Part 2 (1/2)
We may well conceive how relieved Melanchthon ain stood in the breach
CHAPTER VI
LABORS, RECREATION, AND TROUBLE
The Gospel gained greater and greater victories The preaching of the truth found open doors in Denary, in Silesia and France As the spirit of pri through the various provinces, so also did ZWINGLI, and Melanchthon's friend and fellow-student, OECOLAMPADIUS, labor in Switzerland with blessed results A new ti had already dawned Perhaps no other means contributed so much to the promotion of the Reformation as the translation of the Bible, which e to Luther'she completed the translation of the New Testament, with a spirit which to this day has not been excelled But he was not ashamed to make use of the assistance and advice of his friends in this work[8]
A these friends, Melanchthon was the principal one, who, indeed, excelled Luther in learning Melanchthon took very great pains to discover the true es, for which his assistance had been solicited If any expression remained dark, he could apply for an explanation to the physician, STURTZ, in Erfurt, to Spalatin, and other friends We have before heard that he applied hie was very serviceable to him in the translation of the Old Testament The Book of Job particularly called forth the efforts of the Wittenbergians Luther soallus, and I, are laboring so carefully in Job that sometimes we could scarcely complete three lines in four days But Melanchthon labored with especial energy in his own field of labor He saw the importance of a classical education, and labored very zealously for its extension But, although he es, his heart was yet in the Holy Scriptures This is proved by his explanations of several books of the Old and New Testaments, which appeared in 1523
But his nu to undermine his health He was particularly troubled with sleeplessness about this time
Recreation was indispensable for him, and his friends also earnestly advised him to it When Luther went to Worms, he was not permitted to refresh himself by a visit to his home He noished to pay this visit
One of his friends and colleagues, NESEN, intended to make a trip to Frankfort It seemed best to join him, and from thence to visit his beloved native city, Bretten, and to see the dear relatives residing there Luther, to whom he communicated his intentions, approved of them, relieved him of all scruples and doubts, and dismissed him with these pleasant words: ”Go, dear brother Philip, in the name of God Even our Lord Jesus did not always preach and teach, but also journeyed, and visited his relatives and friends All I ask of you is, that you return to us soon! I will include you in ht And now depart!”
On the 16th of April, 1524, he departed, with a very pleasant caravan of friends NESEN, who taught History, Geography and the Languages, in Wittenberg; Philip's fellow-boarder, FRANCIS BURKHARD, of Weimar, who afterwards became Chancellor in Saxony; JOHN SILBERBORNER, of Worms; and his dearest friend in all the world, ho disputation, JOACHIM CAMERARIUS, were his fellow-travellers They rode upon horses, which were none of the best; butthe best of riders Their way led the There a most worthy man, PETER SCHADE, called MOSELLanus, who had expressed hi his last They visited him, and bade him farewell in this world Thence they went to the city of Fulda CROTUS RUBIanus and ADAM KRAFT rejoiced in the arrival of the beloved Saxons, and entertained them most hospitably Here the travellers heard of the death of the Knight ULRICH VON HUTTEN, who died upon an island in the Lake of Zurich It is well knohat ardor this champion joined the Reformation Neither Luther nor Melanchthon, however, could approve of everything in the conduct of the clever freebooter; for he was not inspired with the pure, evangelical spirit
Nesen re companions, after a short stay, hastened to the end of their journey It is said that when he first beheld his beloved native city in the distance, overco upon his knees, exclaimed: ”Oh! my native soil! I thank thee, Lord, that I have been perain!” And now they went to Bretten, to his ain! She had in the meantime ceased to be a , and had married a er naood Catholic; and perhaps had no other fault to find with her Philip, but that he had taken too decided and zealous a part in the Refors; and the son did not neglect to instruct his mother as to the object and extent of the Reformation But she seems to have remained steadfast in her old persuasion
The reat na his stay in Bretten CAMPEGIUS, at that ti on account of a great hunt We can well conceive how anxious he must have felt to detach Melanchthon froht it worth while toabout this desirable result He had a very shrewd secretary, named NAUSEA, as sent upon this difficult and important errand When he arrived in Bretton, he immediately repaired to Melanchthon, in order to introduce the matter
He seconded his appeal with the best inducements, but he did not find a reed that could be swayed to and fro by the wind The Wittenberg Professor declared, in a fir to be true, I hold it fast, and ard to the consequence of any ain I shall never forsake those ere the first to bring better things to light But in the same manner I shall also continue to prove true to myself, that I shall teach and defend the truth without quarrelling or abuse I therefore advise every one who earnestly desires peace and unity, to do all he can to heal those wounds which can no longer be concealed, and to restrain the ain!” He added a small essay on the principal points of the Lutheran doctrine, in which he particularly gave prohteousness, and that they were only striving against work-holiness
