VI. CHAP. obtained nothing in reply beyond courteous words, and a disavowal of the step taken by Guise, with an attempt to give another colour to the transaction. The emperor also connived at it; and no redress was obtained.-Soon after the senate of Metz, with Charles's concurrence, utterly prohibited the reformed doctrine, drove many into exile who professed it, and required all books which taught it, particularly books of psalms and hymns, to be delivered up under pain of heavy penalties. Such were the worthy measures whereby the kingdom of darkness and sin was supported, by a party which spares no invective, no misrepresentation against the peaceable protestants, when any thing occurs on their side which can be distorted into an appearance of hardship or persecution. of Austria, 1541. Dec. 13. We have before seen that a very considerable feeling in favour of reformation existed in Austria.2 It manifested itself at the present time in a very remarkable public document. "The nobles of Austria" took occasion from the late calamities suffered from the Turks, to present to king Ferdinand, in a convention of the states held at Prague, a petition, in which they deplored the state of the public, and their own sad condition, who had a victorious and most cruel enemy for so near a neighbour: it was high time therefore, they urged, to look out for remedies; and "especially that the wrath of God might be appeased, which, being provoked by the sins of men, brought such judgments upon them." They set forth the evils that prevailed; that all discipline, public and private, was at an end; but that "the contempt of the word of God was the chief cause 1 Seck. iii. 399, 400. Sleid. 298, 316. ? Above p. 180. of all." From both sacred and profane history they shewed, that God "had many times severely punished the most flourishing kingdoms for false worship and the contempt of his word." They pointed out the formidable indications which appeared of like evils coming upon themselves; and proceeded: "Truly we know no other remedy, most dread sovereign, than that the word of God be purely taught, and the people stirred up to amendment of life; for in the true worshipping of God all our safety consists." Adverting to the points which had been agreed upon, and to the injunctions given at Ratisbon to the bishops to reform the abuses in their churches, they add: "Wherefore we humbly beseech your majesty to give command that the gospel be purely taught, especially that point of doctrine which relates to justification-that our sins are pardoned through Christ alone : in the next place, that men be exhorted to the practice of charity and good works, which are the fruits and evidences of faith; that they be made afraid of sin; ... that those who desire it be permitted to have the Lord's supper administered to them according to the custom of the primitive church; that the bishops be required to reform abuses, and to appoint able ministers to instruct the people, and not to turn out sound preachers, as they have hitherto done." Many churches, they stated, "were now altogether destitute; whence it came to pass, that the common sort of people were with difficulty kept from wholly degenerating into paganism." "We therefore," they conclude, " humbly pray your majesty, not to be wanting to us in so pious and necessary a cause. And let not your majesty think 1 Above, p. 180. 1 A. D. 1541. CHAP. VI. that we so importunately beg this, that we may thereby have greater liberty, or because we are given to change: for we acknowledge that our salvation rests only upon Christ; that the knowledge of the gospel is to be adorned with holiness of living; and that we are bound to obey and serve your majesty with our lives and fortunes." This petition was presented, in the name of the nobility and states of Austria, by twentyfour noblemen, and ten cities, (among which was Vienna,) besides their neighbours of Stiria and Carniolia, who united with them. Ferdinand, in the style with which statesmen are familiar, condoled with them under the evils which they lamented, and which caused him extreme grief; protested the deep interest which he took, and had manifested in the cause of religion; and declared that no due admonition, on his part, should be wanting to churchmen. He still hoped, he told them, for a satisfactory adjustment of existing differences: in the mean time, they must " submissively wait, and, without attempting any change or innovation, follow the footsteps of their forefathers, walking in the old way of their religion, as well as of (civil) duty and obedience. As to the decree of Ratisbon, they must not imagine that it in any way concerned them; the intent of it being only that the catholics should continue in the old religion, and the protestants in that which they followed at the time of the accommodation, till a final arrangement should be made: and, this being the case, he could not allow his people to act in other way." any This answer being received, the petition was in substance renewed, though in few words; with the observation, that, unless the object aimed at were granted, victory and good suc cess against the Turks could not be hoped for.1 -England could not at this period have furnished a proceeding comparable to the petition of "the nobles of Austria:" yet what is the religious state of Austria to this day, and what has been that of Great Britain almost from that era to the present time! A. D. 1541. We have seen Venice spoken of as a place and of Vewhich waited the result of the proceedings at nice. Ratisbon, and was ready to receive the reformation, if the conferences and negotiations there should have a favourable issue. 2 Near the close of the year 1542 an interesting correspondence was opened between that city and Luther. A Letter to long letter is preserved, addressed to him by Luther. Balthasar Alterius, an Italian, acting as secretary to the English envoy, written in the name of "the brethren of the church of Venice, Vicenza, and Treviso." It breathes, as Seckendorf observes, much pious affection, earnest desire after pure religion, constancy amid persecutions, and high veneration for Luther, whom the persons concerned regard as "their spiritual father." The fault of the letter is, that it is too elaborate and oratorical. We should gladly have commuted somewhat of its elegance, for a portion of the admirable simplicity of the Waldensian address to Ecolampadius, which formerly engaged our attention. It apologizes for the parties concerned having so long neglected to acknowledge to Luther the great obligations which they owed to him-a sort of communication which must have proved consolatory to both parties on account of their common faith; 3 complains of the exile, imprisonment, and various species of persecution to 1 Sleid. 285-287. * Above, p. 287. Rom. i. 12. CHAP. His reply. which they, as residing so near the seat of Antichrist, were exposed from his cruelty; and entreats the interposition of the protestant princes of Germany with the senate of Venice on their behalf; adverts to the sacramental discord, which had been productive of very painful consequences even among them; as also to the injury they suffered from heady and high-minded, but incompetent teachers; and implores advice and assistance on these and other points. 1 But the nature of the contents of this letter will, perhaps, be most advantageously gathered from Luther's reply to it. This reply was unknown to Seckendorf, who had ascertained that Luther returned an answer in 1543, but considers it as lost, and regrets that he can only give an extract from one written a year later, which extract shews little more than the writer's pertinacious adherence to his peculiar notion concerning the sacrament. The real answer, however, has since come to light, 2 and a great part of it will be read with pleasure. It is dated at Wittemberg, 13 June, 1543. Luther states, that their letter had been long in reaching him, and that it had found him so reduced and feeble, that he had hoped the time of his departure was at hand. He had entrusted, therefore, to Melancthon the office of answering it: but he had been suddenly called away to assist in the reformation of Cologne. Luther himself, however, had recovered, though he was still weak; and amidst a multiplicity of business he had again laid his hands on their letter; 1 Seck. iii. 401-403. It is given in the volume of Luther's letters published at Nuremberg, 1814, pp. 310-316, from Hummelii Nova Biblioth. lib. rar. |