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uttered some pious sentences expressive of humiliation and resignation to the will of God. Calling upon the Lord for a blessing on his ministry, Bugenhagen could not help saying, "Among your other prayers, Doctor, let this be one, that God would yet preserve you for the sake of us, and many others."-" To die," he replied, "would be gain to me, but the world loves idle tales; and it will say I have recanted. Bear witness, my dear friends, that I am quite convinced I have taught truly concerning faith, charity, the cross, and the sacraments. I was led by Providence, not by self-intrusion, to act the part I have in the ministry. I have been blamed for want of moderation; yet my earnestness, I trust, in some cases may be defended: certainly I have never intended harm to any one." Inquiring for his infant John, and his dearest Kate, he commended them to a gracious God. "O Lord, my God, I thank thee for thy will in having kept me poor upon earth. Possessions I have none; but thou hast given me a wife and children, and these I return to thee. Support, instruct, and keep them, as thou hast me in time past, O Father of the fatherless, and Judge of the widow! Kate," he added, " you know I have nothing to leave you but a few silver cups." This amiable woman, with a smiling countenance, besought him not to grieve on her account. She had been unwearied in her attentions to him, though herself in a state of pregnancy, and witnessing the effects of contagion in her own household. By fomentation, however, and other remedial applications, he so far recovered as to sup that evening with his friends, but continued weak and sickly for the remainder of the The next day he told Jonas, "I must remember yesterday-I went to school-it was a trying season— the Lord layeth low and bringeth

up!" Through this long indisposition he was much supported by the conversation of Jonas and Bugenhagen, and at intervals was accustomed to refresh himself by music, turnery, and gardening *.

In the two following years he was enabled to take an active part once more in the cause which he had at heart, and sent out some useful works, particularly his greater and lesser Catechisms, and maintained a valuable correspondence with the Elector on subjects connected with magistracy, and with other theologians on points of doctrine and practice.

The state of the church now imperatively called for his assistance. The Emperor having been successful in other quarters, began to exert himself in Germany more decidedly in favour of the Romish interest. He convened a Diet at Spires, in March 1529, in order to take into consideration the state of religion,which as usual was presided over by Ferdinand, and where a decree was finally passed, revoking the resolution of the former Diet, and forbidding any innovation in religious matters till the meeting of a Council. Alarmed at the tendency of this proceeding, and offended at the duplicity of the Romanists, the Lutherans published their dissent by a regular protest. The important document was drawn up on the 19th of April, and signed by John, Elector of Saxony; George, Margrave of Brandenburg Anspach; Ernest and Francis, Dukes of Brunswick Lunenberg; Philip, Landgrave of Hesse Cassel; Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt; and fourteen Imperial cities; and in allusion to this state paper, all who separate from the Church of Rome have ever since been termed Protestants.

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The reformed followed year. strong measure by a firmness which

*Seckendorf, p. 87.- Melch. Adam, P. 71.

rastonished and irritated the Empe.ror. John Ekinger, Consul of Memmingen; Michael Caden, Syndic of Nuremberg; and Alexius Traventant, Secretary of Brandenburg, were deputed to carry the protest into Italy, where they were no sooner met by Charles, than he put them under arrest, and ordered its revocation. The princes immediately began to form a powerful league in defence of their civil and religious privileges; but were prevented from proceeding to extremities by a circular received from the Emperor, in which he appointed the meeting of a fresh Diet, and used language of conciliation. Luther meanwhile was employed by the Elector to prepare a declaration of the sentiments of the Reformers, which he composed under -seventeen articles; but these were afterwards enlarged by the joint labour of himself and Melancthon, and gave origin to the famous creed, known by the name of the Confession of Augsburg. This was read before the Diet on the 25th of June 1530. At the same time the Zuinglians delivered in their confession, drawn up by Martin Bucer. Of these confessions a refutation was undertaken by Faber, Eccius, and Cochlæus, which was also publicly read. Charles prematurely requiring submission to the doctrines contained in this refutation, was steadily refused by the Protestants, and forced to allow conferences to be held by the respective parties; but these were all in vain, since the difference between their opinions was too considerable to admit of a reconciliation, Enraged at what he considered the obstiof the heretics, he published a nacy severe decree, by which all the usages of the church were to be revived; married priests deprived of their benefices; suppressed convents to be restored; and the Imperial ban denounced against all who opposed its execution.

