and affectionate portion of a letter addressed to the pastors of the churches in the provinces of Bohemia and Lusatia?-or, indeed, will it be believed that if he had been guilty of tergiversation they would have continued too seek his advice, to value his sympathies, to confide in his wisdom, and to allow him to maintain the eminence to which public esteem and personal merit had exalted him? "Whether," he observes, "divine wisdom has appointed still greater troubles than ever existed before in this feeble and superannuated age of the world, may be doubtful; but amidst the desolation of Empires, the Son of God will continue to gather an eternal church, solely by the preaching of his gospel, till the period when he will recal the dead to life. These predictions are given to encourage us to endure the sufferings allotted us, and to persevere in the labour of extending the truth in the world, which will not be in vain. It is with much grief we have heard that pure doctrine is so despised, that the pastors have been driven from their churches, and that at this moment many pious and upright men, with their wives and dear little children, are in a state of exile. We sympathize most deeply with them with you and with your bereaved churches, and implore the Son of God, who has said, I will not leave you comfortless,' to alleviate these sufferings, and to afford you all necessary assist

ance. You so well know the true sources of religious consolation, that we will not enlarge, but only admonish you under present circumstances to set your churches an example of stedfastness in tribulation, lest they should be tempted to unbelief. Nothing will be more efficacious for this purpose than a thorough knowledge of the truth, and an opposition to mere human opinions. The Papists support the most flagrant idolatry, the invocation of departed saints, and numerous absurdities originating from that monstrous sentiment: they turn the Lord's Supper into a gainful traffic, and contrary to the design of this institution, carry about the bread in public procession to be adored. Disparaging the true doctrine of repentance, they invent a multiplicity of foolish rites, to the absolute torment of pious persons, taking away the consolation to be derived from the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and zealously contending for numerous observances of their own invention. The people then will not surely suppose our determined opposition to these practices unnecessary. Let the principal points of doctrine be frequently inculcated, with these solemn admonitions; Keep yourselves from idols.' Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed.' Whosoever blasphemeth

against the Holy Ghost, it given him," This letter is 1555. (b)

shall not be fordated February,

The death of Justus Jonas proved an additional source of affliction at this period. He had been particularly intimate both with Luther and Melancthon, and had co-operated with the latter in several important public transactions. Jonas was a native of Northausen in Thuringia. He was profoundly skilled both in law and theology. For some years he held a pastoral charge at Wittemberg, and was a professor and Rector of the University. Afterwards removing to Halle, he became extensively useful in promoting the Reformation. For a considerable time after the death of Luther he continued in the Duke of Saxony's court, and was a sympathizing companion to the sons of John Frederic in their afflictions. At last he was placed over the church in Eisfield, where he expired in peace on the ninth of October, 1555, at the age of sixty-two.

Maximilian king of Bohemia levied a new tax upon the celebrity of Melancthon, by proposing to him a number of questions respecting the principal subjects that occasioned the controversies of the age; to all of which he felt himself obliged to return a circumstantial reply.

(b) MELANCTH. Ep. Lib. I. 78.

This was in the year 1556, and the whole memorial was published at Leipsic, by Nicholas Selneccer, about ten years after the author's decease.

It is impossible for those who are not similarly situated fully to realize the perplexity and toil which Melancthon and his coadjutors sustained at this period. As the head of all the principal literary and ecclesiastical transactions of the age, consulted by princes, despatched upon every urgent occasion on different journies, summoned to private conferences and public councils, necessitated to maintain an extensive correspondence, opposed, and even insulted by a violent faction, and watched as a heretic by the partizans of the Roman hierarchy, it is not surprising that he should represent himself as tormented upon the rack of incessant engagement, and absolutely distracted with writing disputations, rules and regulations, prefaces and letters.(c)

(c) "Non poëticæ carnificinæ apud inferos pares sunt meæ carnificinæ, quâ excrucior scribendis disputationibus, legibus, præfationibus, epistolis. Nunc respondeo optimo inveni të ëxovtɩ õvoμa vis derõ tõ σkiniwvos, et volumen mitto. Heri in Pomeraniam Controversiæ Stetinensis disjudicationem misimus." ad Joach. Camerarium, 844.

CHAP. XIII.

་་་་་

A. D. 1557, To A. D. 1560.

Last conference of Melancthon with the Papists at Worms-Visit to Heidelberg-Receives intelligence of his wife's death-Her epitaph-The Chronicon and other writings-Loss of friends-Melancthon's infirmities-Interesting paper assigning reasons why it is desirable to leave the world—A variety of particulars respecting his LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH -Epitaph by Theodore Beza-Ode-Conclusion.

THE time was now approaching when this distinguished combatant was to pass from the field of holy and honourable warfare in which he had so long "fought a good fight," to share the honours of an eternal triumph. In the year 1557, he met his Popish adversaries for the last time in a conference at Worms. The chief subject of dispute was a most important one, meriting all the zeal and firmness with which the Reformers maintained their principles. It respected the rule of judgment in religious concerns.