The UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE for MARCH, 1793. 161 MEMOIRS of the LIFE of MARTIN LUTHER: With a fine Portrait of that illuftrious Reformer. The Characters of thofe great Men, by whofe Zeal, Intrepidity, and Perfeverance, a great Part of Mankind has been emancipated from the Dominion of Ignorance and Superftition, and taught the inexpreffible Importance, and happy Confequences, of a pure and rational Religion, muft ever be a pleasing subject of Contemplation. If the Circumstances of the Times in which they lived are adduced, in order to palliate their Defects and Frailties, thofe very Circumftances must be allowed, at the fame Time, to heighten our Senfe of their Virtues: for thofe Virtues muft indeed be of an exalted Kind, which, with the most difinterefted Views, ang inceffantly exerted, in Times of very imminent Danger. ARTIN LUTHER, an illuftrious his great talents ferviceable to man MARTIN indefatigable exertions refcued one part of Europe from the papal yoke, mitigated its rigour in the other, and produced the greatest and most beneficial revolution in the fentiments of mankind, that has happened fince the promulgation of Christianity) was born at Eifleben, in the county of Mansfeldt, and circle of Upper Saxony, on the 10th of November 1483. The occupation of his father was that of a miner. The first rudiments of education he received at home; but, at the age of thirteen, he was fent to a school at Magdeburg. He continued here but one year; for, as Melchior Adam relates, fuch was the poverty of his parents, that he was obliged mendicato vivere pane,' to beg his bread for fupport *. Hence he was removed to Eisenach in Thuringia, that he might have the advantage of being among the relations of his mother, who was of an ancient and refpectable family in that town; and, in 1501, he was fent to the university of Erfort, in the fame province. It was his intention to apply himfelf here to the ftudy of the civil law, in order to be qualified for the bar. But he very foon relinquished thefe views, in confequence of an affecting accident, which might be wifely ordered by Divine Providence, to render kind, in a more extenfive and more honourable sphere. During the progrefs of his education, Luther gave many indications of uncommon vigour and acuteness of genius. His mind was naturally fufceptible of ferious fentiments, and tinctured with fomewhat of that religious melancholy which delights in the folitude and devotion of a monaftic life. The death of a companion, killed by lightning at his fide, made fuch an impreffion on his mind, as co-operated with his natural difpofition, and induced him to retire into a convent of Auguftinian friars. He foon acquired great reputation, not only for piety, but for his indefatigable application to study. He had learned the fcholaftic philofophy then in vogue; but he was foon difgufted with thofe fubtile and uninftructive fciences, and fought for fome more folid foundation of knowledge and piety in the holy fcriptures. Having found a copy of the Bible, which lay neglected in the library of his monaftery, he devoted himfelf to the ftudy of it with such affiduity as aftonifhed the monks, who were not accustomed to derive their notions in theology from that fource. The great progrefs which he made in this uncommon courfe of ftudy, augmented. fo much the fame of his fanctity and *It is probable, that his father improved his circumftances by his industry; for we find him, afterward, in a very respectable fituation in the magiftracy. VOL. XCII. X learning, learning, that Frederic, elector of Saxony, having founded an univerfity at Wittemberg, the place of his relidence, Luther was chofen firit to teach philofophy, and afterward theology there; and he difcharged thefe offices in fuch a manner, that he was deemed the chief ornament of that fociety. Luther was at the height of h's reputation and authority in the year 1517, the period in which he commenced the arduous task of a reformer, without thinking himself of the wonderful extent to which his exertions wou'd be carried. To overturn a fyftem of religious faith, founded on ancient and deeply-rooted prejudices, fupported by every kind of artifice, and every effort of power; to eftablifh doctrines of the moit contrary genius and tendency in its room; and to accomplish all this without external violence; are operations which hiftorians, the leaft inclined to credulity and fuperftition, alcribe to that Divine Providence, which can, with infinite eafe, produce events, which, to human fagacity, appear impoffible. The interpofition of heaven, in favour of the Chriâian religion, at its first publication, was manifefted by miracles and prophecies wrought and uttered in confirmation of it. Though none of the reformers poffeffed, or pretended to poffefs, thefe fupernatural gifts, yet that wonderful preparation of circumftances, which difpofed the minds of men for the reception of their doctrines that fingular combination of caufes which fecured their fuccefs, and enabled men, deftitute of power and policy, to triumph over thofe who employed against them extraordinary efforts of both; may be confidered as no flight proof, that the fame hand which planted the Chrifrian religion, protected the reformed faith, and reared it, from very feeble beginnings, to an amazing degree of vigour and maturity. From caufes, feemingly fortuitous, and from a fource very inconfiderable, all the mighty effects of the reformation flowed. Pope Leo X found the papal treafures exhaufted by the vast projects of his two predeceffors, Alexander VI and Julius II. His own love of fplendour, his tafte for pleafure, and his magnificence in rewarding men of genius, involved him daily in new expences. To provide a fund for thefe, he tried every device that the fertile