History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century Volume III Part 7

[Sidenote: IN THE ROMISH SYSTEM.]

Thus fell the ma.s.s--the princ.i.p.al bulwark of Rome; thus the Reformation pa.s.sed from simple teaching into public wors.h.i.+p. For three centuries the ma.s.s and transubstantiation had been peremptorily established.[98] From that period everything in the Church had taken a new direction; all things tended to the glory of man and the wors.h.i.+p of the priest. The Holy Sacrament had been adored; festivals had been inst.i.tuted in honour of the sublimest of miracles; the adoration of Mary had acquired a high importance; the priest who, on his consecration, received the wonderful power of "making the body of Christ," had been separated from the laity, and had become, according to Thomas Aquinas, a mediator between G.o.d and man;[99] celibacy had been proclaimed as an inviolable law; auricular confession had been enforced upon the people, and the cup denied them; for how could humble laymen be placed in the same rank as priests invested with the most august ministry? The ma.s.s was an insult to the Son of G.o.d: it was opposed to the perfect grace of His cross, and the spotless glory of His everlasting kingdom. But if it lowered the Saviour, it exalted the priest, whom it invested with the unparalleled power of reproducing in his hand, and at his will, the Sovereign Creator. From that time the Church seemed to exist not to preach the Gospel, but simply to reproduce Christ bodily.[100] The Roman pontiff, whose humblest servants created at pleasure the body of G.o.d himself, sat as G.o.d in the temple of G.o.d, and claimed a spiritual treasure, from which he drew at will indulgences for the pardon of souls.

[98] By the Council of Lateran, in 1215.

[99] Sacerdos const.i.tuitur medius inter Deum et populum. Th. Aquin.

Summa, iii. 22.

[100] Perfectio hujus sacramenti non est in usu fidelium, sed in consecratione materiae. Ibid. Quest. 80.

Such were the gross errors which, for three centuries, had been imposed on the Church in conjunction with the ma.s.s. When the Reformation abolished this inst.i.tution of man, it abolished these abuses also. The step taken by the archdeacon of Wittemberg was therefore one of a very extended range. The splendid festivals that used to amuse the people, the wors.h.i.+p of the Virgin, the pride of the priesthood, the authority of the pope--all tottered with the ma.s.s. The glory was withdrawn from the priests, to return to Jesus Christ, and the Reformation took an immense stride in advance.

CHAPTER VII.

False Reform--The New Prophets--The Prophets at Wittemberg--Melancthon--The Elector--Luther--Carlstadt and the Images--Disturbances--Luther is called for--He does not hesitate--Dangers.

[Sidenote: FALSE REFORM.]

Prejudiced men might have seen nothing in the work that was going on but the effects of an empty enthusiasm. The very facts were to prove the contrary, and demonstrate that there is a wide gulf between a Reformation based on the Word of G.o.d and a fanatical excitement.

Whenever a great religious ferment takes place in the Church, some impure elements always appear with the manifestations of truth. We see the rise of one or more false reforms proceeding from man, and which serve as a testimony or countersign to the real reform. Thus many false messiahs in the time of Christ testified that the real Messiah had appeared. The Reformation of the sixteenth century could not be accomplished without presenting a similar phenomenon. In the small town of Zwickau it was first manifested.

In that place there lived a few men who, agitated by the great events that were then stirring all Christendom, aspired at direct revelations from the Deity, instead of meekly desiring sanctification of heart, and who a.s.serted that they were called to complete the Reformation so feebly sketched out by Luther. "What is the use," said they, "of clinging so closely to the Bible? The Bible! always the Bible! Can the Bible preach to us? Is it sufficient for our instruction? If G.o.d had designed to instruct us by a book, would he not have sent us a Bible from heaven? It is by the Spirit alone that we can be enlightened. G.o.d himself speaks to us. G.o.d himself reveals to us what we should do, and what we should preach." Thus did these fanatics, like the adherents of Rome, attack the fundamental principle on which the entire Reformation is founded--the all-sufficiency of the Word of G.o.d.

