CHAP. II. Joy of the F. Paul. all the magistracy of the city attending his funeral.1 On a death so truly worthy of a Christian 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 usefulness, 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. "Surely," 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.' "2 1 Scultet. 174, 175. Melch. Ad. in Vit. Ecolamp. 26, 27. 2 F. Paul, 56, 57. That so determined a papist as Sir Thomas More should say of Zuinglius and Ecolampadius, "The news of their death afforded me great joy," need not perhaps excite surprise; but that Erasmus should write, "It is a happy circumstance that the two ringleaders have perished, 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 Illness of seemed, however, great likelihood that he Luther. would himself follow his deceased brethren, only the month after. He was seized with violent and very dangerous illness, and his Zuinglius in battle, Ecolampadius by disease: had the fortune of war favoured them, we had been undone "-this may move our indignation. Erasm. Ep. xxx. 56. i 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. Štrobel. 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 to the sentiments which he at different times expresses. 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." Jan, 1532. II. CHAP. physicians pronounced him on the verge of apoplexy. But something of that extraordinary kind, which pervaded his history, marked his behaviour on this occasion. Hearing those about him (among whom were Melancthon and Rorarius,) 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 Saxony. Aug. 16, 1532. The other illustrious person, whose death we Elector of 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 frm principle and excellent character have sufficiently appeared in this history. Luther said of him, that "with him probity expired, as with his brother, Frederic, wisdom had done:" 1 Seck. iii. 38. 2 Andreas Misenus writes, at the time, that the elector 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.) A. D. 1532. a mode of expression which sufficiently limits itself, while it strongly marks the distinguishing virtue of the respective characters.-He was affectionately attached to Luther; and the year before his death, when Luther was dangerously ill, he visited him, and among other things said to him, "I beg you will not be anxious about your wife and children, in case God should call you hence: I will consider them as entrusted to me, and will take care of them as my own."-He took such delight in the holy scriptures, that he would frequently have them read to him, by youths of noble families, as much as six hours in the day; an exercise which, with such an example before their eyes, must have tended as much to the benefit of his youthful readers as to his own. He was accustomed also to take down the sermons which he heard with the greatest accuracy. Such habits, for one in his rank of life, and involved in so much important business, seem to carry us back to the days of David or of Daniel, and shew what may and will be done when the heart is thoroughly engaged. His deadness to the world also was very admirable. When he was informed of the rebellion of the rustics, which led to so afflictive a war in Germany, he said: "If it be the will (1525.) of God that I should continue a prince, as I have hitherto been, his will be done: but, if otherwise, I can descend to a lower station: fewer horses and a humbler equipage will serve me very well."-Luther preached and published two sermons on his death, from 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14, shedding many tears while he delivered them. In the former of them he says: "We give thanks to God who comprehended our beloved prince in the benefit and influence of the death and resurrection of Christ. You know what risk, even of life itself, he en CHAP. 11. countered at Augsburg.-I will not commend him for his virtues, though they were great: I acknowledge that he was a sinner, and needed the remission of sins. I do not therefore set him forth as perfect. Yet was he an excellent and most kind man, free from all guile, and one in whom I could never trace pride, anger, or envy. He was ready to forgive: nay, mild and gentle even to excess. If he sometimes erred in his government, it is not to be wondered at; for princes are but men, and we may say, that ten devils beset them, for one that assaults a private person." 1 Such appear to be the authentic accounts of the closing scenes of these distinguished personages. Not one of them, however, has escaped the malignant aspersions of his enemies, with respect even to the article of death. The circumstance of Zuinglius's falling in battle is that which has been urged against him: but of this the narrative itself has furnished a sufficient explanation.-Ecolampadius was said to have died in despair: but it was only by persons at a distance; and the fiction seems to have been as much as possible the reverse of the truth. It probably had no shadow of support, beyond what his grief for the death of Zuinglius might furnish. As to the elector, he was reported at the emperor's court to have renounced, in his last moments, the errors in which he had lived, and to have enjoined his son and successor, John Frederic, to restore the ancient religion! To procure credit to this story, recourse appears to have been had to deliberate forgery. But it is sufficient just to have mentioned these idle tales, and to refer the reader to the places where their exposure may be found.2 1 Seck. iii. 30-32. Melch. Ad. in vit. Ecol. 27. Seck. iii. 31, 32. Camerar. Vit. Melanc. 137. |