LUTHER.

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THOUGH the subtilty of Miltitz, during his continuance in Germany, failed in its design on the cautious Elector, the fair and gentle means to which he resorted in his interviews with the honest Professor, were not altogether without effect on a mind disposed to peace and conciliation. Luther was aware of his Italian artifice, and the plausibility of his profession; yet the emissary of Leo was one who knew by good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple." The courteousness of his manner, the testimony he bore to the learning and zeal of the Augustinian, his condemnation of the practices of Tetzel, his affected disposition to make concessions, and his representations of the benefit of concord among Christians, so far prevailed on Luther, that he wrote a submissive letter to the Pope, of fering to abstain from further mention of the odiousness of indulgences, provided his adversaries were enjoined to cease from their recommendation, and to distribute a circular among his friends exhorting them to reverence the holy Roman church. Such conduct from a theologian who had already appealed to a general council, and who knew that the Papal advocate, at the very time he used such soothing speeches, had in his possession

MAY 1823.

seventy briefs against him, which only awaited leave from the Prince to be affixed to as many churches, argues a desire of ecclesiastical peace, and a suppression of vindictive feeling, very honourable to one who could play the warm disputant under protection of high authority.

"Martin," said the Knight when he met him at Altenburg, "I thought you were some old dotard, who sat disputing with himself in a chimney-corner; but I see you are sound and hearty, and attracting universal attention. If I had an army at my command, I could not force you to Rome. I sifted the people," added he, smiling, "as I came along, to find out what they thought of you; and where one was for the Pope there were three for you!" He insisted on Luther's supping with him, and spent the evening in entreating him to cultivate pacific measures, engaging to persuade Leo to meet him half way. The Reformer assured him, that he would take every step to promote tranquillity, that was not inconsistent with the sacredness of truth.

Miltitz was so mortified at the handle which had been afforded for censure by the imprudences and harangues of the low and vulgar Dominican, that he summoned him into his presence, and threatened him so roughly, that the wretched man, who had conceived

Y

with respect to the disputants, that the appearance, tone, and manner of Carlostadt, were those of a man who argued, not for the display of ability, but the investigation of truth; whereas Eccius used every aid that could be borrowed from impetuosity in argument or grimace in action.

At the termination of the dispute, Eccius, affecting the air of a conqueror, and wishing to distinguish himself still further as a champion for the Holy See, signified his readiness to break a lance with Luther, as a more noble adversary, who accepted the challenge, on condition that the public faith was engaged for his safety. At the instance of Barnim, he was permitted to preach on St. Peter's day in the chapel of the citadel, the privilege of performing this ministerial office in the principal church being reserved for Eccius; but though his space was more circumscribed, he had a crowded congregation, whom he addressed on some of the principal points on which the Reformers and Papists were at issue.

The questions discussed were, the doctrines of purgatory, indulgences, penances, pardons, and the supremacy of the Roman Pontiff. The main controversy was on the latter. Eccius declared, that they who affirmed that the Roman church was not chief of all other, before Pope Sylvester, were in error; for he who obtained the seat and trust of Peter, the prince of the Apostles, had always been acknowledged as his successor, and Christ's vicar upon earth. Luther answered, that they who attributed primacy to the church of Rome, had no other foundation than the bare and insipid decretals of Popes made four hundred years before; and that these decretals were opposed, not only to all history of a thousand years' standing, but also to Scripture, and the Council of Nice, the most esteemed

of all. Eccius then wished to press the debate on the point of the authority of the Pope; but Luther gave him to understand, that it was invidious in him, under all circumstances, to give such prominency to this particular; and that there were many adversaries, who had denied his positions, who ought to have met him at this time, and given him an opportunity of defending himself, but that he believed they shunned the light. Eccius protested that he had not raised this stir, but Luther himself, who in the explication of his theses had denied, that before the age of Sylvester the Roman Pontiff had any precedence, and had averred before Cajetan, that Pope Pelagius had wrested many passages of the word of God, and originated the mischievous doctrine.

"When in the course of their argument," says Mosellanus, "they came to that maxim, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, &c.' Martin interpreted the rock to mean a sound confession of faith; or the whole body of the church with Origen, or Christ himself with Augustine. Eccius, with the more recent fathers, explained it of Peter and his successors, and confirmed his exposition by quotations from Bernard and Jerome. All which Martin admirably parried, observing, that the church on this supposition was without a head, as often as a Roman bishop died. For as to the College of Cardinals, who administered till a successor was elected, it was idle to consider it in the light of a substitute; both because cardinals themselves were the product of a later age in the church, and in any case were to be regarded rather as many heads than one; and also because a divine institution, as such, could not be hindered by the death of man, or even by the passing away heaven itself."

of

This second dispute lasted for

ten days; and when the assembly broke up, Hoffman, Rector of the University, refused to declare to which side the victory belonged; so that the decision was left to the doctors of Paris and Erfurt *. Luther, however, was anxious that the public mind should not be misled by the representations of the Papists, and published a tract, entitled, "Resolutions of the Propositions disputed at Leipsic," and addressed to Spalatinus, in which he said, that Eccius had no cause to boast of the contest, as he had been brought to acknowledge that no trust ought to be put in indulgences. In truth, the Ingoldstadt Professor had been driven to many evasions in the course of the dispute, not only on the subject of indulgences, but on every other question which came before them; and though he was constrained, with a show of candour, to bear testimony to the abilities and attainments of his opponent, yet malice rankled in his heart, and he resolved to leave no means untried to stir up the Pontiff, who, being distant from the scene of action, and engrossed by other occupations, was less alarmed at the progress of the new opinions, to take active measures against the Reformer.

While, therefore, some censures issued by the Academies of Cologne and Louvain only served to call forth an animated reply in defence of his sentiments and conduct from Luther; while he was engaged in addressing a letter to the new Emperor Charles V. imploring his assistance and protection, and declaring that his sole object was the propagation of evangelical truth, in opposition to human inventions and traditions; while, moreover, he deemed it necessary to represent to the states of the Empire his pacific desires, the provocations which he had received, and the calumnies

* The former declined judgment; the

latter sent out a censure of Luther in 1521.

which were circulated against him in every direction; and while he despatched epistles to the same effect to the Archbishop of Mentz, and the diocesan of Mersburg; Eccius repairing to Italy, concerted plans for his overthrow with Cajetan, Prierias, and the leading Dominicans.

The Professor was not ignorant of their machinations, which were aided by addresses against him from the German bishops. He was enabled, however, to possess his soul in peace, and to rely with full confidence upon his God. He spent much of his time in prayer, meditation, and the study of Scripture; and, from suspecting the Pope to be Antichrist, was confirmed from day to day in those sentiments which were soon to assume the more decided form of Protestantism. Among other particulars, he held, that the communion ought to be received in both kinds; and, early in the year 1520, published a Sermon on the Nature of the Sacrament, in the German language, containing explicit views of his convictions on this subject. On the doctrine of justification by faith likewise, he spoke decidedly in some of his positions. fallen man," he observed, "there remains an inward principle of evil, even after he is renewed by the grace of God. Every Christian needs daily repentance, because he sins daily; not, indeed, by daily committing scandalous offences, but by falling short of perfect obedience. Hence there is not a just man upon earth; because, even in actions that are good in themselves there is precisely so much sin as there is repugnance, or difficulty, or disinclination." This was the conflict of which he understood St. Paul to speak in the seventh chapter to the Romans. He asked, moreover," If the evil principle, called the flesh, prevented the operation of the good principle, called the spirit, in a man so holy and

"In