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Fraudulent Monks burnt.

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to lacerate the side, without opposition or detection. Thus marked with the Saviour's wounds, he became the admiration of the deluded populace, and the envy of the Franciscan order. But the plot wound not up here; the apparitions so frequently introduced themselves to disturb Jetzer's repose, that he at last discovered the fraud, and almost killed the infamous prior, who had at that time assumed the Virgin with a crown upon her head. The Dominicans, to prevent the consequences of an impeachment, discovered the whole plot to Jetzer, and hired him to carry on the cheat ; but fearing his fidelity should fail, they resolved to dispatch him by poison, which they attempted at five different times; but he, either through the strength of his constitution, or by discovering their intention, evaded the consequences, and went and impeached the whole before a magistrate; in the issue of which, the four friars were degraded from their priesthood, and burnt alive on the 31st of May, 1509. I should conclude, from the chapter held at Vimpsen, and from other equally positive circumstances, that these wicked friars were punished more for not managing their infamous plot better, than for the infamy of the plot itself. Argument is not necessary to prove that such a church as this needed reformation; the thing speaks for itself: but corruption was so incorporated with all its constituent principles, that the reformation so desired was not to be expected in any alteration of that church, but in an entire separation from it, as the sequel will fully demonstrate.

CHAPTER II.

EPOCH OF REFORMATION.

Martin Luther-his Birth-Education—becomes a Monastic-receives Ordination-introduced to the Professorship at Wittenberg-opposes Tetzel-cited to appear before Cajetan at Augsburg.

In the formation of a great character, we generally observe in addition to some uncommon mental endowments, that a variety of providential events concur to excite and mature that originality of genius, which otherwise would have been obscured, and perhaps would have totally failed of accomplishing any thing admirable or important. This will apply to Moses, the great Jewish legislator; he was brought up in a court, and was taught all the learning of Egypt. So of Cyrus, and of Cæsar of Alexander, and of the Maccabees. The same appears in the histories of those great men by whom the most astonishing changes have been effected in the moral and spiritual state of the buman race. In ecclesiastical memoir, we shall generally find that whatever preparation Divine Providence may have made, by an association of materials without the bounds of the visible church, yet the grand instruments by which these mighty works have been effected, have been raised up from within. St. Paul and his colleagues were Jews, and the principal reformers were Roman catholies. This circumstance, which has nothing to do with the original formation of their minds, gave them an opportunity of performing those acts which would have been otherwise altogether impossible. These remarks are not designed to lessen the character of that

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Martin Luther—his Education.

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illustrious reformer, Martin Luther, but to direet my reader through the whole course of his reflections to the finger of that God who openeth, and no man shutteth, and who shutteth, and no man openeth.

MARTIN LUTHER

Was born in the year 1483, at Isleben, in the county of Mansfield, in Upper Saxony. His father was a man of business and repute, under whose care he received a liberal education. At the age of twenty, he received the degree of master of arts, in the university of Erfurt, and continued for some time to prosecute his studies, with an intention of devoting himself to the bar; but from this purpose he was diverted by the sudden death of an intimate friend, with whom he was walking in a most dreadful storm of thunder and lightning. The loss of his companion, by so awful a providence, and his own marvellous escape, made such an impression upon his mind, that he formed the hasty resolution of entering on the monastic life, which resolution he as hastily adopted, to the great mortification of his father, who did every thing in his power to dissuade him from it. He entered the monastery of Erfurt in the year 1505, where, from the studious turn of his mind, and the serious impressions he had received, he made himself acquainted with those instructors he deemed the best calculated to lead him in the way of truth and peace: but as yet he knew not the scriptures and the power of God.

After he had spent one year in the monastery, a Latin Bible fell into his hands; this proved an unspeakable treasure, for he presently found that it contained more text than was to be found in those commonly used in the public service. From this grand source of divine light, he received some clear and re

Chap. 2.

Luther and Eramus.

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freshing beams of truth. The writings also of Augustine were studied with peculiar ardour, and uniting these exercises with fervent and constant prayer, he became at length filled with wisdom and spiritual understanding. He received ordination in the year 1507, and in the following year was introduced to the professor's chair at the university of Wittenberg; in which office he shone forth as a genius of the first magnitude, and attracted the notice of the Elector of Saxony, to whose friendship he was indebted, in the year 1512, for a release from all the expenses attending the high degree of doctor in divinity, which was conferred upon him by the university.

From the time of his ordination to the commencement of his grand career, light gradually and powerfully increased upon his mind. It is evident from the early writings of this monk that he was no sceptic, no hireling, no boaster; the contrary virtues shones forth in him with peculiar lustre. In all his studies, truth, not triumph, was his object; and that he might attain to this, he sought to have his mind imbued with the true spirit of humility and devotion. He made himself acquainted with the most distinguished characters of the age, as well as with the writings of those gone to their rest; but he was no implicit disciple of any of these: while he read for instruction, he still maintained the right of his own judgment; he bowed to none, except to those he conceived inspired; under which impression he perused the sacred volume.

Luther entertained a high opinion of his friend ERASиus, a man of great learning, and one that wrote very pointedly against some prevailing vices; but our reformer could by no means fall in with the theological system of Erasmus. An extract from a letter of Luther

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The Roman Hierarchy.

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to Spalatinus will discover the sentiments of both the one and the other. "That which strikes my mind in considering Erasmus is this: in interpreting the apostles' account of the righteousness of works, or of the law, he understands by these terms ceremonial obserservances only. The righteousness of the law is by no means confined to ceremonies; for, though it includes these, it still more directly respects an obedience to the whole decalogue, which obedience, when it takes place to a certain degree, and yet has not Christ for its foundation, though it may produce very upright moralists, according to man's judgment, has nothing in it of the nature of genuine righteousness. For men are not made truly righteous, as Aristotle supposes, by performing certain actions which are externally good, for they may still be counterfeit characters; but men must have righteous principles in the first place, and then they will not fail to perform righteous actions. God first respects Abel, and then his sacrifice. I beg you would put Erasmus in mind of these things. I may be thought presumptuous, and perhaps severe, in thus criticising great men my apology is, that I feel a concern for the cause of true theology, and for the salvation of the brethren."

A similar honesty and independence he maintains even with the prince as with the priest. Writing to Spalatinus on another occasion, he says, "Many things please your prince, and look great in his eyes, which are displeasing to God. In secular wisdom, I confess, he is of all men most knowing; but, in things pertaining to God, and which relate to the salvation of souls, I must own that he is blind seven-fold."

Spalatinus was secretary to the elector, FREDERIC THE Wiss, a man of influence, and a steady friend of the reformers.