Nausea returned to Heidelberg, without having effected his object; but Melanchthon received another visit, from three professors of the University These did not come to alienate him from _that_ cause, which was the cause of God On the contrary, they presented himent of his meritorious services, for which he returned his cordial thanks in a letter
Whilst Melanchthon was spending -companions sojourned in Basle ERASMUS of Rotterdareat reputation also attracted these Wittenbergians This will be the proper place to say so between this renowned scholar and Melanchthon It was Erasnized and adreat acquirereat man, who exerted such an influence upon the restoration of the sciences, for hison neutral ground, and considered the Reformation co, as by far too extravagant He was very fond of the honor of this world, which prevents so e of the truth Although he, therefore, at first expressed his approbation of the work in Wittenberg, he gradually became more and more opposed to it He manifested his hostility particularly in his work ”ON FREE WILL” He shows in this, like all persons who do not consult the word of God, and a deep inward experience, that the great corruption of this world of sin, and the indescribable riches of divine grace, were both mysteries to him He also expressed his views , on the 6th of Septeree on all points with Melanchthon's book, Loci Communes, in which he had, however, foundelse could have been expected, for Melanchthon had most decidedly expressed the doctrine of the renewed Church He could, therefore, neither be satisfied with Erasainst Luther, nor with his letter to himself
It is well known to every one acquainted with these disputes, that Erasmus had found a powerful opponent in Luther, by means of his work ”Of the Bond Will,” which is one of the ablest and ulf between these two men became wider and wider All mediation was impossible
In a letter to Erasmus, in answer to the one already referred to, Melanchthon expressed his decided adherence to Luther's doctrine, and declared that if the Bible should teach differently, he would gladly adopt it He took Luther's side, and defended hiainst Erasmus'
attacks upon his character But Erasmus adhered to his own opinions, and especially censured Luther's violence He was particularly displeased with this violence in Luther's polereat man in Rotterdam caused Melanchthon much trouble
It was one of the many sorrohich afflicted hi, and we must first see what happened to Melanchthon on his return It was difficult to part from Bretten, for his mother did not wish him to depart so soon It see farewell, that she was then beholding him for the last time But at last, with his companions who had returned from Basle, he tore himself away froular adventure The young Landgrave PHILIP of Hesse, who had early exhibited a war with his retainers to Heidelberg He had, no doubt, heard that Melanchthon was on the road He sees a co, and he feels that Melanchthonthem He rode towards them, and asked for him When Melanchthon discovered himself, and was about to disrave prevented hie his route, and to reht, because he would like to have many matters explained to hie
Melanchthon assured the Landgrave that he was not afraid, and that he was a very unimportant person besides The prince replied: ”But, nevertheless, Cardinal Caius would be not a little rejoiced if you were to be delivered into his hands” On the condition that, after his return to Wittenberg, he would prepare a written stateion and send it to the Landgrave, he perave hih the Hessian do was really prepared, and bore the title: ”An Epitome of the renewed Christian doctrine, addressed to his rave of Hesse” The journey was safely co His beloved travelling companion, Nesen, wished to cross the Elbe in a fisherman's boat, as he had often done before; but upon the present occasion, it was July 5th, the boat struck against the trunk of a tree, was capsized, and Nesen was drowned Besides this, his beloved Camerarius, as daily
He felt very lonely and forsaken, and in this frame of mind wrote to Camerarius: ”I sit at home like a lame cobbler”
CHAPTER VII
THE WAR OF THE PEASANTS
The hopes raised by the proposed plans for reform, by the new Pope Hadrian VI, were not realized How often have men been deceived in their hopes, when they looked towards the city on the seven hills! The Diet in Nure manner, for the Pope and the Emperor insisted on severe measures, and the execution of the Edict of Worms But it came to pass here, as the Elector Frederick the Wise is said to have remarked before the Diet: ”In heaven it has been resolved far otherwise than in Nure!” Already in the year 1523, death summoned Hadrian from the scene True to the proverb, ”The Pope does not die,” another one, Clemens VII, of the same spirit as all the rest, ascended the throne He insisted upon the execution of the Edict of Wor the Diet at Nureain The Emperor made the same demand by his ambassador But all these violent measures were defeated by the action of the princes, who said ”that they would do what they could”
The ood soil and to strike deep root, so much more the hostility of the Catholics increased Persecutions arose, and an to bleed for the Lord's cause Melanchthon took an especially deep interest in the terrible martyrdom of Henry von Zutphen, as burned at the stake towards the end of the year 1524[9]