only from all conversation with the world, but even with the house. This is a kind of voluntary imprisonment from a motive either of devotion or penance. RECONCILIATION, the restoring to favour or friendship those who were at variance. It is more particularly used in reference to the doctrine of the atonement. Thus Ged is said to reconcile us to himself by Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. || v. 18. Our state by nature is that of enmity, dissatisfaction, and disobedience. But by the sufferings and merit of Christ we are reconciled and brought near to God. The blessings of reconciliation are pardon, peace, friendship, confidence, holiness, and eternal life. The judicious Guyse gives us an admirable note on this doctrine, which I shall here transcribe. When the Scripture speaks of reconciliation by Christ, or by his cross, blood, or death, it is commonly ex-conciliation for Israel, 2 Chron. xxix. pressed by God's reconciling us to him. 24. Ezek. xiv. 15, 17. and which was self, and not by his being reconciled frequently styled making atonement for unto us; the reason of which seems to sin, and an atonement for their souls. be because God is the offended party, Now as all the legal sacrifices of atoneand we are the offenders, who, as such, ment, and the truly expiatory sacrifices have need to be reconciled to him: and of Christ, were offered not to the ofthe price of reconciliation, by the blood fenders, but to God, to reconcile him to of Christ, is paid to him, and not to us. Grotius observes, that, in heathen au- death, blood, or cross of Christ mean, them, what can reconciliation by the thors, men's being reconciled to their but that the law and justice of God were gods is always understood to signify ap- thereby satisfied, and all obstructions, peasing the anger of their gods. Con- on his part, to peace and friendship todemned rebels may be said to be recon-ward sinners are removed, that he might ciled to their sovereign, when he, on one consideration or another, pardons them, according to the holy resentments not pursue his righteous demands upon them; though, perhaps, they still re- of his nature and will, and the threatenmain rebels in their hearts against him,ings of his law for their sins; but might And when our Lord ordered the offend-mercifully forgive them, and take them ing to go and be reconciled to his of-into a state of favour with himself, fended brother, Matt. v. 23, 24, the plain meaning is, that he should go and try to appease his anger, obtain his forgiveness, and regain his favour and friendship, by humbling himself to him, asking his pardon, or satisfying him for any injury that he might have done him, In like manner, God's reconciling us to himself by the cross of Christ does not signify, as the Socinians contend, our being reconciled by conversion to a religious turn in our hearts to God, but is a reconciliation that results from God's graciously providing and accepting an atonement for us, that he might not inflict the punishment upon us which we deserved, and the law condemned us to; but might be at peace with us, and receive us into favour on Christ's ac-persons whose offices are very different, count. For this reconciliation, by the as, 1. The rector of a parish is a clergycross of Christ is in a way of atonement man that has the charge and care of a or satisfaction to divine justice for sin; parish, and possesses all the tithes, &c. and with respect hereunto, we are said -2. The same name is also given to the to be reconciled to God by the death of chief elective officer in several foreign his Son while we are enemies, which is of much the same import with Christ's dying for the ungodly, and while we were yet sinners, Rom. v. 6, 8, 10. And our being reconciled to God, by approving and accepting of his method of reconciliation by Jesus Christ, and, on that encouragement, turning to him, is distinguished from his reconciling us to himself, and not imputing our trespasses to us, on account of Christ's having been made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor, v. 18, 21. This is called Christ's making reconciliation for iniquity, and making reconciliation for the sins of the people, Dan. ix. 24. nial and typical reconciliation which was Heb. ii. 17. and answers to the ceremomade by the blood of the sacrifices under the law to make atonement and re upon their receiving the atonement, or (xalyn) reconciliation (Rom. v. 11.) by faith, after the offence that sin had given him, and the breach it had made upon the original friendship between him and them?" See articles ATONEMENT, MEDIATOR, and PROFITIAOwen's Answer to Biddle's Catechism; TION; Grot. de Satisf. cap. 7; Dr. Guyse's Note on Coloss. i 20; Char. nock's Works, vol. ii. p. 241; John Reynolds on Reconciliation. the choosing and pursuing those things RECTOR, a term applied to several universities, and also to the head mas- and particular.