History of the Great Reformation Part 41

"They cry out that we condemn all the Church. No, we do not condemn it; but as for them, they condemn all the Word of G.o.d, and the Word of G.o.d is more than the Church."[774]

[774] Sed ab ipsis totum verb.u.m Dei _quod plus quam ecclesia est_ d.a.m.nari. (L. Epp. iv. p. 145.)

This important declaration of the Reformers decides the controversy between the Evangelical Christians and the Papacy: unfortunately we have often seen Protestants return, on this fundamental point, to the error of Rome, and set the visible Church above the Word of G.o.d.

"I write to you now," continues Luther, "to believe with all of us (and that through obedience to Jesus Christ), that Campeggio is a famous demon.[775] I cannot tell how violently these conditions agitate me which you propose. The plan of Campeggio and the Pope has been to try us first by threats, and then, if they do not succeed, by stratagems; you have triumphed over the first attack, and sustained the terrible coming of Caesar: now, then, for the second. Act with courage, and do not yield to the adversaries except what can be proved with evidence from the very Word of G.o.d.

[775] Quod Campeggius est unus magnus et insignis diabolus. (Ibid. p.

147.)

"But if, which Christ forbid! you do not put forward all the Gospel; if, on the contrary, you shut up that glorious eagle in a sack; Luther--doubt it not!--Luther will come and gloriously deliver the eagle.[776] As certainly as Christ lives, that shall be done!"

[776] Veniet, ne dubita, veniet Lutterus, hanc aquilam liberaturus magnifice. (L. Epp. iv. p. 155.)

[Sidenote: PAPIST INFATUATION.]

Thus spoke Luther, but in vain: everything in Augsburg was tending towards approaching ruin; Melancthon had a bandage over his eyes that nothing could tear off. He no longer listened to Luther, and cared not for popularity. "It does not become us," said he, "to be moved by the clamours of the vulgar:[777] we must think of peace and of posterity.

If we repeal the episcopal jurisdiction, what will be the consequence to our descendants? The secular powers care nothing about the interests of religion.[778] Besides too much dissimilarity in the Churches is injurious to peace: we must unite with the bishops, lest the infamy of schism should overwhelm us for ever."[779]

[777] Sed nos nihil decet vulgi clamoribus moveri. (Corp. Ref. ii. p.

303.)

[778] Profani jurisdictionem ecclesiasticam et similia negotia religionem non curent. (Corp. Ref. ii.)

[779] Ne schismatis infamia perpetuo laboremus. (Ibid.)

They too readily listened to Melancthon, and they vigorously laboured to bind to the Papacy by the bonds of the hierarchy the Church that G.o.d had wonderfully emanc.i.p.ated. Protestantism rushed blindfold into the nets of its enemies. Already serious voices announced the return of the Lutherans into the bosom of the Romish Church. "They are preparing their defection, and are pa.s.sing over to the Papists," said Zwingle.[780] The politic Charles the Fifth so acted that no haughty word should compromise the victory; but the Roman clergy could not master themselves: their pride, their insolence increased every day.

"One would never believe," said Melancthon, "the airs of triumph which the Papists give themselves." There was good reason! the agreement was on the verge of conclusion: yet one or two steps.......and then, woe to Reform!

[780] Lutherani defectionem parant ad Papistas. (Zw. Epp. ii. p. 461.)

Who could prevent this desolating ruin? It was Luther who p.r.o.nounced the name towards which all eyes should be turned: "Christ lives," said he, "and he by whom the violence of our enemies has been conquered will give us strength to surmount their wiles." This was in truth the only resource, and it did not fail the Reform.

[Sidenote: A NEW COMMISSION.]

If the Roman hierarchy had been willing, under certain admissible conditions, to receive the Protestants who were ready to capitulate, it was all over with them. When once it held them in its arms, it would have stifled them; but G.o.d blinded the Papacy, and thus saved his Church. "No concessions," had declared the Romish senate; and Campeggio, elated with his victory, repeated, "No concessions!" He moved heaven and earth to inflame the Catholic zeal of Charles in this decisive moment. From the Emperor he pa.s.sed to the princes. "Celibacy, confession, the withdrawal of the cup, private ma.s.ses!" exclaimed he: "all these are obligatory: we must have all." This was saying to the Evangelical Christians, as the Samnites to the ancient Romans: "Here are the Caudine Forks: pa.s.s through them!"

