I PROLOGUE 13 



stantiation, real-unreal presence mystifications, 

 the bibliolatry, the " inner- light " pretensions, and 

 the demonology, which are fruits of the same 

 supernaturalistic tree, remained in enjoyment of 

 the spiritual and temporal support of a new 

 infallibility ? One does not free a prisoner by 

 merely scraping away the rust from his shackles. 



It will be asked, perhaps, was not the Reforma- 

 tion one of the products of that great outbreak of 

 many-sided free mental activity included under 

 the general head of the Renascence ? Melanch- 

 thon, Ulrich von Hutten, Beza, were they not all 

 humanists ? Was riot the arch-humanist, Erasmus, 

 fautor-in-chief of the Reformation, until he got 

 frightened and basely deserted it ? 



From the language of Protestant historians, it 

 would seem that they often forget that Reforma- 

 tion and Protestantism are by no means con- 

 vertible terms. There were plenty of sincere and 

 indeed zealous reformers, before, during, and 

 after the birth and growth of Protestantism, who 

 would have nothing to do with it. Assuredly, 

 the rejuvenescence of science and of art; the 

 widening of the field of Nature by geographical 

 and astronomical discovery; the revelation of the 

 noble ideals of antique literature by the revival of 

 classical learning ; the stir of thought, throughout 

 all classes of society, by the printers' work, 

 loosened traditional bonds and weakened the hold 

 of mediaeval Supernaturalism. In the interests 



