It did
some good to the Romish Church by putting down the sale of indulgences,
and some bad practices of the clergy; but it bound her to all the errors
renounced by the Reformers, and put her into a state of schism from the
Catholic Church.
The Lutheran Protestants in Germany, and the Calvinists in France,
Holland, and Scotland, as they could have no bishops, made up their
minds that none were needed, though this was quite contrary to
Scripture, and to the ways of the Apostles. There was a sad time of
warfare through all the centre of Europe; and the Spaniards and French
horribly persecuted the Protestants and Calvinists, thinking in their
blindness that they were thus doing God service; but Queen Elizabeth
stood up as the firm friend of all the distressed Reformers; and at last
matters settled down again, though not till all Christianity had been
grievously shattered and rent, and there was no more outward unity.
There were four branches of the Church Catholic keeping their Bishops,
the Greek, the Roman, the English, the Swedish; but none of these were
in outward communion the one with the other, though still owning one
Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, and waging the same fight with the Devil
and his works.
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