-4 Full and complete.ter of large schools.-3. Rector is also And, 5, lastly, It is eternal as to its used in several convents for the supe-blessings. See articles PROPITIATION, rior officer who governs the house. The RECONCILIATION. SATISFACTION; Jesuits gave this name to the superiors and Edwards's History of Redemption; of such of their houses as were either Cole on the Sovereignty of God; Lime seminaries or colleges. Stree: Lect. lect. 5; Watts's Ruin and Recovery; Dr. Owen on the Death and Satisfaction of Christ; Gill's Body of Divity. RECUSANTS, such persons as ac knowledge the pope to be the supreme head of the church, and refuse to acknowledge the king's supremacy; who are hence called popish recusants REFORMATION, in general, an act of reforming or correcting an error or abuse in religion, discipline, or the like. By way of eminence, the word is used for that great alteration and reformation in the corrupted system of Christianity, begun by Luther in the year 1517. Before the period of the reformation, the pope had in the most audacious manner declared himself the sovereign of the whole world. All the parts of it which were inhabited bythose who were not Christians, he accounted to be inha it into their heads to possess any of those countries, he gave them full liberty to make war upon the inhabitants without any provocation, and to treat them with no more humanity than they would have treated wild beasts. The countries, if conquered, were to be parcelled out according to the pope's pleasure; and dreadful was the situation of that prince who refused to obey the will of the holy REDEMPTION,in theology, denotes our recovery from sin and death by the obedience ad sacrifice of Christ, who, on this account, is called The Redeemer, Isaiah, lix. 20. Job, xix. 25. Our English word redemption, says Dr. Gill, is from the Latin tongue, and signifies buying again; and several words, in the Greek language of the New Testament, are used in the affair of our redemption, which signify the obtaining of something by paying a proper price for it: sometimes the simple verbyga,bited by nobody; and if Christians took to buy, is used: so the redeemed are said to be bought unto God by the blood of Christ, and to be bought from the earth, and to be bought from among men, and to be bought with a price; that is, with the price of Christ's blood, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Hence the church of God is said to be purchased with it, Acts, xx. 28. Sometimes the compound word yoga is used; which signifies to buy again, or out of the hands of ano-pontiff. In consequence of this extrather as the redeemed are bought out of ordinary authority which the pope had the hands of justice, as in Gal. iii. 13. assumed, he at last granted to the king and Gal. iv. 5. In other places, xurgaw of Portugal all the countries to the eastis used, or others derived from it, which ward of Cape Non in Africa, and to the signifies the deliverance of a slave or king of Spain all the countries to the captive from thraldom, by paying a ran- westward of it. In this was completed som price for him: so the saints are in his person the character of Antichrist said to be redeemed not with silver or || sitting in the temple of God, and show. gold, the usual price paid for a ransom, ing himself as God. He had long bebut with a far greater one, the blood fore assumed the supremacy belonging and life of Christ, which he came into to the Deity himself in spiritual mat this world to give as a ransom price ters; and now he assumed the same for many, and even himself, which is supremacy in worldly matters also, AVTAUTgov, an answerable, adequate, and giving the extreme regions of the earth full price for them, 1 Pet. i. 18. The to whom he pleased. evils from which we are redeemed or delivered are the curse of the law, sin, Satan, the world, death, and heil. The moving cause of redemption is the love of God. John, iii. 16. The procuring cause, Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. The ends of redemption are, that the justice of God might be satisfied; his people reconciled, adopted, sanctified, and brought to glory. The properties of it are these: 1. It is agreeable to all the perfections of God.-2 What a creature never could obtain, and therefore entirely of free grace.