The Protestants saw the yoke, and shuddered. G.o.d revived the courage of the confessors in their weakened hearts. They raised their heads, and rejected this humiliating capitulation. The commission was immediately dissolved.

This was a great deliverance; but soon appeared a fresh danger. The Evangelical Christians should have immediately quitted Augsburg; but, said one of them,[781] "Satan, disguised as an angel of light, blinded the eyes of their understanding." They remained.

[781] Baumgartner to Spengler. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 363.)

All was not yet lost for Rome, and the spirit of falsehood and of cunning might again renew its attacks.

It was believed at court that this disagreeable termination of the commission was to be ascribed to some wrong-headed individuals, and particularly to Duke George. They therefore resolved to name another, composed of six members only: on the one side, Eck, with the chancellors of Cologne and Baden; on the other, Melancthon, with the chancellors Bruck and h.e.l.ler. The Protestants consented, and all was begun anew.

[Sidenote: THE LANDGRAVE'S FIRMNESS.]

The alarm then increased among the most decided followers of the Reformation. "If we expose ourselves unceasingly to new dangers, must we not succ.u.mb at last?"[782] The deputies of Nuremberg in particular declared that their city would never place itself again under the detested yoke of the bishops. "It is the advice of the undecided Erasmus that Melancthon follows," said they. "Say rather of Ahithophel" (2 Sam. xv.), replied others. "However it may be," added they; "if the Pope had bought Melancthon, the latter could have done nothing better to secure the victory for him."[783]

[782] Fremunt et alii socii ac indignatur regnum Episcoporum rest.i.tui.

(Ibid. p. 328.)

[783] Si conductus quanta ipse voluisset pecunia a Papa esset. (Corp.

Ref. ii. p. 333.)

The Landgrave was especially indignant at this cowardice.

"Melancthon," wrote he to Zwingle, "walks backwards like a crab."[784]

From Friedwald, whither he had repaired after his flight from Augsburg, Philip of Hesse endeavoured to check the fall of Protestantism. "When we begin to yield, we always yield more," wrote he to his ministers at Augsburg. "Declare therefore to my allies that I reject these perfidious conciliations. If we are Christians, what we should pursue is, not our own advantage, but the consolation of so many weary and afflicted consciences, for whom there is no salvation if we take away the Word of G.o.d. The bishops are not real bishops, for they speak not according to the Holy Scriptures. If we acknowledge them, what would happen? They would remove our ministers, oppress the Gospel, re-establish ancient abuses, and the last state would be worse than the first. If the Papists will permit the free preaching of the pure Gospel, let us come to an understanding with them; for the truth will be the strongest, and will root out all the rest. But if not!--No. This is the moment, not to yield, but to remain firm even to the death. Baffle these fearful combinations of Melancthon, and tell, from me, the deputies of the cities to be men, and not women.[785] Let us fear nothing: G.o.d is with us."

[784] Retro it, ut cancer. (Zw. Epp. ii. p. 506.)

[785] Das sie nicht weyber seyen sondern manner. (Corp. Ref. ii. p.

327.)

[Sidenote: THE TWO PHANTOMS.]

Melancthon and his friends, thus attacked, sought to justify themselves: on the one hand, they maintained, that if they preserved the doctrine it would finally overthrow the hierarchy. But then why restore it? Was it not more than doubtful whether a doctrine so enfeebled would still retain strength sufficient to shake the Papacy?

On the other hand, Melancthon and his friends pointed out two phantoms before which they shrunk in affright. The first was _war_: it was, in their opinion, imminent. "It is not only," said they, "numberless temporal evils that it will bring with it,--the devastation of Germany, murder, violation, sacrilege, rapine; but it will produce spiritual evils more frightful still, and will inevitably bring on the perturbation of all religion."[786] The second phantom was the supremacy of the state. Melancthon and his friends foresaw the dependence to which the princes would reduce the Church, the increasing secularization of its inst.i.tutions and of its instruments, the spiritual death that would result, and they shrunk back with terror from the frightful prospect. "Good men do not think that the court should regulate the ministry of the Church,"[787] said Brenz.

