RECREATION AND TROUBLE.
After the completion of this work, Melanchthon felt desirous of carrying
out a plan of a journey for recreation, which he had formed a long time
before. Whither did he wish to go? To no other place but his home. He
therefore, on the 17th of July, 1536, addressed a petition to the
Elector: "I would, in all humility, inform your Electoral Grace, that
there are some matters in which my poor children are also concerned,
which I ought to settle with my brother, and which cannot be done
through other persons, or by letter. In addition to this, Magister
Camerarius, who is now dangerously ill, has expressed a strong desire to
see me. I would therefore humbly pray your Grace to grant me, and
Magister Milichius,[18] whose father has earnestly entreated him to
visit him, leave of absence to visit our homes for about five weeks."
Already on the following day, he and Milichius received a gracious
permission from the Elector, and also at the same time permission to
make use of a one-horse carriage belonging to the Elector.
But when he was about to depart, important difficulties arose, which
made it necessary to postpone his intended journey. Pope PAUL III., who
had ascended the Papal chair at the death of Clement VII., seemed to be
in earnest about summoning a General Council of the Church. The Emperor
had held the opinion since 1530, that a General Council must be held, if
harmony was to be restored to Germany. But Pope Clement was never in
earnest in the matter; and even the Papal Nuncio, PAUL VERGERIUS, seems
only to have gone to Wittenberg in order to deceive. But now it had a
different appearance. Pope Paul had already published a bull, June 2d,
1536, calling a Council to meet at Mantua, on the 23d of May, of the
following year. But it offered no hopeful prospect, for it said, among
other things: "Not only to exterminate all heresy and error from the
vineyard of the Lord, and to improve the morals of the Christian Church
by such holy and wholesome medicine, but also to effect a general peace
and unity among all Christian believers, and to reconquer our kingdom
and lands by a general crusade against the Unbelievers." It proceeds in
the same tone. The Lutherans could not greatly rejoice in a Council
which was to accomplish such things. It was generally reported at this
time, that a Papal Nuncio would come to Saxony; and it was of importance
to know how he was to be received. We may easily understand that the
Elector was not disposed to meet him in the most friendly manner.
However, he requested the opinions of the divines and jurists in
Wittenberg. They replied that it would only be possible to consent to a
Council, under certain conditions. Let us hear what principles were
expressed in Melanchthon's opinion. He thought that it would be best, if
the Council could be prevented, for the Pope evidently had no other
intention than to condemn the Protestants. That they had a perfect right
to protest against the Council, but as they had continually appealed to
such an one, it would now bring "disgrace" upon the Protestants, if they
should fly from it. Neither he, nor the other Wittenbergers, would
permit the Pope to be judge in this General Council of the Church.
However, the Elector differed altogether from the temperate views
expressed in these opinions. He held, that the Council summoned by the
Pope was neither a free nor general one, and that it ought not to be
attended to; he even thought that an opposition Council should be
called, in which nothing should be transacted "but what is founded in
divine and holy Scripture, and drawn up in accordance with it."
While matters were in this state, Melanchthon began his journey August
23, with Professor MILICH, who wished to visit his home, Freiburg in the
Brisgau. They passed through Frankfort and Bretten, to Tuebingen, where
his most faithful friend Camerarius had received an appointment a year
before. We may easily imagine what a cordial reception he met with here.
From Tuebingen he wrote to Milich: "By God's grace, Joachim is now quite
well. Oh, that it might be of long duration! I was received in the most
friendly manner." He remained three weeks in Tuebingen, and could
scarcely separate himself from Camerarius, and therefore remarks in a
letter, that he would rather be with his Joachim than anywhere else.
"But I do not see how I can separate myself from those with whom I have
hitherto associated." He thus again declined the renewed invitation of
Duke Ulrich of Wurtemberg, to accept a professorship there. The learned
from every quarter came to Tuebingen, to see and to converse with
Melanchthon. When these were assembled at a dinner upon a certain
occasion, in the house of Phrygio, Melanchthon asked the preacher ZELL,
of Strasburg, what he thought of the Lord's Supper? He honestly replied:
"When God the Lord permitted me to arrive at a knowledge of his holy
Gospel, I never believed, taught, and preached otherwise in regard to
the Lord's Supper, but that the true body and the true blood of Jesus
Christ, my Saviour, are offered to all those who receive and partake of
the Lord's Supper. But as for believing that I must receive the body and
blood in the Lord's Supper, _substantialiter_, _essentialiter_,
_realiter_, _naturaliter_, _praesentialiter_, _localiter_,
_corporaliter_, _transubstantialiter_, _quantitative_, _qualitative_,
_ubiqualiter_, _carnaliter_, I believe the devil has brought these words
from hell. Christ simply said, 'This is my body, this is my blood.'"
Melanchthon replied, in a pleasant manner: "You have given a correct
answer." On the 14th of October, he went to Nuertingen, and there
consulted with the Duke about the arrangement of the University. From
this place he wrote an encouraging letter to the professors of the
University, in which he assures them that the Duke entertained the
kindest feelings towards the University, and looked upon it as one of
the most important institutions of the state.
