THE LIFE AND TIMES betimes, and to marry joung, are what no maQ ever repents of doing."* Some one was once justifying a man who was accustomed to associate with loose women, when
Luther observed, "He ought to know that he shows an utter contempt for the Avhole female sex in what he does.
It is an impious abuse of woman, who was not created for such purposes.
When I was at school, my good hostess at Eisenach had a good saying ' There is nothing on earth so sweet and consoling as the love of a woman.' "
"The Trinity," said Luther one day, "is discernable throughout all creation.
In the sun there coexist body, brilliancy, and heat; in rivers, bod}', current, and strength ; the same is true of the arts and sciences.
In astronomy there are motion, hght, and attraction ; in music, the three notes re, me, fa, and so on.
The schoolmen have neglected these important signs for empty frivolities. "t St. Augustine was represented, in a book that Luther once saw, habited in a monk's gown.
On looking lit th-e picture he observed, " The painter wronged the holy father, for he led an ordinary life like the rest of his countrymen.
He did not Uve apart like a monk."
Having delivered his opinion of Augustine, he added, " But since I became, b}the grace of God, capable of understanding St. Paul,
I have been unable to esteem any of these doctors ; they have shrunk into insignificance in my estimation."t "Antichrist," said Lutlier, "is At once typified in the pope and the Tnrk.
The pope is the soul, the Turk is the flesh."
" Others," he added, " have attacked the mansions of the popes, as did Erasmus and Huss, but I levelled the tvk^o pillars upon which popery rests, namely, vows and private masses."*
Luther bore this testimony to painting, when introducing to his friend Amsdorff a young artist named " I do not know whether you have need of him according to your own notions; but I confess tliat I should like to see your house better decorated, more elegant in its details, if only to please the senses, which require gratifications of this innocent and tranquil nature to develop them to full perfection."'!"
Lutlier was one day descanting upon the genius and skill of the " They imitate nature so perfectl}^" said he, " independently of the exact color and form of the object designed, they give such admirable expression to the most subtle shades of thought, that the pictures live and breathe.
Flanders follows close upon Italy in this art.
The Flemings are a very sharp people ; they learn with similar facility all the foreign languages.
'T is a proverb, you know, ' Carry a Fleming in a bag through Italy or France, and he will know the language before he 's got a hundred miles.' "X " The establishment of schools," said
Luther once with great earnestness, "is one of the most t Michelet, Appendix, CVIII.
THE LIFE AND TIMES important duties whicli the magistrate has to perform.
Private tuition is quite insufficient.
Schools are the cradles of great states, and they ought to be confided to none but the most fit, judicious, and learned men.
It will be an evil day for Germany when she permits her schools to decay.
Popery hates popular education, and turns the key of her massive dungeon upon it.
Where the liberal arts are cultivated, her baleful light is quenched in a more dazzhng efiulgence."^ On one occasion Luther wrote to Ludwig Sienpel, one of the musicians to the popish court of Bavaria, soliciting him to set to music for him some verses which he had composed.
" The love of music," he said, " has enabled me to surmount the fear of being repulsed when you see at the foot of this request a name which is doubtless odious to you.
The same love for, the same faith in music which inspires you, inspires me to hope that my correspondence will not involve you in any trouble or annoyance.
The Turk himself could not make the receipt of a letter upon such a subject matter of reproach against you.
Except theology, there is no art which can be placed in comparison with music."
" Why is it," he exclaimed again, " that we have such a number of grand tunes in secular minstrelsy, while all our spiritual music is poor and cold ?" and here he sang, by way of illustration, one or two German songs, and then some of the hymns in ordinary use, adding,
" I despise those who despise music"!
'O Luther's Treatise on Education.
Printing Luther esteemed the latest and best gift vouchsafed by God to man;* certainly no one had better reason to esteem it.
Diirer, the famous painter of Nuremburg, used to say, that he took no pleasure in the works of art which were overladen with coloring, and that he much preferred those which were plain and simple in their execution;. and so say I of sermons.
Let them be compact and lively, but no t verbose or affected ; and so of their delivery."t To us these wise and kindly phases of Luther's domestic character are replete with strange fascination.
We say again, never does he present a finer figure than when seated at his fireside, engaged in the exercise of the charities of life.
