gers, than Christian ministers: That the popish mass "had nothing to do with the Lord's Supper, but was a "worship invented by man, to the disparagement of the "institution of Christ: That the adoration of the wafer "was idolatry, because a creature was there worshipped "instead of the Creator. That he neither knew, nor "cared for any other purgatory, than the blood of Christ; "which alote remits both the guilt and punishment of "our sins: That, therefore, masses and prayers for the "dead, were not only useless, but impious, as having no "warrant from the word of GOD: That saints cannot "be more truly respected, than by imitating their faith ❝and virtues, and that, if more be done, it is impious, "and what they themselves, were they in the world, "would tremble at and abhor: That, therefore, they are "not to be invoked as intercessors, which would be giv ing them a glory which belongs to Christ alone: That "by the fall of Adam, the nature of man is wholly cor"rupted, and the freedom of his will is forfeited; so that "he can do no good, without the grace of GOD; but "that a regenerated man, moved by GOD, like a good "tree brings forth good fruits: That nothing deserves. "the name of faith, but what bringeth us salvation, namely, when we believe the divine promises, and certainly conclude, that through Christ Jesus our sins are "forgiven us: That traditions, by which the minds of "men are enslaved, are not to be received: That it was very dangerous to have statues and images in churches, "for fear of idolatry: That baptism is the outward sign "of GOD's covenant, whereby he testifies that he will "pardon our sins, and likewise a sign of perpetual mor"tification and a new life, which ought to accompany "baptism: That this sacrament is to be received by all, "and children not to be barred from it, seeing they also are partakers of the divine promises: That no vow is to be made, which either the word of God doth not "allow, or that cannot be performed by man: That "every one ought to confess his sins to GOD, and im plore his mercy and forgiveness: That, if the conscience "be lisquieted, counsel is to be taken of a minister of the church, for advice and comfort; but that auricular "confession, and a particular enumeration of sins to a "priest, has no warrant in scripture, nor can be of any "possible use." Some days before he was brought to a trial, he wrote of all these things to his wife and to his other friends, whe who had earnestly requested an account of his treatentm from him. His sister, who appears to have visited him. constantly in his confinement, found means privately to convey this correspondence to the parties. The last letter this excellent man wrote must have been a most afflicting one indeed. It was written to his wife the day before he suffered. He gave her an account of the kind of death he was to endure on the ensuing day, and filled his letter with pious exhortations and consolations to her, concluding that she ought not to be grieved for his sake but to rejoice, since this whole dispensation was an honour that his heavenly Father conferred upon him; that Jesus Christ had suffered infinitely more for him; and that, however, "The servant's condition ought not to be better than his "Lord's."-What a proof is here, among a multitude of others, of the omnipotent efficacy of divine grace, which can make the nature of man, always shrinking from pain, defy the power of torment, and which can give the human. heart, when it is stripped of all worldly comfort, such a flood of joy, as to bear it up over death, and all the other evils which wicked men or wicked spirits can inflict upon it! From this time for many years afterwards, the history of pious men and women, professing the protestant doctrine, who suffered in Germany, France, Flanders, and indeed all over Europe, would be too voluminous in itself, and beyond the bounds we have prescribed ourselves in this work, to be detailed. The ministers alone who preached or suffered for the truths of the gospel cannot be specified by us, without exceeding the purpose of our plan. We wish to give the Reader the most remarkable of these for life, dearning, and doctrine; though it is hard to determine sometimes, not whom to insert (for blessed be Gon, their number is abundantly large) but whom, on account of their excellency, to omit, without seeming to slight those excellent endowments, which God had vouchsafed them. If the martyrs themselves make up a noble army, what will the other eminent servants of Christ compose, who only had the honour of preaching his gospel! And if martyrs and preachers would form so immense an assembly; we may well say, in the words of the scripture, of the rest of God's people, that they are a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. Even so, Amen: Hallelujah! IN MARTIN LUTHER, THE GREAT REFORMER. N the order of time, we come now to treat of a most wonderful man, whom God raised up in these last ages of the world, to break the chain of superstition and spiritual slavery, with which the bishops of Rome and their dependents had, for many centuries, cast over the consciences of all men. He was an instrument truly prepared for this great work; and yet but a mean and obscure monk; to shew us, that HE, who ruleth all things, effected himself the important design, in which the greatest prince upon earth would have undoubtedly failed. The conduct of the dignified clergy throughout all Europe, had long given scandal to the world. The bishops were grossly ignorant: They seldom resided in their dioceses, except to riot at high festivals: And all the effect their residence could have, was to corrupt others, by their ill example. Nay, some of them could not so much as write, but employed some person, or chaplain, who had attained that accomplishment, to subscribe their names for them. They followed the courts of princes, and aspired to the greatest offices. The abbots and monks were wholly given up to luxury and idlences; and it appeared, by the unmarried state both of the seculars and regulars, that the restraining them from having wives of their own, made them conclude they had a right to all other men's. The inferior clergy were no better; and, not having places of retreat to conceal their vices in, as the monks had, they became more public. In sum; all ranks of churchmen were so universally despised and hated, that the world was very apt to be possessed with prejudice against their doctrines, for the sake of the men whose interest it was to support them: And the worship of God was |