History of the Great Reformation Part 5

"Let each church place its bishop in a condition to live with his family, and to be hospitable, as St. Paul enjoins; but let the bishops exact nothing for their casual duties.[80]

[80] Alat quaevis ecclesia episcopum suum sicque illi administret ut c.u.m sua familia vivere possit.--(Schminke, Monumenta Ha.s.siaca, cap.

23.)

"On every Sunday let there be in some suitable place an a.s.sembly of all the men who are in the number of the saints, to regulate with the bishop, according to G.o.d's Word, all the affairs of the Church, and to excommunicate whoever gives occasion of scandal to the Church; for the Church of Christ has never existed without exercising the power of excommunication.[81]

[81] Fiat conventus fidelium in congruo loco, ad quem quotquot ex viris in sanctorum numero habentur......Christi ecclesiam nunquam fuisse sine excommunicatione.--(Ibid. cap. 15.)

"As a weekly a.s.sembly is necessary for the direction of the particular churches, so a general synod should be held annually for the direction of all the churches in the country.[82]

[82] Ut semel pro toto Hessia celebretur synodus apud Marpurgum tertia dominica post pascha.--(Ibid. cap. 18.)

[Sidenote: TWO ELEMENTS IN THE CHURCH.]

"All the pastors are its natural members; but each church shall further elect from its body a man full of the Spirit and of faith, to whom it shall intrust powers for all that is in the jurisdiction of the synod.[83]

[83] Universi episcopi......Quaelibet ecclesia congregetur et eligat ex se ipsa unum plenum fide et Spiritu Dei.--(Ibid.)

"Three visiters shall be elected yearly, with commission to go through all the churches, to examine those who have been elected bishops, to confirm those who have been approved of, and to provide for the execution of the decrees of the synod."

It will no doubt be found that this first evangelical const.i.tution went in some points to the extreme of ecclesiastical democracy; but certain inst.i.tutions had crept in that were capable of increase and of changing its nature. Six superintendents for life were afterwards subst.i.tuted for these annual visiters (who, according to the primitive inst.i.tution, might be simple members of the church); and, as has been remarked,[84] the encroachments, whether of these superintendents or of the state, gradually paralyzed the activity and independence of the churches of Hesse. This const.i.tution fared as did that of the Abbe Sieyes, in the year 8, which, being destined to be republican, served through the influence of Napoleon Bonaparte to establish the despotism of the Empire.

[84] Rettig, Die Freie Kirche.

It was not the less a remarkable work. Romish doctors have reproached the Reformation for making the Church a too interior inst.i.tution.[85]

In effect, the Reformation and Popery recognise two elements in the Church,--the one exterior, the other interior; but while Popery gives precedence to the former, the Reformation a.s.signs it to the latter. If however it be a reproach against the Reformation for having an inward Church only, and for not creating an external one, the remarkable const.i.tution of which we have just exhibited a few features, will save us the trouble of reply. The exterior ecclesiastical order, which then sprung from the very heart of the Reformation, is far more perfect than that of Popery.

[85] This is the opinion set forth in the _Symbolik_ of Dr. Mohler, the most celebrated defender of the Romish doctrine among our contemporaries.

[Sidenote: LUTHER ON THE MINISTRY.]

One great question presented itself: Will these principles be adopted by all the Churches of the Reformation?

Everything seemed to indicate as much. The most pious men thought at that time that the ecclesiastical power proceeded from the members of the Church. By withdrawing from the hierarchical extreme, they flung themselves into a democratical one. Luther himself had professed this doctrine as early as 1523. The Calixtins of Bohemia, on seeing the bishops of their country refuse them ministers, had gone so far as to take the first vagabond priest. "If you have no other means of procuring pastors," wrote Luther to them, "rather do without them, and let each head of a family read the Gospel in his own house, and baptise his children, sighing after the sacrament of the altar as the Jews at Babylon did for Jerusalem.[86] The consecration of the Pope creates priests--not of G.o.d, but of the devil, ordained solely to trample Jesus Christ under foot, to bring his sacrifice to naught, and to sell imaginary holocausts to the world in his name.[87] Men become ministers only by election and calling, and that ought to be effected in the following manner:--

"First, seek G.o.d by prayer;[88] then being a.s.sembled together with all those whose hearts G.o.d has touched, choose in the Lord's name him or them whom you shall have acknowledged to be fitted for this ministry.

After that, let the chief men among you lay their hands on them, and recommend them to the people and to the Church."[89]

[86] Tutius enim et salubrius esset, quemlibet patrem-familias suae domui legere Evangelium.--(L. Opp. lat. ii. p. 363.)

[87] Per ordines papisticos non sacerdotes Dei sed sacerdotes Satanae, tantum ut Christum conculcent.--(Ibid. p. 364.)

[88] Orationibus tum privatis tum publicis.--(Ibid. p. 370.)

[89] Eligite quem et quos volueritis. Tum impositis super eos manibus, sint hoc ipso vestri episcopi, vestri ministri, seu pastores.--(L.

Opp. lat. ii. p. 370.)

[Sidenote: ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.]

Luther, in thus calling upon the people alone to nominate their pastors, submitted to the necessities of the times. It was requisite to const.i.tute the ministry; but the ministry having no existence, it could not then have the legitimate part that belongs to it in the choice of G.o.d's ministers.

But another necessity, proceeding in like manner from the state of affairs, was to incline Luther to deviate from the principles he had laid down.

