LUTHER'S EARLY RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES. 19 A. D. audacious in his pretensions, and skilled in the art of invent- Ch. 2. ing. stories calculated to please the people. "Indulgences," said he, "are the most precious and sublime of God's gifts." 1517 "I would not exchange my privileges for those of St. Peter in heaven; for I have saved more souls with my indulgences, than he with his sermons." "There is no sin so great, that an indulgence cannot remit it: even repentance is not necessary: indulgences save not the living alone-they save the dead." "The very moment that the money clinks against the bottom of this chest, the soul escapes from purgatory and flies to heaven." "And do you know why our Lord distributes so rich a grace? The dilapidated Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is to be restored, which contains the bodies of those holy apostles, now trodden down, dishonoured, and polluted." five Tetzel found but few sufficiently enlightened to resist him, The and he obtained great sums from the credulous. The entire ainetysystem excited Luther's intensest detestation, especially in propo view of the erroneous theclogical principles on which indulgences were based. But in the spirit of a great reformer, instead of wasting his strength in denouncing abuses which already excited general disgust among intelligent persons, he resolved to eradicate the root of the evil. This he conceived to be the doctrine of self-expiation, a doctrine which has entered into all false systems of religion in every age, flourishing alike among the Fakirs of India, the Sophists of Persia, the Stoics of Greece, the Pharisees of Judea, and the monks of the Middle Ages. Luther, with masterly learning and eloquence, showed the Pagan origin of this notion, and brought out clearly and logically the antagonistic doctrine of Christ's expiation, as the only deliverance from the grievous bondage of sin. This grand, positive, scriptural truth, he made the foundation and substance of the ninety-five propositions which he now affixed to the gates of the church of Wittemberg. These celebrated propositions struck at the root both 20 20 ERASMUS-MELANCTHON, Ch. 2. of scholastic absurdities, and of papal pretensions. The A. D. spirit which they breathed was bold, intrepid, and magThey electrified Germany, and gave a shock 1517. nanimous. The to the whole papal edifice. They had both a religious and a political bearing; religious, in reference to the grounds of justification, and political, in opening men's eyes to the unjust and ruinous extortions of Rome. Among those who perceived and rejoiced at the political of tendency of these propositions was the Elector of Saxony Saxony. himself, the most powerful prince of the empire, who had Eras mus. long been vexed at the vast sums which had been drained from his subjects. Lamenting the corruptions of the church, and probably sympathizing with the theological opinions of Luther, he protected the bold professor, although he did not openly encourage him, or form an alliance with him. He let things take their course, Well did Frederic deserve the epithet of Wise. Erasmus also greatly rejoiced in the appearance of Luther's theses. The greatest scholar of his age, and the autocrat of letters, he had vigorously attacked, with polished sarcasm, the absurdities of the time, both in literature and morals. He now denounced the sins and follies of the monks, and spoke of the necessity of reform. His fasciHis nating style and extensive erudition gave him great literary genius andcha- fame; and his critical edition of the New Testament, which racter. he accompanied with a Latin translation, rendered great service to the reformers. But he was timid, and fond of popularity. So far as Luther opposed monkery and despotism, his sympathies were with him. But he did not desire any thorough reformation, and he always shunned danger and obloquy. Luther, therefore, much as he was gratified by his favour at first, soon learned to distrust him; and finally these two great men were unfriendly to each other. Melancthon, another prominent actor in the great drama about to be performed, was fourteen years younger than Luther. He had been educated under the auspices of the celebrated Greek scholar Reuchlin. At twelve he was sent Ch. 2. to the University of Heidelberg; at fourteen, was made. A. D. Bachelor of Arts; and at seventeen, Doctor of Philosophy. 1518 He began to lecture publicly at the age of seventeen, and for his extraordinary attainments was invited to Wittemberg, as professor of ancient languages, at the age of twenty-one. He arrived there in 1518, and immediately fell under the influence of Luther, who at once acknowledged his superior classical attainments. He was, however, so remarkably Melanc youthful in appearance, that the grave professors thought it thon. impossible that his attainments could be as great as they had been represented to be; but when he delivered his inaugural oration in Latin, all were astonished, and their prejudices were removed. Luther himself was enthusiastic in his praises, and a friendship commenced between them, which was never weakened by a quarrel. The mildness and gentleness of Philip Melancthon at once contrasted and harmonized