"Have you not yourselves experienced," added he ironically, "with what wisdom and mildness these boors ('tis thus I denominate the officials and prefects of the princes) treat the ministers of the Church, and the Church itself. Rather die seven times!"--"I see," exclaimed Melancthon, "what a Church we shall have if the ecclesiastical government is abolished. I discover in the future a tyranny far more intolerable than that which has existed to this day."[788] Then, bowed down by the accusations that poured upon him from every side, the unhappy Philip exclaimed: "If it is I who have aroused this tempest, I pray his majesty to throw me, like Jonas, into the sea, and to drag me out only to give me up to torture and to the stake."[789]

[786] Confusio et perturbatio religionum. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 382.)

[787] Ut aula ministerium in ecclesia ordinet bonis non videtur consultum. (Ibid. p. 362.)

[788] Video postea multo intolerabiliorem futuram tyrannidem quam unquam antea fuisse. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 334.)

[789] Si mea causa haec tempestas coacta est, me statim velut Jonam in mare ejiciat. (Ibid. p. 382.)

[Sidenote: ROME AND CHRISTIANITY.]

The Romish episcopacy once recognised, all seemed easy. In the Commission of Six, they conceded the cup to the laity, marriage to the pastors, and the article of prayer to saints appeared of little importance. But they stopped at three doctrines which the Evangelicals could not yield. The first was the necessity of human satisfaction for the remission of the penalties of sin; the second, the idea of something meritorious in every good work; the third, the utility of private ma.s.ses. "Ah!" quickly replied Campeggio to Charles the Fifth, "I would rather be cut in pieces than concede anything about Ma.s.ses."[790]

[790] Er wollte sich ehe auf Stucker Zureissen la.s.sen. (L. Opp. xx. p.

328.)

"What!" replied the politicians, "when you agree on all the great doctrines of salvation, will you for ever rend the unity of the Church for three such trivial articles? Let the theologians make a last effort, and we shall see the two parties unite, and Rome embrace Wittemberg."

[Sidenote: IRRITATION.]

It was not so: under these three points was concealed a whole system.

On the Roman side, they entertained the idea that certain works gain the Divine favour, independently of the disposition of him who performs them, and by virtue of the will of the Church. On the Evangelical side, on the contrary, they felt a conviction that these external ordinances were mere human traditions, and that the only thing which procured man the Divine favour was the work that G.o.d accomplished by Christ on the cross; while the only thing that put him in possession of this favour was the work of regeneration that Christ accomplishes by his Spirit in the heart of the sinner. The Romanists, by maintaining their three articles, said: "the Church saves," which is the essential doctrine of Rome; the Evangelicals, by rejecting them, said: "Jesus Christ alone saves," which is Christianity itself.

This is the great ant.i.thesis which then existed, and which still separates the two Churches. With these three points, which placed souls under her dependence, Rome justly expected to recover everything; and she showed by her perseverance that she understood her position. But the Evangelicals were not disposed to abandon theirs.

The Christian principle was maintained against the ecclesiastical principle which aspired to swallow it up: Jesus Christ stood firm in presence of the Church, and it was seen that henceforward all conferences were superfluous.

Time pressed: for two months and a half Charles the Fifth had been labouring in Augsburg, and his pride suffered because four or five theologians checked the triumphal progress of the conqueror of Pavia.

"What!" said they to him, "a few days sufficed to overthrow the King of France and the Pope, and you cannot succeed with these Gospellers!"

They determined on breaking off the conferences. Eck, irritated because neither stratagem nor terror had been effectual, could not master himself in the presence of the Protestants. "Ah!" exclaimed he, at the moment of separation, "why did not the Emperor, when he entered Germany, make a general inquest about the Lutherans? He would then have heard arrogant answers, witnessed monsters of heresy, and his zeal suddenly taking fire, would have led him to destroy all this faction.[791] But now Bruck's mild language and Melancthon's concessions prevent him from getting so angry as the cause requires."