Inthiscriticalsituationofitsaffairs，thepapalcourtwasatsufficientpainstocultivatethefriendshipofthepowerfulsovereignsofFranceandSpain，ofwhomthelatterwasatthattimeEmperorofGermany。Withtheirassistanceitwasenabled，thoughnotwithoutgreatdifficultyandmuchbloodshed，eithertosuppressaltogetherortoobstructverymuchtheprogressoftheReformationintheirdominions。Itwaswellenoughinclined，too，tobecomplaisanttotheKingofEngland。
Butfromthecircumstancesofthetimes，itcouldnotbesowithoutgivingoffencetoastillgreatersovereign，CharlesV，KingofSpainandEmperorofGermany。HenryVIIIaccordingly，thoughhedidnotembracehimselfthegreaterpartofthedoctrinesoftheReformation，wasyetenabled，bytheirgeneralprevalence，tosuppressallthemonasteries，andtoabolishtheauthorityoftheChurchofRomeinhisdominions。Thatheshouldgosofar，thoughhewentnofurther，gavesomesatisfactiontothepatronsoftheReformation，whohavinggotpossessionofthegovernmentinthereignofhissonandsuccessor，completedwithoutanydifficultytheworkwhichHenryVIIIhadbegun。
Insomecountries，asinScotland，wherethegovernmentwasweak，unpopular，andnotveryfirmlyestablished，theReformationwasstrongenoughtooverturn，notonlythechurch，butthestatelikewiseforattemptingtosupportthechurch。
AmongthefollowersoftheReformationdispersedinallthedifferentcountriesofEurope，therewasnogeneraltribunalwhich，likethatofthecourtofRome，oranoecumenicalcouncil，couldsettlealldisputesamongthem，andwithirresistibleauthorityprescribetoallofthemthepreciselimitsoforthodoxy。WhenthefollowersoftheReformationinonecountry，therefore，happenedtodifferfromtheirbrethreninanother，astheyhadnocommonjudgetoappealto，thedisputecouldneverbedecided;andmanysuchdisputesaroseamongthem。Thoseconcerningthegovernmentofthechurch，andtherightofconferringecclesiasticalbenefices，wereperhapsthemostinterestingtothepeaceandwelfareofcivilsociety。TheygavebirthaccordinglytothetwoprincipalpartiesofsectsamongthefollowersoftheReformation，theLutheranandCalvinisticsects，theonlysectsamongthemofwhichthedoctrineanddisciplinehaveeveryetbeenestablishedbylawinanypartofEurope。
ThefollowersofLuther，togetherwithwhatiscalledtheChurchofEngland，preservedmoreorlessoftheepiscopalgovernment，establishedsubordinationamongtheclergy，gavethesovereignthedisposalofallthebishopricsandotherconsistorialbeneficeswithinhisdominions，andtherebyrenderedhimtherealheadofthechurch;andwithoutdeprivingthebishopoftherightofcollatingtothesmallerbeneficeswithinhisdiocese，they，eventothosebenefices，notonlyadmitted，butfavouredtherightofpresentationbothinthesovereignandinallotherlay—patrons。Thissystemofchurchgovernmentwasfromthebeginningfavourabletopeaceandgoodorder，andtosubmissiontothecivilsovereign。Ithasnever，accordingly，beentheoccasionofanytumultorcivilcommotioninanycountryinwhichithasoncebeenestablished。TheChurchofEnglandinparticularhasalwaysvaluedherself，withgreatreason，upontheunexceptionableloyaltyofherprinciples。Undersuchagovernmenttheclergynaturallyendeavourtorecommendthemselvestothesovereign，tothecourt，andtothenobilityandgentryofthecountry，bywhoseinfluencetheychieflyexpecttoobtainpreferment。Theypaycourttothosepatronssometimes，nodoubt，bythevilestflatteryandassentation，butfrequently，too，bycultivatingallthoseartswhichbestdeserve，andwhicharethereforemostlikelytogainthemtheesteemofpeopleofrankandfortune;bytheirknowledgeinallthedifferentbranchesofusefulandornamentallearning，bythedecentliberalityoftheirmanners，bythesocialgoodhumouroftheirconversation，andbytheiravowedcontemptofthoseabsurdandhypocriticalausteritieswhichfanaticsinculcateandpretendtopractise，inordertodrawuponthemselvestheveneration，anduponthegreaterpartofmenofrankandfortune，whoavowthattheydonotpractisethem，theabhorrenceofthecommonpeople。Suchaclergy，however，whiletheypaytheircourtinthismannertothehigherranksoflife，areveryapttoneglectaltogetherthemeansofmaintainingtheirinfluenceandauthoritywiththelower。Theyarelistenedto，esteemed，andrespectedbytheirsuperiors;butbeforetheirinferiorstheyarefrequentlyincapableofdefending，effectuallyandtotheconvictionofsuchhearers，theirownsoberandmoderatedoctrinesagainstthemostignorantenthusiastwhochoosestoattackthem。