History of the Great Reformation Part 6

[97] Dr. Dewette thinks this letter is Luther's (L. Epp. iii. p. 352).

It appears clear to me, as also to Dr. Bretschneider, that it is Melancthon's. Luther never went so far in the way of concession.

[98] Observo quantum ex veteribus caeremoniis retineri potest, retineas.--(Corp. Ref. ii. p. 990.)

[99] Omnis novitas nocet in vulgo.--(Ibid.)

They retained, therefore, the Latin liturgy, a few German hymns being mingled with it;[100] the communion in one kind for those only who scrupled from habit to take it in both; a confession made to the priest without being in any way obligatory; many saints' days, the sacred vestments,[101] and other rites, "in which," said Melancthon, "there is no harm, whatever Zwingle may say."[102] And at the same time they set forth with reserve the doctrines of the Reformation.

[100] Non aboleas eam totam (the Latin ma.s.s): satis est alicubi miscere Germanicas cantationes.--(Ibid.)

[101] Ut retineantur vestes usitatae in sacris.--(Corp. Ref. ad Jonam, 20th December 1527.)

[102] Vel si Zwinglius ipse praedicaturus sit.--(Corp. Ref. ii. p.

910.)

It is but right to confess the dominion of facts and circ.u.mstances upon these ecclesiastical organizations; but there is a dominion which rises higher still--that of the Word of G.o.d.

Perhaps what Melancthon did was all that could be effected at that time: but it was necessary for the work to be one day resumed and re-established on its primitive plan, and this was Calvin's glory.

[Sidenote: DISAFFECTION.]

A cry of astonishment was heard both from the camp of Rome and from that of the Reformation. "Our cause is betrayed," exclaimed some of the evangelical Christians: "the liberty is taken away that Jesus Christ had given us."[103]

[103] Alii dicerent prodi causam.--(Camer. Vita Melancthon, p. 107.)

On their part the Ultramontanists triumphed in Melancthon's moderation: they called it a retractation, and took advantage of it to insult the Reform. Cochlus published a "horrible" engraving, as he styles it himself, in which, from beneath the same hood was seen issuing a seven-headed monster representing Luther. Each of these heads had different features, and all, uttering together the most frightful and contradictory words, kept disputing, tearing, and devouring each other.[104]

[104] Monstrosus ille Germaniae partus, Lutherus septiceps.--(Cochlus, p. 169.)

The astonished Elector resolved to communicate Melancthon's paper to Luther. But never did the Reformer's respect for his friend show itself in a more striking manner. He only made one or two unimportant additions to this plan, and sent it back accompanied with the highest eulogiums. The Romanists said that the tiger caught in a net was licking the hands that clipped his talons. But it was not so. Luther knew that the aim of Melancthon's labours was to strengthen the very soul of the Reformation in all the churches of Saxony. That was sufficient for him. He thought besides, that in every thing there must be a transition; and being justly convinced that his friend was more than himself a man of transition, he frankly accepted his views.

The general visitation began. Luther in Saxony, Spalatin in the districts of Altenburg and Zwickau, Melancthon in Thuringia, and Thuring in Franconia, with ecclesiastical deputies and several lay colleagues, commenced the work in October and November 1528.

[Sidenote: IMPORTANT RESULTS.]

They purified the clergy by dismissing every priest of scandalous life;[105] they a.s.signed a portion of the church property to the maintenance of public wors.h.i.+p, and they placed the remainder beyond the reach of plunder; they continued the suppression of the convents; they established everywhere unity of instruction; and "Luther's greater and smaller catechisms," which appeared in 1529, contributed more perhaps than any other writings to propagate throughout the new churches the ancient faith of the Apostles; they commissioned the pastors of the great towns, under the t.i.tle of superintendents, to watch over the churches and the schools; they maintained the abolition of celibacy; and the ministers of the Word, become husbands and fathers, formed the germ of a third estate, whence in after-years were diffused in all ranks of society learning, activity, and light. This is one of the truest causes of the intellectual and moral superiority that indisputably distinguishes the evangelical nations.

[105] Viginti fere rudes et inepti, multique concubinarii et potatores deprehensi sunt.--(Seckend. p. 102.)

The organization of the churches in Saxony, notwithstanding its imperfections, produced for that time at least the most important results. This was because the Word of G.o.d prevailed; and because, wherever this Word exercises its power, secondary errors and abuses are paralyzed. The very discretion that was employed proceeded in reality from a good principle. The reformers, unlike the enthusiasts, did not utterly reject an inst.i.tution because it was corrupted. They did not say, for example: "The sacraments are disfigured, let us do without them! the ministry is corrupt, let us reject it!"--but they rejected the abuse, and restored the use. This prudence is the mark of a work of G.o.d; and if Luther sometimes permitted the chaff to remain along with the wheat, Calvin appeared later, and more thoroughly purged the Christian thres.h.i.+ng-floor.

[Sidenote: THE REFORMATION ADVANCES.]

The organization which was at that time accomplis.h.i.+ng in Saxony, exerted a strong reaction on all the German empire, and the doctrine of the Gospel advanced with gigantic strides. The design of G.o.d in turning aside from the reformed states of Germany, the thunderbolt that he caused to fall upon the seven-hilled city, was clearly manifest. Never were years more usefully employed; and it was not only to framing a const.i.tution that the Reformation devoted itself, it was also to extend its doctrine.

The duchies of Luneburg and Brunswick, many of the most important imperial cities, as Nuremberg, Augsburg, Ulm, Strasburg, Gottingen, Gosslar, Nordhausen, Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburg, removed the tapers from the chapels, and subst.i.tuted in their place the brighter torch of the Word of G.o.d.

