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London, Pub by L. B. Seeley. 169. Fleet Street: Jan: 1st 1823.

THE

CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN,

AND

Church of England Magazine.

JANUARY 1, 1823.

MEMOIRS OF THE REFORMERS.

CECOLAMPADIUS.

TH HE diversity of opinion which was originally found among the Reformers on minor points, was urged against them by the Romanists as an argument for their return to the bosom of that church which professed infallibility. The censurers themselves, however, could never show where this infallibility lay; for council opposed council, and pope contradicted pope. The enemies of revelation have taken the same ground in their attacks on divine truth, and have recommended the pilotage of natural reason; yet have these also been constrained to acknowledge, that after tossing them about on a sea of dispute, she has landed them on the misty shore of endless uncertainty.

But notwithstanding these errors of superstition and infidelity, there is an infallible guide, and a satisfactory exercise of the reasoning power. The infallible guide is Scripture, consistently interpreted; and the proper office of reason is to ascertain the authenticity of that Scripture, and then to receive its mysteries, which are true, though incomprehensible. Nor is this all. The sincere inquirer after divine truth is possessed of a peculiar advantage. In addition to the satisfaction derived from external and internal evidence, he shall have experimental proof of its excel

JANUARY 1823.

lence. This is a corollary of immense value, and confirming the original demonstration. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." In the pursuit of religious knowledge, success is promised to sincerity; not that sincerity is in itself a meritorious cause of proficiency; but, inasmuch as it is a state of mind which is unprejudiced, serious, teachable, and honest, it is so far a gracious qualification for the discernment of truth and the detection of error. It is, in fact, a disposition of heart, so intimately connected with, and so closely allied to a sound understanding, that in the inspired pages they are frequently used as convertible terms. Hence it may be confidently asserted, that those excellent men, who in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries searched for truth with the requisites of faith, meekness, diligence, and conscientiousness, however they mightdiffer on certain topics, speculative or circumstantial, were right in the main; and were ultimately led, by celestial illumination and guidance, through the mazes of controversy into the belief of every essential doctrine. Who can doubt that the great Reformer of Basle was taught by the Spirit of God, and eminently qualified for a mi-. nister of the sanctuary, though he not only joined Zuinglius in op

B

posing Luther, but also differed from Zuinglius himself in the dispute on the Sacrament?

His real name was John Hauschein, though known in church history by the Grecised diminutive of Ecolampadius, or "Light of the House;" no inappropriate appellation for one who was a burning and shining lamp in the temple of the Lord*. His native place was Winsperg, in Franconia; his parentage respectable for birth, wealth, and piety, and partly of Swiss descent, one of his grandfathers being a citizen of Basle. The sole survivor of many children, he was further endeared to his parents by an amiable disposition and development of early talent. His father designed him for a mercantile life; but his mother prevailed on her husband to increase his scholastic information by sending him to the College of Heilbronn, and afterwards to the University of Heidelberg, where, in 1496, he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor, though only fourteen years of age. Proceeding soon after to a Mastership, he repaired to Bologna with intent to study civil law, where he remained but half a year, owing partly to the climate disagreeing with his health, and partly to a disappointment sustained by his father from a merchant who owed him a large sum; and returning to Heidelberg, applied himself diligently to theological learning t.

His piety and good sense led him to reject the oracle of those days, Scotus, who "darkened counsel by words without knowledge," and to whom he was not less opposed by nature than by name. The different ideas of il

* "Munere concionandi jam fungens, in ecclesiam Dei, videlicet Domum Dei, verbum quoque Dei ut Lucernam Christianorum intulit Ecolampadius."-Verhedenii Imag. Theol. p. 44.

Capito, Vita Ecol. præfix. Epist.

Zuing. et Ecol.

younger

lumination and obscurity suggested by their respective appellations did not escape the notice of Melchior Adam, by whom we are informed that he assiduously perused the works of Thomas Aquinas, Richard, and Gerson, but neglected the darkling subtleties of Scotus*. His integrity, learning, and modesty soon gained him a reputation which reached the ears of Philip Elector Palatine, by whom he was nominated tutor to his children. But he soon grew weary of a court life, which was neither suited to his retired and devotional habits, nor yet to his weak constitution, and resigned his charge. His parents, perceiving his decided preference of the ministerial office, now gave up their estate to the support of a pastor for Winsperg, and appointed him to the office; but finding himself unequal to this charge also, he quitted it in a fortnight, and returned to pursue his favourite studies at Heidelberg, having previously perfected himself in Greek under Reuchlin of Stutgard.

After adding Hebrew to his other attainments, he returned to Winsperg, and resumed the pastoral office. "Here he preached Christ," says his biographer, "with the approbation of all who were spiritually minded and well informed, although as yet with much mixture of the old superstition." He was regarded as a preacher very grave and severe, because, with a becoming sense of the solemnity of his work, he refrained from those facetious trickeries with which the monks used to amuse their audience. He was very guarded in forming friendships, but became intimate with Wolfgang Capito, at Heidelberg, to whom he continued much attached in after-life. Through the recommendation of this friend, who desired that he should enlarge

* "Scoti xoradeis subtilitates neglexit." P. 21.

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