WAR AND THE MISERY OF WAR.
While Luther's death was not only deeply moving Wittenberg and Saxony,
but all the friends of the Gospel elsewhere, the religious discussion of
Ratisbon, which had been commenced on the 27th of January, was in full
operation, but not in a very encouraging manner. For the Spanish
Ecclesiastic, MALVENDA, proved himself to be a proud and obstinate
priest. He had proposed nine propositions in regard to the article on
Justification, which were composed in such a way that it was altogether
impossible for the Protestants to accept them. The latter, therefore,
declared in a protest, that they intended to abide by the Augsburg
Confession, and regarded this as the true Catholic and Christian
doctrine. The Theologians of Wittenberg were of the same opinion; and,
in a letter to the Elector of the 5th of March, declared: "Dr. Martinus
has left a valuable jewel behind him, even the true meaning of Christian
doctrine, which we wish to transmit, undefiled, to our posterity. May
God grant us his Grace and Holy Spirit for this purpose!" But on the
banks of the Danube, that is, in Ratisbon, the Imperial party would have
nothing to do with this pure doctrine, and laid every difficulty in the
way of the Protestants. Indeed, it appeared more and more, that the
whole discussion was a mock-fight, and that the Emperor was determined
to cut the Gordian knot with his sword. He indeed did not wish this to
be made known, for he was a deceitful man, who well knew how to conceal
his thoughts. But the Elector saw through his disguise, and ordered his
Theologians to retire from the discussion at Ratisbon. They returned in
the beginning of April.
Melanchthon about this time prepared an opinion in the name of the
Theologians, in which resistance against the Emperor is declared to be a
duty: "If it is true that the Emperor intends to fall upon these States
on account of religion, then it is doubtless right that these States
should earnestly protect themselves and their subjects, with the help of
God." When the Emperor, therefore, came to Ratisbon, and had opened the
diet on the 5th of June, the Protestants were forced to ask him the
reason of his warlike preparations.
He distinctly told them "that, as he was unable to restore peace in
Germany by mild measures, he was obliged to proceed against the
disobedient with the power of the Empire." The Pope united with him, and
published this treaty, in which he openly speaks of the extermination of
heretics. Melanchthon wrote about this to Amsdorf, on June 25th: "It is
certain that the Emperor Charles is preparing to wage a terrible war
against the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave. Already large armies
are gathered in the neighborhood of Guelders, and troops, to be
supported by the Pope, are expected from Italy. Charles does not conceal
that he intends to wage war against the Duke of Saxony; for he called
together the deputies of the cities in Ratisbon, and exhorted them not
to assist the Duke of Saxony. But the cities nobly and firmly declared
that they would not forsake their ally in the hour of danger. So much of
the beginning of the war. But as God protected the house of the widow
of Zarephath, so I pray that God would protect our princes, who govern
justly, and do many good services to the churches and the studies of
religion." As the treaty between the Pope and the Emperor was published,
the Protestants opposed it in a public address, in which they asserted
that the Emperor had been instigated to this war by the Roman
Antichrist, in order to suppress religion, and German liberty. On the
other hand, the Emperor gave as a reason the disobedience of the
princes, which was particularly shown in their invasion of the rights of
the bishops and founders, in the expulsion of the monks, and also
because they detained the Duke of Brunswick in custody. The Pope ordered
public prayers for the extermination of heretics, but the Protestants
made all possible preparations to resist the Emperor.
Melanchthon published Luther's excellent little book, "A Warning to my
beloved Germans," and added an encouraging introduction, in which he
says: "Let all who fear God in Germany, now seriously consider and
remember what they owe to God in these terrible warlike preparations.
For now that it is known that the Pope is lending such great aid in
money and soldiers to carry on this war, there can be no doubt that it
is his principal aim to exterminate the true doctrine, which is now
preached in our churches, and to re-establish and secure forever his own
idolatry and errors, by shedding of blood, murder, the lasting
destruction of the German nation, and by dismembering all the Electoral
and princely families." He encourages resistance, and adds: "I am
surprised that wise men have suffered themselves to be induced to begin
this war. But it is not only the work of men, the devil's rage, and
desire to bring about greater destruction and misery in Christendom....