-3. It is special Every thing was quiet, every heretic exterminated, and the whole Christian world supinely acquiesced in the enormous absurdities which were inculcated upon them; when, in 1517, the empire of superstition began to decline, and has continued to do so ever since. The person who made the first attack on the extravagant superstitions then prevail. ing was Martin Luther, the occasion of which is fully related under the article LUTHERANS. The reformation began in the city of Wittemberg, in Saxony, but was not long confined either to that city or pro- Bath parties maintained their tenets vince. In 1520, the Franciscan friars, with the utmost obstinacy; and, by their who bad the care of promulgating in divisions, first gave their adversaries an dulgences in Switzerland, were opposed argument against them, which to this day by Zuinglius, a man not inferior in un- the Catholics urge with great force; derstanding and knowledge to Luther namely, that the Protestants are so dihimself. He proceeded with the great || vided, that it is impossible to know who est vigour, even at the very beginning, are right or wrong; and that there to overturn the whole fabric of popery; cannot be a stronger proof than these but his opinions were declared erro divisions that the whole doctrineis false. neous by the universities of Cologne and To these intestine divisions were added Louvain. Notwithstanding this, the ma- the horrors of a civil war, occasioned by gistrates of Zurich approved of his pro- oppression on the one hand, and enceedings; and that whole canton, to- thusiasm on the other. See ANABAPgether with those of Bern, Basil, and TISTS. Chaffausen, embraced his opinions. These proceedings, however, were In Germany, Luther continued to checked. Luther and Melancthen were make great advances, without being in ordered by the elector of Saxony to the least intimidated by the ecclesiasti. draw up a body of laws relating to the cal censures which were thundered form of ecclesiastical government, the against him from all quarters, he being method of public worship, &c. which continually protected by the German was to be proclaimed by heralds throughprinces, either from religious or politi-out his dominions. He, with Mecal motives, so that his adversaries could not accomplish his destruction, as they had done that of others. Melancthon, Carlostadius, and other men of eminence, also greatly forwarded the work of Luther; and in all probability the popish hierarchy would have soon come to an end, in the northern parts of Europe at least, had not the emperor Charles V. given a severe check to the progress of reformation in Germany. lancthon,had translated part of the New Testament in 1522; on the reading of which the people were astonished to find how different the laws of Christ were to those which they had imposed by the pope, and to which they had been subject. The princes and the people saw that Luther's opinions were founded on truth. They openly renounced the papal supremacy, and the happy morn of the reformation was we!During the confinement of Luther incomed by those who had long sat in sua castle Dear Warburg, the reformation perstitious darkness. advanced rapidly; almost every city in This open resolution so exasperated Saxony embracing the Lutheran opi- the patrons of popery,that theyintended nions. At this time an alteration in the to make war on the Lutherans, who established forms of worship was first prepared for defence. In 1526, a diet ventured upon at Wittemburg, by abo-, was assembled at Spire, when the emlishingthe celebration of private masses, peror's ambassadors were desired to and by giving the cup as well as the use their utmost endeavours to suppress bread to the laity in the Lord's supper all disputes about religion, and to insist In a short time, however, the new opi- upon the rigorous execution of the sunnions were condemned by the university tence which had been pronounced of Paris, and a refutation of them was against Luther at Warms. But this attempted by Henry VIII. of England. opinion was opposed,and the diet proved But Luther was not to be thus intimi-favourable to the reformation. But this dated. He published his animadver-tranquillity, which they in consequence sions on both with as much acrimony as it he had been refuting the meanest adversary; and a controversy managed by such illustrious antagonists drew a ge-|| neral attention, and the reformers daily gained new converts both in France and England. enjoyed, did not last lung. In 1529, a new diet was formed, and the power which had been granted to princes of managing ecclesiastical affairs till the meeting of a general council, was now revoked, and every change declared unlawful that should be introduced into But while the efforts of Luther were the doctrine, discipline, or worship of thus every where crowned with success, the established religion, before the dethe divisions began to prevail which termination of the approaching council have since so much agitated the reform-was known. This decree was considered churches-The first dispute was be.ed as iniquitous and intolerable by setween Luther and Zuinglius concerning veral members of the diet; and when the manner in which the body and blood they found that all their arguments and of Christ were present in the eucharist. remonstrances were in vain, they