not obtrusive; affectionate, perhaps pliant, but not weak; acute, but not querulous; facetious, but not inconsiderate, or prone to levity; learned, but not vain; great in intellect, greater in activity,-greatest in piety. Can it be doubted that this was Philip Melancthon?

The master spirit of the age only remains to be introduced. Introduction, indeed, he needs not; for the stout, open-faced, boldlooking occupant of the chair on the president's right, could be no other than Martin Luther. His enterprising, intrepid spirit breathed in every word, in every look, in every attitude of his body. He was nevertheless, kind, though still somewhat dogmatick, to his chosen few; and on this occasion naturally shone as the sun of the system. Light and cheerfulness were spread around him; and if he evinced at times, even here the vehemence and arrogance of his mind, and the rudeness of an unpolished manner, it must be recollected that his redeeming qualities (and who could regard the exte rior only ?) were precious jewels in that inelegant casket.

But we will no longer detain the reader from the animated conversation we wish to record, and in which he may not find it diffi cult to trace some of the peculiarities of the individuals concerned, while he is led to perceive the general position in which the affairs of the Reformation stood at that juncture.

BUGENHAGEN.-Well Jonas, what think you by this time, of the Lutheran Tragedy ?*

JUSTUS JONAS.-Truly, my friend, I must confess that a festival is rather an inappropriate scene in a drama of such a character; unless, indeed (which I trust will not be the case,) it is to issue in a melancholy catastrophe. With reference to the church of Rome, the description may not be inapplicable, for the last thirtyseven years have been sufficiently afflictive to the popedom, the whole body of which seems to writhe with anguish, like the gladiator who has received the mortal stroke.

LUTHER.-Yes, and I fancy it has been a period tragical enough to him who invented the expression. With all my feelings of indignation at the vacillating conduct of Erasmus, I can hardly help mingling those of real pity. He seems ever to have been goaded by conviction, yet bridled by fear. I admire his fine and cultiva ted mind, while I detest his miserable indecision. The fact is, he has always been desirous of conciliating, without venturing openly to unite with us; and, on the other hand, has been sagacious enough to discern the vices and absurdities of the popish church, without having the nobleness of character to sacrifice his reputation on the holy altar of truth.

I pity, I say, while I blame the man, who is neither for Christ nor against him; in whom the fear of shame predominates over the love of God, and whose name will descend to posterity, at once emblazoned with distinction, and tarnished with dishonor.

The description by Erasmus of those religious contentions, which issued in the Reformation.

RUGENHAGEN.-I must own that I participate in your senti ments, Martin. The vacillation in question has not been that which may be supposed to arise from a doubt of the evidence adduced in support of a system of doctrine, or in proof of the justice of the cause; for we are assured, that Erasmus admits that we are on the side of truth, and have not been guilty of any flagrant indis cretions. It is simply the result of an apprehension, well founded, indeed, but unworthy of consideration, that in becoming a Refor mer, he loses his influence as a Catholic, and his associations as a scholar.

CRUCIGER.-I cannot forget the sentiments he expressed in a letter which our beloved Bucer showed us, in which he distinctly intimated, that his love of life was stronger than the love of truth. MAJOR. On which account he wished to decline being present at the diet of Augsburg.

JONAS.-Erasmus is no hero of the order of the three hundred at Thermopylae!

MELANCTHON.-My dear friends are, I think, going too farLUTHER (interrupting him.)-Now, Philip, I beseech you, let us have some of your apologies. You know very well his wariness, which I call weakness-criminal weakness. Erasmus was a dastardly fellow, and dare not avow his conviction that the confession was the substantial gospel.

(A gentle smile played upon the lips of Melancthon, which bespoke at once his estimate of the language and character of the great reformer. Accustomed, however, to his frequent ebullitions of feeling, but assured that they proceeded from mere temporary excitement, far more than from any spirit of domination, he generally let the hurricane pass unnoticed, justly calculating, that the tranquility of his mind would certainly and speedily return, as though he heeded not, therefore, Melancthon continued his remarks :)

Some allowance ought to be made, both for the peculiar character of mind, which distinguishes Erasmus, and for the circumstances in which he is placed. He is, in a sense, of neither party, and yet of both. I grant you, he is involved in difficulty by his own fault : he was, perhaps, never made for a martyr, in the highest sense; and yet he is involuntarily crucified, by the almost concurrent feelings of friends and enemies.

