyrant little deserves to be ranked with the Heads of the Reformation, since he persecuted, to death, all who presumed to differ from his own inconstant standard of faith or practice. The furious

Bigot once caused to be burned, at the same stake, three Witnesses against the invocation of Saints, and three conscientious Sticklers for the Pope's supremacy; and he sacrificed, with relentless animosity, his own Lord Chancellor, the philosophic More, for refusing to abjure the religion of his Fathers.

THE divorce, to which has been so lightly attributed the origin of the Reformation in England, did not take place till the year 1533; although Tyndal's Translation of the New Testament had been printed at Antwerp in 1527, and was eagerly read throughout the Nation; notwithstanding the most powerful exertions of the pretended Reformer to suppress the sacred book. It was not until the irresistible progress of the Refor