XVI

CEN T. of their master to describe the nature of the diSET. Hr. Vine agency in man's conversion. But this rePART II, presentation of the matter was far from being

excites ma

in the

church.

agreeable to the rigid Lutherans. They looked upon it as subversive of the true and genuine doctrine of LUTHER, relating to the absolute servitude of the human will [b], and the total inability of man to do any good action, or to bear any part in his own conversion; and hence they opposed the Synergists, or Semi-pelagians, with the utmost animosity and bitterness. The principal champions in this theological conflict were SIRIGELIUS who defended the sentiments of MELANCTHON with singular dexterity and perspicuity, and FLACIUS, who maintained the ancient doctrine of LuTHER of these doctors, as also the subject of their debate, a farther account will be given presently [c].

Flacius, by XXXI. During these dissensions, a new acadehis inten- my was founded at Jena by the dukes of Saxeperate zeal, Weimar, the sons of the famous JoHN FREDERICK, ny divisions whose unsuccessful wars with the emperor CHARLES V. had involved him in so many calamities, and deprived him of his electorial dominions. The noble founders of this academy, having designed it for the bulwark of the protestant religion, as it was taught and inculcated by LUTHER, were particularly careful in choosing such professors and divines as were remarkable for their attachment

to

[b] The doctrines of absolute predestination, irresistible grace, and human impotence, were never carried to a more excessive length, nor maintained with a more virulent obstinacy, by any divine, than they were by Luther. But in these times he has very few followers in this respect, even among those that bear his name. But of this more hereafter.

[c] See Schlussenburg Catal. Hæreticor. lib. v.-G. Arnold. Histor. Eccles. lib. xvi. cap. xxviii. p. 826.-Bayle Diction naire, at the article Synergistes.-Salig. Histor. August. Confess. vol. iii. p. 474. 587. 880.-Musei Pralict, in Formulam Concordia, p. 88.

XVI.

to the genuine doctrine of that great reformer, C EN T. and their aversion to the sentiments of those mo- SECT. III. derate Lutherans, who had attempted, by cer-Part ll. tain modifications and corrections, to render it less harsh and disgusting. And as none of the Lutheran doctors were so eminent, on account of their uncharitable and intemperate zeal for this ancient doctrine, as MATTHEW FLACIUS, the virulent enemy of MELANCTHON, and all the Philippists, he was appointed, in the year 1557, professor of divinity at fena. The consequences of this nomination were, indeed, deplorable. For this turbulent and impetuous man, whom nature had formed with an uncommon propensity to foment divisions and propagate discord, did not only revive all the ancient controversies that had distracted the church, but also excited new debates; and sowed, with such avidity and success, the seeds of contention between the divines of Weimar and those of the electorate of Saxony, that a fatal schism in the Lutheran church was appre hended by many of its wisest members [d]. And, indeed, this schism would have been inevitable, if the machinations and intrigues of FLACIUS had produced the desired effect. For, in the year 1559, he persuaded the dukes of Saxe-Weimar to order a refutation of the errors that had crept into the Lutheran church, and particularly of those that were imputed to the followers of MELANCTHON, to be drawn up with care, to be promulgated by authority, and to be placed among the other religious edicts and articles of faith that were in force in their dominions. But this pernicious design of dividing the church proved abortive; for the other Lutheran princes, who acted from the true and

[d] See the famous letter of Augustus, elector of Saxony, concerning Flacius and his malignant attempts, which is published by Arn. Grevius in his Memoria Job. Westphali, 393.

CENT. and genuine principles of the Reformation, disXVI. approved of this seditious book, from a just apPART II prehension of its tendency to increase the present troubles, and to augment instead of diminishing, the calamities of the church [e].

The contest be

XXXII. This theological incendiary kindled tween Fla. the flame of discord and persecution even in the church of Saxe-Weimar, and in the university of Strigelius. Jena, to which he belonged, by venting his fury

cius and

against STRIGELIUS [f], the friend and disciple of MELANCTHON. This moderate divine adopted, in many things, the sentiments of his master, and maintained, particularly, in his public lectures, that the human will, when under the influence of the divine grace leading it to repentance, was not totally unactive, but bore a certain part in the salutary work of its conversion. In consequence of this doctrine, he was accused by FLACIUS of Synergism at the court of Saxe-Weimar ; and by the order of the prince was cast into prison, where he was treated with severity and rigour. He was at length delivered from this confinement in the year 1562, and allowed to resume his former vocation, in consequence of a declaration, of his real sentiments, which, as he alleged, had been greatly misrepresented. This declaration, however, did not either decide or terminate the controversy; since STRIGELIUS seemed rather to conceal his erroneous sentiments [g] under ambiguous expressions, than to renounce them entirely. And indeed he was so conscious of this himself, that to avoid being involved in new calamities and

perse

[e] Salig. Historia August. Confess. vol. iii. p. 476. [f] See the writers cited in the preceding notes; and also Bayle's Dictionary, at the article STRIGELIUS.