LUTHER.-Crucified? yes, and he deserves his fate.

MELANCTHON.-Is it not possible, however, to be guilty of excess, even in a good cause? Were we scrupulously to examine the conduct of some of the earliest disciples of our Lord, I question if their zeal might not, in certain cases, be deemed extravagant. They were not right in courting persecution-involuntarily running into danger, and even irritating their persecutors for the direct purpose of instigating them to inflict a violent death.

Their motive, indeed, was pure ; but their proceedings extrava gant. Was it not, in some degree, zeal without knowledge ?

LUTHER. I tell you, my dear Philip, yours is a shuffling kind of argument: it is nothing better than an evasion of the question,

and a sagacious apology for a cold, calculating, vacillating man. Can you be so absurd as to persuade yourself, that you have pro duced a parallel case?

Has there ever been any thing in Erasmus that resembles the he roism of the first Christians to whom you refer, even bating what you are pleased to denominate their extravagance ? I am satisfied, that while his religion is full of folly, theirs was full of heroism. And you, Philip, you would even extenuate his sneaking cowardice, and condemn their noble boldness! Give me death in a good cause, rather than life in a doubtful one! I would rather be called an extra vagant fool for Christ's sake, than a hesitating sycophant, or an artful go-between, for the world's sake. I shall not, perhaps, contend that they were altogether justifiable in volunteering to suffer, and designedly enraging the tigers; but there was in their behaviour, and even in the very excess of their zeal, a certain grandeur, a daring so sublime, that their names must be had in everlasting remem brance.

I trust that some of us, at least, have had the grace to imitate their boldness; and to "go forth," in an age too resembling theirs→→ when the lion roars again, and hell is in arms-to "go forth in the presence of our persecutors, rejoicing that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord Jesus." I said, at a former period, that I would go to Worms, though there were as many devils there, as there are tiles on the houses; and I say again, that I would meet the wretched progeny of the mother of harlots, though every hand wielded a thousand swords, and every stone in my way were an incarnate fiend! These are no times for tempo rizers; but blessed be God, we have obtained many triumphs, and our cause is and must be successful.

MELANCTHON.-As to its success and ultimate establishment, I entertain no apprehensions, at least, no despondency. The providence of God has wonderfully overruled events, even those which appeared disastrous; and God has promised never to forsake his church I may state also, and I take it as no inconsiderable proof of his kind designs, that he has wonderfully brought us together as coadjutors in the work which is dear to all hearts. He thought of what we have been enabled to accomplish, however imperfectly; and of the endearing union which has subsisted among us; and I might even humbly add, the adaptation of each as an instrument to fulfil the destinations of Providence, will no doubt furnish delightful retrospections on the bed of death, and a glorious subject of converse in the celestial world. At the present moment, however, I must acknowledge, that I am sensibly oppressed with the afflictions of the church, particularly the vain attempt at Leipsic to restore union, and the hollow pretensions that have so frequently been held out with regard to a general council.*

*An attempt was made to allay religious animosities, by the meeting of Melancthon and Pontanous on the part of the Protestants, with deputies sent to Leipsic, by Ferdinand and Duke George on

LUTHER. How you could have expected union at Leipsic, is to me astonishing! My dear Philip you are deceived in those people: you are always fancying that they are willing to be reconciled, and be at peace with us; and so indeed they are, upon one condition, and one only, that we sacrifice all the essential principles for which we have been so long and strenuously contending. Cerberus will be quiet enough, if you will give him a proper sop, and dip it well in concession: but you see that the firmness with which you so honourably maintained your ground in the late discussions, rendered all your attempts abortive; and the dog, depend upon it, will bark still, and bite too.

