Meuschen, Joiiann (Ji:i:n.\!!i). a learned Gorman Protestant theologian, was born at ( )snabrilck, in West- phalia. ]\Iay 4, 1680, a son of the minister Johann Con- rad ^leuschen at the St. Catharinenkirche. He com- menced his education at the gymnasium of liis native town; in 1699 entered the University of Jena, where, in 1702, he secured the title of master of arts. In 1703, being about to take a position as professor at Copenhagen, but detained accidentally at Kiel, he was appointed pro- fessor extraordinary of philosophy at the university of that place. He returned to Osnabriick in 1704, whither he was called by the St. Catharinenkirche as assistant to his father. In 1708 he was called to tlie Hague as pastor of the Lutheran congregation of that place, and
here he labored until 1716, when he went to Hanau as chief court and city minister, with the character of counsellor of the consistory; in 1720 he was apjiointcd clerical superintendent of the district of Hanau-Lichtcn- berg. In 1723, after having refused several important offers made to him, he removed to Coburg as ecclesias- tical counsellor, sui>erintendent-general, and professor of theology, and died there December 15, 1743. Meuschen was a decided opponent of the papists, and especially of the Jesuits; and had to suffer considerably from their animosity towarils him. One of his pamphlets against the machinations of Jesuitism, Xuga vcnales liullttises, I was even publicly destroyed by tire under the hands of ; the executioner. The larger part of his works are of an ascetic tendency. The most important of his pro- ductions are : Postilla mythica, and Die neu erofi'nete Bahn des tcahren Christenthums .• — Madonna et santa ccisa di Loretto, oder historische Beschreibung der liebeti Frauen vnd des heiligen Ilauses zu Loretto (Jena. 1702, 8vo) : — Diss, academica de Ci/nisis j)hilosophis (Kilon.
1703, 4to) : — Diss, de prcpjudicio auctoritatis (ibid.
1704, 4to) : — JJiss. de antiqiio et moderno ritu sulutandi stermitantes (ibid. 1704, 4to) : — Diss, defabis Pi/thagori- cis mysticis (ibid. 1704, 4to): — Anweisung zur Verleug- nvng der Welt vnd seiner selbst (Osnabriick, 1706, 12mo) : — Das ho/ie Geheimniss der Geburt Christi in der Siilc (Amsterdam, 1709, 8vo) : — Die in der erslen Kirche <j,J,raiirhr„-l„- ,,j,n.<tni;.<rl,r Cni,.-!, m ttioH des Ml. Abend- iiiiihls. (Ills ill II I'lit r'ihii.< iiinl Kill-Ill iigeschichten enciesen. ^Icusclien was a \ eiy .-uinrinr student in the ancient
j and Oriental languages, and his contributions to exeget- ical theology are perhaps among the most valuable pro- ductions of his age and country. His best works in the field of Biblical literature are : Diatribe de Xasipj-in- cipe et directore Synedrii Magni Ilebro'onnn (Coburg, 1724, 4to) : — Novum Testamentum e Talmude illustratum (Leip. 1736, 4to) : — BihUotheca medici sacri, seu recen- sio sci-iptonim qui Scripturam Sacram ex medicina et jJi;iii.<i,jJ,;iniii/Nriil!!lliislniniN/{Th<iHagiio,1712,8vo). lie als.i I'.litc'd i:yga>'s (liriniirnii Iniversale.mnX^x t\\e. title //' / ///. rjii/aiilis Onl. iiiiiinr.j/iins temporum s.chron- icun iiiiinrsaYe ah anno C/irisli ad A.I). 1340 et adhinc ad a. 1513 continuatum a ^[. Eysenhart ; editum prnmisse glossario Latinitatisferrece J. G. Meltr.chenii (Lugd. Ba- tav. 1743, 4to). See Programmafuncbre in Meuscheniuvi (in the Acta Jiistorico Kcchsiastica [Leipsic, vol. vii]); Strieder, Ilessische gelehrtin gcschirhte, vol. ix ; Got- ten, Gdchrtes Kuropa, vols, ii and iii. (J. H. W.)
Meusel (or Mdsel), Woi.i (;ax(; (Latin Jfuscu- liis), a (ierman Protestant theologian and Hebraist, was born at Dicuze, Lorraine (lately in France, but now in Germany), in 1497. At the age of fifteen, through the gcrod offices of the prior, he was entered as a novice in tlie monastery of the Benedictines near LLxheim. After a course of arduous studies he was ordained a priest, and then devoted himself to preaching. In 1518 the writ- ings of Luther strongly inclined Jleusel to embrace the doctrines of the Reformation. Though elected prior of the cloister with which he was connected, he declined that office in order to maintain his independence. About this time he began so openly to preach the dog- mas of Protestantism that he became generally known as the "Lutheran monk," Soon afterwards he quitted the monastery and went to Strasburg, where, in 1527, he married a relative of his former superior in the pri- ory. A series of misfortunes and vicissitudes involved Meusel in obscurity until 1529, when he was appointed vicar at the cathedral at Strasburg. It was then that he diligently a])plied himself to the pursuit of Hebrew under the tuition of Bucer and Capito. In 1.531 the Augsburg .Siiate invited him to come and labor for the spiritual good of the city. His principles of liberality and toleration so pleased the Senate that they intrusted him with some imjiortant missions. In 1.536 lie was sent to the assembly at Wittemburg, where he executed the formulary of a union designed to bind together the churches of Germanv, North and South, in the matter
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of the Eucharist. In 1540 the Augsburg Senate dele- gated him to the councils held at Worms by the Protes- tants and the Catholics, and afterwards to the conferences ■which took place at Katisbon. In the following year he drew up the heads of the controversy between Me- laucthon and Eck. In 1544 he established at Don- auworth the principles of the Reformation, and distin- guished himself as a preacher. In 1549 he was installed [professor of theology at Bern. He died in that city about 1563. Meusel wrote, Anti-Cochlaus primus, ad- vergus J. Cochlei de sacerdotio ac sacrijicio novce le(jis libellum (Augsburg, 1644, 4to) : — Commentani in D. Joamiis Evangdium (Basle, 1545, fol.) •.—Commentarii in Matthceum (ibid. 1548, fol.) -.—Dialogi IV de Quces- tiom : Liceat homini Christiano evangelicm doctrinm guaro papisticis superstioiiibus ac falsis cuUibus exter- na societate comnumicare? (1549, 8vo) ■.^Commentarii in Psalmos (ibid. 1553, fol.) -.—In Deculognm Kxplanatio (ibid. 1553) : — Commenliirii in Genesin (ibid. 1554, fol.) : — Commentarii in EjiiMoldin ad Romanos (ibid. 1555, fol.): — Commentarii in l:.<ainin. prophetam (ibid. 1567, fol.) : — Commenturi in Epintulas ad Corinthios, ad Gala- tos, ad Ephesios (ibid. 1559, fol.) : — Loci communes The- ologice sacrce. (ibid. 1560, fol.) : — Commentarii in E^nsto- las ad Philippenses, Colossenses, Thessalunicenses et in jn-imam ad Timotheum (ibid. 1565, fol.). See Synopsis festalium concionum, uuctore Wvlf. Musculo Busano. Ejusdem vita, ohitus, erudita curmina. Itein clariss. virorum in ipsius ohitu epicedia (Basle, 1595, r2mo). — Haag, La France Protest. ; Melch. Adam, Vitce Theolo- gorum; Bayle, Hist. Bictionari/, s. v.; Hoefer, Nouv, Hiog. Generale, s. v.