In Switzerland and France, another reformer, named
John Calvin, was preaching against the doctrine of the Pope; and though
he neglected what the Church of old pure times had decided, and thus
threw away much that was good, as well as much that was untrue, great
numbers followed him; but unfortunately, none of the higher clergy on
the Continent would listen to these views, and there seemed no choice
but to accept falsehood, or to break into a schism. After many trials,
Charles V. got together some Italian, Spanish, and German clergy at
Trent, in the Tyrol, and called them a council; but this was far from
being a true General Council, as there was nobody from the Eastern
Church, nor from many branches of the Western. The Protestants knew they
should not be fairly treated, and that if these Italians should decide
that they were heretics, they might very probably be burnt; so, instead
of coming to it, they acted as the early Christians never did, they took
up arms and fought, and this attempt at a council broke up in confusion.
Things were happier in England. After the death of Henry VIII.,
Archbishop Cranmer, and the other guardians of his little son, Edward
VI.
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