Melancthon was undoubtedly the great theologian of the Lutheran Reformation. Yet the very gifts which were of such great service in reducing the purilied doc- trine to a connected system, and organizing the outward form of the Church, constantly tempted him to seek for external union, even at the exjiense of principles es- sential to all true inner harmony. This tendency, fos- tered by his classical tastes and natural amiability and timidity, rendered him very unsafe as a leader, although so strong when under the guidance of a firmer will, as that of Luther. It is to this that Calvin referred when he heard of Mclancthon's death: '•(), Pliilip Melanc- thon! for it is upon thee whom I call, upon thee, who now livest with Christ in (iod, and art waiting for us, until we shall attain that blessed rest. A hundred
times, worn out with fatigue and overwhelmed with care, thou hast laid thy head upon my breast and said, Would God I might die here. And a thousand times since then I have earnestly desired that it had been granted us to be together. Certainly thou wouldst liave been more valiant to face danger, and stronger to despise hatred, and bolder to disregard false accusa- tions."
Literature. — The first edition of his collected works was published at Basle, 1541 ; the second, edited by his son-in-law, I'eucer, Wittenberg, 1562-64 (4 vols. foL). The most valuable is that of the Corpus Rrformaioriim, edited by Bretschneider and Bindseil (1834-60, 28 vols, fol.). A complete catalogue of Melancthon's writings, and of their different editions, etc., was published by H. E. Bindseil, entitled Bibliotheca Meluncthoniana (Halle, 18G8, 8vo, 28 pp.). The tercentenary of Melancthon's decease has called forth a large number of addresses and essays to celebrate his memory. Besides the admirable orations of Dorner, Kahnis, and Rothe, are W. Tliilo, Melancthon in the. Service of the ilolij Scriptures ; F. A. Nitzelnadel, Philip Melancthon, the Teacher of Germa- mi; W. P>eys(hlag. Phil Mel, a Sketch in Church Ilis- torij ; F. W. (lent lie. Oration at Eisleben ; H. Keil, Lau- datio Phil. Melaiirtlionis; II. K. Sack, a Sermon at Magdeburrj ; C. Schlottmann, De Phil. Mel. reipuUicm literaricB Reformator ; J. Classen, Melancthon's Relations to Frankfort-on-the-Main. Other works have been published upon some of the pupils and friends of Me- lancthon; e. g. J. Classen, on Jaccih Micyllus, rector at Frankfort, and professor in Heidelberg, 1526 to 1558; E. W. LiJhn, on Ur. Caspar Creutziger (Cruciger), a pu- pil of both Melancthon and Luther, Reb. Tagmann, on Petrus Vincentius of Breslau. The earliest life of 3Ie- lancthon was written by his friend Camerarius. The A nncdes Vitce, in vol. xxviii, Corp. Ref., afford the rich- est biographical material. Biographies have been writ- ten by Camerarius (1566), Strobel (1777), Niemeyer (1817), Kothe (1829), Facius (1832), Ulenberg (1836), Heyd (1839),Galle (1840), Matthes (1841), Lcdderhose (1847), Wohlfahrt (1860), C. .Schmidt (1«61), Meurer, Plank (1866), and others. Those accessible to English readers are the valuable but brief sketch by Dr. F. A. Cox, and an excellent translation of Ledderhose by Dr. (t. F. Krotel (Phila. 1855). See also Krauth's Conserva- tire Reformation, p. 220 sq.; Seckendorf's lliftaria Lu- theranismi: Ranko, Hist. Ref. p. 132; Cmniinghani. Re- formers; I)'Auhign(^//^■.•>■^/ep/:i, 97,325: Nisani.AV //</<'« sur la Renaissance ; Hardwick, Hist. Rif. p. 30 sq. ; Wnx- waX, Hist. Ref; (iieseler, C//«/r// ///.s/. vol. iv, ch. i ; Mos- lieim, Eccles. Ilist.yo]. iii; Hagenbach, Kirchcm/fsch. vol. iii ; Fisher, Hist. Ref. p. 97 sq. ; Dorner, (Jesch. der pro- testant. Theoloqie, p. 108, 320, 329; Bibliotheca Sacra, 1846, p. 301 ; 1864, p. 448 ; Jahrbuch deutscher Theol. voL X, pt. i, p. 185 ; 1870, iii, 503 ; iv, 615 ; Mercershurg Rev. 1850, p. 325 ; Kitto, Journ. Sac. Lit. 1854, p. 185 ; Meth. Qii. Rev. 1855, p. 163; 1860, p. 676; Studien u. Kritiken, 1859, vol. ii; Brit, and For. Ev. Rev. 1861, Jan.; 1868, Oct.; Am. Theol. Rev. 1861, April; 1860, p. 529; Amer. Presbi/t. Ilcr. 18C)1, (i. 261 ; Zeitschr.f icissensch. TheoL 1871, vol. ii. .art. viii. (H. E. J.)
Melangists (or Convulsionists) is the name of a liegenerate sect of Jansenists ((]. v.). It originated in 1727, upon the decease of Fran(,'ois de Paris. He liad been noted for his piety and ascetitisni. and, now that he had loft his earthly abode, multitudes Hocked to his grave, and there, in various ways, testified their super- stitious regard aiul veneration. iMarvellous cures were claimed to be wrought there, and miracles were said to be jx-rformed. Strong religious emotions were mani- fested, and some were seized with convidsions. .Some were endowed with the spirit of iimphecy, and predicted the overthrow of Church and St.iie. .Slany of the fa- natics themselves claimed that their miraculous doings were divinely inspired, while others ascribeil them to evil influences. Those who considered these curious works inspired by evil influences were called '■ Discern-
MELANIA
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ents," while the believers received the name of Melan- gists, because they supposed themselves partly actively, partly passively inspired. The superstition and fanati- cism which prevailed at Francois's grave soon after his death were not wholly confined to the common people, but were shared by a considerable number of men of rank and learning. These religious excesses, however, tended to create a general prejudice against Jansenism, and really ruined the cause — at least in France ; or, as Voltaire aptly remarks, " The grave of St. i'rancois of Paris became the grave of Jansenism."