A. D.

1530.

It will be gratifying to turn form this scene of hopeless controversy, to the employments of Luther in his retirement at Coburg. This will Luther's lead us not only to further views of the charac- employter of this extraordinary man, but also to a Coburg. more intimate acquaintance with the situation and feelings of the protestants at Augsburg.

Luther, as has been observed, accompanied the elector on his journey to the diet as far as Coburg. He took up his abode, therefore, at the latter place in April, and he continued there till the elector's return in October following. He was to be here in a degree of concealment, so that his letters at this period are dated sometimes from" the wilderness," and sometimes, on account of the elevated situation of his abode, from "the region of birds." We may be sure that to his active and ardent spirit this long continued seclusion would often be irksome enough. He complains of the rare and tardy communications which he received from his friends at Augsburg: nor was he always well pleased with what he did hear. We read also of illness which he suffered, particularly an affection (tinnitus) of the head; and of the temptations of Satan, with which he was harassed. But his magnanimity, supported by an extraordinary spirit of faith and prayer, enabled him to triumph over all discouraging and anxious circumstances; to be the comforter of his conflicting, and often desponding friends; to carry on his assaults, in a very efficient manner, against the upholders of the reigning delusions; and to promote the edification of the church by pious and instructive writings. Even the gaiety of his spirit did not forsake him, and

'Seck. ii. 180.

ments at

I.

CHAP. he could mingle amusement, both for himself and his friends, with his more serious occupations. He employed his leisure at Coburg, we are told, in "translating the Prophets, and composing a commentary on the Psalms; and, by way of relaxation, in rendering the fables of Esop into German, or in writing humorous letters to his friends."1

His Admonition to the Ecclesiastics.

But particularly, a little before the emperor left Inspruck, Luther composed and published an address to the ecclesiastical members of the diet, well calculated to make the strong impression which it appears to have produced. He sent copies to the prince John Frederick at Augsburg, by whom they were forwarded to ́Dolzig, his father's ambassador to the emperor, with directions to him to put them into the hands of persons well-affected to their cause, in the imperial court.

In this Address, or " Admonition," after 'apologizing for the liberty he took in offering advice, he first pointed out how fruitless all harsh measures, hitherto adopted, had been, either in furthering the cause they were meant to support, or injuring that they were intended to destroy. He observes, that even the opposite party bore testimony to his doctrine, having borrowed from him, and learned to preach in quite a different manner than they had heretofore done. He urges the services which he must be confessed to have rendered, in checking the disorders of the fanatics, preventing sedition at Worms, and supporting the authority of the magistrates; in putting to rout the vendors of

1 Seck. ii. 180.-Seckendorf (ii. 213-218.) enumerates and describes fourteen publications of Luther's in this year, besides those which are here noticed, and prefatory addresses to the works of others.

indulgences, upholding the rights of the bishops against the insolence of the monks, and removing many acknowledged abuses. The most specious charge against him was that of innovation. He repels it, therefore, and indeed retorts it, with great spirit. Having enumerated various particulars, he exclaims, "The remainder of really ancient usages among you, usages sanctioned by the canons and the fathers of the church, may be comprised in a nutshell; while the world itself is filled with your novelties. One worships and invokes S. Ann, another S. Christopher, another S. George, S. Barbara, S. Sebastian, S. Catharine: in short, it is impossible to recount the new objects and new rites of worship that have been introduced, and the date and origin of most of which might be distinctly traced: but where were the bishops and dignitaries to raise their voices against these innovations?" He animadverts with severity on the sort of sermons, which had not only been heard in the churches, but, without number, published to the world, and which were of the very silliest character. Nothing was heard in them of Christ, nothing of faith: the very best resounded only with the invocation of saints and the worship of the virgin. His testimony upon the last of these topics is very remarkable. "I myself, as much as any others, paid to Mary what was due only to Christ. Him I regarded as an angry judge: Mary, as the fountain of grace, to whom all our hopes were to be directed, if we would not be left utterly to sink in despair. And was not this an absurd and horrible novelty? Yet who reproved the authors of such falsehood and blasphemy? They taught us to fly from Christ, as a minister of vengeance, and to transfer to another all the

A. D. 1530.

CHAP.

1.

confidence which we ought to have placed in him. From such deceivers, therefore, we learned nothing but idolatry."-Turning to the schoolmen, he affirms, "They did nothing but propose paradoxes; their whole art was founded in a contempt for scripture. And here," he says, "I know the truth of what I say: for I was brought up among them: I saw it with my eyes, and heard it with my ears."-He declares before God, that he did not animadvert on these things for the sake of reproaching any persons, but with the sincere desire of their reformation: but he threatens to proceed still further, if they did not adopt pacific measures.-He then goes on to notice the abuse of church censures, as the means of tyranny and extortion; and commends the remark of the canons of Magdeburg, that "his doctrine was injurious to their bellies and their purses." He censures also the misapplication of the ecclesiastical funds, the scandals arising from the celibacy of the clergy, and the utter neglect of the duties of their office shewn by the bishops. They even delegated ordination to their suffragans, and taught the people nothing at all. "God had preserved his church," he says, "without any aid from them: if it had depended upon them, it might have perished a thousand times."-He insists that, if any thing were conceded, in the diet, to the protestants, it ought not to be considered as a matter of favour: what they demanded rested on the grounds of justice.-He then earnestly exhorts the persons addressed to repentance and amendment. If no hope was to be entertained from them, he begs that they would not delay to take him off. "While living," he says, "I have been your plague, and dying I will be the death of you. God has stirred me up against you,

as he did the prophet Hosea against his people, that I should be to you as a lion and a bear." He and his friends, however, sought no diminution of the rank and revenues of the prelates; it hurt them not at all that they were lords and princes; they were ready to obey their authority as far as conscience would permit; and they desired no provision to be made for themselves: God would take care of them in that respect. They only asked peace, and exemption from persecution: they had sought, and would seek nothing, but that the gospel might have free course. He gives a striking enumeration of the things taught and observed in the two churches, respectively, the popish and the protestant;1 and concludes with again urging reformation and pacific measures. "But if," says he," you determine (which God forbid!) to go on obstinately, and employ force, I, in conjunction with all those who think with me, do by this writing testify before God and the whole world, that we are not the authors of your perdition, which you draw down upon yourselves by your pride and wilfulness. Your blood is on your own heads. But may God, the author of peace and consolation, guide you into all truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" 2

A. D. 1530.

Seckendorf observes, that it was scarcely to Its effects. have been credited, that Luther, who was to lie concealed, should publish such a paper as

1 This enumeration of popish errors draws forth from the pious Seckendorf a devout prayer for those who still placed the essence of the gospel in such follies, and regarded with the bitterest hatred those who would not return to them. He trusts that God would shortly take pity on the many nations and people, who, under the profession of the Roman catholic religion, were involved in the profoundest ignorance. Seck. ii. 184-187.