But I pray all God-fearing men earnestly to beseech God to protect his
Church, in which the true doctrine is preached, and also every Christian
government. Besides this, all such should remember that every one is in
duty bound to aid in preserving the true Christian doctrine, according
to his position and means. For this we live, and we cannot do a better
work in this life."
The Imperial ban of the Empire against the Elector and the Landgrave,
the two leaders of the league of Smalkald, made its appearance on the
20th of July. Besides this, Duke Maurice of Saxony, who was full of
ambition, betrayed the cause of his relative, the Elector, and the cause
of the Protestants in general. He went over to the Emperor's side. But
before the Emperor had gathered his troops, the Protestants were already
standing on the banks of the Danube, in the month of July, with an army
of 40,000 men, prepared to strike. But they did not make a good use of
their favorable position, for they could at this time have brought the
war to an end by one decisive blow. The experienced commander of the
Upper Germans, SEBASTIAN SCHAeRTLIN, wished to fall upon the Emperor, who
with a few hundred men was then in Ratisbon, and compel him to make
peace. But his plan was defeated by the scruples of the leaders of the
League, until the Emperor had received reinforcements, and was now able
to assume an offensive attitude. He soon became master of the Danube,
and entered Swabia. When the leaders of the League now proposed terms of
peace, he ordered them to surrender at discretion. Here they also
learned that Duke Maurice had united with the Emperor, and therefore the
two leaders of the League resolved to return to their own dominions, in
order to protect them, especially as Maurice had already entered the
Electoral dominions, and was capturing one city after the other. The
Emperor had also promised the Electoral dignity to Duke Maurice. When
the princes retreated, with the intention, it is true, of meeting the
Emperor the following spring with a stronger force, they placed the game
entirely in his hands. He conquered, and laid under contribution, the
various confederate cities in Southern Germany; and on the Rhine,
humbled the aged Duke Ulrich, of Wuertemberg, and deprived the aged
Archbishop of Cologne of his princely dignity. He had thus covered his
rear in Swabia and on the Rhine, and was now able, without much
difficulty, to shift the war into the dominions of the two leaders of
the Confederation.
While the Emperor was proceeding thus in Southern Germany, and on the
Rhine, the Elector, John Frederick, entered Thuringia with 2000 men, and
soon swept away the armies of Duke Maurice. He even entered his
dominions, and conquered the whole land, with the exception of Leipzig.
At Altenberg, he was opposed by Maurice and his ally, the Margrave
Albert, of Brandenburg, but in vain. For the Margrave was taken
prisoner, and Maurice evacuated the country. Thus John Frederick stood
as a victor upon the banks of the Elbe, but without taking advantage of
his victory.
We may easily suppose that the University and schools could not prosper
much in these warlike times. When the troops of Duke Maurice were
advancing, it was thought advisable in Wittenberg to dissolve the
University. The Margrave Joachim offered a retreat to Melanchthon. Many
fled to Magdeburg, but Melanchthon selected Zerbst, when the troops of
Maurice threatened Wittenberg. We may conceive the feelings of
Melanchthon's heart, when aged sires, women, and children, were thus
compelled to flee, in mid-winter, in a snow-storm. He was received in a
hospitable manner at Zerbst, and at the same time also received
invitations from Brunswick and Nuremberg. But, while everything looked
so gloomy, the sky assumed a bright appearance at the return of the
Elector, who had so expeditiously cleared his dominions of hostile
troops. Melanchthon, too, returned to Wittenberg, now freed from the
siege, but only for a few days, as matters were still in a state of
insecurity and uncertainty. He returned to Zerbst, and was destined soon
to experience greater calamities than ever before. But, although he was
greatly afflicted, he comforted himself with the word of God. He at this
time wrote to Camerarius: "Let us be assured that God will preserve the
seed of his Church and of the truth, as he has so repeatedly promised in
his divine word, and let us not doubt that God has our welfare at heart,
even if the world should be destroyed." In the beginning of February,
1547, he again returned to Wittenberg for a few days, and thence wrote
to the Elector to make peace, but without effecting anything.
