you also punish him in this world? If however, they should create disturbances in the country, and resist government, then let the government punish them for their disturbances, but not on account of their faith. With scripture and reason we should try to convince them, but not with fire and sword."

"You ask me," said he in a letter to the council of Nuremberg, "whether government hath a right to execute false teachers on account of their doctrine? I answer, I am always opposed to the shedding of blood for the sake of religion, and I shall never give my vote to persecute those whom we suppose to be false teachers. It is sufficient to send them out of the country, if they breed disturbances; but as long as they do not breed disturb. ances, let us bear with them."

In the year 1535, the pope proposed a council to be held at Mantua. The German protestants strongly objected to this, and insisted that the council should be held in Germany, according to the promise of the emperor. At the same time, that they might not be

taken by surprise, they desired Luther, to draw up a summary of their doctrine, in order to present it to the assembled bishops, if it should be required of them. This summaty, which was distinguished by the name of "Articles of Smalkalden,' from the place at which they were assembled, is generally joined with the confession of the Lutheran church. This council, however, was not held.

It was in the year 1536, when Calvin, a native of France, came to Basle, and published his institutions of the christian religion. Shortly after he removed to Geneva, where he formed the project of making the republic of Geneva, the mother and seminary of all the reformed churches, as Wittenberg was of the Lutheran. Instead of the system adopted by Zwingle, with regard to the Lord's supper, he substituted another, which appeared more conformable to the doctrine of the Lutheran church, and which in reality differed very little from it; for Calvin acknowledged a real, tho' spiritual, presence of Christ in the supper. However, he added a tenet, of a divine absolute predestination to life and damnation,

as it had been maintained by one Godshalk, in the year 847; as also a tenet of irresistable grace; and another, of the impossibility of falling out of a state of grace. These doctrines could not but enlarge the breach between the protestants; for the Lutherans had declared in their confession at Augsburg, that Christ had of fered up himself a sacrifice for all the sins of mankind, and that therefore all might be saved: They had also rejected the doctrine of others, who teach, that those who were once justified, could never lose the Holy spirit and be lost-and in many of their writings, they contended, that the spirit of God might be resisted, and alas, was too often resisted.

Luther, however, was sensible of the learning and piety, and good intentions of Calvin, and sent his salutation to him by Bucer, and encouraged him to go on in the work of reformation. And Calvin, in his exposition of Isaiah, calls Luther the prophet of Germany, and the man of God; and wrote to him, 1545, in the following words: "I would to God, I could fly to you, and enjoy your conversation, were it only for a few hours; however, what F

is not given us in this life, I hope we shall enjoy in the kingdom of God."

In the year 1545, the council of Trent began. This council condemned all the doctrines of the protestants, and established all the abuses of the church of Rome, and resolved to force the protestants to renounce their doctrines. This induced the Smalkalden league to prepare for war, against the emperor, in their own defence, Luther, however, was so much opposed to bloodshed on account of religion, that he used all his endeavors to persuade the protestant princes from it; and as long as he lived, war was not declared.

On the 18th of February, 1546, he died, in the 63d year of his age. Soon after, the war

* The circumstances attending the death of so remarkable a man, should not be forgotten: His last public service was in the church, where he was seized with a violent inflamation in the stomach. His natural intrepidity did not forsake him, and his last conversation was about the happiness reserved for the pious in a future life. He prayed fervently for himself and family, but especially for the propagation of the gospel; and admo nished those standing around

began. The emperor, drew together his for, ces near Ingolstadt; and the protestants, under the command of the elector of Saxony, and the landgrave of Hesse, went to meet him with 70,000 men. In the mean time, however, Maurice, duke of Saxony, fell into the territories of the elector, who was now under the necessity of sending back some troops to oppose him, which weakened his army and caus cd disturbances. The emperor now pursued the protestant army, and in a battle fought at Muhlberg, 1547, both the elector and the landgrave were captured, and the elector was even sentenced to suffer death. This sentence was not executed, but he was deprived of his electorship, which Maurice now obtained.

his bed, to pray continually for the cause of Christ after commending his spirit into the hands of his Saviour, he quietly departed. His body was put into a eaden coffin, and carried with funeral pomp to the church of Eisleben, where Dr. Jonas preached a sermon on the occasion. The elector of Saxony, however, insisted upon his body being brought to Wittenberg, which was accordingly done, and he was buried there with greater pomp than had been known to have accompanied the funeral of any private man. Princes, earls, nobles and students, without number; attended the procession; and Melanchton delivered a funeral discourse. Melanchton's works & Cyclopedia.