[g] The sentiments of Strigelius were not, I have reason to believe, very erroneous in the judgment of Dr Mosheim, nor are they such in the estimation of the greatest part of the Lutheran doctors at this day.

XVI.

persecutions, he retired from Jena to Leipsic, and CENT from Leipsic to Heidelberg, where he spent the S.CT. III. remainder of his days; and appeared so unsettled PART 11. in his religious opinions, that it is really doubtful whether he is to be placed among the followers of Luther or Calvin.

ticulars of

XXXIII. The issue, however, of this con- Some partroversy, which Flacius had kindled with such the dispute an intemperate zeal, proved highly detrimental carried on by Flacius to his own reputation and influence in particular, of sare as well as to the interests of the Lutheran church Weimar. in general. For while this vehement disputant was assailing his adversary with an inconsiderate ardour, he exaggerated so excessively the sentiments, which he looked upon as orthodox, as to maintain an opinion of the most monstrous and detestable kind; an opinion which made him appear, even in the judgment of his warmest friends, an odious heretic, and a corrupter of the true religion. In the year 1560, a public dispute was held at Weimar, between him and Strigelius, concerning the natural powers and faculties of the human mind, and their influence in the conversion and conduct of the true Christian. In this conference the latter seemed to attribute to unassisted nature too much, and the former too little. The one looked upon the fall of man as an event that extinguished in the human mind, every virtuous tendency, every noble faculty, and left nothing behind it but universal darkness and corruption. The other maintained, that this degradation of the powers of nature was by no means universal or entire; that the will retained still some propensity to worthy pursuits, and a certain degree of activity that rendered it capable of attainments in virtue. Strigelius, who was well acquainted with the wiles of a captious philosophy, proposed to defeat his adversary by puzzling him, and addressed to him with that view, the following question:

CENT. question: Whether original sin, or the corrupt habit SECT. III. which the human soul contracted by the fall, is to be PART II placed in the class of SUBSTANCES or ACCIDENTS?

XVI.

The conse

quences that arose

FLACIUS answered with unparalleled imprudence and temerity, that it belonged to the former; and maintained, to his dying hour, this most extravagant and dangerous proposition, that original sin is the very substance of human nature. Nay, so invincible was the obstinacy with which he persevered in this strange doctrine, that he chose to renounce all worldly honours and advantages rather than depart from it. It was condemned by the greatest and soundest part of the Lutheran church, as a doctrine that bore no small affinity to that of the Manichæans. But, on the other hand, the merit, erudition, and credit of FLACIUS procured him many respectable patrons and able defenders among the most learned doctors of the church, who embraced his sentiments, and maintained his cause with the greatest spirit and zeal; of whom the most eminent were CYRIAC SPANGENBERG, CHRISTOPHER IRENEUS, and CÆLESTINE [b].

XXXIV. It is scarcely possible to imagine how much the Lutheran church suffered from this new from the dispute in all those places where its contagion had of Flacius, reached, and how detrimental it was to the progress of Lutheranism among those who still adhered to the religion of Rome. For the flame of discord spread far and wide; it was communicated even to those churches which were erected

in

[b] Schlussenburg. Catalog. Hæreticor. lib. ii.-The Life of Flacius, written in German by Ritter, and published in 8vo at Francfort, in the year 1725.-Salig. Histor. Aug. Confes sion, vol. iii. p. 593.-Arnoldi Histor. Ecclesiast. lib. xvi. cap. xxix. p. 829.-Musei Prælect, in Formul. Concordia, p. 29. -Jo. Georgii Leuckfeldii Historia Spangenbergensis.-For a particular account of the dispute, that was held publicly at Weimar, see the German work entitled, Unschuld Nachricht, P. 383.