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THE

CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN,

AND

Church of England Magazine.

FEBRUARY 1, 1823.

MEMOIRS OF THE REFORMERS.

LUTHER.

THE providence of God was conspicuous in the work of reformation, in making use of instruments suited to their respective circumstances. In Switzerland, where republican feeling and popular government prevailed, and where public measures were discussed in deliberative assemblies, Zuinglius, Ecolampadius, and their associates, proceeded with that cautious and measured advance, which characterized innovators addressing their propositions to liberal authorities, who would be guided in their determinations by a majority of votes. In Germany, the case was different. The Saxon Reformer had to contend with despotic princes and powerful ecclesiastics, to whom he was bound to oppose an undaunted front. He found himself not unfrequently placed in situations, in which positive assertion would do more than submissive reference; and had to deal with persons, to whom, humanly speaking, concession would have been fatal to his cause. That firmness and decision which marked the character of Luther contributed mainly to his success; for it had this advantage, that it brought matters at once to a crisis, and tended to give him the immediate benefit of any aid to be derived from such patrons as God might see fit to raise up in his support, and

FEBRUARY 1823.

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who would find in the intrepidity of their client a great moral check to vacillating policy. The heroes of Zurich and Basle, with a calm courage, went round the hill to meet their enemy; the Wittenberg leader seized a standard, dashed up the ascent, and called on all brave men to follow him till they gained the summit.

Consistent with this boldness of personal character was the sharp and nervous manner in which he conducted theological controversy. He occasionally seasoned his argument with so much Roman wormwood as well as Attic salt, that it is no wonder his enemies should have called him bitter and intemperate. But it was easier to censure his warmth, than to equal his zeal or his talent. Erasmus did him justice, when he declared, that "God sent that latter age a severe physician on account of its inveterate maladies." If he had neither the polish of Erasmus nor the gentleness of Melancthon, it was because he saw the barrenness of the former, and the inefficiency of the latter; and men do not look for the grace of the Apollo in the muscle of the Hercules. Milton defended the occasional severity of this great polemic. After alluding to the strength of prophetical denunciation in Holy Writ, he observes, "But ye will say, these had immediate warrant from God

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to be thus bitter; and I say, so much the plainlier it is proved, that there may be a sanctified bitterness against the enemies of Truth. Yet that ye may not think inspiration only the warrant thereof, but that it is, as any other virtue, of moral and general observation, the example of Luther may stand for all; whom God made choice of before others, to be of highest eminence and power in reforming the church; who, not of revelation, but of judgment, writ so vehemently against the chief defenders of old untruths in the Romish church, that his own friends and favourers were many times offended with the fierceness of his spirit. Yet he being cited before Charles V. to answer for his books, and having divided them into three sorts, whereof one was of those which he had sharply written, refused, though upon deliberation given him, to retract or unsay any word therein, as we may read in Sleidan. Yea, he defends his eagerness, as being of an ardent spirit, and one who could not write in a dull style; and affirmed, he thought it God's will to have the inventions of men thus laid open, seeing that matters quietly handled, were quickly forgot. And here withal, how useful and available God had made this tart rhetoric in the church's cause, he often found by his own experience. For when he betook himself to lenity and moderation, as they call it, he reaped nothing but contempt, both from Cajetan and Erasmus, from Cochlæus, from Eccius, and others; insomuch, that blaming his friends who had so counselled him, he resolved never to run into the like error Claude also, in excuse for his intemperance, pleaded that perhaps there was some particular necessity, at the time of the Reformation, to employ the strongest expressions to awaken men from that profound slumber, in Milton's Prose Works, fol. ed. 1697,

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which they had lain so long." To this, however, Bayle replied, that, "because God is pleased sometimes to make use of such instruments, it will not follow that passion and violence are commendable, upon pretence that the corruption of the world needs the harshest treatment*."

Nor is it pretended to exculpate in any character that wrath of man, which worketh not the righteousness of God. And Luther, who had the example of an apostle for sharp rebuke, was yet not free in its exercise from the admixture of human passion. But the greatness of the work that he accomplished inclines us to overlook the roughness of the handling. If, in conducting the processes of his moral chemistry, he sometimes neglected the due preparation of his vessel, when about to be exposed to unusual heat, we readily exchange regret at the passing inconvenience, for admiration of the adventurous skill which conferred so much benefit on the world. It ought to be added, that while some allowance is made for his controversial warmth from constitution or provocation, the fashion of the time should be taken into consideration, which sanctioned, in the mildest disputants language, which in a more refined age would be accounted scurrilous; and that by prayer and watchfulness he not only became guarded against acrimonious. feeling, but even discovered placability on very trying occasions. When Melancthon once came to him much moved with passion, he addressed him with this conciliating admonition: "Command thy wrath, as thou canst all beside+." Then smiling said, "Let us dispute no more of this matter," and immediately turned the conversation to other topics.