MAJOR.-Our friend must console himself amidst his and our disappointments, that the reformed cause seems to wear a promising aspect, both in England and France; and it is no small honour to have been invited by the two potentates into their respective countries. If I am rightly informed, the Queen of Navarre, and other illustrious women, urged the King of France, her brother, to send the invitation.

BUGENHAGEN.—Yes, it was an honourable call, and my dear Philip might have fulfilled a noble and useful service; but I fear with great personal hazard.

JONAS. It might have been a perilous, but would certainly have been a glorious undertaking.

MELANCTHON.-You are well aware, friends, that I was desirous of going, it might, as you remark, have been dangerous; buť I trust I have never disowned or deserted principles I hold dear, when it has been required that they should be solemnly avowed.

(All concurred in this declaration, and the fact seems to have been, that although this eminent reformer was amiable by nature, and on some occasions overawed by Luther's violence, on points in which perhaps he did not fully agree with him, or had not entirely decided; yet, in his encounters with the adversaries of the Reformation, he was uncompromising, and faithful to his principles, whatever might be the probable results.)

CRUCIGER. I regret exceedingly that the Elector would not consent to the proposal.

MAJOR.-That is my feeling.

LUTHER-Regret it, yes, and I blame him too. He was wrong and foolish. John Frederick is a zealous patron, and a worthy successor of Frederic and John; but has shown too little judgment in this case, or too much selfishness. No man values Philip more than I do, if half as much; but I would have said, Go, cost what it will; yes, if it cost his life. These are times, and this is a cause,

the part of the Catholics. Vehus, who represented Ferdinand produced a form of concord, but it affirmed the most objectionable doctrines of Popery, particularly the meritorious efficacy of the Mass to obtain the remission of sins. In these conferences, Melancthon appeared at once the inflexible adherent to essential truths and the zealous promoter of peace and piety.

in which we have already encountered, and must again face both men and devils; and say of our religion, as the poet does of our country:

"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.”

The Elector was wrong, very wrong. It is galling to know, which I am assured is the fact, that the very expectation of seeing Philip, had already put a stop to the execution in France.

BUGENHAGEN-It is, however, most gratifying to find, that France and England have sent these requests; and especially that in the latter, good is doing. I have been exceedingly gratified with the cordial and even entreating terms in which France has written, and with the fact, that even Cardinal Bellaius and Lungey have seconded the mission of Voracus.

LUTHER.-Yes, yes, this is all very good, but I have no doubt there is a touch of temporising policy in the proceedings of Francis. He is very anxious about his claims on Italy, and very desirous of gaining the protestant princes to his interests, by a little accommodating flattery where he imagines it will answer his purpose. He may talk as he pleases, for this costs nothing; but I abhor the man, after all, that can, at the very moment of his application in sugared words, burn six Protestants as heretics! The fool can praise and persecute by turns.

BUGENHAGEN.-I could have wished our dear Philip had gone he would have fathomed his sentiments, as well as promoted our cause, but I should have felt deeply apprehensive on his own account. Francis I. is, I have no doubt, a dissembler. Cardinal Tournon was a violent remonstrant against the invitation; and will any one believe that the Sarbonne divines can forget the satirical pen of Melancthon.

LUTHER.-No, no; the Parisian Sophists are of temper to forgive or concede. Your flagellation of them, Philip, was gloriously done; and I protest, the day I received it was one of the happiest in my Patmos.t

A pause having ensued, Bugenhagen rose and left the room. In a few minutes he returned, with a copy of Melancthon's celebrated Rejoinder in his hand, proposing to read a few passages in it, which he had particularly marked, as not only amusing, but illustrative of the essential cause of disunion among themselves and the Catholic church. The modesty of the author would have prevented this dis

*This is mentioned in Seckendorf's History, and in Luther's works. When Melancthon's book against the Sorbonne divines was published, Luther was in confinement at Wartenberg. They had condemned his writings formally, April 15th, 1521, calling them "poisonous errors," and charged him with rashness, in opposing the opinions of the Universities and holy fathers of the Church, "s though, forsooth, God had given him the knowledge of many truths necessary, for salvation, which had been ignorant of during past ages, being left by Jesus Christ, her spouse, in the darkness of error."