Happily the reformation lost no ground by the death of John. "The new elector, no less attached than his " father "to the opinions of Luther, occupied the station which he had held at the head of the protestant party, and defended, with the boldness and zeal of youth, that cause which" John "had fostered and supported with the caution of more advanced age."1 John Frederic has already appeared in this history, acting almost as the associate of his father in all his important affairs, and displaying the firmness and piety which never forsook him in the trying circumstances through which he was afterwards called to pass. A. D. 1532. formation. We may avail ourselves of this period of Progress comparative repose to the German church, to of the Reglance at the progress which the reformation was making more generally. Many such accounts might be collected as are given in different parts of dean Milner's last volume: 2 but, as they would for the most part want that degree of particularity which might make them interesting, it may suffice to say, that the reformation was continually spreading and advancing itself in Germany, Switzerland, and other parts of the continent. About this time also appeared Tindal's translation of the Bible into English; and our own country was casting off the papal 1 Robertson iii. 59, 60. I have limited to the elector John some expressions which the historian had extended equally to his brother Frederic the Wise. Frederic's protection of the reformation was highly valuable, but it never amounted to such direct and avowed patronage as to constitute him "the head of the protestant party." * Milner, v. 129–159, 176–190, 377-381, 467-471. (705-738, 756-771, 970-974, 1064-1068.) (1534.) II. CHAP. yoke. But the account of that important event, and of the establishment of the English protestant church, will form a distinct branch of this history, should it be permitted to be continued. In this country likewise, and in France,' Belgium, the dominions of duke George of Saxony, and in other places, many now suffered for the truth: while to others of their brethren their sufferings furnished illustrious opportunities of exercising their Christian charity. This was particularly the case at Strasburg. The duke of Lorraine had proscribed several thousands of his subjects, at a time of great scarcity: and they were in consequence compelled, in their wanderings, to subsist on such fruits and herbs as grew wild in the fields. The divines of Strasburg took compassion on these poor people, and ceased not to importune, the senate to receive them into the city, and support them till they could be otherwise disposed of. And accordingly Hedio relates, that, in one quarter of the year 1529, two thousand one hundred and fifty persons were received and taken care of, with great labour to the faithful, and no small danger from contagious diseases. From midsummer 1530 to the same period in 1 At Limoges, one John Cadurcus, (du Quercy,) a licentiate in law, having been condemned to the stake, the monk who had been appointed to preach, as was customary on such occasions, gave out for his text, 1 Tim. iv. 1: " In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." Cadurcus, on hearing this, cried out, Go on to the next words-the words immediately following;' On which the monk stood confounded, and the condemned man proceeded, If you do not go on, I will: it follows: "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats:" and he then enlarged on the words to the assembled multitude.-He afterwards suffered death with constancy.-Scultet. 182. 1531, no less (if there is no clerical error in the number) than one hundred and twenty three thousand, five hundred and forty-five strangers. were received at the hospital for the poor; and, in the next year, eight thousand, five hundred, and seventy-nine were received and fed.1 If only a moderate proportion of these multitudes be supposed to have been fugitives for conscience' sake, and if the two systems of religion are to be "known by their fruits," we shall be at no loss to decide between that which created and that which relieved so much distress. A. D. 1532. The name of Wolfgang, prince of Anhalt, as The Princes a supporter of the protestant cause, has already of Anhalt. occurred to our notice. The accounts of him and of the associate princes, his cousins, John, George, and Joachim, are highly satisfactory. Wolfgang had visited the Saxon court soon after the commencement of Luther's opposition to the corruptions of the church of Rome; and, being convinced of the truth of his doctrines, had invited him to preach them at Zerbst, in 1522. He was one of those who subscribed the Confession of Augsburg in 1530, and again in 1561. George was an ecclesiastic of exalted and most exemplary character, who will deserve a particular notice in a subsequent part of this history. He earnestly recommended to his brothers, John and Joachim, that, "abandoning the figments of men, they should delight themselves in the word of God alone." By his advice, they sent to Wittemberg for a faithful protestant minister, to be settled at Dessau. Nicholas Hausman, a frequent correspondent of Luther's, who had been removed from Zwickau, in a manner by no means creditable to the 1 Scultet. 169. CHAP. II. Joachim II. of Brandenburg. 1532. The of Baden. Austria. senate and people of that place,1 was the person recommended to him. Melancthon spoke of him as "a man free from private aims, a lover of peace, conversant in that kind of instruction by which the blessings derived from Christ may be best set forth, and true piety cherished in the minds of men."2 Amongst the accessions to the protestant cause, we have to reckon that of Joachim, son and successor of the elector of Brandenburg, of the same name, who shewed so much hostility at Augsburg. He began about this time to manifest his attachment to Luther and the reformation.3 But to him also our attention will be more particularly called at a future period. Philip marquis of Baden presented an opposite example. He had allowed in his dominions the preaching of the reformed doctrine, and even appointed preachers of it; but this year he turned back to popery, and expelled the protestant ministers. Schwebelius, a pious protestant divine, it would seem, had suspected him of backsliding, and exhorted him "not to look back to Egypt," telling him that "the devil did not keep holiday," but was ever watchful to seduce him. Bucer wrote concerning him, when some of the expelled ministers resorted to Strasburg-" Some think that the emperor's presence is the cause of the change; but I fear he has determined to disencumber himself and his people of the gospel altogether." The following anecdote, in which Ferdinand, the emperor's brother, is concerned, may not Luth. Epist. Buddei, No. 85, 186, 191, 193-195. 2 Scult. 178, 179. See also Milner, v. 23. (592.) be unworthy of insertion. Having been about this time unfortunate in his operations against the Turks, he is reported to have said to his counsellors, "I wonder how it is, that all my undertakings fail." One of them, an Austrian by birth, replied, "That happens to you, Sir, which has ever happened to kings and emperors: they that shed human blood, and connive at sin, have always enemies raised up to them by the divine judgment, such as they cannot resist. Expect therefore no better success, till you desist from your opposition to religion." I Thus, even in the councils of the royal and imperial supporters of the papal tyranny, there were not wanting persons to raise their voice in behalf of God and his truth. A. D. 1532. ger, and This year (1532) I find the first mention of J. C. Scalitwo eminent men, in a connexion which does Calvin. them great honour. "In France three distinct fountains were opened from which the blessed waters of the heavenly doctrine might be drawn ; namely at Toulouse, Orleans, and Bourges. At the first of these places Julius Cesar Scaliger caused Christ to be known: and not only the city of Agen, where he resided, but a great part of Guienne and Gascony owed to him the restoration of true religion, through the means of pious men who resorted to his house."2 Again: "At Orleans and Bourges some had already tasted of the heavenly doctrine; but John Calvin, having come, at twenty-three years of age, to study the law at these places, under Peter de Stellâ (de l'Etoile) and Andrew Alciat, and combining with this study the pursuit of divine knowledge, the minds of many were by 1 Scult. 183. * Bezæ Icones, a book of Portraits and Emblems, with brief Notices, published by Beza, Gen. 1580. |