THE SCHOOL OF TRIBULATION.
We have learned before that Melanchthon was compelled to pass through
much tribulation. But the year 1544 is particularly marked in this
respect. Domestic afflictions are certainly among the bitterest we are
called upon to bear, and such he amply experienced. His favorite
daughter, ANNA, had formed an unhappy marriage with the poet SABINUS,
who was a frivolous debauchee, and wished to be divorced from her.
However, the Lord separated them by the death of Anna, in 1547. We shall
speak of this again. His son Philip also gave him much trouble. While he
was yet a student of law, about nineteen years old, he was betrothed to
a young woman of Leipzig, without the knowledge of his parents. This
grieved his father exceedingly.
But he was still more troubled on account of his relations with Luther,
with whom he was at variance at this time. This was caused by
Melanchthon's changed views of the doctrine of the Lord's Supper. We
have remarked before that it was an arbitrary act on his part, and one
which has done much harm, to alter the Augsburg Confession. For it was
not his private work, but a public Confession. He altered this document
in the editions of 1533 and 1535, but it was not until the year 1540
that he published a greatly changed edition. An old account says that
Luther found fault with him on this account, and said to him: "Philip,
you are not acting rightly in altering the Augsburg Confession so often,
for it is not your book, but the book of the Church." These alterations
particularly referred to the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, with which
Eck had reproached him at Worms.
He expressed this article in such a manner that the Catholics and the
Reformed could include their views. This may have been satisfactory
enough to the Reformed, but the Lutherans were highly displeased. Luther
adhered to the bodily eating and drinking of the body and blood, as he
had taught from the beginning. Although he had not laid so great a
stress upon this point for the last few years, he now asserted it again.
There were some faithful adherents of the Gospel in Venice, who were
compelled to endure great oppression. They applied to Luther, and
complained of their afflictions, and spoke particularly also of the
spread of the Swiss views of the Lord's Supper. Luther replied, that he
had only formed a concord with the Upper Germans, but would have nothing
to do with the Swiss, particularly those of Zurich. They are indeed
learned, but intoxicated men, who merely eat common bread in the Lord's
Supper. They should beware of false prophets, and adhere strictly to the
doctrine of the connection of the body and blood of Christ with the
bread and wine, even if many should think of a transubstantiation. When
Melanchthon heard of this letter, he was much grieved, for he thought
that Luther had conceded transubstantiation, which, however, was not the
case. But the flame only began to break forth somewhat in the year 1544.
During this year the Reformation book of Cologne was brought to
Wittenberg. When Luther came to the article on the Lord's Supper, he
would not read any further, and wrote to Chancellor Brueck, who had sent
it for his inspection, by the order of the Elector: "The book does not
only tolerate, but encourages the fanatics, and is far more favorable to
_their_ doctrine than our own. If I am to read the whole of it, our
gracious Master must allow me further time, until my displeasure has
abated. Otherwise I do not wish to look at it. And besides this, as the
Bishop shows, it is altogether too long and too great nonsense, so that
I can well perceive that chatterer, Bucer, in it." It is true that Bucer
had prepared the book, but not without Melanchthon's approbation.
Luther had said, in the spring of this year, that he did not suspect
Melanchthon in the least. But when he visited Amsdorf during the summer,
and was in the habit of thundering against the Sacramentarians, in the
pulpit and elsewhere, Melanchthon feared the worst, and wrote both to
Bucer, and to Bullinger in Zurich, that Luther had never treated this
matter more violently than at present, and that, on the whole, there was
little hope of peace. At last Luther published his "Short Confession"
concerning the Lord's Supper, which is one of his ablest productions.
