Mt hiiiiihnii ii.f a Theologian and Reformer. — But it is with Melancthon as a theologian that we have chiefly to do. He never entered the ministry, and therefore performed his work in the (Jhurch entirely in the ca- pacity of a layman. Immediately upon going to ^^'it- tenberg he identified himself with the Reformation, which had begun the preceding year. During his first fall and winter there he delivered lectures on Titus, fol- lowing them by a course on the Psalms, ilatthcw, and Romans. His published exegetienl lertures embrace, in addition, (ienesis, Proverbs, Ivelc -i.i-ii ~. l-aiali, .lere- miah. Lamentations, Daniel, ILmual. /. . hariah. Mala- chi, John. Corinthians, Colossians. and Timothy. His lectures on Romans and Corinthians were published by Luther without the author's knowledge. Extemiiora- neous explanations of the Gospels, during a later period of his life, delivered on Sundays at his residence, were committed to writing by some of his hearers, and, after revision by Pezcl, were published under the title of Postils.
He accompanied Luther to the Leipsic Disputation (1519), at which he remained a mere spectator, but af- terwards published a letter to CEcolampadius, in which he gave a succinct account of the discussion. Though written in tlie best sjiirit. it provoked a very bitter re- ply from Dr, Eek, in which, while acknowledging ^yie- iancthon's ]ire-einiiience as a grammarian, lie expressed the utmost contempt for his theological attainments, and advised him thereafter to confine his attention to classical pursuits. an<l not to attempt to enter a higher sphere. The reply of Melancthon is brief and modest, l)ut the indignation of Luther manifested itself in a se- verer answer, in which he ])ronouiiced Jlclancthon bet- ter versed in Scripture than all the Ecks together. During the same year ^Melancthon received the degree of B.D.
Early in 1521, under the assumed name of Didymus Faventuius, he published au apology for the Keforma-
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tion, in reply to Eraser (Rhadinus). About Easter of the same year he laid the foundation of Protestant sys- tematic theology by the publication of his Loci Com- munes sen Hypotyjmses Tkeologicm. It originated from a very brief summary of doctrine, prepared for his pri- vate use, which was afterwards delivered to his pupils, as an introduction to his lectures on Romans, and pub- lished by them without his consent or revision. The Loci Communes were intended to take the place of this meagre, and, to its author, very unsatisfactory sketch. They are marked by the clearness of method and purity of style for which Melancthon was distinguished. Lu- ther declared that the little book could not be refuted, and that it was worthy not only of immortality, but even of canonical authority. Chemnitz affirms that Luther often remarked in private conversation that there was more solid doctrine contained in it than in any other volume since the days of the apostles. The same author quotes the Romish theologian, Alphonso de Zamara, as declaring : " It explains its doctrinal state- ments in such appropriate and accurate terms, and, by a methodical treatment, renders them so clear and strong, that it is injuring the papal power more than all other writings of the Lutherans." Erasmus termed it "a ■wondrous army, ranged in order of battle against the Pharisaic tyranny of false teachers ;" and Calvin, " So beautiful is the proof that it affords, that the most per- fect simplicity is the noblest method of handling the Christian doctrine." The couplet of Selnecker was of- ten repeated :
"Non melior liber est nllus post biblia Christi, Quam qui doctriniE, corpusque, locique vocatur."
During the author's life it passed through over sixty editions, but was subjected to constant changes. The onlj- exception of any moment taken within the Lu- theran Church to the first edition is against its state- ment of the doctrine of the freedom of the will, to which Hutter and others have objected that it inclines towards fatalism. Seckendorf, on the contrary, claims that on this point it was misunderstood. In 1535 the objection- able sentence, " All things happen necessarily," was omit- ted. After 1543 the work was greath' enlarged, and so far changed on that subject as to seem far more in har- mony with the teaching of Erasmus than that of Lu- ther. It was repeatedly translated into the German. The translation of Justus Jonas was revised by Luther, who suggested that, while the articles on justification and the holy supper were well treated, they were not sufficiently full. A French translation appeared, with the commendation of Calvin, in 1546, and one into Ital- ian (1534 or 1535) found eager readers even at Rome. There were also Dutch and Wendic versions. Portions of it have been translated into English — "On the Divine Essence," by Dr. J, A, Seiss, in the Eranr/elical Revieic, xii, 1-46 ; " On the Nature of Sin," Theological Essays from the Princeton Revieio, p, 218-228, It was attacked by the papist, Richard Smyth, of England, and defended by Paulus ab Eitren, a Hamburg theologian, who pre- pared an edition with additional notes, and citations from the fathers. The renowned L^oci Theologici of Chemnitz is a commentary' upon it. Similar commen- taries were written by Praetorius, Pezel, Strigel, and Fa- bricius, while Spangenberg, Sohn, Mayer, and Hemmin- gius have preparetl abridgments. For many years it continued to be a text-book in the Lutheran schools, until supplanted by Hutter's Compend,