Grander than at Augsburg, defending himself against the subtleties of Cajetan ; grander than at Leipsic, where the massive sword of his eloquence beat Eck to the ground; grander than at Worms, breasting the fierce torrent of the Romish onslaught, is he when taking into his house the plague-stricken father and his little ones, when bending over the dying-bed of his "rose-bud daughter," and uttering his sad yet submissive wail.
Hard and bigoted must be the man who can, in the presence of these facts, deny to Martin Luther the possession of the kindest and the gentlest j)f hearts.
Luther was recalled ft-om Ins quiet teaching at the university, from his turning, from his gardening, from the deHcious repose of his fireside, into active life, by the dangers that menaced the Reformation and Germany.
Eomisli princes was formed against the elector of Saxony and the landgrave of Hesse ;* the Turks having overrun Hungary, pitched their tents before Vienna.
The reformers had been accused of manoeuvring to reduce the empire into vassalage to the Ottoman Absurd as the charge was, it gained credence in those credulous days, and this idea Luther now set himself to repudiate.
Accordingly, in a stirring pamphlet dedicated to the prince of Hesse, he summoned his countrymen to arms against the Moslems ; and Germany, responding to the fiery appeal, arose and saved its independence.
At the same time the Lutheran princes set themselves in motion to crush the league against their religious liberty, and falling upon their foes ere their opposing muster was completed, mulcted them in the sum of one hundred thousand crowns of gold, as an indemnity for the expense of their armaments, and as the price of peace.t
The Reformation was now in the full tide of The Turks held the emperor iu check on the Hungarian border ; tlie inimical duke George of Saxony, and the powerful bishops of the north were obhged to stand quietly by and see their subjects proselyted
; the grand-master of the Teutonic order, Albert of Brandenburg, had secularized the Prussian states ; and the dukes of Mecklenburg and of Brunswick, emboldened by this important occurrence, had summoned, by a public decree, the Lutheran preachers to enter their dominions.'^
Having thus overrun Germany, the Reformation passed the Bhine and spread into Switzerland.
Having at length secured a little leisure by the treaty of Cambria, and the raising of the siege of Vienna, Charles V. set himself to the extirjoation of the heresy which domineered over the empire.!
Convoking a diet at Spires on the IStli of March, 1529, the resolute emperor had it there decreed that the German states should continue to obey the edict promulgated at Worms against 1524, and that every kind of innovation should be interdicted until a general council could be convened.
" It was then," says Michel^t, " that the party of the Reformation burst forth with vigor into light.
The elector of Saxony, the margrave of Brandenburg, the landgrave of Hesse, the dukes of Lunenburgh, the prince of Anhalt, and together with these the deputies of fourteen imperial free towns, all present at the diet, framed in concert a solemn
THE LIFE AND TIMES protest against the decree of the diet, declaring it alike unjust and impious.
" From this protest the whole reform party assumed, and ever after retained, the name of Protestants.'"'^^ Under this threatening state of affairs, the chiefs of the Protestants felt the absolute necessity of uniting the dissenting sects, and of melting all minor differences into one grand opposition to the Eoman see.
In order to effect this object, it was regarded as essential to reconcile Luther and those followers of Zwingle and Carlstadt who were called Sacranientarians.
Accordingly the landgrave of Hesse summoned Luther, Zwingle, OEcolampadius, Bucer, and others of the prominent leaders of the Reformation, to meet and attempt a settlement of the disputed points at Marburg.f
It is sad to relate that Luther, in the controversy which ensued concerning the real presence, did not display his accustomed charitjand fixirness.
He showed no disposition to heal the breach, and indeed went to the conference with the resolute intention of making ifc still wider and more pronounced.
Luther and Zwingle agreed upon every essential point, save this alone; yet when the great Swiss conjured him to acknowledge the brotherhood of the two sides, Luther dogmatically refused to grant
^-I-'^nrpr, S?.^keudovf, etc. even this slight concession; and stranger still, the gentle Melancthon sided with him.* " Let us confess our union in all things in which we agree," said Zwingle at the conclusion of a prolonged debate, during which neither party had yielded an inch, and when it became certain that neither disputant could convince the other; "and as for the rest, let iis remember that we are brothers, witli the same cause at heart.
There will never be peace between the churches if, while we all maintain the grand doctrine of salvation by faith, we cannot consent to differ on secondary points."t
" Yes, yes," cried the impatient landgrave of Hesse, who was present, and anxious at least for outward unity, " acknowledge them as brothers."
