terpretation, he soon fell into the most palpable contradictions and errors. Thus he asserted that ' man has no free will, and consequently can neither keep the commandments nor avoid evil '; 'that sin does not condemn man, provided he firmly believe,' etc. Nevertheless, he soon obtained many followers; for the thoughtless multitude were very much pleased with such easy doctrine, which allowed them to lead a dissolute life, and covetous princes found nothing more conformable to their wishes than the suppression of churches and monasteries. Besides, Luther eagerly embraced any opportunity of increasing his party, and for this purpose he permitted the Landgrave of Hesse to contract a second marriage whilst his first wife was still living. The way of innovation and revolt being once opened by Luther, several others soon followed him, and they went even further than he did. Zwinglius, in Switzerland, denied the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Calvin, at Geneva, taught that 'God has predestined a part of mankind, without any fault of theirs, to eternal damnation, and that therefore He blinds and hardens the heart of sinners.' The Anabaptists proclaimed a kingdom of Christ on earth, in which there was to be no private property, no law, no magistrates. Zwinglius, Calvin, and other Sectarians totally demolished in the churches what had been spared by Luther. The images of the Crucified Redeemer and of the Saints, pictures as well as statues, and masterpieces of art, were hewn in pieces; the organs and altars were shattered; nay, even the graves were ransacked, and the bones of the Saints trampled upon and burnt to ashes. Although these pretended Reformers combated and anathematized one another, nevertheless their several doctrines spread most rapidly. United only in their hatred against the Catho-