Luther, who had been purposely

restrained from attending, that he might not offend the Emperor by his presence, endeavoured to confirm and animate his party by several treatises, comforted Melancthon and the rest of the reforming divines, and exhorted the princes not to abandon those truths which they had so lately asserted with such laudable boldness. These continued by union and vigilance to defeat all artful attempts to divide or deceive them, and were resolved rather to perish than renounce their principles. They assembled at Smalkalde, and afterwards at Frankfort, and concluded a league for the maintenance of their religion and liberties; and because of the election of Ferdinand to be King of the Romans, entered into a secret treaty with the French monarch, who was anxious to avail himself of the German troubles, while they received promises of support from England, Sweden, and Denmark. In this situation, Charles desired to commence hostilities, but found his partisans were averse from a civil war. was further embarrassed by the intrigues of the King of France, and a powerful invasion of Hungary by the Turkish Sultan. He saw the policy and necessity of coming to a speedy accommodation with the malcontents, who refused to grant succours to Austria, while the Edicts of Worms and Augsburg were unrepealed. He accordingly agreed to suspend the execution of his obnoxious decrees, and a temporary arrangement was settled at Nuremberg, in August 1532; by which treaty the Protestants were allowed the free exercise of their religious worship, until a rule of faith was determined on; all proceedings against them in the Imperial Chamber were to be supended; they were to withhold their support from the Sacramentarians or Anabaptists, and to furnish their proper contingents against the Turks. The Emperor

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súcceeded through their assistance in expelling the invaders, and would have renewed his offensive measures against the Protestants; but as they testified becoming indignation at his ingratitude, and prepared for fresh hostilities, the more moderate states interfered, and the Elector of Mentz and Duke George of Saxony acting as mediators, the Convention of Nuremberg was confirmed, and the Protestants acknowledged Ferdinand in his new capacity. Luther at the same time had the satisfaction of seeing John Frederick, the successor of the Elector of Saxony, who was no less attached than his father to the reformed cause, invested with his dominions; while Charles, meeting Clement at Bologna, urged the calling of a general council, but could not prevail on that Pontiff to agree to the demands of the Protestants that it should be held in Germany, and that all controversies should be settled by an appeal to the divine writings alone.

The Professor rejoiced, however, in the progress of a purer system of faith, which he regarded as an answer to the earnest prayers of the more enlightened. He wrote, in 1533, a consolatory epistle to some burgesses of Oschatz, who had been banished for their adherence to the Augsburg confession, telling them in his nervous style, "the devil is the host and the world is his inn. Go where you will then in this world, you will be sure to find this ugly host walking up and down in it." Some of the inhabitants of Leipsic also opposing a superstitious ritual, after a consultation with Luther, Duke George lodged a regular complaint of rebellion against him before the Elector John; at whose summons he cleared himself of the charge, but was drawn into a violent controversy with the Duke, whose injuries he felt the more deeply, inasmuch as while he condemned the rashness of a sovereign, who absolutely

required his subjects to take an oath not to embrace the new tenets, he yet exhorted those subjects to obedience in all things lawful for conscience sake. Duke George survived but few years, and retained his bitterness to the last, ordering that if his brother Henry, who would succeed him, attempted any innovation, his states should devolve to the Emperor; but this prince boldly took possession, invited Luther to Leipsic, and established the Reformation.

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Paul III. ascending the Papal chair, sent Vergerius into Germato open fresh negotiations concerning a council. Of his arrival at Wittenberg we have the following amusing particulars. On the evening of the sixth of November 1535, the Nuncio entered the town with above twenty horse, and being received by the provincial Prefect, was lodged in the citadel. The next day Luther sent for his barber very early, and jocosely told him, "Mind you make me look very smart, that I may appear youthful, and frighten my enemies with the thoughts of a long life, for I am going to see a messenger from his Holiness the Pope!" He then put on his best dress, and a golden ornament on his neck, with which he had been presented, as is supposed, by his sovereign. This was so much out of his usual way, that the barber was quite surprised, and expressed his fear that this finery might prove a stumbling-block. "I do it on purpose," said the Professor; "the rogues have given us stumbling-blocks enough: one must deal in this manner with serpents and foxes." Mounting a car in high spirits with Bugenhagen, which had been sent for them from the citadel, he wittily exclaimed, "Behold a German Pope, and a Pomeranian Cardinal! This is the Lord's doing." The instant that his name was announced he was admitted to the presence of Vergerius, whose courtesy he returned,

but not with such grand titles as he had formerly used to Papal representatives. The discourse turning upon a council, he said, "The Pope is not sincere in his offer: he only wants to amuse us. Nor would any thing be done in one, if it were called, except some disputes about tonsures and garments. Nothing of faith, and justification, and a unity of spirit among Christians. These things are not thought of on such occasions. I and my friends are assured of our faith by the Holy Ghost, and need no council; but others, more simple and miserable, whom they tyrannically oppress, and who know not what to believe. Call your council, however, and by the help of God I'll attend it, though at the risk of being burnt alive." "Where shall we hold it?" demanded the Legate. "Where you will," replied Luther; at Mantua, Pavia, Florence, anywhere." -"Will Bologna suit?" asked Vergerius. "To whom does it belong?" said the Professor; and understanding that it was the property of the Holy See, exclaimed, "Is it even so, that the Pope has seized this city too? However, I'll go to it!"-"Perhaps, His Holiness will come to Wittenberg," rejoined the Legate politely. "Let him come," said the Reformer. "But do you wish him to come with an army or without one?" asked Vergerius. "We are prepared for him in either case," answered Luther. May priests be consecrated in Saxony?" inquired the Legate. "They are They are consecrated," replied the Professor; "the Pope may refuse us consecration and ordination; but look, there sits a Bishop (pointing to Bugenhagen) whom we made ourselves!" The Italian, finding that he could not practise on the blunt Saxon, at length mounted his horse, saying, "Well, see you get ready for the council.""I'll attend it, my Lord," replied Luther," at the hazard of this poor AUGUST 1823.

