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BOOK tion at this juncture rendered it necessary to court their fa vour and support with more than usual assiduity.

XI.

1555. Charles

had resum

the succes

empire.

CHARLES had again resumed his favourite project of aced his plan quiring the Imperial crown for his son Philip, the prosecuof altering tion of which, the reception it had met with when first prosion to the posed had obliged him to suspend, but had not induced him to relinquish. This led him warmly to renew his request to his brother, that he would accept of some compensation for his prior right of succession, and sacrifice that to the grandeur of the house of Austria. Ferdinand, who was as little disposed as formerly to give such an extraordinary proof of self-denial, being sensible that, in order to defeat this scheme, not only the most inflexible firmness on his part, but a vigorous declaration from the Princes of the Empire in behalf of his title, were requisite; was willing to purchase their favour by gratifying them in every point that they deemed interesting or essential.

The Turks

AT the same time he stood in need of immediate and exwere ready to invade traordinary aid from the Germanic body, as the Turks, afHungary. ter having wrested from him great part of his Hungarian

He is

alarmed at

some steps taken by

the Pro

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territories, were ready to attack the provinces still subject to his authority with a formidable army, against which he could bring no equal force into the field. For this aid from Germany he could not hope, if the internal peace of the Empire were not established on a foundation solid in itself, and which should appear, even to the Protestants, so secure and so permanent, as might not only allow them to engage in a distant war with safety, but might encourage them to act in it with vigour.

A STEP taken by the Protestants themselves, a short time after the opening of the Diet, rendered him still more cautious of giving them any new cause of offence. As soon as testants. the publication of Ferdinand's speech awakened the fears and suspicions which have been mentioned, the electors of Saxony and Brandenburg, together with the Landgrave of Hesse, met at Naumburgh, and confirming the ancient treaty of confraternity which had long united their families,

XI.

they added to it a new article, by which the contracting par- BO O K ties bound themselves to adhere to the confession of Augsburg, and to maintain the doctrine which it contained in their respective dominions".

1555.

zealous to

promote an

dation.

FERDINAND, influenced by all these considerations, em- Ferdinand ployed his utmost address in conducting the deliberations of the Diet, so as not to excite the jealousy of a party on accommowhose friendship he depended, and whose enmity, as they had not only taken the alarm, but had begun to prepare for their defence, he had so much reason to dread. The members of the Diet readily agreed to Ferdinand's proposal of taking the state of religion into consideration, previous to any other business. But, as soon as they entered upon it, both parties discovered all the zeal and animosity which a subject so interesting naturally engenders, and which the rancour of controversy, together with the violence of civil war, had inflamed to the highest pitch.

tensions of

Protest

ants.

THE Protestants contended, that the security which they The preclaimed in consequence of the treaty of Passau, should ex- the Cathotend, without limitation, to all who had hitherto embraced lics and the doctrine of Luther, or who should hereafter embrace it. The Catholics, having first of all asserted the Pope's right as the supreme and final judge with respect to all articles of faith, declared, that though, on account of the present situation of the Empire, and for the sake of peace, they were willing to confirm the toleration granted by the treaty of Passau, to such as had already adopted the new opinions; they must insist that this indulgence should not be extended either to those cities which had conformed to the Interim, or to such ecclesiastics as should for the future apostatize from the church of Rome. It was no easy matter to reconcile such opposite pretensions, which were supported, on each side, by the most elaborate arguments, and the greatest acrimony of expression, that the abilities or zeal of theologians long exercised in disputation could suggest. Ferdinand, however, by his address and perseverance; by softening some things on each side; by putting a favour

n Chytræi Saxonia, 480.

XI.

BOOK able meaning upon others; by representing incessantly the necessity as well as the advantages of concord; and by threatening, on some occasions, when all other considerations were disregarded, to dissolve the Diet, brought them at length to a conclusion in which they all agreed.

1555.

Sept. 25.

The peace

of religion

established.