[Sidenote: THE NEW PROPHETS--THEIR PREACHING.]

A simple clothier, Nicholas Storch by name, announced that the angel Gabriel had appeared to him during the night,[101] and that after communicating matters which he could not yet reveal, said to him: "Thou shalt sit on my throne." A former student of Wittemberg, one Mark Stubner, joined Storch, and immediately forsook his studies; for he had received direct from G.o.d (said he) the gift of interpreting the Holy Scriptures. Another weaver, Mark Thomas, added to their number; and a new adept, Thomas Munzer, a man of fanatical character, gave a regular organization to this rising sect. Storch, desirous of following Christ's example, selected from among his followers twelve apostles and seventy-two disciples. All loudly declared, as a sect in our days has done, that apostles and prophets were at length restored to the Church of G.o.d.[102]

[101] Advola.s.se Gabrielem Angelum. Camerarii Vita. Mel. p. 48.

[102] Breviter, de sese praedicant viros esse propheticos et apostolicos. Corp. Ref. i. 514. The author alludes to the followers of Irving.--TR.

The new prophets, pretending to walk in the footsteps of those of old, began to proclaim their mission: "Woe! woe!" said they; "a Church governed by men so corrupt as the bishops cannot be the Church of Christ. The impious rulers of Christendom will be overthrown. In five, six, or seven years, a universal desolation will come upon the world.

The Turk will seize upon Germany; all the priests will be put to death, even those who are married. No unG.o.dly man, no sinner will remain alive; and after the earth has been purified by blood, G.o.d will then set up a kingdom; Storch will be put in possession of the supreme authority, and commit the government of the nations to the saints.[103] Then there will be one only faith, one only baptism. The day of the Lord is at hand, and the end of the world draweth nigh.

Woe! woe! woe!" Then declaring that infant baptism was valueless, the new prophets called upon all men to come and receive from their hands the true baptism, as a sign of their introduction into the new Church of G.o.d.

[103] Ut rerum potiatur et instauret sacra et respublicas tradat sanctis viris tenendas. Camerar. Vita. Mel. p. 45.

[Sidenote: THE NEW PROPHETS.]

This language made a deep impression on the people. Many pious souls were stirred by the thought that prophets were again restored to the Church, and all those who were fond of the marvellous threw themselves into the arms of the extravagants of Zwickau.

But scarcely had this old delusion, which had already appeared in the days of Montanism and in the Middle Ages, found followers, when it met with a powerful antagonist in the Reformation. Nicholas Hausmann, of whom Luther gave this powerful testimony, "What we preach, he practises,"[104] was pastor of Zwickau. This good man did not allow himself to be misled by the pretensions of the false prophets. He checked the innovations that Storch and his followers desired to introduce, and his two deacons acted in unison with him. The fanatics, rejected by the ministers of the Church, fell into another extravagance. They formed meetings in which revolutionary doctrines were professed. The people were agitated, and disturbances broke out.

A priest, carrying the host, was pelted with stones;[105] the civil authority interfered, and cast the ringleaders into prison.[106]

Exasperated by this proceeding, and eager to vindicate themselves and to obtain redress, Storch, Mark Thomas, and Stubner repaired to Wittemberg.[107]

[104] Quod nos docemus, ille facit.

[105] Einen Priester der das Venerabile getragen mit Steinen geworfen.

Seck. p. 482.

[106] Sunt et illic in vincula conjecti. Mel. Corp. Ref. i. 513.

[107] Huc advolarunt tres viri, duo lanifices, literarum rudes, literatus tertius est. Ibid.

They arrived there on the 27th of December 1521. Storch led the way with the gait and bearing of a trooper.[108] Mark Thomas and Stubner followed him. The disorder then prevailing in Wittemberg was favourable to their designs. The youths of the academy and the citizens, already profoundly agitated and in a state of excitement, were a soil well fitted to receive these new prophets.