This extraordinary individual * Bayle's Dict. art. Luther.

+ Vince animos iramque tuam, qui cætera vincis.

first drew the vital air at Isleben in the county of Mausfeld, and in the circle of Upper Saxony; but his parents resided at Mæra, a village near Eisenach. His birth occurring on the eve of St. Martin, 1483, he received at his baptism the name of that saint. His surname of Luther he derived from the circumstances of his father's property and vocation, the former consisting in mines, and the latter in metallurgy. That respectable man was a magistrate of great integrity at Mansfeld, and known among his fellow-citizens by the appellation of John Luder or Luther, signifying the refiner. His mother was an amiable and pious matron, called Margaret Lindemann, whose father was a citizen of Neustadt, and of a good Franconian house. She was not aware of her near approach to child-birth, and had gone to a fair at Isleben, where at night she was delivered of a son, and whither with her husband she afterwards removed *.

His parents were careful to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and when instructed in his catechism and the first rudiments of learning, he was sent at fourteen years of age to Magdeburg, with John of Reineck, a neighbouring nobleman's son, between whom and Luther there always remained a mutual esteem in after-life. Here he passed a year, living on the bounty of others, though the son of a substantial parent, which in those days was no uncommon case. He was then sent to Eisenach, in which town were some of his mother's connexions, and where was a Franciscan seminary. He lodged in the house of Conrad Cotta, a gentleman of senatorial rank, and attended the lectures of John Trebonius, under whom he studied grammar for nearly four years. This venerable lecturer was distin* Melchior Adam, p. 47.-Seckendorf,

Hist. Lutheran.

18-20. P.

guished for humility as well as for literary attainments: when he entered the school, he took off his cap, and made a low bow to the pupils, before he assumed the chair; and when some of his colleagues chid him for that mark of condescension, the more polite monk replied, "I consider that we are sitting here among lads, many of whom, in God's good time, will become consuls, chancellors, doctors, and magistrates; and therefore, though I cannot tell for whom among them these honours are designed, yet I think them all entitled to be treated with respect."

In 1502, he went to Erfurt, where he studied logic, and read Cicero, Virgil, Livy, and other classics, not, as the generality of the scholars, for the mere sake of becoming a good Latinist, but with the further view of gaining a knowledge of the human character, through the instances brought before him by these writers. He was admitted Master of Arts in the following year, at the age of twenty; and having finished a course of philosophy, and made great proficiency in his studies, he was advised by his friends to devote himself to the study of the civil law, in the practice of which profession it was hoped that he would be distinguished by his great. abilities.

One day, however, as he was taking a walk in the fields with a particular intimate and brother-student, a flash of lightning struck his companion dead at his side. So distinguishing a mercy, by which one was left, while the other was taken, was calculated to affect the mind of a serious and thoughtful young man. He was so much impressed by the event, that he resolved to give up the study of the law, and entering into the Augustine convent at Erfurt, devote himself to that of theology. According to some accounts, he was so much alarmed at the thunder-storm,

that he threw himself prostrate on the ground, and vowed, if his life were spared, to take the cowl. He invited his fellow collegians to a farewell dinner, having previously sent them a letter of resignation of his degree, with the gown and ring of a Master. When they had partaken of his cheer, he took his musical instrument, and with his accustomed skill played and sung an air, telling them to take the present opportunity of being merry with him, for it was the last time in which they should meet in that festive manner. He at the same time wrote to his friends, giving them an account of his determination. They were much vexed at a plan, which threatened to disappoint their hope of his eminence in the practice of the law; and his father advised him to beware, that while he obeyed what he thought a call from heaven, he was not in fact yielding to a delusion of the devil. The remonstrance was ineffectual, and he became a monk.

He continued for some time in a melancholy state, and would admit no one to converse with him for a whole month. As he was looking over the books of the college-library he met with a Latin Bible, which to his great joy he found to contain much more than was usually read to congregations in the churches. He perused with avidity several passages, particularly the story of Samuel and his mother Hannah, and laying down the volume exclaimed, in the fulness of his heart, "O that I could possess such a book as this!" On entering the monastery he had parted with his classical and other works, except Plautus and Virgil, which he retained for occasional recreation. The brothers, perceiving his desire to be in possession of the sacred volume, which was a fair manuscript bound in red leather, presented him with it. The ardour of his mind was so great, that he wished to read all at once. He

committed many parts to memory, but found that he could not recollect the substance so well as he desired, because he frequently could not comprehend the meaning. He would sometimes spend a whole day, meditating on a single passage.