Reflec

ions on he pro

CONFORMABLY to this, a Recess was framed, approved of, and published with the usual formalities. The following are the chief articles which it contained; That such Prin ces and cities as have declared their approbation of the confession of Augsburg, shall be permitted to profess the doctrine and exercise the worship which it authorizes, without interruption or molestation from the Emperor, the King of the Romans, or any power or person whatsoever; That the Protestants, on their part, shall give no disquiet to the Princes and States who adhere to the tenets and rites of the church of Rome; That, for the future, no attempt shall be made towards terminating religious differences, but by the gentle and pacific methods of persuasion and conference; That the Popish ecclesiastics shall claim no spiritual jurisdiction in such states as receive the Confession of Augs burg; That such as had seized the benefices or revenues of the church, previous to the treaty of Passau, shall retain possession of them, and be liable to no prosecution in the Imperial chamber on that account; That the supreme civil power in every state shall have right to establish what form of doctrine and worship it shall deem proper, and if any of its subjects refuse to conform to these, shall permit them to remove with all their effects whithersoever they shall please; That if any prelate or ecclesiastic shall hereafter abandon the Romish religion, he shall instantly relinquish his diocese or benefice, and it shall be lawful for those in whom the right of nomination is vested, to proceed immediately to an election, as if the office were vacant by death or translation, and to appoint a successor of undoubted attachment to the ancient system.

SUCH are the capital articles in this famous Recess, which is the basis of religious peace in Germany, and the

⚫ Sleid. 620. F. Paul, 368. Pallav. P. 11. 161.

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XI.

1555.

of tolera

bond of union among its various states, the sentiments of BOOK which are so extremely different with respect to points the most interesting as well as important. In our age and nation, to which the idea of Toleration is familiar, and its be- gress of the neficial effects well known, it may seem strange, that a me- principles thod of terminating their dissentions, so suitable to the mild tion. and charitable spirit of the Christian religion, did not sooner occur to the contending parties. But this expedient, however salutary, was so repugnant to the sentiments and practice of Christians during many ages, that it did not lie obvious to discovery. Among the ancient heathens, all whose deities were local and tutelary, diversity of sentiment concerning the object or rites of religious worship seems to have been no source of animosity, because the acknowledging veneration to be due to any one God, did not imply denial of the existence or the power of any other God; nor were the modes and rites of worship established in one country incompatible with those which other nations approved of and observed. Thus the errors in their system of theology were of such a nature as to be productive of concord; and notwithstanding the amazing number of their deities, as well as the infinite variety of their ceremonies, a sociable and tolerating spirit subsisted almost universally in the Pagan world.

BUT when the Christian revelation declared one supreme Being to be the sole object of religious veneration, and prescribed the form of worship most acceptable to him, whoever admitted the truth of it held, of consequence, every other system of religion, as a deviation from what was established by divine authority, to be false and impious. Hence arose the zeal of the first converts to the Christian faith in propagating its doctrines, and the ardour with which they laboured to overturn every other form of worship. They employed, however, for this purpose no methods but such as suited the nature of religion. By the force of powerful arguments, they convinced the understandings of men; by the charms of superior virtue, they allured and captivated their hearts. At length the civil power declared in favour of Christianity; and though numbers, imitating the exam,

XI.

1555.

BOOK ple of their superiors, crowded into the church, many still adhered to their ancient superstitions. Enraged at their obstinacy, the ministers of religion, whose zeal was still unabated, though their sanctity and virtue were much diminished, forgot so far the nature of their own mission, and of the arguments which they ought to have employed, that they armed the Imperial power against these unhappy men, and as they could not persuade, they tried to compel them to believe.

At the same time, controversies concerning articles of faith multiplied, from various causes, among Christians themselves, and the same unhallowed weapons which had first been used against the enemies of their religion, were turned against each other. Every zealous disputant endeavoured to interest the civil magistrate in his cause, and each in his turn employed the secular arm to crush or to exterminate his opponents. Not long after, the bishops of Rome put in their claim to infallibility in explaining articles of faith, and deciding points in controversy; and, bold as the pretension was, they, by their artifices and perseverance, imposed on the credulity of mankind, and brought them to recognize it. To doubt or to deny any doctrine to which these unerring instructors had given the sanction of their approbation, was held to be not only a resisting of truth, but an act of rebellion against their sacred authority: and the secular power, of which by various arts they had acquired the absolute direction, was instantly employed to avenge both.

THUS Europe had been accustomed, during many centuries, to see speculative opinions propagated or defended by force; the charity and mutual forbearance which Christianity recommends with so much warmth, were forgotten; the sacred rights of conscience and of private judgment were unheard of; and not only the idea of toleration, but even the word itself, in the sense now affixed to it, was unknown. A right to extirpate error by force, was universally allowed to be the prerogative of such as possessed the knowledge of truth; and as each party of Christians believed that they

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