c tered a solemn protest against the decree on the 19th of April, and appealed to the emperor and a future council. Hence arose the denomination of Protestants, which from that time has been given to those who separate from the church of Rome. Charles V. was in Italy, to whom the dissenting princes sent ambassadors to lay their grievances before him; but they met with no encouraging reception from him. The pope and the emperor were in close union at this time,and they had interviews upon the business. The pope thought the emperor to be too clement, and alleged that it was his duty to execute vengeance upon the heretical faction. To this, however, the emperor paid no regard, looking upon it as unjust to condemn, unheard, a set of men who had always approved themSeives good citizens. The emperor, therefore, set out for Germany, having already appointed a diet of the empire to be held at Augsburg, where he arrived, and found there a full assembly of the members of the diet. Here the gentle and pacific Melancthon had been ordered to draw up a confession of their faith, which he did and expressed his sentiments and doctrine with the greatest elegance and perspicuity; and thus Came forth to view the famous confession of Augsburg. so taken up with the scheme of divorce, and of abolishing the papal jurisdiction in England, he had but little leisure to attend to them. Meanwhile Charles was convinced that it was not a time to extirpate heresy by violence; and at last terms of pacification were agreed upon at Nuremberg, and ratified solemnly in the diet at Ratisbon: and affairs so ordered by Divine Providence, that the Prostestants obtained terms which amounted almost to a toleration of their religion. Soon after the conclusion of the peace at Nuremburg, died John elector of Saxony, who was succeeded by his son John Frederic, a prince of invincible fortitude and magnanimity, but whose reign was little better than one con tinued train of disappointments and calamities. The religious truce, how. ever, gave new vigour to the reformation. Those who had hitherto been only secret enemies to the Roman pontiff, now publicly threw off his yoke; and various cities and provinces of Germany enlisted themselves under the religious standards of Luther. On the other hand, as the emperor had now no other hope of terminating the religious disputes but by the meeting of a general council, he repeated his requests to the pope for that purpose. The pontiff (Clement VII) whom the history of This was attempted to be refuted by past councils filled with the greatest the divines of the church of Rome, and uneasiness, endeavoured to retard what a controversy took place, which the he could not with decency refuse. At emperor endeavoured to reconcile, but last, in 1533, he made a proposal by his without success; all hopes of bringing legate, to assemble a council at Mantua, about a coalition seemed utterly despe- Placentia, or Bologna; but the Prorate. The votaries of the church of testants refused their consent to the noRome, therefore, had recourse to the mination of an Italian council, and inpowerful arguments of imperial edicts sisted that a controversy which had its and the force of the secular arm; and, rise in the heart of Germany should be on the 19th of November, a decree was determined within the limits of the emissued by the emperor's orders every pire. The pope, by his usual artifices, way injurious to the reformers. Upon eluded the performance of his own pro which they assembled at Smalcald, mise; and in 1534, was cut off by death, where they concluded a league of mu- in the midst of his stratagem. His suctual defence agaiust all aggressors, by cessor Paul III. seemed to show less rewhich they formed the Protestant states luctance to the assembling a general into one body, and resolved to apply to council, and, in the year 1535, expressed the kings of France and England to im- his inclination to convoke one at Manplore them to patronize their new con tua; and, in the year following, actually federacy. The king of France, being sent circular letters for that purpose the avowed rival of the emperor, de- through all the states and kingdoms untermined secret y to cherish those der bis jurisdiction. This council was sparks of political discord; and the summoned by a bull issued out on the king of England, highly incensed against second of June 1536, to meet at ManCharles, in complaisance to whom the tua the following year: but several ob pope had long retarded, and now open stacles prevented its meeting; one of ly opposed, his long solicited divorce, the most material of which was, that was equally disposed to strengthen a Frederick duke of Mantua had no inclileague which might be rendered formi-nation to receive at once so many guests, dable to the emperor. Being, however, some of them very turbulent, into the place