Zwingle, bursting into tears in the presence of tlie prince, the courtiers, and the divines—it is Luther himself who relates this—approached Luther, and held out his hand; and this proffered hand the great apostle of the Keformation, the St. Paul of the sixteenth centui}', rejected.:]:
Swiss reformer felt this unchristian conduct, this contemptuous rejection of proffered amity and fellowship, keenly ; but with admirable good sense they maintained their composure, and having exhausted their sohcitations, quitted the council hall, serenely appealing to posterity for an unprejudiced verdict.§
Upon the merits of the point at issue at MarTHE LIFE AND TIMES burg, it is not within the scope of this work to pronounce
; but it is simply just to say that Luther's warmest admirers united in condemning his uncharitable spirit upon that occasion, and always when this question was argued, and in wishing that this dark spot did not rest upon the disc of his fair fame.
Zwingle's principle of agreement upon essential points is the true principle of Christian union.
It has been said that the sixteenth century was too deeply sunk in the slough of scholasticism to understand it.
Still this unhappy conference at Marburg proves that some keen souls perceived it then, and it has now become an essential canon of Christian fellowship.
This unsatisfactory theological strife filled up the interstices of that great European war which Charles V. waged with Francis
But during the most violent crises of the military operations, in the very spasms of the war, the religious conflict knew neither relaxation nor abatement.
It was a solemn and imposing spectacle that Germany then offered, absorbed by a religious sentiment, and unmindful in that entrancemeut of the imminent dangers in which her formidable enemies threatened to envelop her.
While the Turks were bursting through all the ancient barriers which once protected her, and while Solyman was pouring his Tartar hordes into the country beyond Vienna, Germany was lost in the intricacies of a dispute respecting transubstp"OF MARTIN LUTHER. tiation and freewill.
The most renowned of her v/arriors were seated in dietic assemblies, interrogating the learned.
Such was the intrepid phlegm of this great people ; such their confidence in the reserve force and in the members of the nation."
The war with the Turks and Avitli France, the capture of Eome, and the defence of Vienna, had so incessantly occupied the emperor, that, despite the new decree of the diet of Spires, the Protestants had enjoyed religious toleration thus far.
Italy quelled, Solyman driven within his own boundaries, and no fresh worlds to conquer, Charles V. laid aside his sword, and taking up a crosier and playing poj^e, recalled the oath which he had made at Barcelona, and set about preparing
" a suitable antidote for the pestilential disease with which the Germans were attacked."'!'
He summoned the two opj^osing religious systems to face him at Augsburg.
Bomanists responded willingly Bomanists, because they felt confident of a triumph through the well-known predilections and zeal of the emperor; the Protestants, because they felt that the time had come to declare themselves in the face .of Europe, and to frame thus openly and solemnly a digest of their creed.
Luther, over w^hom there was still suspended the edict of Worms, in which he was declared to be^ a \ Duiuiiul, Corp. Univ. Diplomatique, IV.,
TBE LIFE' AND TIMES terctic, was, inucli against his own will, and through the prudence of his friends, compelled to absent himself from Augsburg, his place being supplied by : but the great reformer Avas conveyed, by the elector John Frederick, as near to the place of convocation as a regard for his safety would permit, and he was stationed in the strong and neighboring fortress of Coburg, whence he was enabled to maintain with ease and exjjedition a constant intercourse with the Protestant representatives.
The states of Germany had never been more nobly represented than they were at the opening of this famous diet.
Charles V. took his seat as arbiter, and attendant upon him were Ferdinand, the newly elected king of the Romans, the pope's legate, the subtle Campeggio, charged with all the authority and the weighty counsels of the pontifical court, and a glittering retinue of princely prelates.
Representing the Protestant interest, stood the venerable elector of Saxony, the chivalrous landcrrave of Hesse, the learned and ardent Albert of Brandenburg, and the deputies of those cities which, in the true sjDirit of free and wealth}^ communities, had been among the first to oppose the superstitions and tyrannical dogmas of the Roman see.*
After the accomplishment of the routine business of the diet, the emperor turned to the Protestant envoys, and bade them present in writing ii concise exposition of what they believed and of what they denied.
This was on Friday, the 17th Protestants until the 25th instant for the composition of their confession."
This proposition was received with delight in the reform camp.
In the absence of Luther, Melancthon was selected to draw up the confession.
