History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century, Volume 1Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century, Volume 1
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
He stretches out his hand to the Elector Palatine, without seeming to
pay any attention to the other princes, who overwhelm him with
questions and reproaches: "Leave me at rest," said he to them; "I am
now preparing to answer a mightier than you!..." When Luther heard of
his death he exclaimed, "The Lord is just, yet wonderful! It is not
with the sword that he means to propagate the gospel!"
Such was the sad end of a warrior, who, as emperor or elector, might,
perhaps, have raised Germany to high renown, but who, confined within
a limited circle, wasted the great powers with which he was endowed.
It was not in the tumultuous spirit of these warriors that Divine
truth, which had come down from heaven, was to take up her abode.
Theirs were not the weapons by which she was to conquer; God, in
annihilating the mad projects of Seckingen, gave a new illustration of
the saying of St. Paul, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through God."
Another chevalier, Harmut of Cronberg, a friend of Hütten and
Seckingen, appears to have had more wisdom and more knowledge of the
truth. He wrote with great moderation to Leo X, beseeching him to give
up his temporal power to its rightful possessor, viz., the emperor.
Addressing his dependants like a father, he endeavoured to make them
comprehend the doctrines of the gospel, and exhorted them to faith,
obedience, and confidence in Jesus Christ, "who," added he, "is the
sovereign Lord of all." He resigned a pension of two hundred ducats
into the hands of the emperor, "because he was unwilling," as he
expressed it, "to continue in the service of one who lent his ear to
the enemies of the truth." I have somewhere met with a beautiful
saying of his, which seems to place him far above Hütten and
Seckingen. "The Holy Spirit, our heavenly Teacher, is able, when he
pleases, to teach us more of the faith of Christ in one hour than we
could learn in ten years at the University of Paris."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account