18 A. D. LUTHER'S EARLY RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES. Ch. 2. be the preacher for the city. His eloquence, his learning, and his zeal, now attracted considerable attention, and the 1512. Elector himself visited Wittemberg to hear him preach. Visit to In 1512 he was sent to Rome, and, while in Italy, obtained Rome. knowledge of the actual state both of the hierarchy, and of morals and religion. Julius II., a warlike pontiff, sat on the throne of St. Peter, and the "Eternal City" was the scene of folly, dissipation, and clerical extortion. Luther returned to Germany, completely disgusted with everything he had seen -the levity and frivolity of the clergy, and the ignorance and vices of the people. He was too earnest in his religious views and feelings to take much interest in works of art, or in the pleasures which occupied the attention of the Italians; so the impression of the general iniquity and corruption of Rome never passed away, and probably gave a new direction to his thoughts. Luther as doc tor. Preaching of On his return, he was made Doctor of Divinity, then a great distinction, and renewed his lectures in the university with great ardour. He gave a new impulse to the studies, and a new form to the opinions, of both professors and students. Lupinus and Carlstadt, his colleagues, became converts to his views. All within his sphere were controlled by his commanding genius and extraordinary force of character. He made war upon the schoolmen, and was peculiarly hostile to Thomas Aquinas, whom he accused of Pelagianism. He also attacked Aristotle, the great idol of the schools, and overwhelmed scholasticism with sarcasm and mockery. Such was the state of things when the preachers of indulindul- gences, whom Leo X. had sent out to raise money for St. gences. Peter's Church, arrived in the country round the Elbe. They had already spread over Germany, Switzerland, and France. All crimes were to be pardoned for money. Among the most remarkable of these traffickers was Tetzel, a Dominican monk, an apostolical commissioner, an inquisitor, and a bachelor of theology. Uniting great pretentions to sanctity, with actual profligacy, this man was at once eloquent and haughty, LUTHER'S EARLY RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES. 19 audacious in his pretensions, and skilled in the art of invent- Ch. 2. ing stories calculated to please the people. "Indulgences," A. D. 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 sitions. Tetzel found but few sufficiently enlightened to resist him, The and he obtained great sums from the credulous. The entire ninetysystem excited Luther's intensest detestation, especially in propoview of the erroneous theological 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 ERASMUS-MELANCTHON. Ch. 2. of scholastic absurdities, and of papal pretensions. The A. D. spirit which they breathed was bold, intrepid, and mag1517. nanimous. They electrified Germany, and gave a shock 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 LEO X.-MAXIMILIAN. 21 celebrated Greek scholar Reuchlin. At twelve he was sent Ch. 2. thon. 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 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 many 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 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. convince Leipsic He 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. 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 |