invention of priests had fuggefted, to drain the credulous multitude of their wealth. Among others, he had recourfe to a fale of indulgences; the right of promulgating which in Germany, with a fhare of the profits arifing from the fale of them, was granted to Albert, elector of Mentz, who, as his principal agent for retailing them in Saxony, employed Tetzel, a Dominican Friar, of licentious morals, but of an active fpirit, and remarkable for his noify and popular eloquence. He, affifted by the monks of his order, executed the commiffion with great zeal and fuccefs, but with little difcretion or decency; and although, by magnify * According to the doctrine of the Romish church, all the good works of the Saints, over and above thofe which were neceffary to their own juftification, are depofited, together with the infinite merits of Jefus Chrift, in one inexhaustible treasury. The keys of this were committed to St. Peter, and to his fucceffors the popes, who may open it at pleasure, and, by transferring a portion of this fuperabundant merit to any particular perfon, for a fum of money, may convey to him either the pardon of his own fins, or a releafe for any one in whofe happiness he is interefted, from the pains of purgatory. Such indulgences were first invented in the eleventh century, by Urban II, as a recompence to thofe who went in perfon the meritorious enterprise of conquering the Holy Land. They were afterward granted to thofe who hired a foldier for that purpofe; and, in procefs of time, were beftowed on fuch as gave money for any pious purpofe enjoined by the pope. Julius II had bestowed indulgences on all who contributed toward building the church of St. Peter at Rome; and as Leo was carrying on that magnificent and expensive fabric, his grant was founded on the fame pretence. ing exceffively the benefit of their indulgences, and difpofing of them at a very low price, they carried on an extenfive traffic among the credulous and ignorant, the extravagance of their affertions*, as well as the irregularities of their conduct, at lait gave general offence. The princes and nobles were irritated at feeing their vaffals drained of fo much wealth, to replenish the coffers of a profuse pontiff. Pious men lamented the delufion of the people, who being taught to rely for the pardon of their fins on thefe indulgences, did not think it neceffary to practice the duties which genuine Chriftianity enjoins. Even the most thoughtlefs were fhocked at the fcandalous behaviour of Tetzel and his affociates, who often fquandered in drunkenness, gaming, and low debauchery, the fums which were pioufly bestowed to obtain eternal hap-, pinefs; and all began to with that fome check were given to a commerce, as detrimental to fociety as it was deftructive to religion. Such was the favourable juncture, and fo difpofed were the minds of his country men to liften to his doctrines, when Luther, in the year 1517, began to question the efficacy of indulgences, and to declaim against the vicious lives and falfe doctrines of the perfons who vended them. He beheld, with the utmost concern, the artifices of thofe who fold, and the fimplicity of those who bought indulgences. The opinions of the fchoolmen, on which the doctrine of indulgences was founded, had already loft much of their authority with him; and the fcriptures, which he began to confider as the great fandard of theological truth, afforded no countenance to a practice, equally fubverfive of faith and of morals. His warm and impetuous temper did not fuffer him to conceal long fuch important difcoveries. From the pulpit, in the great church at Wittemburg, he inveighed bitterly against the vices of the monks who published indulgences; he ventured to examine the doctrines which they taught; and pointed out to the people the danger of relying for falvation upon any other means than thofe appointed by God in his word. The boldnefs and novelty of thefe opinions, recommended by the authority of Luther's perfonal character, and delivered with a popular and perfuafive eloquence, made a deep impreffion on his hearers. He likewife wrote to the elector Albert, warmly remonftrating with him on the fubject; but he found that prelate too deeply interested in thefe abufes to correct them. He then published 97 thefes, containing his fentiments concerning indulgences. Thefe he propofed merely as fubjects of inquiry and difputation: he appointed a day on which the learned were invited to impugn them, either in perfon or by writing: to the whole he fubjoined a folemn proteftation of his high refpect for the apoftolic fee, and his implicit fubmiffion to its authority. No opponent appeared at the time appointed: the thefes fpread through Germany with aftonithing rapidity; and all admired the boldnefs of the man, who had not only ventured to question the plenitude of papal power, but to attack the Dominicans, armed with The terms in which they defcribed the benefits of indulgences appear to be almost incredible. If any man,' faid they, purchafe letters of indulgence, his foul may reft fecure with refpect to its falvation. The fouls confined in purgatory, for whole redemption indulgences are purchafed, as foon as the money tinkles in the cheft, inftantly efcape from that place of torment, and afcend into heaven. The efficacy of indulgences was fo great, that the moft heinous fins, even if one fhould violate (which was impoffible) the Mother of God, would be expiated by them. The croís erected by the preachers of indulgences was as efficacious as the crofs of Chrift itfelf. Lo! the heavens are open: if you enter not now, when will you enter? For twelve pence you may redeem the foul of your father out of purgatory; and are you fo ungrateful, hat you will not refcue the foul of your parent from tomment ?' &c. X 2 all |