who was in
the heat of controversy, soon published an answer to Henry; and, without
regard to the dignity of his antagonist, treated him with all the
acrimony of style to which, in the course of his polemics, he had
so long been accustomed. The king, by this ill usage, was still more
prejudiced against the new doctrines; but the public, who naturally
favor the weaker party, were inclined to attribute to Luther the victory
in the dispute.[*] And as the controversy became more illustrious by
Henry's entering the lists, it drew still more the attention of mankind;
and the Lutheran doctrine daily acquired new converts in every part of
Europe.

* Father Paul, lib. i.

The quick and surprising progress of this bold sect may justly in part
be ascribed to the late invention of printing, and revival of learning:
not that reason bore any considerable share in opening men's eyes with
regard to the impostures of the Romish church; for of all branches of
literature, philosophy had, as yet, and till long afterwards, made
the most inconsiderable progress; neither is there any instance, that
argument has ever been able to free the people from that enormous load
of absurdity with which superstition has every where overwhelmed them;
not to mention, that the rapid advance of the Lutheran doctrine and the
violence with which it was embraced, prove sufficiently, that it owed
not its success to reason and reflection. The art of printing and the
revival of learning forwarded its progress in another manner. By means
of that art, the books of Luther and his sectaries full of vehemence,
declamation, and a rude eloquence, were propagated more quickly, and
in greater numbers. The minds of men, somewhat awakened from a profound
sleep of so many centuries, were prepared for every novelty, and
scrupled less to tread in any unusual path which was opened to them. And
as copies of the Scriptures and other ancient monuments of the Christian
faith became more common, men perceived the innovations which were
introduced after the first centuries; and though argument and reasoning
could not give conviction, an historical fact, well supported, was able
to make impression on their understandings. Many of the powers, indeed,
assumed by the church of Rome, were very ancient, and were prior to
almost every political government established in Europe: but as the
ecclesiastics would not agree to possess their privileges as matters
of civil right, which time