In vain did the frightened canons allege the authority of the Church.

"The authority of the Church," replied Kempe and Zechenhagen, the reformer of Hamburg, "cannot be acknowledged unless the Church herself obeys her pastor Jesus Christ."[106] Pomera.n.u.s visited many places to put a finis.h.i.+ng hand to the Reform.

[106] Evangelici auctoritatem Ecclesiae non aliter agnoscendam esse contendebant quam si vocem pastoris Christi sequeretur.--(Seckend. i.

p. 245.)

In Franconia, the Margrave George of Brandenburg, having reformed Ans.p.a.ch and Bayreuth, wrote to his ancient protector, Ferdinand of Austria, who had knit his brows on hearing of his reforming proceedings: "I have done this by G.o.d's order; for he commands princes to take care not only of the bodies of their subjects, but also of their souls."[107]

[107] Non modo quoad corpus, sed etiam quoad animam.--(Seckend. ii. p.

121.)

In East Friesland, on new-year's day, 1527, a Dominican named Resius, having put on his hood,[108] ascended the pulpit at Noorden, and declared himself ready to maintain certain theses according to the tenor of the Gospel. Having silenced the Abbot of Noorden by the soundness of his arguments, Resius took off his cowl, laid it on the pulpit, and was received in the nave by the acclamations of the faithful. Ere long the whole of Friesland laid aside the uniform of Popery, as Resius had done.

[108] Resius, cucullum indutus, suggestum ascendit.--(Scultet. Ann. p.

93.)

[Sidenote: A PIOUS PRINCESS.]

At Berlin, Elizabeth, electress of Brandenburg, having read Luther's works, felt a desire to receive the Lord's supper in conformity with Christ's inst.i.tution: a minister secretly administered it at the festival of Easter, 1528; but one of her children informed the Elector. Joachim was greatly exasperated, and ordered his wife to keep her room for several days;[109] it was even said that he intended to shut her up.[110] This princess, being deprived of all religious support, and mistrusting the perfidious manuvres of the Romish priests, resolved to escape by flight; and she claimed the a.s.sistance of her brother, Christian II. of Denmark, who was then residing at Torgau. Taking advantage of a dark night, she quitted the castle in a peasant's dress, and got into a rude country-waggon that was waiting for her at the gate of the city. Elizabeth urged on the driver, when, in a bad road, the wain broke down. The electress, hastily unfastening a handkerchief she wore round her head, flung it to the man, who employed it in repairing the damage, and ere long Elizabeth arrived at Torgau. "If I should expose you to any risk," said she to her uncle, the Elector of Saxony, "I am ready to go wherever Providence may guide me." But John a.s.signed her a residence in the castle of Lichtenberg, on the Elbe, near Wittemberg. Without taking upon us to approve of Elizabeth's flight, let us acknowledge the good that G.o.d's Providence drew from it. This amiable lady, who lived at Lichtenberg, in the study of His word, seldom appearing at court, frequently going to hear Luther's sermons, and exercising a salutary influence over her children, who sometimes had permission to see her, was the first of those pious princesses whom the house of Brandenburg has counted, and even still counts, among its members.

[109] Aliquot diebus a marito in cubiculo detenta fuisse.--(Seckend.

ii. p. 122.)

[110] Marehio statuerat eam immurare.--(L. Epp. ad Lenkium, iii. p.

296.)

At the same time, Holstein, Sleswick, and Silesia decided in favour of the Reformation: and Hungary, as well as Bohemia, saw the number of its adherents increase.

[Sidenote: EDICT OF OFEN.]

In every place, instead of a hierarchy seeking its righteousness in the works of man, its glory in external pomp, its strength in a material power, the Church of the Apostles reappeared, humble as in primitive times, and like the ancient Christians, looking for its righteousness, its glory, and its power solely in the blood of Christ and in the Word of G.o.d.[111]

[111] Revelation xii. 11.

IV. All these triumphs of the Gospel could not pa.s.s unperceived; there was a powerful reaction, and until political circ.u.mstances should permit a grand attack upon the Reformation on the very soil where it was established, and of persecuting it by means of diets, and if necessary by armies, they began to persecute in detail in the Romish countries with tortures and the scaffold.

On the 20th August, 1527, King Ferdinand, by the Edict of Ofen in Hungary, published a tariff of crimes and penalties, in which he threatened death by the sword, by fire, or by water,[112] against whoever should say that Mary was a woman like other women; or partake of the sacrament in an heretical manner; or consecrate the bread and wine, not being a Romish priest; and further, in the second case, the house in which the sacrament should have been administered was to be confiscated or rased to the ground.

[112] Die sollen mit den Feuer Schwerdt oder Wa.s.ser gestraft werden.--(Ferd. Mandat. L. Opp. xix. p. 596.)

Such was not the legislation of Luther. Link having asked him if it were lawful for the magistrate to put the false prophets to death, meaning the Sacramentarians, whose doctrines Luther attacked with so much force,[113] the Reformer replied: "I am slow whenever life is concerned, even if the offender is exceedingly guilty.[114] I can by no means admit that the false teachers should be put to death;[115] it is sufficient to remove them." For ages the Romish Church has bathed in blood. Luther was the first to profess the great principles of humanity and religious liberty.

[113] Contra hostes sacramentarios strenue n.o.bisc.u.m certare.--(Epp. to Lenk, July 14, 1528.)

[114] Ego ad judicium sanguinis tardus sum, etiam ubi meritum abundat.--(Ibid.)

[115] Nullo modo possum admittere falsos doctores occidi.--(Epp. to Lenk, July 14, 1528.)

[Sidenote: PERSECUTIONS--WINKLER AND CARPENTER.]