earned and knowing person of the ancient
religion, who acknowledged his ignorance with regard to them. It is
indeed certain, that the reformers were very fortunate in their
doctrine of justification; and might venture to foretell its success, in
opposition to all the ceremonies, shows, and superstitions of Popery.
By exalting Christ and his sufferings, and renouncing all claim to
independent merit in ourselves, it was calculated to become popular, and
coincided with those principles of panegyric and of self-abasement which
generally have place in religion.

* Fox. vol. ii.

Tonstal, bishop of Durham, having, as well as Gardiner, made some
opposition to the new regulations, was dismissed by the council; but no
further severity was for the present exercised against him. He was a man
of great moderation, and of the most unexceptionable character in the
kingdom.

The same religious zeal which engaged Somerset to promote the
reformation at home, led him to carry his attention to foreign
countries; where the interests of the Protestants were now exposed to
the most imminent danger. The Roman pontiff, with much reluctance, and
after long delays, had at last summoned a general council, which was
assembled at Trent, and was employed both in correcting the abuses of
the church, and in ascertaining her doctrines. The emperor, who desired
to repress the power of the court of Rome, as well as gain over the
Protestants, promoted the former object of the council; the pope, who
found his own greatness so deeply interested, desired rather to employ
them in the latter. He gave instructions to his legates, who presided in
the council, to protract the debates, and to engage the theologians in
argument, and altercation, and dispute concerning the nice points of
faith canvassed before them; a policy so easy to be executed, that the
legates soon found it rather necessary to interpose, in order to
appease the animosity of the divines, and bring them at last to some
decision.[*] The more difficult task for the legates was, to moderate
or divert the zeal of the council for reformation, and to repress the
ambition of the prelates, who desired to exalt the episcopal authority
on the ruins of the sovereign pontiff. Finding this humor become
prevalent, the legates, on pretence that the plague had broken out at
Trent, transferred of a sudden the council to Bologna, where they hoped
it would be more under the direction of his holiness.

The