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 would not wish for 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. thon's Hearing of Melancthon's great anxiety and Melancdistress, he wrote to him, June 30, as follows:- Anxiety. "Grace and peace to you in Christ! My dear Philip, I am quite at a loss what to write to I. CHAP. 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, and, in fact, of God and his Christ, which has no need to tremble at the guilt of sin, as I a poor imperfect Christian have. I feel myself therefore almost a secure spectator; and value not those fierce and threatening papists a rush. If we fall, Christ, the ruler of the world, will fall with us: and, if he falls, I choose rather to fall with Christ than stand with Cesar.-Nor are you at Augsburg the only persons who uphold this cause. Believe me, I am faithfully with you in groans and prayers. I wish I might be personally present: for certainly the cause belongs as much, and more, to me than to any of you. Nor did I take it up through any rashness, or from the desire either of glory or of gain; as the Spirit himself is witness, and as facts have declared, and will yet more widely declare. For Christ's sake, therefore, I beseech you, do not so neglect those divine promises and consolations, Cast thy burden upon the Lord; Wait for the Lord; be strong, and he shall comfort thy heart. The Psalms and Gospels are full of such passages. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Christ is the conqueror of the world. What then, do we fear a vanquished enemy as if he were the victor? Such a sentence would be worth fetching from Rome or Jerusalem, though we had to creep all the way upon our hands and knees for it. But plenty and familiarity make us hold things cheap. Faith is weak: but let us pray with the apostles, Lord, increase our faith!-But I write in vain: since you, instructed by your philosophy, attempt to manage all these things by reason alone: you let reason lead you into folly, (cum ratione insanire pergis,) and vex yourself to death; never considering that the business is placed quite beyond your hand and your counsel, and will be conducted independently of your care. And Christ forbid that it should ever come into your hands! We should then come presently to a sudden, A. D. 1530. CHAP. but forsooth a glorious end! (pulchre et subito perierimus!)-But do not you meddle with things too high for you.....The Lord Jesus preserve you, that your faith may not fail, but grow and conquer! Amen!-I have prayed, do pray, and will pray for you: and I do not doubt that I am heard; for I feel that Amen in my heart. If what we desire does not come to pass, what is better will: for we look for a kingdom, when all things in this world have passed away." 1 In this letter he alludes to the archbishop of Salzburg as having peculiarly harassed Melancthon; and anticipates the Lord's "rewarding him according to his works." On such a letter no comment can be needed. The spirit of faith, of wisdom, of fidelity, and affection, which pervades it, must make it deeply impressive to every Christian mind. About the same time Melancthon had informed him, that a great part of their time at Augsburg was spent in tears; and that he could not fully open his mind to Pontanus, for fear of further distressing him. 2 On this Luther writes: "I hate these cares with which you are consumed. It is not the greatness of our cause, but the greatness of our unbelief that occasions them. The cause was more arduous in the times of Huss, and many others. And, however great it may be, its author and conductor is great for it is not our's. If we are wrong, let us recant: but, if right, why do we make him a liar in his promises, who has bid us be of a composed and cheerful mind. It is your philosophy, not your theology, that disquiets you and your friend Joachim (Camerarius), who 1 Seck. ii. 181, 182. Mel. Epist. i. 6, 7. seems to suffer with you under the same disease..... What worse can the devil do to us, than kill us?... As to the cause itself, (whether it be insensibility or courage, I leave it to Christ to judge,) I feel little disquiet about it: nay I have better hopes of it than I expected to entertain. If we are not worthy to support it, others will be.-If the danger increases, I shall scarcely be restrained from flying to you, that I may behold the formidable display of Satan's teeth" i A short time after, writing again to Melancthon, in reply to the questions, whether any thing further, and what, might be conceded; he thinks, for his own part, (for, as to the elector, that was another question,) that enough, and more than enough, had been already conceded in the confession. He adds, "Day and night my mind is exercised upon this subject, considering, reconsidering, arguing, and examining every part of scripture; and my assured confidence in our doctrine continually grows stronger. By the help of God I will suffer no more (in the way of concession,) to be extorted from me, be the consequence what it may." He objects to their speaking of "following his authority." "I would not be, or allow myself to be called, your guide. If it is not equally your cause, let it not be called mine, or be thought to be imposed on you by me." 2—" If we," he says again, are not the church, or a part of the church, where is it to be found? Are the dukes of Bavaria, Ferdinand, the pope, the Turk, and the like, the church? If we have not the word of 1 Seck. ii. 182. 2 He seems always to have objected to being esteemed the head of a sect. See Milner, v. 147, (725,) and his Appendix, Draco. |