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neck." The negotiation was fruitless, as the Professor had anticipated. He was employed, however, by the Protestants in drawing up a summary of their doctrine, to be made use of if occasion required, which from the place of its composition obtained the title of the Articles of Smalkalde. While engaged in this work he suffered great agony for eleven days from a fit of the stone, and other maladies, and set out to return home, contrary to the advice of his friends; but the motion of the carriage, which was expected to prove fatal to him, was the cause of his relief, though he was left much debilitated.

In 1538, the Pope deputed some cardinals and prelates to inquire into the abuses of the Roman court, when many evil practices were brought to light, which proved of service to the Protestant interest, and showed still more clearly the necessity of Reformation. Luther considered the investigation as little better than a solemn farce, and wrote a satire against it, in which was a frontispiece, representing the Pope on his throne, and some Cardinals with foxes' tails at the end of poles brushing down cobwebs. The Germanic Diet came at length to a resolution at Ratisbon in 1541 to take more effectual measures, and by Luther's advice some articles were proposed which were agreeable to both parties, but they could not obtain the sanction of Contarini, who attended on behalf of Rome. The next year the Pope offered to assemble a Council at Trent, but the Protestants objected that he encroached on the right of the Emperor by the summons, and that the place itself was too near Italy; but they were brought to consent at the Diet of Spires in 1544, in consequence of conditions granted by the Emperor favourable to their cause.

The latter period of the Reformer's life was passed in completing his version of the Scriptures,

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expounding and preaching, and composing tracts, in opposition at one time to Papal superstitions, and at another to doctrinal or practical errors amongst the Protestants. Notwithstanding his frequent infirmities, he retained great mental vigour, and was held in such high esteem by the reforming princes and theologians, that few steps were taken in the public movements on religious concerns with out reference to his judgment. In civil matters he seldom interfered, but would not refuse a call from the Counts of Mansfeld in 1545, to settle some difference respecting the boundaries of their territories. He went accordingly to Isleben, his native place, with Jonas and Melancthon; but not being able fully to accomplish his object, was induced to make another visit in January 1546. He preached his last sermon at Wittenberg on the seventeenth of that month, and set off on the twenty-third with his three sons, but was detained at the house of Jonas, at Halle, three days on account of an inundation of the Sala. On the fourth day he ventured to proceed, accompanied by his children and his host, to whom he observed in crossing, "How pleased the devil would be if they were all to go to the bottom! He reached Isleben on the twenty-eighth, and was received by the Counts at the head of 113 horse. Having omitted to take with him a corrosive stone for keeping open an issue in his leg, he was seized with violent pains, but by fomentation and medicine was so far recovered as to resolve next day, with his characteristic energy, to apply to business. He sat with a committee labouring diligently for three weeks, and though much annoyed by quibbles of lawyers, one of whom left the table on account of his rebukes, adjusted several particulars; being much delighted at his meals to entertain his friends and family in his own coun

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try. Jonas and his sons used to sleep in his chamber, to render him any assistance which he required in the night. When his pains were eased he was very cheerful, and frequently used to pray, "that God would order all things at Trent for the good of his church." On the sixteenth of February he was advised to keep his room, where he walked about or looked out of the window. He observed to Jonas and Cælius, the Isleben minister, "I was born and baptized here, and why should I not stay and die here?" The next day, however, he dined with his friends, when his conversation was very edifying, and his frame of mind devout and tranquil. "Well," said he, “if I can settle this difference between the Counts, I'll return home, and lay down this body in peace, to be food for the worms.' But that evening he was taken worse with inflammatory symptoms, yet he continued cheerful, and supped with the usual party. After supper his pain increased, when remedies were applied, but he refused medical advice, and going to bed slept for two hours and a half, when he awoke in great agony, calling to his attendants, and saying to Jonas, " Oh, oh! my dear Doctor, how ill I am! I feel such a constriction in my breast, I shall indeed die at Isleben." "Reverend father," said his friend, "God our heavenly Father, through that Christ whom you have preached, will help you." He then rose and walked a little in his parlour, while his friends sent for two physicians, and Count Albert with his wife, who brought him some medicines. After which he prayed earnestly, adding thrice, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit!" and "God so loved the world!" Becoming very feeble, he lay down, and could only answer in monosyllables. My dearest Sir," said Jonas, "do you confess that Jesus Christ the Son of

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