CHAP. 1. His Letter to the Elector of Mentz. His corres free cities. He remarks also in this connexion, the different tempers of Luther and Melancthon, and the different means by which they pursued the same object: the former, open and avowed, indignantly exposing abuses, and demanding their correction as a matter of right; yet ready to obey as far as he conscientiously could: the latter, proceeding modestly and humbly; yielding whatever could safely be conceded, and supplicating the rest, as of favour, or acknowledging it as an act of grace.1The fact is, Luther was one of those commanding geniuses, who astonish mankind by the boldness of their measures. Men were by this time accustomed to expect extraordinary proceedings from him; and, when he adopted them, they were either carried along with him, or, at least, overawed by that in him, which in others would only have raised their indignation. The other publication of Luther's, to which we have alluded, was a printed letter to the archbishop of Mentz, in which he admonishes him to be on his guard against the Italians; warns him from the second Psalm, and from the fatal issue which the persecution of the apostles entailed on its authors; conjures him to stand, like Gamaliel, between the protestants and their persecutors; and scruples not to tell him, that, while associated with the pope and his abettors, he stood involved with Satan himself. This letter was written in the month of July, while the Confession was in the hands of those who were to refute it. But the private correspondence of the repondence. former will be still more interesting to us. About the twentieth of May, the elector, then waiting at Augsburg for the emperor's arrival, wrote to Luther, having heard of his illness. He begs that he would make himself easy in his retreat, and bear his inactive life with patience; expresses the anxiety which all felt for his health, of which he charges him to take care; and prays God to preserve him. Luther in reply thanks the elector for the concern he took about him, and observes that he felt it his duty to take care of his health, and to pray for it; which he did faithfully. With respect to his situation, he says, "I pass my time without weariness: weeks seem to me but days and we fare quite splendidly." He sympathizes, however, with the elector's situation, who experienced much inconvenience, and had to bear the resentment of all the other princes, purely for the sake of the word of God:-on all other grounds they must esteem him for his moderation and virtue. But he bids him rejoice in this, as an honour assigned him by God: whereas the anger of heaven against his opponents was manifest, from their obdurate hostility to the gospel. He then adds, for the encouragement of his prince, a copious eulogy of the religious state of the electorate of Saxony. "Truly," he says, "there are more numerous and more excellent pastors and teachers in your highness's dominions, than in any other country in the world. Our youth of both sexes grow up so well instructed in the holy scriptures and the catechism, that it affords me the most sensible pleasure to see children learn more, and enabled to believe and avow more, concerning 'It appears that, besides all other things, the great expence which the elector incurred by being detained so long at Augsburg, with his retinue, was far from convenient to him. Seck. ii. 154 (a). A. D. 1530. CHAP. 1. God and Christ, than all the papal colleges, monasteries, and schools heretofore knew, or even yet know. These tender plants form a lovely paradise, planted by God himself, in your highness's territories, which has not its like in all the world beside. The children of God are protected and daily fed with the bread of life in your dominions: the very reverse of which is the case in those of the popish princes. In those countries, however, there are many who look to the sacred land, under your highness's sway, with ardent affection and fervent prayers."-These statements afford us valuable information concerning the effect produced by the dissemination of divine truth: and they were surely well suited to fortify the mind of the pious prince, to whom they were addressed, by the assurance that he was not encountering danger for no practical good. Like the apostle, he might well "not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ," when he saw it thus made" the power of God to the salvation" of his subjects. -Luther then calls God to witness, that he wrote not thus to flatter his prince, but in sincerity and truth, lest Satan should deject and sadden his mind. "I know that subtle agent in part," he says, "and the artifices with which he often disturbs me. He is a gloomy and morose spirit, who reluctantly suffers any heart to enjoy peace; and much less would permit your highness now to do it, on whom he knows that so much depends." 1 Seckendorf highly commends the emphasis and elegance of the German style of this long letter; and quotes it as an instance of the courteousness, and almost courtliness, of which 1 Seck ii. 154, 155, Luther was capable, notwithstanding all that is said of his ruggedness and asperity. Luther anticipated no favourable result from the discussions at Augsburg. "Certainly," he writes to Agricola, about the twentieth of June, (which was before the Confession had been read,) "Certainly you have to do, not with men, but with the very powers of darkness, well practised, and fully equipped; but, what comforts me, full also of rage; blinded by which they must needs at length run foul of the counsels of divine wisdom, like a ship upon a rock." 1 In a letter to Justus Jonas, of the same date, he says, "I exult in the gift of God, that our prince possesses so determined, and yet so calm a spirit. This makes me trust that my prayers for him are accepted in the kingdom of heaven." ' Philip," he adds, that is Melancthon, "is harassed by his philosophy, and nothing else; for the cause rests with Him who sublimely pronounces, None shall pluck it out of my hand. I should not wish it to be in our hands. Whatever hitherto I have been enabled to cast from myself upon Him, has prospered so true is it, that God is our refuge and strength. Who ever trusted in Him, and was forsaken ?2" This allusion to the forty-sixth Psalm, which has acquired the name of " Luther's Psalm," from the use that he made of it in his difficulties, may give us occasion to remark, that at this period he composed a metrical version of it, which was sung in the Saxon churches during the sitting of the diet of Augsburg.3 A. D. 1530. CHAP. I. Melancthon's Anxiety. Hearing of Melancthon's great anxiety and distress, he wrote to him, June 30, as follows:"Grace and peace to you in Christ! My dear Philip, I am quite at a loss what to write to you: so much do the thoughts of your vain and sinful anxieties repel my attempts, and convince me that I speak to the deaf. This is owing to your trusting to yourself alone, and having no confidence in me or in others. I will declare the truth. I have been in greater straits than ever you will come into. I hope and pray that no man, not even our enemies who now so rage against us, may be like me"or exposed to what I have been: " and yet in those distresses my heart has often been relieved by the words of a brother-by those of Pomeranus, of Jonas, or of yourself, and others. Why then do you not, in your turn, listen to us ? We speak not according to the flesh and the world, but according to God; and doubtless under the guidance of his Holy Spirit. Though we be worthless, I pray you, let not Him who speaks by us be esteemed unworthy of regard. If it be false that God gave his own Son for us, then let the devil, or let any one take my place: but, if he really did so, then what means our care, our anxiety, our sadness, our trepidation? As if he who gave his Son for us would not be with us in affairs of comparatively light moment! or as if Satan were stronger than he !-In private conflicts, (if my conflicts with Satan are to be called private,) I am weak and you are strong. In public ones it is the very reverse. You despise your life, but tremble for our cause! On the contrary, with respect to the cause in which we are engaged, I am confident, and at my ease, being sure that it is righteous, and the cause of truth, |