tainty that I am a man, is before my certainty there is a God: 2. My certainty that there is a God, is before my certainty that he requireth love and holiness of his creatures: 3. My certainty of this, is greater than my certainty of the life of rewards and punishments hereafter: 4. My certainty of that is greater than my certainty of the endless duration of it, and the immortality of individual souls. 5. My certainty of the Deity, is greater than my certainty of the Christian faith: 6. My certainty of the Christian faith in its essentials, is greater than my certainty of the perfection and infallibility of the holy Scriptures: 7. My certainty of that, is greater than my certainty of many particular texts: and so of the truth of many particular doctrines, or of the canonicalness of some certain books. So that you see by what gradations my understanding doth proceed: as also that my certainty differs as the evidence differs: and they that have attained to a greater perfection and a higher degree of certainty than I, should pity me, and produce their evidence to help me. From the (London) Universal Theo. Magazine. SKETCH OF THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP MELANCTHON, ONE OF THE CELEBRATED GERMAN REFORMERS. In detailing the lives of Wickliff and Luther we have traced the first rise of that reformation to which we are chiefly indebted for the knowledge and virtue diffused throughout the world. Previous to this period the earth had been covered for ages with a more than Egyptian darkness. The lamp of revelation was nearly extinguished. Reason, emphatically styled the candle of the Lord, was banished from the concerns of religion. Tyranny of the grossest and most palpable kind had extended its empire over the consciences of mankind. But by the magnanimous interference of the characters already mentioned, the human race were rescued from their bondage, and introduced into that glorious liberty which belongs to the children of God. In all the great events which have happened on the theatre of the world, we may discern a difference in the degree of exertion necessary for the accomplishment of them. Some are for taking the lead; formed by nature and inured by habit, they are inclined to brave the storm; whilst another class shun the more turbulent scenes, but are supposed to aid the grand catastrophe with the most unaffected sincerity. Of the former cast may be reckoned Wickliff and Luther; each of them equally useful in their day and generation of the latter description may be reckoned Philip Melancthon, the subject of the present Memoir. His talents were great, his zeal considerable, and even his exertions were entitled to considerable praise. But mild in his temper and disposition, he by more gentle means promoted the great cause of the Reformation. Philip Melancthon was born at Bretten, in the palatine of the Rhine, Feb. 16, 1497. The place of his nativity furnished him with the first elements of education, tho he was afterwards sent to Pfortsheim, where he became acquainted with Reuchlin, who proved a great friend to him. Having been at the University of Heidelburg, his rapid improvement there was an extraordinary circumstance for his years. At fourteen years of age he was entrusted with the tuition of the sons of the Count of Leonstein; but even previous to this period, he had written a comedy, the entire production of his own mind. Indeed such were the natural talents and vast acquirements of this celebrated character, that Erasmus, the most competent judge of the age, made this exclamation concerning him, "Good God! what hopes may we not conceive of Philip Melancthon, who, altho very young, and almost a boy, is equally to be admired for his knowledge of both languages! What quickness of invention! what purity of diction! what vastness of memory! what modesty and gracefulness of behavior!" Leaving Heidelburg he went to Tubingen, where he read lectures on Virgil, Terence, Cicero, and Livy, during a period of five years. In 1518, he accepted the professorship of Greek in the University of Wittemberg, which was given him, upon the recommendation of Reuchlin, by the Elector of Saxony. Here he became intimate with Luther, about fourteen years older than himself, for whom he entertained the greatest veneration. In the year 1520, the lectures he read on Paul's Epistle to the Romans were so much approved by Luther, that he advised their publication, and even accompanied them with a preface, in which occur strong expressions of approbation. The labors of Melancthon began now to be greatly multiplied. He wrote many books, and visited many churches. He also resolutely defended Luther against the divines of Paris, who had condemned him. But the greatest task imposed upon him at this period was the drawing up of the Augsburg Con-fession, presented to the Emperor at the Diet in that city. This famous confession contains twenty-eight chapters, twenty-one of which represented the religious opinions of the protestants; the remaining seven exposed the errors of popery. The matter was furnished by Luther, but the style was Melancthon's, remarkable for its elegance and perspicuity. It was read before the Diet, and produced a lasting impression on the audience. Mosheim indeed remarks, "The princes heard it with the deepest attention; it confirmed some in the principles they had embraced, surprised others, and many who before this time had little or no idea of the religious sentiments of Luther, were now not only convinced, but were, moreover, delighted with their purity and simplicity." The pacifie temper of Melancthon was the subject of general admiration, and he was therefore a proper person to promote an accommodation. But the violent of both sides shut their ears against every thing of the kind. One Illyricus exclaimed, "they ought to desert all the churches, and threatened an insurrection rather than bear a surplice!" And thus a Jesuite, with a similar disposition, declared that "they would not put out one wax taper, tho it were to convert all the Hugonots." Melancthon, however, was not thus minded, for his mother once asking him what she must believe amidst so many disputes, and repeating to him her prayers, which had nothing in them of superstition, "Go on, mother," said he, "to believe and pray, as you have done, never troubling yourself about controversies!" This advice, understood with proper limitations, is deserving of being written in letters of gold. His moderation was so judiciously exercised on every occasion, that both Francis the First and Henry the Eighth were desirous of seeing him; but he saw neither of them, certain circumstances arose which prevented his leaving Germany. Conferences about religion occupied a great portion of his time for this plain reasonhe devoutly wished that all contention might cease, and that there might be an universal diffusion of peace and purity. In 1539, Melancthon was present at an assembly of protestant princes, held at Frankfort, concerning the best mode of effecting a reformation. He also assisted : in a similar assembly at Worms, when he disputed with Eccius about original sin. Some time after this, at another conference, Eccius, having proposed a puzzling sophism to Melancthon, he paused, and said, that "he would give him an answer the next day." On which his opponent immediately represented to him the disgrace of requiring so long a time. But Melancthon honestly replied, Mi doctor! non quæro meam gloriam hoc in negotio sed veritatem-"My dear Sir, truth, and not my own glory, is what I seek in the present business." Would to God that all disputants were influenced by the same noble spirit; then half of our present controversies would be no more, and the remaining topics of dispute would be discussed with modesty and humility. The angry and litigious controversialist is a hateful character; he has proved the pest of the religious world. After various other labors, all tending to promote that object that lay near his heart-the peace and prosperity of the church of Christ-he died at Wittemberg, 1560, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He was buried near Luther, in the church belonging to that place. Every suitable token of respect was paid to his memory. Melancthon, having married in 1520, had two sons and two daughters; and seems to have been exceedingly happy in his family. Bayle tells us the following anecdote-A Frenchman found him one day holding a book in one hand, and rocking the cradle with the other. Expressing some surprise at the sight, this amiable divine addressed him on the duty of a father, and on the state of favor in which children are with God; so that the stranger went away with an uncommon degree of satisfaction. Instead of drawing up a new character for this eminent servant of Christ, it will be best to transcribe the |