and return to the monastery, promising him a dispensation from the Pope, and the favour of the Prior, which he had formerly enjoyed: But these and such like things were slighted by Oecolampadius, who bringing them to the word of God, found they would not endure the trial.

In the performance of his pastoral charge, an assistant was appointed him by public authority; and now he began to settle a more excellent Reformation in the church, commanding the sacrament of baptism to be administered in the mother tongue, and the sacrament of the Lord's supper to be received in both kinds; he taught that the mass was not a sacrifice for the living and the dead, or for those who were tormented in their feigned purgatory; but that perfect satisfaction was made for all believers by the passion and merits of Christ. He dissuaded them from sprinkling themselves with holy-water, and from the consecration of palms, and the like; declaring, that they who attributed virtue to such things, did exceedingly detract from the glory and power of God. His preachings of the doctrines of Christ took such deep root in the hearts. of his auditors, that they gave a period to many superstitious actions among them..

The foundation of future Reformation was no sooner laid, than the old dragon began to play his part, and to discover his malicious envy and hatred against such things as make for the glory of God; either by hindering their proceedings, or by laying some foul aspersion on them: For at that time brake forth that, yet continued, sacramentary dissension between Martin Luther and Huldericus Zuinglius, pastor of the church at Zurich, concerning the eucharist, which caused a great dissention between the churches of Switzerland and Saxony. Oecolampadius endeavoured, but with little success, to heal these dissensions by publishing a book upon the true meaning of these words, Hoc est corpus meum; and by many strong arguments affirmed, that it was a tropial phrase.

This intended Reformation was again hindered by Eckius and his followers, who taught, 1. That the substantial body and blood of Christ was in the sacrament of the altar. 2. That they were truly offered up in the mass, both for the living and the dead. 3. That the Virgin Mary and the saints were to be worshipped as intercessors. 4. That the images of Jesus and the saints were not to be abolished. 5. That after this life there was a purgatory.

These positions were vehemently opposed by Oecolampadius at the public disputation held at Baden: The

consequence

consequence of which was, that some of the Helvetians, or Switzers, subscribed the arguments of Eckius, and others those of Oecolampadius; so that their dissension still remained; nor could it be removed by any means, although attempted by many worthy instruments of Christ, who encountered many dangers, in order to accomplish an end so desirable. However Oecolampadius wrought so with the people, that liberty of conscience was granted to the citizens in matters of religion.

Luther was introducing the Reformation in Germany; while Zuinglius began to introduce it in Switzerland, by publicly preaching against the corruptions of the Roman church. Oecolampadius assisted Zuinglius; which made Erasmus speak ill of them both, in 1524, and inveigh violently against the morals both of the reformed, who then began to make a party, and of the Lutherans. Shall we, says Erasmus, shake off the domination of " popes and prelates, to submit to worse tyrants than they, to scabby madmen, to the scum of the earth?" He had in view Otho Brunfield, and Farellus, whom he could not bear, because they had declared him as a political time-server, who durst not act according to his true sentiments. They had their faults: But they applied themselves closely to the study of the holy scriptures; and, as far as they understood the gospel, they preached it with great fervour, and with no less danger, if there was something in their behaviour which Erasmus could justly censure, there was also something which he might

have commended.

Oecolampadius and Zuinglius had declared openly enough, that they followed not the sentiments of Luther in all things. Yet they spake of Luther with respect; and these differences were not concerning things essential and fundamental. Erasmus, who was so well versed in ecclesiastical antiquities, knew that the ancient fathers were far enough from being all of a mind, though they agreed in the main; and as he pardoned them, he ought to have extended the same favour to his contemporaries, to men. equally liable to the same defects, and equally worthy of the same regard and respect.

Erasmus, in 1525, appeared angry with Oecolampadius ; because in the preface to his commentary on Isaiah, he had said of Erasmus, Magnus Erasmus noster, "Our great "Erasmus," which might give occasion to the enemies of the latter to say, that he and Oecolampadius were of a mind. The beginning of this epistle is not worthy of Erasmus:

I judge not, says he; I leave that to the Lord, who will absolve, or condemn you: But I consider what several " great men think of you, the emperor, the pope, Ferdinand, the king of England, the bishop of Rochester, cardinal Wolsey, and many others, whose authority it is not safe for me to despise, and whose favour it is not prudent for me to throw away?' What reply this learned and worthy Reformer made to this strange complaint, we know not: But he might very justly have told Erasmus, that he had done him more honour than he deserved; and that for the future, he would throw away no more civilities upon him.

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Whilst Lutheranism was settling in Germany, the doctrine of the new sect, founded in Switzerland by Zuinglius, was called, Evangelical Truth;' and Zuinglius boldly opposed the errors of the church of Rome. Upon this foundation he continued preaching from the beginning of the year 1519, not only against indulgences, but also against the intercession and invocation of saints, the sacrifice of the mass, the ecclesiastical vows, the celebacy of priests, and the abstinence from meats. However, he attempted no alteration in the outward and public worship of God till 1523, when he found the magistrates and citizens of Zurich disposed to cast off the Romish doctrine, and receive the reformed.

