A. D. 1537. Elector. Luther, on submitting these articles, again begged the elector to consider, how far he and the other princes would risk committing Sentiments themselves to them; for that those who had of the drawn them up wished to bind none by them but themselves, and such as should voluntarily subscribe them. The elector replied, with great piety and firmness, that he was convinced of their accordance with the word of God, and with their former Confession, and rejoiced that no reason had been found for any alteration of opinion that he would avow them before the council and the whole world; and only desired that God might preserve him, his brother, his children, and his subjects in this faith without wavering. He commits the event to God, being willing in his cause to endure any thing that he might appoint. "It has been God's ing themselves with confirming anew the Confession and Apology of Augsburg, and approving the additional tract now composed by Melancthon. The divines also declared their adherence to the Confession and Apology, and their determination to teach according to them: and, when Luther, the next year, published these articles, he did it "to declare the constancy," or steady consistency," of his confession." (Seck. iii. 153, 156, 157.)-In short the articles were believed by all parties to be no innovation upon the Confession, but in perfect harmony with it. The same vehement impugner of the reformation, just mentioned, with most of those who have followed him, has much to say upon the following note, which Melancthon prefixed to his subscription of the articles: "I approve the foregoing articles as pious and Christian. As for the pope, my opinion is, that, if he would admit the gospel, he might, for the peace and common tranquillity of Christians who are or shall hereafter be under him, be allowed by us that superiority over the bishops which he otherwise enjoys by human right." Taken with all its limitations, it amounts to but little and, while insisting on it, Bossuet takes no notice of the entire dissertation which Melancthon had written on the subject, and which was now publicly sanctioned.-Hist. des Var. I. iv. 39. IV. CHAP. pleasure,” he says, "that we should be princes; he will preserve us such, if he sees good; if otherwise, our anxieties about it would be vain: the will of God be done!" 1 Luther on the Mass. Provision for the Clergy. Luther has a remarkable sentence, written at this time, concerning the mass. "This article," he says, "will be made a main point with the council: though they should allow us all the rest, they will not yield a hair's breadth here. Campeggio said at Augsburg, that he would be torn limb from limb, rather than consent to abolish the mass. And I (subjoins Luther,) would rather be burned to ashes, than put an administrator of the mass, with the service which he performs, (whatever may be his private character,) on a footing with Christ namely, by making his offering "a sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead." shall therefore eternally differ on this point: and with the mass the papacy itself will stand or fall." 2 -- To the assembly of the protestant princes and states at Smalkald, an application was made from their divines generally, for a provision to be made, out of the ecclesiastical funds, for a triple object, the maintenance of the clergy, the education of youth, and the support of hospitals for the aged and infirm poor.3 This had been done in some places, but was felt to be very necessary in all. And, as the appropriation of the funds in question was a subject on which the protestants were perpetually assailed by their enemies, and much harassed by the imperial chamber, an abstract of their answer to this application may well deserve to be inserted in this place, 1 Seck. iii. 151, 152. ́ 2 Ib. iii. 154. 3 See Milner v. 79, 372-374. (652, 965-967.) for the purpose of shewing the principles on which they acted, and constantly maintained that they were fully justified in acting, with respect to them. The conduct both of the divines and the princes will be found such, as may well repel the charges brought against the former, of alluring their superiors by the plunder of the church, and against the latter of being thus allured, to promote the reformation. A. D. 1537. tion of the Reciting the petition, the princes say in reply, Appropria"Seeing that the persons, who call themselves Ecclesiastiecclesiastical prelates and ministers, adhere to cal Funds. the dogmas and ceremonies of the papacy, and will not agree with us in religion; and that thus monasteries, collegiate churches, and other institutions have come, or are likely to come into our hands; we unanimously resolve to place over the parishes, within our respective jurisdictions, learned, virtuous, and pious pastors, preachers, and ministers, and to provide from the ecclesiastical funds for the sufficient and respectable support of them and their families, according to the situations which they may Occupy. We will appoint also superintendants of the pastors and ministers, to watch over their lives and doctrine. And, that there never may be wanting in our churches a succession of Christian pastors and ministers, we will establish sehools, or support those already established, within our respective jurisdictions, for the training of youth in sound learning and virtuous manners. We will also appoint stipends for poorer scholars, especially such as may apply themselves to the study of the holy scriptures and divine knowledge. We will erect and endow hospitals for the poor of either sex: in order that all may be done, where it has not been done already, which can be expected in CHAP. Integrity of tants. this behalf from Christian princes and magistrates.”—And this regulation, Seckendorf informs us, though repeatedly reconsidered, was never afterwards rescinded or even altered; so that, if any acted not up to it, it was their own private fault, and contrary to the engagement which they had made. And who shall deny, that it was infinitely better, and more becoming Christian rulers, and even more agreeable to the original design of these funds, to make such an use of them, than to suffer them to be applied to perpetuate the superstitions and vices of popery among the people? The protestants were never backward to meet the question; and they constantly maintained, that, in thus appropriating these revenues, they fulfilled the duty of faithful trustees, according to the light which, by the good providence of God, now shone upon them, and as both the wishes and the interests of their subjects required.2 In carrying these measures into effect, it is to be observed, the present possessors appear uniformly to have been allowed to retain their emoluments for life, if they chose to stay in their places, and act as peaceable citizens: but, if they withdrew from the country, they forfeited their advantages. Such is the substance of many passages on the subject in Sleidan and Seckendorf.3 Luther, indeed, and others were of opinion, that, considering the heavy charges incurred by the princes in the cause of religion, some part 1 Seck. iii. 157, 158. • Sleid. 223, 258, 259. Seck. i. 236, 240, iii. 25. Vid. in ejusd. Indice, Eccles. Bona.-Compare Milner v. 36, 37. (606, 607.) Vid. inter alia, Sleid. 223, 259. Seck. ii. 44 (g), iii. 71 (f), 76 (d), 123 (4), 185 (19, 21). of the funds might very equitably have been applied to the service of the state:1 yet, after the various objects above enumerated were provided for, the protestants might well ask, "Would it not be a strange infatuation in us to endanger, not only our fortunes and reputation, but our lives themselves, our wives, our children, and all that is dear to us, for the gaining of such paltry and invidious pecuniary advantage as can remain:"2 The appeal of the elector John Frederic, upon the subject, is forcible and pathetic: "We call God to witness that the imputation is false; that we have a pure conscience, and can say with David, O Lord my God, if I have done any such thing, and if there be iniquity in my hands,—if I have sought any other object in this cause, than the advancement of thy holy gospel, and thy honour and glory, and that thy name may be hallowed, and thy kingdom promoted in the world, and all the false doctrines of the pope and all others may be abolished, and the true peace of thy church established: if I have done any other than this, then let the enemy persecute my soul and take it; yea let him tread down my life to the ground, and lay my honour in the dust."3 A.D. 1537. departure While attending the meeting at Smalkald, Luther's Luther suffered a very severe and dangerous illness, and illness, arising from a topical complaint, which from it appears from Melancthon's letters was aggravated by the mismanagement of a Hessian physician. At his own earnest entreaty, there 1 Seck. iii. 25 (11), 158. 2 Sleid. 233, 258. In Seck. iii. 12, in reply to Henry of Brunswick. • "Octo diebus obstructo urinæ meatu."-" A prima dominica (18 Feb.) ad alteram usque, nullam lotii guttam emittere potui." 5 "Acciderant hic quædam turpia larpikà errata, quæ adhuc metuo." Melanc. Ep. iv. 196. Smalkald. |