While Melanchthon was deeply afflicted by the death of his beloved
daughter ANNA, who had been married to Sabinus, and died on the 26th of
February, in the flower of life, he was also to behold calamities
falling upon the dominions of his prince from every quarter. The Emperor
had arisen with the determination to subdue John Frederick. He united
with his brother Ferdinand and Duke Maurice, at Egra, and advanced into
the Electoral dominions with 27,000 men, while the Elector had rapidly
retreated to Wittenberg, which was well fortified. But he was overtaken
by the Imperial cavalry. A battle was fought at Muehlberg, April 24. The
pious Elector was at the time attending divine worship, and thought
that he ought to remain until the close; he was overtaken on the heath
of Lochau, and after a brave resistance on his part, was made prisoner.
The Emperor received him in a very ungracious manner, and ordered him,
together with the captive Duke Ernest of Brunswick-Lueneburg, to be
conveyed to the camp. Intoxicated by his victory, he even went so far as
to pronounce sentence of death upon the Elector, against all the
prerogatives of princes. But the Elector received the announcement with
the greatest tranquillity. However, he did not venture to execute the
sentence, and changed it to imprisonment for life. As the Elector
steadily rejected the resolutions of the Council of Trent, he was
declared to have forfeited his lands and electoral dignity, and the
traitor Maurice was entrusted with the Electorate. When Melanchthon, who
was then at Zerbst, heard of the defeat of the Elector, he was deeply
moved, and thus expresses his troubles in a letter written to Caspar
Cruciger, on the 1st of May: "Dearest Caspar, if I were able to weep as
many tears as the Elbe rolls deep waters by you and our walls, I could
not weep out my sorrow on account of the defeat and imprisonment of our
prince, who truly loved the Church and Justice. Many important
considerations increase my distress. I deeply commiserate the prisoner.
I foresee a change of doctrine, and a new confusion of the Churches.
Then, what an ornament is destroyed in the dispersion of our school? and
we too are torn asunder. Truly, if it were possible for one to consider,
I would rather die in your society, and before your altars, than wander
about in this state of exile, in which my strength is daily decreasing."
As the Spanish and Italian soldiers made great havoc, and especially
mal-treated women and maidens, he did not consider Zerbst a safe
retreat any longer. He, therefore, removed with his family to Magdeburg.
He here met Luther's widow, who was about to depart to Denmark, where
she had found a noble patron in the king. He accompanied her to
Brunswick, where she remained for some time, and he went to Nordhausen.
A faithful friend, Mayor MEIENBERG, resided here, with whom he had
carried on a cordial correspondence. He had written to him on Ascension
day, shortly before his arrival in Nordhausen: "I write this letter on a
happy day, in which the Ascension of the Son of God is publicly
commemorated, and which was beheld in former days by many of the Church
with their own eyes. And I thought of the sweet words of comfort which
are read on this day. But the Son of God still sitteth at the right hand
of the Eternal Father, and bestows his gifts upon the children of men.
Therefore, if we call upon him, he will also grant us gifts, and protect
and preserve his Church." And this trust, which he reposed in the Lord
of the Church, was not put to shame.
He dropped the plan he had formed, of visiting his home, and also
declined a call to the University of Tuebingen, which he received at this
time; for his heart was wedded to Wittenberg, which had become his
second home. He wrote to a friend on the 5th of June: "The University of
Tuebingen has called me. But in my bosom and inmost feelings I feel a
great affection for our little nest on the Elbe, and towards the friends
residing there, and in the neighborhood, so that it would give me the
greatest pain to part from them. Therefore I shall soon return to the
Elbe again."