His studies, however, were much interrupted by sickness, and that uneasiness which still hung over his spirit. At one period he apprehended that he should soon die, but an aged monk came to his bedside, and consoled him. "Be of good courage, my young friend. This sickness is not unto death; for God intends you for a man who shall be a comfort to many others." During his noviciate he was harshly treated by the unfeeling friars, who made him clean out their apartments, and go about the town with a bag to solicit alms; but at the intercession of the college of which he had been a member, he was excused from an office which was not only a degradation of his rank, but an interruption to his studies. He became very dear to John Staupicius, vicar-general of the order, an exemplary and pious character, who ordered the prior to let him have time for reading and the cultivation of his mind. He also told Luther himself diligently to study the Scripture; and when the young cenobite opened to him his mental anxiety, and complained of the distressing thoughts to which he was subject, he observed, "You do not know, Martin, how useful and necessary this trial may be to you. God does not exercise you without reason. You will see by and by that he has some great purpose to execute by your means."

The death of a friend named Alexius, who had been cruelly slain, added to his suffering. Every afflictive dispensation produced deeper views of the evil of sin, the wrath of God against unrighteousness, and the punishment awaiting the wicked in another state of ex

istence. He would think on these subjects, till he was ready to faint. "If these latter circumstances," says a French Protestant authority, speaking of his distress of mind, resolution of monasticism, &c. " do not indicate an enlightened piety, they yet serve to show that apprehension of the divine power, and that lively conviction of our responsibility, which form one of the most characteristic traits

of a pious man." And Milner remarks: "The fear of God predominated to a very high degree in Luther's mind; and a nice sensibility of conscience, attended with an uncommon insight into the depth of our natural depravity, allowed him no rest. As yet he understood not the Scriptures; nor felt that peace of God which passeth understanding. He had too much light to sit down in slothful content and indifference, and too little to discern the rich treasures of the Gospel, and apply its healing promises to deep convictions of sin and misery

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“I wish I knew," said he one day to his friend the old monk, "what is the full meaning of that article in the Creed, I believe in the forgiveness of sins."-" It means," answered he, "not merely that we are to believe that God forgives sins in a general way, as the transgression of David or Peter was remitted, which faith devils themselves have; but that it is the command of God, that each one for himself should believe in his particular pardon." He added, that this interpretation was confirmed by the testimony of Bernard, and pointed out a passage in his sermon on the Annunciation to this effect: "Thou must believe further, that thine own sins are forgiven by him. This is the record which the Holy Spirit witnesseth in thine heart, saying, Thy sins be forgiven thee. For thus de* Musée des Protestans célèbres, T. p. prem. part. p. 125.-Milner's Hist. of the Church, vol. iv. p. 324.

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clares the Apostle, that man is freely justified by faith." Luther was much comforted by this remark, and reflected how often Paul has said, "We are justified by faith." He then perused every exposition upon which he could lay his hand, and studied attentively the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. He also much delighted in the works of Augustine, as exhibiting more of the pure spirit of the Gospel, than any of the divines and schoolmen which were then in fashion. He read and wrote with so much assiduity, that he omitted the repetition of the canonical hours, to which service as a monk he was obliged every day; and then, when his conscience smote him, he would shut himself up in his chamber, and go over as much as served for two or three weeks, abstaining from meat and drink, and punishing himself with such rigour, that for five weeks together he was a stranger to sound sleep, while through inanition and wakefulness he became light-headed. He found, however, much relief in his favourite music, and in the composition of hymns and chaunts.

In 1507 he was ordained, and celebrated his first mass on the second of May. As he received holy orders with a deep sense of his own unworthiness, so it has been allowed by his Popish adversaries, that he was very diligent in the performance of the clerical office. "From the time that he entered the sacred function," says one of the most bigoted, was accustomed to offer the most holy sacrifice of the mass almost every day; till he suffered himself to be persuaded by certain suggestions of Satan, that in the New Testament there was neither priesthood nor outward sacrifice*"

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The next year he was invited by his friend Staupicius to teach philosophy in the Augustine seminary at Wittenberg, where also he

Ulenberg, Vita Lutheri, p. 8.

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