[108] Incedens more et habitu militum istorum quos _Lanzknecht_ dicimus. L. Epp. ii. 245.

[Sidenote: THE NEW PROPHETS AT WITTEMBERG.]

Thinking themselves sure of support, they immediately called on the professors of the university, in order to obtain their sanction. "We are sent by G.o.d to instruct the people," said they. "We have held familiar conversations with the Lord; we know what will happen;[109]

in a word, we are apostles and prophets, and appeal to Dr. Luther."

This strange language astonished the professors.

[109] Esse sibi c.u.m Deo familiaria colloquia, videre futura......Mel.

Electori, 27th Dec. 1521. Corp. Ref. i. 514.

"Who has commissioned you to preach?" asked Melancthon of his old pupil Stubner, whom he received into his house. "The Lord our G.o.d."--"Have you written any books?"--"The Lord our G.o.d has forbidden me to do so." Melancthon was agitated: he grew alarmed and astonished.

"There are, indeed, extraordinary spirits in these men," said he; "but what spirits?......Luther alone can decide. On the one hand, let us beware of quenching the Spirit of G.o.d, and, on the other, of being led astray by the spirit of Satan."

Storch, being of a restless disposition, soon quitted Wittemberg.

Stubner remained. Animated by an eager spirit of proselytism, he went through the city, speaking now to one, then to another; and many acknowledged him as a prophet from G.o.d. He addressed himself more particularly to a Swabian named Cellarius, a friend of Melancthon's, who kept a school in which he used to instruct a great number of young people, and who soon fully acknowledged the mission of the new prophets.

Melancthon now became still more perplexed and uneasy. It was not so much the visions of the Zwickau prophets that disturbed him, as their new doctrine on baptism. It seemed to him conformable with reason, and he thought that it was deserving examination; "for" said he, "we must neither admit nor reject any thing lightly."[110]

[110] Censebat enim neque admittendum neque rejiciendum quicquam temere. Camer. Vita Mel. p. 49.

Such is the spirit of the Reformation. Melancthon's hesitation and anxiety are a proof of the uprightness of his heart, more honourable to him, perhaps, than any systematic opposition would have been.

[Sidenote: LUTHER ON THE NEW PROPHETS.]

The elector himself, whom Melancthon styled "the lamp of Israel,"[111] hesitated. Prophets and apostles in the electorate of Saxony as in Jerusalem of old! "This is a great matter," said he; "and as a layman, I cannot understand it. But rather than fight against G.o.d, I would take a staff in my hand, and descend from my throne."

[111] Electori lucernae Israel. Camer. Vita Mel. p. 513.

At length he informed the professors, by his councillors, that they had sufficient trouble in hand at Wittemberg; that in all probability these pretensions of the Zwickau prophets were only a temptation of the devil; and that the wisest course, in his opinion, would be to let the matter drop of itself; nevertheless that, under all circ.u.mstances, whenever his highness should clearly perceive G.o.d's will, he would take counsel of neither brother nor mother, and that he was ready to suffer everything in the cause of truth.[112]

[112] Daruber auch leiden was S. C. G. leiden sollt. Ibid. p. 537.

Luther in the Wartburg was apprized of the agitation prevailing in the court and at Wittemberg. Strange men had appeared, and the source whence their mission proceeded was unknown. He saw immediately that G.o.d had permitted these afflicting events to humble his servants, and to excite them by trials to strive more earnestly after sanctification.

"Your electoral grace," wrote he to Frederick, "has for many years been collecting relics from every country. G.o.d has satisfied your desire, and has sent you, without cost or trouble, a whole _cross_, with nails, spears, and scourges......Health and prosperity to the new relic!......Only let your highness fearlessly stretch out your arm, and suffer the nails to enter your fles.h.!.+......I always expected that Satan would send us this plague."