About this time, the sect of Anabaptists sprung up in Germany, under Nicholas Stork and Thomas Muncer, who had been followers of Luther. They taught, that the goods of all men ought to be common: That all men should be free, and independent: That God would no longer permit the oppressions of kings, and the injustice of magistrates: That the time was come for them to be deposed, and men of honesty and religion set up in their places. This seditious doctrine was dispersed in Germany, and caused a rebellion among the peasants in all places. The first commotions began in Swabia, which soon spread throughout all the ten circles of the empire, where vast multitudes of peasants plundered the country; robbed and burnt the churches, monasteries, and castles; slew the priests, monks, and nobility; and made a strange desolation in all the states. The princes of the empire sent a confederate army against the rebels, who were defeated in three battles by George Truchses, count of Walburg, and the elector Palatine. Muncer still kept some bands of peasants in Thuringia, and made Mulhausen the chief residence of his Utopian kingdom. But John, elector of Saxony,

Saxony, Frederic prince of Hesse, and the duke of Brunswick, attacked Muncer at Franckhusen, where he was defeated, taken prisoner, and executed.

While the German princes were crushing this rebellion of the peasants, there happened great disputes in Germany and Switzerland between the Romish priests and the Reformers; as also between the Lutherans, Zuinglians, and Anabaptists. Luther declared himself against the doctrine of Zuinglius, concerning the Lord's Supper: But O:colampadius concurred with Zuinglius, and taught the same doctrine at Basil.

Erasmus resided at this time at Basil, and speaks of the slaughter of the peasants in Germany: But commends the comparative moderation of the reformers of Basil. He wrote to Bedda, to justify a letter which he had formerly sent to the bishop of Basil. In it we find some remarkable things concerning the sentiments of the reformed, as to the eucharist. Carolostad, says he, hath brought a most formidable tragedy upon the stage. He hath persuaded the people, that there is nothing in the Lord's Supper except bread and wine. Zuinglius hath written books to support this opinion: And Oecolampadius hath defended it with such skill, and hath employed so many arguments, and such persuasive eloquence, that, if God 'should not interpose, even the elect may be seduced. ‹ This city of Basil wavers; but it may still be confirmed in the faith. I am obliged to quit all my other affairs, to enter into this war, although I have not abilities equal to so difficult a task.' It appears not, that Erasmus even undertook to confute Oecolampadius; and this was probably a mere bragging and threatening, not intended to be put in execution, and thrown out only to please the Romanists. He acted very prudently in leaving Oecolampadius and Zuinglius at quiet, and in declining a combat, wherein he would infallibly have been buffeted and disgraced. He was ever suspected of favouring this very sentiment; and, in another letter, he bestows the same praises upon this work of Oecolampadius.

Oecolampadius agreed with Zuinglius in the nature of the doctrine; but he gave a different sense of our Lord's words. Zuinglius placed the figure of these words, "This

is my body, in the verb, is; which he held to be taken for signifies. Oecolampadius laid it upon the noun, body; and affirmed that the bread is called, the body, by à metonymy, which allows the name of the thing signified to be given to the sign.

The Lutherans, in Swabia and Bavaria, decried the doctrine of Oecolampadius in their sermons, which obliged him to dedicate a treatise upon the words of the institution of the Lord's Supper to them, printed at Strasburg in 1525, and afterwards in the German tongue at Basil, where it was at first forbidden. As soon as this formidable book appeared, the magistrates of Basil consulted two divines. and two lawyers, to know whether the public sale of it might be permitted. The divines were Erasmus and Berus, the lawyers were Bonifacius Amerbachius and Claudius Canzonetta. Erasmus says, that, in giving his answer upon this point, he made no invectives against Oecolampadius; and so the book was allowed to be sold. He adds, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Capito, and Pellican, were alarmed. at this procedure; and that Capito wrote from Strasburg, desiring that too much deference might not be paid to the judgment of these four arbitrators.

Brentius answered Oecolampadius, in the name of all the Lutheran ministers of Swabia, in a book intitled, Sungramma Suevicum super verbis cœna, in which he asserted, That Jesus Christ is present in the sacrament, and in the action of the supper: That his body and blood are received, although in an invisible manner, by faith; as • remission of sins is received by baptism.' Yet he intimated, that the body and blood of Christ are present only by faith, and are received only spiritually. The Syngramma was translated by John Agricola into the German language; and it was approved by Luther, who wrote a preface to it, wherein he says, The sacramentarians had already five or six leaders; the first, Carolostadius ; who applies the pronoun this, to the visible body of Jesus Christ; the second Zuinglius, who expounds the word is, by signifies; the third Oecolampadius, who places the figure upon the word, body, a fourth perverts the order of the words; a fifth alters their places; the sixth is not yet produced, who will chicane about the words; and, perhaps, we may soon see a seventh, who will overthrow all."

Oecolampadius and Zuinglius were obliged to defend themselves against Luther, who answered them, and wrote a book on purpose upon the eucharist in the German tongue, in which he attempted to prove the ubiquity of the body of Jesus Christ by this argument: That in all • places where the divinity of our Saviour is, there his • humanity ought also to be present.' Oecolampadius and Zuinglius immediately replied: And Oecolampadius and

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