The German Reformation can hardly be said to have begun with the lower cla.s.ses, as in Switzerland and France; and Luther could scarcely find anywhere that christian people, which should have played so great a part in his new const.i.tution. Ignorant men, conceited townspeople, who would not even maintain their ministers--these were the members of the Church. Now what could be done with such elements?

But if the people were indifferent, the princes were not so. They stood in the foremost rank of the battle, and sat on the first bench in the council. The democratic organization was therefore compelled to give way to an organization conformable to the civil government. The Church is composed of Christians, and they are taken wherever they are found--high or low. It was particularly in high stations that Luther found them. He admitted the princes as representatives of the people; and henceforward the influence of the state became one of the princ.i.p.al elements in the const.i.tution of the evangelical Church.

In the mind of the Reformer, this guardianship of the princes was only to be provisional. The faithful being then in minority, they had need of a guardian; but the era of the Church's majority might arrive, and with it would come its emanc.i.p.ation.

[Sidenote: LUTHER'S LETTER TO THE ELECTOR.]

We may admit that this recourse to the civil power was at that time necessary, but we cannot deny that it was also a source of difficulties. We will point out only one. When Protestantism became an affair of governments and nations, it ceased to be universal. The new spirit was capable of creating a new earth. But instead of opening new roads, and of purposing the regeneration of all Christendom, and the conversion of the whole world, the Protestants sought to settle themselves as comfortably as possible in a few German duchies. This timidity, which has been called prudence, did immense injury to the Reformation.

The organizing power being once discovered, the Reformers thought of organization, and Luther applied to the task; for although he was in an especial manner an a.s.sailant and Calvin an organizer, these two qualities, as necessary to the reformers of the Church as to the founders of empires, were not wanting in either of these great servants of G.o.d.

It was necessary to compose a new ministry, for most of the priests who had quitted the Papacy were content to receive the watchword of Reform without having personally experienced the sanctifying virtue of the Truth. There was even one parish in which the priest preached the Gospel in his princ.i.p.al church, and sang ma.s.s in its succursal.[90]

But something more was wanting: a Christian people had to be created.

"Alas!" said Luther of some of the adherents of the Reform, "they have abandoned their Romish doctrines and rites, and they scoff at ours."[91]

[90] In aede parochiali evangelico more docebat, in filiali missi fiabat.--(Seck. p. 102.)

[91] Sic enim sua papistica neglexerunt, et nostra contemnunt.--(L.

Epp. iii. p. 224.)

[Sidenote: GERMAN Ma.s.s.]

Luther did not shrink from before this double necessity; and he made provision for it. Understanding that a general visitation of the churches was necessary, he addressed the Elector on this subject, on the 22d October 1526. "Your highness, in your quality of guardian of youth, and of all those who know not how to take care of themselves,"

said he, "should compel the inhabitants, who desire neither pastors nor schools, to receive these means of grace, as they are compelled to work on the roads, on bridges, and such like services.[92] The papal order being abolished, it is your duty to regulate these things; no other person cares about them, no other can, and no other ought to do so. Commission, therefore, four persons to visit all the country; let two of them inquire into the t.i.thes and church property; and let two take charge of the doctrine, schools, churches, and pastors." We naturally ask, on reading these words, if the church which was formed in the first century, without the support of princes, could not in the sixteenth be reformed without them?

[92] Als oberster vormund der Jugend und aller die es bedurfen, sall sie mit Gewalt dazu halten.--(L. Epp. iii. p. 136.)

Luther was not content with soliciting in writing the intervention of the prince. He was indignant at seeing the courtiers, who in the time of the Elector Frederick had shown themselves the inveterate enemies of the Reformation, rushing now, "sporting, laughing, skipping," as he said, on the spoils of the Church. Accordingly, at the end of this year, the Elector having come to Wittemberg, the Reformer repaired immediately to the palace, made his complaint to the prince-electoral, whom he met at the gate, then without caring about those who stopped him, made his way by force into his father's bedchamber, and addressing this prince, who was surprised at so unexpected a visit, begged him to remedy the evils of the Church. The visitation of the churches was resolved upon, and Melancthon was commissioned to draw up the necessary instructions.

In 1526, Luther had published his "German Ma.s.s," by which he signified the order of church service in general. "The real evangelical a.s.semblies," he said, "do not take place publicly, pellmell, admitting people of every sort;[93] but they are formed of serious Christians, who confess the Gospel by their words and by their lives,[94] and in the midst of whom we may reprove and excommunicate, according to the rule of Christ Jesus.[95] I cannot inst.i.tute such a.s.semblies, for I have no one to place in them;[96] but if the thing becomes possible, I shall not be wanting in this duty."

[93] Non publice, sive promiscue et admissa omnis generis plebe.--(De Missa Germ.)

[94] Qui nomina sua in catalogum referrent, adds he.--(Ibid.)

[95] Excommunicari qui Christiano more se non gererent.--(De Missa Germ.)

[96] Neque enim habeo qui sint idonei.--(Ibid.)

[Sidenote: MELANCTHON'S INSTRUCTIONS.]

It was also with a conviction that he must give the Church, not the best form of worship imaginable, but the best possible, that Melancthon laboured at his Instructions.

The German Reformation at that time tacked about, as it were. If Lambert in Hesse had gone to the extreme of a democratical system, Melancthon in Saxony was approximating the contrary extreme of traditional principles. A conservative principle was subst.i.tuted for a reforming one. Melancthon wrote to one of the inspectors:[97] "All the old ceremonies that you can preserve, pray do so.[98] Do not innovate much, for every innovation is injurious to the people."[99]