CHAP.

IX.

was corrupted by philosophy, and which thus led the way to the errors of Pelagius. The next was the Augustinian, " God having raised up the bishop of Hippo to correct the prevailing errors: and with his doctrine he was satisfied that that of Luther agreed, notwithstanding the dishonest attempts made to prove the contrary. The third was the long reign of ignorance and Rome. The fourth he refers to S. Francis and S. Dominic, who aimed to correct the crying abominations of the times, but, through want of better information, plunged the church in superstition, and substituted the philosophy of Aristotle for the religion of Jesus Christ. All good men, he says, desired a purer doctrine, as well as a reformation of manners: and God graciously raised up Luther to be the instrument of introducing it.

He distributes the writings of the great reformer into three classes-didactic, controversial, and expository: the first laying down the true Christian doctrine on all the most material points; the second refuting the numerous errors opposed to it; and the third illustrating and applying the inspired writings, in all the various ways that the circumstances of mankind required. And the last class, he says, even by the confession of enemies, surpassed all other expositions that were extant."-But there was another work of Luther's which stood alone, and which, both in labour and in usefulness, Melancthon thinks "equalled all the rest"-his translation of the sacred scriptures into the German language; which was of itself so luminously perspicuous as to supply the want of a commentary; of which, however, it was not destitute, in the brief, but learned annotations, and in the clear arguments of the several parts, which accompa

nied it. "It was Luther's desire," he finely remarks, in perfect conformity with what we have just heard from the reformer himself, "not to detain men upon his own writings, but to lead them to the original fountain of truth. He wished us to hear the voice of God himself. By that he desired to see true faith produced, and true prayer called forth, that God might be glorified, and numerous souls made heirs of eternal life." 1

1 In præf. tom. ii. Luth. Op. Wittemb.

A. D. 1546.

APPENDIX.

IT

I.

GREGORY PONTANUS.

(Page 82.)

may be gratifying to the reader to be put in possession of a few additional particulars concerning this excellent person.

His father was a man of fortune, and the chief magistrate of a town in the neighbourhood of Wittemberg. He removed to that city for the sake of constantly attending the ministry of Luther; in which he took great delight. He had three sons, whom he destined severally to the three learned professions. Gregory had a great taste for literature, and made considerable proficiency in general learning, while he early distinguished himself in his own profession of the law. He studied under Henningus and Jerome Schurff, men of great eminence in their line, the latter of whom has been noticed as Luther's advocate at Worms. He soon began to be consulted by the princes and states, and, when about thirty years of age, was made chancellor by Frederick the Wise. In the year 1520, he accompanied the elector to Cologne, and was present at the conversation between him and Erasmus concerning Luther,

which has been related by Dr. Milner.1 At the same time he had to reply, by the elector's orders, to Aleander the pope's legate, who urged the commitment of Luther to safe custody. Thus was he introduced to the great question of the reformation at a critical period, and he ever afterwards continued a fast friend to the cause. At the diet of Worms he held frequent communications with Mercurinus Gattinara, the emperor's chief minister; which, it may be concluded, would confirm the latter in the moderate and tolerant counsels which he suggested.2-Of his conduct at the diet of Augsburg, nothing more need here be stated, except that, as much was then attributed to the keja, the mildness of Melancthon, so much also was ascribed to the xpToyía, the happy eloquence of Pontanus. He was ever favourable to pacific measures; and, when the Smalkaldic war was likely to break out, he declared that he would always share the fortune of the protestant princes, but would never instigate them to fight. He enjoyed the uninterrupted favour of those princes, as well as the friendship of most

1 Milner, iv. 485. (468.)

2 Above, pp. 18, 19. Beausobre, (Hist. de la Ref. iv. 231-239.) gives us from Celestine a speech addressed by Gattinara, in the emperor's name, to the pope in council, at Bologna, which does him high honour, for its manly exposure of the evils under which the church groaned, of the necessity of pacific measures, and of a reformation, according to the holy scriptures, in doctrine, as well as in manners and discipline. The pope replied in such an evasive manner, and with such assertions of his own supreme authority, as might be expected from one in his station. When Gattinara would have spoken further, the pope refused to hear him: on which the emperor took up the subject in person, in such a style as it might have been well for himself and the world had he subsequently adhered to. Beausobre, ib. 239-251.- Gattinara was made a cardinal in his latter days.