with the boldness, energy, and tumultuous passions of Luther, as side by side they subsequently fought the great battle of their day. But there was another distinguished personage, who now Pope viewed the movement with anything but indifference; and Leo X this was Leo X., the reigning Pope when the theses were published. He belonged to the illustrious family of the Medici, and was chosen cardinal at the age of thirteen. The most accomplished of the Popes, he was the zealous patron of art and literature, and ornamented his capital with palaces, churches, and statues. But with all this sympathy for intellectual excellence, he was prodigal, luxurious, and worldly, more ambitious for temporal than spiritual power, reckless in the imposition of taxes, and, notwithstanding all his taste and talent, quite unfitted for his station and his times. Thus far the outcry which Luther had raised against Maxiindulgences had been allowed to take its course. But now the Emperor Maximilian became alarmed, and wrote to the milian 22 THE LEIPSIC DISPUTATION. Ch. 2. Pope an account of Luther's differences with Tetzel. Frederic of Saxony had also written to his Holiness, to palliate the 1518. conduct of Luther. A. D. sent to Papal When such powerful princes became interested, Leo was legate startled. He summoned Luther to Rome, to be tried by Ger- Prierias the censor. Luther, not daring to refuse, and not many willing to obey, wrote to his friend Spalatin to use his influence with the Elector to have his cause tried in Germany; and the Pope, willing to please Frederic, appointed De Vio, his legate, to investigate the matter. Luther accordingly set out for Augsburg, in obedience to the summons of De Vio, although dissuaded by many of his friends. He had several interviews with the legate, by whom he was treated with courtesy and urbanity, and earnestly dissuaded from his present But all the persuasion and argument of the cardinal legate were without effect on the mind of Luther, whose conLuther. victions were not to be put aside either by kindness or craft. De Vio had hoped that he could induce Luther to retract; but when he found him fixed in his resolution, he changed his tone, and resorted to threats. Luther then made up his mind to leave Augsburg, and, appealing to the decision of the Sovereign Pontiff, whose authority he had not yet openly defied, he fled from the city, and returned to Wittemberg, being countenanced by the Elector, to whom he also addressed letters. His life was safe so long as Frederic protected him. Fails to courses. con vince tation. Leipsic The next event in the progress of Luther was the Leipsic Dispu- Disputation, June, 1519. The Pope seemed willing to make one more effort to convince Luther, before he proceeded to take violent courses. There was then at his court a noble Saxon, Charles Miltitz, whose talents and insinuating address secured him the high office of chamberlain to the Pope. He accordingly was sent into his native country, with the dignity of legate, to remove the difficulties which De Vio had not been able to overcome. He tried persuasion and flattery, and treated the reformer with great civility. But Luther still THE LEIPSIC DISPUTATION. 23 ༣ persisted in refusing to retract, and the matter was referred to Ch. 2 the Elector Archbishop of Trèves. A. D. While the controversy was pending, Dr. Eck, of the 1519 University of Ingolstadt, a man of great scholastic ingenuity and attainment, and proud in the possession of prizes from eight universities, challenged the professors of Wittemberg to a public controversy on the points at issue. He regarded the disputation with the eye of a practised fencer, and sought the means of extending his fame. Leipsic was the appointed arena, and thither resorted the noble and the learned of Saxony. debate. The place for the combat was a hall in the royal palace of The Duke George, cousin to the Elector Frederic, which was arranged and ornamented with great care, and which was honoured by the presence of the duke, and of the chief divines and nobles of Northern Germany. Carlstadt opened the debate, which did not excite much interest until Luther's turn came, the antagonist whom Eck was most desirous to meet, and whose rising fame he hoped to crush by a briliant victory. Ranke thus describes Luther's person at this time: —“He was of the middle size, and so thin as to be mere skin and bone. He possessed neither the thundering voice, nor the ready memory, nor the skill and dexterity of his distinguished antagonist. But he stood in the prime of manhood and in the fulness of his strength. His voice was melodious and clear; he was perfectly versed in the Bible, and its aptest sentences presented themselves unbidden to his mind; above all, he inspired an irresistible conviction that he sought the truth. He was always cheerful at home, and a joyous, jocose companion at table: even on this grave occasion, he ascended the platform with a nosegay in his hand; but, when there, he displayed intrepid and self-forgetting earnestness, arising from the depth of a conviction until now unfathomed, even by himself. He drew forth new thoughts, and placed them in the fire of the battle, with a determination that knew no fear and no personal regard. His features bore |