CHAP. fore, he was removed from Smalkald on the twenty-sixth of February; and, beyond all expectation, his first day's journey homeward so relieved him, that he wrote his wife word that he felt himself "quite a new man." But he tells her, that "for eight days together he had had neither ease nor sleep, and had rejected all nourishment. In short," he says, "I was a dead man, and had committed you and my children to God and to our kind prince. I felt much for you, but had no hope of seeing you again. Such urgent prayers, however, were offered for me, and so many tears shed, that I am relieved."-His illness produced a deep sensation among the parties assembled at Smalkald; and, when the elector was informed of the relief he had found, he wrote immediately to him, expressing the joy he felt, and that he had caused public thanks to be returned to Almighty God. Within the week, however, at Gotha, he suffered a relapse; and in consequence prepared for death. He communicated to Bugenhagius, who accompanied him, his last wishes. He told him, that he knew he had done rightly, and thanked God for what he had been led to do, in attacking the papacy, which was the enemy of God, of Christ, and of his gospel. He sent his remembrances to Melanethon, Jonas, and Cruciger; asking their pardon for any thing in which he might have offended them.-To his wife he desired it to be said, that "it ought to be a consolation to think that they had lived happily together for twelve years." He praised her dutifulness, and prayed God to reward her. He commended her and his children to the care of his friends. He sent his salutations to the deacons and the citizens of Wittemberg, acknowledging their kindness to him. He begged that the elector and the landgrave would not suffer themselves to be disturbed by the clamour concerning the ecclesiastical funds; for, if they made use of any part of them, this was not unlawful, considering the great expences they incurred in the cause of religion; and what was it compared with the abuses made of them by those who raised the clamour ?" Charge the princes also," he said, " in my name, confiding in God, to do boldly whatever the Holy Spirit shall direct themto, in the cause of the gospel the particular measures I do not prescribe to them. May the God of mercy strengthen them to persevere in the sound doctrine which they have received, and fill them with thankfulness for their deliverance from Antichrist. I have earnestly commended them to God in my prayers; and I trust that he will preserve them, imperfect though they be, from yielding again to the papal impiety." He subjoined some remarks on the blasphemies, hatred, and cruelty of his enemies, on which he would have written, had circumstances permitted: but there would not be wanting persons to do it, if he should die.-Finally he said, "My soul I commend to the hands of my Father, and my Lord Jesus Christ, whom I have preached and confessed on earth."-It pleased God, however, that, through the skill and attention of the physician George Sturzius, who accompanied him, he recovered.1 A. D. 1537. From a paper preserved in the Saxon archives He it appears, that, during his illness at Smalkald, anticipates Luther told the elector, "He foresaw, that, after Doctrine, his death, discord would arise in the university changes of CHAP. of Wittemberg, and changes would be made in his doctrine." The elector afterwards expressed to him the anxiety which this declaration had occasioned him; observing that he understood Melancthon and Cruciger "used different terms on the subject of justification, and of grace and works, than Luther had done; and, particularly, that Melancthon had changed some words in an edition of the Confession which he had published;—a thing which ought not to have been done in a public document, without authority. And if these things be done," said he," while you and I are alive, what may we expect will hereafter take place!" He exhorted Luther not to neglect this subject, and added, that, "though he knew the celebrity of the university was attributed, in great measure, to the learning and talents of Melancthon, yet he would rather forfeit all that advantage, and even see the university deserted, than suffer divine truth to be impaired: that, in such a case, he should have less to charge himself with than duke George had, who, by his zeal for ancient errors, had reduced the university of Leipsic to a solitude."-It is much to be regretted that Luther's reply has not been preserved." All this, however, I record," says Seckendorf, “with exact fidelity, that we may with the more confidence meet the attempts which are made, to decide religious questions by the private sentiments of Melancthon and other individuals. At the same time it refutes, by the authority of this distinguished prince, all that has been, and to this day is objected, concerning changes in the Confession; and shews that no alteration was made with the sanction of public authority. It appears also that Luther was a true prophet, as to the differences that after wards arose, and to which it cannot be denied that the yielding temper of Melancthon afforded occasion. This was taken advantage of by many in various ways: but the firmness of Luther was of the greatest service to the church as long as he lived. The noble spirit of the elector, also, cannot be too much admired, in preferring truth and rectitude to fame and every other consideration."-Thus speaks the upright and manly Seckendorf; and, in so speaking, furnishes the proper answer to much that Bossuet and others have urged and exaggerated, particularly from the case of Melancthon, against the steadiness of the reformed churches to their principles. Fluctuation in "the private opinions of individuals" (in great measure arising from natural temperament,) is not the tergiversation of public bodies. A. D. 1537. Smalkald. On leaving Smalkald, Luther let fall an ex- His prayer pression, which, being reported abroad, called on leaving forth the virulent animadversions of his enemies. Looking back on the city, where all the protestant powers were assembled, he exclaimed, "May God fill you with hatred of the pope!"2 The sentence indeed sounds harsh, especially in the form of a prayer: but we may fairly ask, What was there in it so much to be condemned? It surely need not be said, that neither in this, nor in other instances which have been adduced against him, did Luther intend any thing like personal hostility to the individual who filled the papal chair, or to any other individual whatever: he referred to that antichristian system, of which the pope is the official head and representative, and to that only. And does either piety or charity require us to keep any meaSeck. iii. 165. 1 Seck. iii. 165. CHAP. Popery. sures with that system itself, abstractedly con- 1 2 Thess. ii. |