This he immediately set about doing ; and so incessantly did he work at it, that in this service of God he was near committing suicide.f
By Thursda}', the 23d inst., by dint of this incessant labor, the manuscript was ready j and after receiving the assent of the princes, deputies, chancellors, and theologians of the Protestant party, who had met early in the morning at the elector's lodgings for the purpose of hearing it read, it was forwarded to Luther at Coburg, for his revision and final judgment.
Luther gave it an attentive perusal, and on returning it to the elector he wrote, " I like it well enough, and have no essential corrections to make.
Besides, simple corrections would hardly suit me I cannot walk so meekly and so silently.
't is for the best, and that it may bear much and good fruit."| Melancthon had based the fundamental doctrines of the confession upon the principles which Luther had so luminously explained and defended
; but his conciliatory temper led him to penetrate the overpowering vehemence of his great friend's tenets with the gentler and more pacific tone of his own iutelf Camer, Vita Phil. Melauc.
THE LIFE AND TIMES lect ; so that the writing was couched in words which savored not so much of rigorous independence as of persuasive deprecation.
Still it was regarded as a masterly performance, and in the main gave general satisfaction to the dissenting sects, though the article on the real presence did not meet the approbation of the very large party which held with Zwingle, Bucer, and OEcolampadius, that the biblical expression. This is my body, was symbolical.*
On the 25th of June, the chapel of the palatine palace was crowded densely, and the approaches to it were blocked up by an excited throng.t
After all were seated, and in the midst of one of those painful hushes which usually precede what are felt to be momentous enterprises, chancellor
Bayer arose, and in a distinct and finely modulated voice which carried his words far beyond the echoing arches of the little chapel to the greedy ears of the outer thousands, read the Protestant confession of faith.:]:
Bayer held in his hand two copies of the writing, one in Latin the other in German Charles, incited thereto by the wily Cochleeus, requested him to read the confession in Latin.
By this manoeuvre the Eomanists intended to ruin the effect of what was uttered, since the vast majority of those jjresent would not have been able to comprehend a word.§
But the Saxon elector defeated this notable Sixxlatiii's Narrative. stratagem by remindiug Charles that since they stood on German soil, and read a German confession to an assembly of Germans, it would be more fitting to use the national language.*
No further objection being made, the chancellor proceeded in German " Most serene, most mighty and invincible emperor, and most gracious lord, we who now appear in your presence declare ourselves ready to confer amicably with you on the fittest means of restoring one sole, true, and same faith, since it is for one sole and same Christ that we fight.
And in case these religious dissensions cannot be settled amicably, we then offer to your majesty to explain our cause in a general, free Christian council."t
After this exordium, Bayer confessed the Protestant belief in the Trinity, borrowing therefor the words of the Nicene council
; original and hereditary sin, " which bringeth eternal death to all who are not born again ;" and the incarnation of the Son—very God and very man.:|:
The orator then continued " We teach moreover, that we cannot be justified before God by our own strength, our merits, or our works; but that we are justified freely for Christ's sake through faith, when we believe that our sins are forgiven in virtue of Christ, who by his death has made satisfaction for our sins
: this faith is the righteousness that God imputeth to the sinner.
^ Corp. Eef., II., 153. f Urkund, Confessio. Augs.
J Urkund, Confessio. Angs.
" We teach at the same time that this faith ought to bear good fruits, and that we must do all the good works commanded by God, for the love of God, and not by their means to gain the grace of God."""
The Protestants next declare their faith in the Christian church, which they asserted to be "the assembly of all true believers ;" and they then successively confessed their adherence to the evangelical idea of the doctrines of confession, penance, the nature of the sacraments—"not only signs whereby the profession of the gospel is set forth, but the witnesses of the love of God towards men, which serve to excite and establish faith ;" the " real presence of the body and blood of Christ in | the Lord's supper, under the form of the bread and wine ;" the right of each church to select its own pastor ; the freedom of the will, in regard to which Bayer said, " We confess that man's will has a certain liberty of accomplishing civil justice, and of loving the things that reason comprehends; that man can do the good which is within the sphere of nature
: plough his fields, eat, drink, have a friend, put on or off a coat, build a house, take a wife, and exercise a calling; as also he can of his own movement do evil, kneel before an idol, and commit murder.
But we maintain that without the Holy Ghost he cannot do what is righteous in the sight of God."'t Then returning to the grand doctrine of the Eeforniation, and recalling to mind that the doctors of the pope have never ceased impelling the faithful to o Uikuml, Confossio. Augs.