However strongly he attacked the Swiss in this, nothing was said of
Bucer and Melanchthon, the latter of whom had feared an attack. About
this time, as Melanchthon himself states in a letter to Myconius,
October 10th, 1544, he had a conversation with Luther, in which he
assured him that he had always granted a union of Christ with the bread
and wine; so that if bread and wine are taken, Christ is truly present,
and makes us his members. He believes that Luther was satisfied with
this; but if not, he would be obliged to think of removing from
Wittenberg, which he had been advised to do, and for which he had many
and weighty reasons. However, after some time, a better state of feeling
seemed to be established, so that Melanchthon could reply to Chancellor
Brueck's inquiries, "that there was nothing of importance:" and Brueck
wrote to the Elector, "I cannot learn anything from Philip, but that he
and Martin are very good friends. May the Almighty add his blessing to
it!"
But Luther's Short Confession had called forth a violent refutation from
Bullinger, and it was again feared that Luther would make another
attack, especially upon Melanchthon, who was a correspondent of
Bullinger. The Elector heard of it, and directed his Chancellor to
pacify Luther, and to request him not to attack Melanchthon, "which, if
it should take place, would cause us a great deal of sorrow." If
Philippus adhered to those of Zurich or others, Luther should admonish
him in a Christian and paternal manner, and that would certainly be
effectual. Their ancient friendship was gradually restored, whether by a
conversation with Melanchthon or in some other way, is not known. That
Luther was not induced to depart from the true doctrine by the attacks
from Zurich, is evident in a letter, addressed by him to a friend, not
long before his death, from which we merely extract these words: "I am
satisfied with this blessedness of the Psalm, 'Blessed is the man that
walketh not in the counsel of the Sacramentarians, nor standeth in the
way of the Zwinglians, nor sitteth in the seat of the Zurichers. Here
you have my opinion.'"
So many sorrows resting upon Melanchthon injuriously affected his body
and spirit. He was seized by another illness in July, 1544. He wrote to
Veit Dietrich, July 1: "Dearest Veit, while I am writing this, I am
suffering severely from an affection of the spleen, which has been
caused by the afflictions which have weighed upon me for the last two
months; and if my spleen ulcerates, I shall lose my life." His dear
friend Camerarius, who had heard of this illness, hastened to
Wittenberg, to see and comfort him. On the 6th of July, the sufferer was
able to write to Myconius: "Although my health is not yet established,
(for the disease of the stone is added to my other afflictions, and in
two days I have passed three stones with great pain,) yet I attend to my
scholastic labors, to which God has called me, and I pray for the civil
government."
He at this time also received the sad tidings that one of his best
friends, the celebrated JEROME BAUMGARTNER, of Nuremberg, had been
captured by the robber-knight, ALBERT VON ROSENBERG, when he was
returning from the Diet of Spire. We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure
to communicate some parts of the letter of consolation, addressed to
Baumgaertner's wife by Melanchthon: "We pray God that he will not permit
you to sink in this great distress, but would by his Holy Spirit grant
you comfort and strength, as he has often promised that he is a God who
dwelleth with the sorrowful, as I have often experienced in no slight
afflictions. And may you particularly console yourself with these three
considerations: _first_, that what our Saviour said is certainly true,
that all our hairs are numbered by God; that is, that God regards and
preserves us, although we may be in danger. Therefore, even as he
preserved Daniel among the lions, so he will also comfort and preserve
your lord in the midst of the robbers who have captured him. In the
_second_ place, that this also is certainly true, that the Divine
Majesty has promised, and pledged itself, to be with the troubled and
terrified who call upon him, as it is written in the 37th chapter of the
Prophet Isaiah. Therefore you should not doubt that the Eternal God is
with your lord and you, and will strengthen and save you from this great
distress. In the _third place_, it is certain that it is God's will
that we should acknowledge him by calling upon him, and that he will
manifest his presence by those gifts for which we pray, as he has said,
'Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt
glorify me.' Therefore you should not doubt that God will hear you, and
the many Christians who are praying that the Lord would restore your
husband to you with joy. May the Eternal God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, do this for his own glory, and at all times comfort and
protect you and your husband. Amen."
He wrote this on the 9th July, 1544; but, with many other sympathizing
friends, was obliged to wait an entire year, until the prisoner regained
his liberty, and could return to his family.