122 CHAP. II. and the elders of the church. "Ye see," said life for the truth! But (I may say,) this is allowed me for our love is inseparable, our union in Christ indissoluble; the righteous have all things in common."-Then, referring more especially to himself, he said: "The charge of corrupting the truth, which is brought against me, troubles me not at all: through the grace of God, I pass to the tribunal of Christ with a pure conscience in that respect: there it will be clear that the church has not been seduced by us. I leave you all witnesses of this my protestation, and confirm it with my dying breath." -His brethren then gave him their hands as a pledge that they would undertake the charge of the church, and exert themselves to fulfil his wishes. He asked a friend who came in, What news he brought? On being answered, None, he said, "But I have news for you-I shall soon be with the Lord Christ." When some about him disconsolately inquired, What light could be shed upon their present darkness? touching his breast, he said, "There is abundance of light within."-He repeated the whole fifty-first Psalm, dwelling particularly on the petitions for the forgiveness of sins. He then, after a short pause, ejaculated the prayer," Save me, O Christ Jesus!" and " yielded up his spirit to God, with such calmness, and such sure confidence in Christ, as filled all present with joy and gratitude, which they expressed with bended knees, and uplifted hands, around his bed." He was buried in the cathedral of Basle, all the magistracy of the city attending hist funeral. 1 On a death so truly worthy of a Christian 1 Scultet, 174, 175. Melch. Ad. in Vit. Ecolamp. 26, 27. A. D. 1531. CHAP. II. Joy of the and a minister no reflections can be needed. The whole scene must speak to every heart. The death of these two eminent men in the Catholics. prime of life, and in the midst of their useful ness, gave great encouragement to the enemies of the reformation. "The catholics attributed the death both of one and the other to the providence of God, who, compassionating the Helvetians, had punished and taken away the authors of their discord;" and "assured themselves that the man being removed, (Zuinglius,) who by his preaching had changed religion in the country, all would return to the ancient Remark of faith."-This is the statement of Father Paul, whose reflection on the occasion is excellent. F. Paul. 66 Surely," he ," he says, "it is a pious and religious thought, to attribute the disposal of every event to the providence of God: but to determine to what end those events are directed by that high wisdom, is not far from presumption. Men are so straitly and religiously wedded to their own opinions, that they are persuaded God loveth and favoureth their tenets as much as themselves do. But the things that happened afterwards shewed, that the cantons called Gospellers made greater progress in the doctrine received, after the death of these two men, than before;-a manifest argument that it came from a higher source than the labours of Zuinglius." 1 1 F. Paul, 56, 57. That so determined a papist as Sir Thomas More should say of Zuinglius and Ecolampadius, "Quorum nunciata mors mihi lætitiam attulit," need not perhaps excité surprise; but that Erasmus should write, "Bene habet, quod duo coriphæi perierunt, Zuinglius in acie, Ecolampadius, paulo post febri et aposthemate. Quod si illis favisset évváλios, actum erat de nobis"-this may move our indignation. Erasm. Ep. xxx. 56. A. D. 1531. I regret to say, that the censure here conveyed applies not only to the enemies of the reformation, but even to many of the followers of Luther, and in some degree to Luther himself; for he abstained not altogether from harsh and uncharitable remarks on the removal of these two persons, who had differed from him on the subject of the sacrament. There seemed, however, great likeli- Пllness of hood that he would himself follow his deceased brethren, only the month after. He was seized with violent and very dangerous illness, and his physicians pronounced him on the verge of apoplexy. But something of that extraordinary 1 Scult. 174. Seck. iii. 17, 62 (4).-Subsequently, however, Luther wrote to Bullinger, that, after he had met Zuinglius at Marpurg, he “ thought him an excellent man; and that he had the same opinion of Ecolampadius: and that he therefore greatly lamented their death." Yet he much disapproved some things of Zuinglius's which Bullinger published with applause. Luth. Ep. Strobel. No. 167.-Particularly he condemned those sentiments which are quoted from the Swiss reformer by Dr. Milner, v. 525. (1126.) It appears to have been characteristic of Luther, to give always a strong utterance to his present feelings concerning any person, and in that particular view which he was then taking of his character or conduct; without expressing that limitation of his sentiments, which certainly existed in his own mind, or that compensating view which he perhaps had of other parts of the same character. This will often, to the reader who does not allow for the circumstance, give the appearance of inconsistency in the sentiments which he at dif ferent times expresses. 66 It is lamentable to see the length to which prejudice may be carried among good men embarked in a common cause; and seldom is it carried further than when their difference is but upon a minor point. Things came to such a pass," says Scultetus," that numbers" (meaning of those who had embraced the reformation,) "could not endure the names of Zuinglius and Ecolampadius, regarding them as most pestilent heretics; and whatever proceeded from them they condemned unread, unheard, and unseen." Luther. Jan. 1532. II. history, marked his Hearing those about Melancthon and Ro CHAP. kind, which pervaded his conduct on this occasion. him (among whom were rarius,) remark, what triumph it would occasion to the papists, should he too be taken off at that period, he roused himself, and said with a daring confidence, "But I shall not die now: that I know for certain. God will not confirm the papal abominations by my death at this time. He will not give to them that additional occasion of boasting. Satan, indeed, would willingly kill me if he could: he hourly besets my steps: but not what he wills, but what the Lord wills, shall be done."1 Death of the The other illustrious person, whose death we mentioned as occurring at this period, was the excellent elector of Saxony, John surnamed the Constant. He survived the decree of the diet, confirming the pacification of Nuremberg, only thirteen days. For some time past he had been in an infirm state of health, but had in a measure rallied again, when he was suddenly seized with apoplexy, and died, before his sons or any other of his relations could come to him, at a hunting seat in the neighbourhood of Wittemberg. Luther and Melancthon were sent for, but they found him in the article of death.2 His firm principle and excellent character have sufficiently appeared in this history. Luther said of him, that "with him probity expired, as with his brother, Frederick, wisdom had done:" a mode of expression which sufficiently limits itself, while it strongly marks the distinguishing 1 Seck. iii. 38. 2 Andreas Misenus writes, at the time, that he just recognized Luther, and pressed his hand, "to signify that he died steadfast in the faith of Christ." Strobelius in Camerar. Vit. Melanc. § 44. (p.) |