of his residence. On the other of the pontiff. But this protestation hand, the Protestants were firmly per- || produced no effect. Paul III. persisted suaded, that, as the council was assem- in his purpose, and issued out his cir bled in Italy, and by the authority of the cular letters for the convocation of the pope alone, the latter must have had an council, with the approbation of the em undue influence in that assembly; of peror. In justice to this pontiff, howconsequence that all things must have ever, it must be observed, that he showbeeen carried by the votaries of Rome. ed himself not to be averse to every reFor this reason they assembled at Smal- || formation. He appointed four cardicald in the year 1537, where they so- nals, and three other persons eminent lemnly protested against this partial and for their learning, to draw up a plan for corrupt council; and, at the same time, || the reformation of the church in genehad a new summary of their doctrine ||ral, and of the church of Rome in pardrawn up by Luther, in order to pre- ticular. The reformation proposed in sent it to the assembled bishops, if it this plan was, indeed, extremely supershould be required of them. This sum- ficial and partial ; yet it contained some mary, which had the title of The Arti- || particulars which could scarcely have cles of Smalcald, is commonly joined been expected from those who comwith the creeds and confessions of the posed it. Lutheran church. fixed in their opposition to this measure, he began to listen to the sanguinary measures of the pope, and resolved to terminate the disputes by force of arms. The elector of Saxony and landgrave of Hesse, who were the chief supporters, of the Protestant cause, upon, this, took proper measures to prevent their being surprised and overwhelmed by a su perior force; but, before the horrors of war commenced, the great reformer Luther died in peace at Ayselben, the place of his nativity, in 1546. All this time the emperor had been After the meeting of the general labouring to persuade the Protestants council in Mantua was thus prevented, to consent to the meeting of the counmany schemes of accommodation wereell at Trent; but, when he found them proposed both by the emperor and the Protestants; but, by the artifices of the church of Rome, all of them came to nothing. In 1541, the emperor appointed a meeting at Worms on the subject of religion, between persons of piety and learning, chosen from the contending parties. This conference, however, was, for certain reasons, removed to the diet that was to be held at Ratisbon the same year, and in which the principal subject of deliberation was a memorial presented by a person unknown, containing a project of peace. But the The emperor and the pope had muconference produced no other effect tually resolved on the destruction of all than a mutual agreement of the con- who should dare to oppose the council tending parties to refer their matters to of Trent. The meeting of it was to a general council, or, if the meeting of serve as a signal for taking up arms; such a council should be prevented, to and accordingly its deliberations were the next German diet. scarcely begun, in 1546, when the ProThe resolution was rendered ineffec-testants perceived undoubted signs of tual by a variety of incidents, which the approaching storm, and a formidawidened the breach, and put off to a ble union betwixt the emperor and the farther day the deliberations which pope, which threatened to crush and were designed to heal it. The pope or-overwhelm them at once. This year, dered his legate to declare to the diet indeed there had been a new conference of Spire. assembled in 1542, that he at Ratisbon upon the old subject of acwould, according to the promise he had commodating differences in religion; already made, assemble a general coun- but, from the manner in which the decil, and that Trent should be the place bates were carried on, it plainly apof its meeting, if the diet had no ob-peared that these differences could onjection to that city. Ferdinand, and the ly be decided in the field of battle. The princes who adhered to the cause of the council of Trent, in the mean time, pro pope, gave their consent to this propo-mulgated their decrees; while the resal; but it was vehemently objected to by the Protestants, both because the council was summoned by the authority of the pope only, and also because the place was within the jurisdiction of the pope whereas they desired a free Council, which should not be biassed by the dictates nor awed by the proximity formed princes, in the diet of Ratisbon, protested against their authority, and were on that account proscribed by the emperor, who raised an army to reduce them to obedience. The elector of Saxony and the landgrave of Hesse led their forces into Bavaria against the emperor, and canona |