people had hitherto been eluded or disdained, the higher ranks of the hierarchy regarded with undue contempt the humble operations of Luther. The prerogatives, which had not been shaken at Constance or Basle, could have little to apprehend from the academical lucubrations of a Saxon monk.

When Reuchlin, towards the conclusion of a life spent in perpetual conflict with bigotry, wearied and worn with strife, received the Theses of Luther, he returned thanks to God for having raised him up so powerful a successor: "Thanks be to God !" he cried; "the monks have now found a man who will give them such full employment, that they will be glad to leave my old age to pass away in peace." Erasmus, in the height of his reputation and the vigour of his faculties, welcomed with secret joy that manifesto against ecclesiastical imposture. Maximilian read the propositions with satisfaction, and without any contempt either for the warning which they sent forth, or for the quarter whence they came. He con

sidered that their author might be made useful in two capacities as an instrument against those monastic abuses with which all Germany was disgusted; and, if need should be, against the higher powers of the church. "Take care of the monk Luther," he thus advised the elector, "for the time may come when we shall require his services." But the elector beheld these first proceedings with distrust and fear. Attached beyond all other princes to peace and concord, yielding to no one in rational devotion to the church, he trembled at the mighty contentions which might arise from these beginnings, and frequently signified the sorrow with which he saw them.

Frederick was remarkable in early life for the fervency of his religious zeal. Under that influence he had undertaken a pilgrimage to the sepulchre of Christ; and, as

suming on that holy spot the spurs and sword of Godfrey, had sworn devoted allegiance, as her faithful knight and champion, to the Catholic church. Even at the period which I am describing he had in no respect seceded from that vow; so far otherwise, that, having lately constructed the church of All Saints, he resolved that it should be distinguished above all others by the multitude and sanctity of its relics; and accordingly, in 1516, he sent forth Staupitz himself on a commission to procure them. For the same purpose he had received bulls of Indulgence both from Julius and Leo; and all this had been attended with so much success, that Rome itself could scarcely boast an edifice more richly furnished with the implements of superstition. From a prince thus ardent in his youthful devotion, thus confirmed in his zeal for the ecclesiastical practices, what else could be expected but an obstinate adhesion, under all circumstances, to the cause of Rome? Yet such was not in the character of Frederick. He was endowed with a strong and clear understanding, and some excellent principles. Above all, he loved justice—and he loved his subjects. He was not passionate even in his prejudices; but, ever considerate and calm, with a mind never closed against any suggestion of reason or virtue, he was capable of advancing in wisdom as he grew in years, and of casting off, even in the decline of life, the errors which he had adopted so excusably; excusably-for, his strong religious feelings having no channel open to them, except that prescribed by the church, and no suspicion of the purity of that church having been awakened in his mind, he fell through darkness into the established practices, and applied his very piety to extend the limits of what he mistook for holiness.

When the propositions of Luther were placed, as they were presently placed, in the hands of Leo, he regarded

the matter with absolute contempt. "A drunken German," he is reported to have said, "has written these things; when he shall be sober again, he will repent of his lucubrations." Or, if this speech be falsely ascribed to him, there is another which rests on better authority, and which equally proves how lightly he treated the affair: "This brother Martin has a very excellent genius, and the whole thing is a jealous squabble among monks."* It was natural that Leo X., with all his penetration and political sagacity, looking down from the height of his power and the centre of his magnificence upon the proceeding of a single German monk, should altogether underrate it. The prelates of Rome were not more clear-sighted than their pontiff; neither is this a matter of surprise. But that the hierarchy of Germany should, with very few exceptions, have misconceived the character of the movement, is indeed somewhat strange. It might have been supposed that they at least were not unacquainted with the spirit which was diffused throughout their country. They at least should have perceived that those were no longer the days of Arnold or Huss, when the expression of reason and piety could be at once extinguished by a pope, or a council more tyrannical than a pope. They should have marked the growing intelligence of the German nation; they should have learnt, that the time was now come, in which they must sacrifice some portion of the amazing mass of impurity on which they flourished, if they would preserve the rest; they should have perceived, that Luther was no more than the voice of the community, proclaiming to them that truth. But they refused to listen to it with instructive attention, and, instead of seizing its true mean

"Che fra Martino aveva un bellissimo ingegno; e che coteste erano invidie fratesche."

ing, they heard in it only the faint impatient remonstrance of one, and that one humble. And thus they sat waiting with unconcern, until it should please the authorities to put it to silence.

Among the inferior members of the ecclesiastical body, some, from whom Luther had a right to expect, if not open assistance, at least secret sympathy, were the first to discourage his undertaking. The prior and sub-prior of the Augustinian convent at Wittemberg, trembling at the consequences of his rashness, formally entreated him to desist. They urged that it was his duty to submit to the wishes of his community, and to spare it the scandal overhanging it through his insubordination. They represented that the rival orders were already exulting in this prospect, especially the Franciscans, who, being then in bad repute at Rome, longed to welcome the Augustinians as partners in their disgrace. Luther calmly replied, "Beloved father, all this affair will presently fall to the ground, if it be not undertaken in the name of the Lord. But if it be so, we must leave it to the Lord to finish it."* In these unanswerable words we read another proof of the holiness of his motive. The honour of his order, the obedience due to his superior, were matters deserving in his mind not so much as a sentence of notice or apology. The question with him was simply thisWhether in his present endeavour he had rightly understood the will of God, or not? It was for the Lord to decide this question by giving or withholding His countenance, and Luther was willing to rest everything on that issue. On the other hand, the anxiety of the prior and his brethren proves that even those ecclesiastics who

* "Totum hoc statim concidet, si in nomine Domini cæptum non est. Sin autem, Deo rem committi perficiendam." Ap. Gerdesium. Hist. Evang. Renov. t. i. § 62.

most associated with Luther and had the closest acquaintance with his acts and motives expected no other result from his present operation than destruction to himself and obloquy to all connected with him.

While the more exalted and the more moderate ecclesiastics were thus observing the proceedings of Luther with a reserved displeasure, allied, in the former, to contempt, in the latter to fear, the subordinate members of the hierarchy, the dependents and expectants, the everlasting tools and brands of bigotry and persecution,* had already taken the field with the accustomed clamour. According to them, the majesty of the pope, the authority of the church, the sanctity of the religion-all that was venerable on earth, or holy in heaven-was insulted and endangered. The Ketzergeschrei, the well-known cry of heresy, which, though somewhat disused in later years, was yet by no means worn out, was raised with obstreperous eagerness. Immediate vengeance was invoked upon the offender; and so sanguine were the bloodhounds and so sure of their victim, that his approaching execution, within a few weeks or even days, was confidently predicted throughout Germany, and not uncommonly believed. The Dominicans were the foremost in the chace; partly because the interests of their order were in some degree compromised in the person Tetzel and the success of his traffic, chiefly because they were the favoured and privileged servants and familiars of the pope, and the especial ministers of his inquisitorial wrath.

of

Hitherto the controversy had been confined almost to

* Luther, writing to Spalatin, as early as February 15, 1518, and speaking of the clamour raised against him by his Theses, says :-"Ego veritatis amore in eum disputationis labyrinthum dedi me ipsum et excitavi in me sexcentos Minotauros, imo et Rhadamanthotauros et Kakotauros.