632 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1580.
Luther and Melanchthon opposed every alliance with the Zwinglians ; they would not sacrifice a particle of their creed to any political advantage, being confident that the truth must prevail in the end, without secular aid. Their attitude in this matter was narrow and impolitic, but morally grand. In a letter to Elector John, March 6, 1530, Luther denied the right of resistance to the Emperor, even if he were wrong and used force against the gospel. ‘“ According to the Scriptures,” he says, “a Christian dare not resist the magistrate, right or wrong, but must suffer violence and injustice, especially from the magistrate.” !
Luther, as soon as he heard of the agreement at Speier, persuaded the Elector to annul it. ‘“ How can we unite with people who strive against God and the sacrament? ‘This is the road to damnation, for body and soul.” Melanchthon advised his friends in Niirnberg to withdraw from the alliance, “for the godless opinion of Zwingli should never be defended.” ‘The agreement came to nothing.
Philip of Hesse stood alone. He was enthusiastic for an alliance, because he half sympathized with the Zwinglian theory, and deemed the controversy to be a battle of words. He hoped that.a personal conference of the theological leaders would bring about an understanding.
After consulting Melanchthon personally in Speier, and Zwingli by letter, the Landgrave issued formal invitations to *, the Reformers, to meet at Marburg, and offered them a safeconduct through his territory.
Zwingli received the invitation with joy, and hoped for the best. The magistrate of Zurich was opposed to his leaving ; but he resolved to brave the danger of a long journey through hostile territory, and left his home in the night of Sept. 8, without waiting for the Landgrave’s safe-conduct,
1 De Wette, III. 560. 2 The letters of invitation in Monumenta Hassiaca, tom, III., and Neudecker, Urkunden, p. 95.
§ 107. THE MARBURG CONFERENCE, A.D. 1629. 683
and without even informing his wife of his destination, beyond Basel. Accompanied by a single friend, the Greek professor Collin, he reached Basel safely on horseback, and on the 6th of September he embarked with Ccolampadius and several merchants on the Rhine for Strassburg, where they arrived after thirteen hours. The Reformers lodged in the house of Matthew Zell, the preacher in the cathedral, and were hospitably entertained by his wife Catharine, who - cooked their meals, waited at the table, and conversed with them on theology so intelligently that they ranked her above many doctors. She often alluded in later years, with joy and pride, to her humble services to these illustrious men. They remained in Strassburg eleven days, in . important consultation with the ministers and magistrates. Zwingli preached in the minster on Sunday, the 12th of September, in the morning, on our knowledge of truth, and our duty to obey it; Ccolampadius preached in the afternoon, on the new creature in Christ, and on faith operative in love (Gal. 5:6). On the 19th of September, at six in the morning, ‘they departed with the Strassburg delegates, Bucer, Hedio, and Jacob Sturm, the esteemed head of the city magistrate, under protection of five soldiers. They travelled on horseback over hills and dales, through forests and secret paths. At the Hessian frontier, they were received by forty cavaliers, and reached Marburg on the 27th of September, at four o’clock in the afternoon, and were cordially welcomed by the Landgrave in person.! The same journey can now be made in a few hours. On the next days they preached.
Zwingli and Philip of Hesse had political and theological sympathies. Zwingli, who was a statesman as well as a reformer, conceived about that time far-reaching political combinations in the interest of religion. He aimed at no less than a Protestant alliance between Ziirich, Hesse, Strass-
1 The 27th is given by Hedio in his Itinerary, as the day of their arrival, and is accepted by Baum, Erichson, and Κι βίη, The usual date is the 29th.