The Duke commissioned Melanchthon to write to Brenz at Hall, to induce
him to accept a professorship in the University. Melanchthon discharged
this honorable duty on the 17th of October. He entreated Brenz in the
most earnest manner, in the name of the Duke, to accept of the
appointment at least for _one_ year, until a suitable person could be
found. Yea, he conjured him for the sake of Christ and the good of the
Church, and said that he would go himself, if the Elector of Saxony
would suffer him to go for a time. "But," he adds, "I cannot preach, and
therefore would be of little use in such a situation." Brenz actually
accepted the call, and received the permission of his government for
this purpose. The Duke dismissed Melanchthon in the most friendly
manner, and presented him with one hundred gold florins. He journeyed
through Goeppingen and Ellwangen to Nuremberg, where a circle of devoted
friends resided, such as Baumgaertner, Ebner, Dietrich, Roting, Osiander,
and others. A dispute concerning Private Confession was carried on here
at this time. Andrew Osiander was involved in it. He adhered to this
ancient and established custom of the Church, whilst others maintained
that forgiveness of sins was to be sought in preaching, in the general
Confession, and in the Sacrament. Osiander granted that forgiveness was
also granted in preaching, but did not wish the servant of Christ
immediately to say: I absolve thee from thy sins, without knowing who
should be bound and who absolved. He feared confusion, because the
wicked man might thus falsely comfort himself with absolution; and he
called this absolution juggling. Against this last, Melanchthon declared
himself in writing and verbally, for he understood very well that
absolution "is effectual to those who receive it with true faith, and
comfort themselves with it,"--"although others are present to whom the
absolution does not apply. These, however, are reminded and excluded by
the condition of repentance." It was, however, also his opinion that
efforts should be made to re-establish Private Confession more and more
in future. At the same time he modestly suggests that others also "who
have more knowledge," should give their opinion in this matter. From
Nuremberg he wrote to Camerarius, and revealed his troubles in regard to
these disputes: "Oh that this evil might be remedied! I am oppressed and
consumed by private and public cares. Therefore I so earnestly long for
your company, with whom I somewhat refreshed myself. I am most painfully
troubled about these disputes, by which, as is very evident, Churches
and States are rent. Therefore we will withdraw from all such disputes,
and devote all our zeal to the education of youth, and to form their
judgment, so that, as much as possible, we may provide for posterity. I
shall exert myself more and more to instil moderate and useful
principles into the minds of the young, and to restrain them from such
foolish disputes."
While he was thus pouring forth his sorrows, he himself was threatened
with a great trial in Wittenberg. A preacher named Conrad Cordatus, of
Niemegk, a zealous adherent of Luther, had been present at a lecture,
delivered by Cruciger towards the end of July, 1536. In this, Cruciger
expressed the opinion that in the article of Justification, good works
are the condition, without which we cannot be saved. Cordatus was
greatly and properly shocked at this, for such a form of expression was
totally opposed to the doctrine of the Lutheran Church. In the following
month he wrote to Cruciger, to call him to account, on account of this
wrong doctrine. The professor did not reply. Cordatus wrote again,
threatening that he would not be silent until he should hear a
recantation of this heresy. If this should not be done, he would apply
to the theological faculty for a decision. He also said that there were
many trifling Theologians in Wittenberg, who would rather read and hear
the dead Erasmus than the living Luther. Now Cruciger replied, and
defended his views. On the 17th of September, Cordatus came to
Wittenberg, and visited Cruciger. He here heard that what he had read
concerning the Gospel of John was the work of Melanchthon, who, as
Ratzeberger relates, in a manner composed their lectures for the
professors. "For no labor was distasteful to Philip, and he served every
one cheerfully." The next day Cordatus went to Luther, and presented the
whole matter to him. Luther replied: "You are not the first to inform me
of this. Michael Stiefel and Amsdorf have already asked me about it." It
is not known how much more was spoken and resolved, although it seems
that Luther labored to suppress the difficulty. Melanchthon's journey of
recreation was not a little embittered, for he received the news of this
occurrence in Wittenberg. Even while yet upon the road he found it
necessary to write to Luther, Bugenhagen, Jonas, and Cruciger, in which
he at length justifies his manner of teaching. He says: "I never wished,
and in this particular point of dispute, I have never taught anything
else but what you all together unite in teaching." He declared that many
had fallen into the opinion, especially on account of this
proposition--"We are justified by faith alone," that we are justified by
the new life, or the gifts communicated to us.
Hence arose the question: If we are only acceptable by Grace, wherefore
is the new life required? Although he highly praised good works, he yet
distinctly states that they are neither the price nor the merit of
eternal life. He prayed for Christ's sake that they should be convinced
concerning him; that he had taught thus with the best intentions, and
not on account of stubbornness of opinion. He had never wished to hold
opinions different from their own, and if they wished to make him
suspected and estranged, he would rather remove far away from them.
Cordatus already circulated the report that Melanchthon would return to
Wittenberg no more. But on the 5th of November, a few days after his
letter, he arrived, and almost the first thing he did was to write a
friendly and conciliatory letter to his accuser, in which he reminds him
of old friendship, and says that he should have spoken to him first of
all, if he found anything reprehensible in him. He concludes thus: "This
cause, in which we are engaged, is not our own, but Christ's, whose
glory I truly desire to serve." Cordatus had raised considerable
excitement, which spread even to the Court of the Elector. Towards the
end of December, Cordatus referred the decision of this matter to Jonas,
then Rector of the University, who had already besought him to desist
from the accusation. Another event, however, put a stop to this
disagreeable matter for the present.