214 THE SWISS EEFOEMATIOX.
The writings of Biillinger are very numerous, mostly doctrinal and practical, adapted to the times, but of little permanent value. Scheuchzer numbers one hundred and fifty printed books of his. The Ziirieh City Library contains about one hundred, exclusive of translations and new editions. Many are extant only in manuscript. He wrote Latin commentaries on the New Testament (except the Apocalypse), numerous sermons on Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, the Apocalypse. His Decades (five series of ten sermons each on the Decalogue, the Apostles' Creed, and the Sacraments) were much esteemed and used in Holland and England. His work on the justifying grace of God was highly prized by Melanchthon. His History of the Swiss Reformation, written by his own hand, in two folio volumes, has been published in 1838-"40, in tln-ee volumes. His most important doctrinal work is the Second Helvetic Confession, which acquired symbolical authority .^
§ 53. Antistes Breitinger (1575-1645).
In the same year in which Bullinger died (1575), Johann Jakob Breitinger was born, who became his worthy successor as Antistes of Ziirich (1613-1645).^ He called liim a saint, and followed his example. He was one of the most eminent Reformed divines of his age. Thoroughly trained in the universities of Herborn, Marburg, Franeker, Heidelberg, and Basel, he gained the esteem and affection of his fellowcitizens as teacher, preacher, and devoted pastor. During the fearful pestilence of 1611 he visited the sick from morning till night at the risk of his life.
He attended as one of the Swiss delegates the Synod of
^ Extracts from BuUinger's Works are given by Pestalozzi, 505-622.
- The immediate successors of Bullinger were Gwalter, Zwingli's son-inlaw (1575-1586), Lavater (1585-1586), Stumpf (1582-1592), Leeraann (1592- 1613).
§ 56. OSWALD MYCONIUS. 215
Dort (1618 and 1619). He was deeply impressed with the learning, wisdom, and piety of that body, and fully agreed ^-ith its unjust and intolerant treatment of the Arrainians.^ On his return (May 21, 1619) he was welcomed by sixty-four Ziirichers, who rode to the borders of the Rhine to meet him. Yet, with all his firmness of conviction, he was opposed to confessional polemics in an intensely polemic age, and admired the good traits in other churches and sects, even the Jesuits. He combined with strict orthodoxy a cheerful temper, a generous heart, and active piety. He had an open ear for appeals from the poor and the numerous sufferers in the murder of the Valtellina (1620) and dm-ing the Thirty Years' War. At his request, hospitals and orphan houses were founded and collections raised, which in the Minster alone, during eight years (1618-1628), exceeded fifty thousand pounds. He was in every way a model pastor, model churchman, and model statesman. Although he towered high above his colleagues, he disarmed en\y and jealousy by his kindliness and Christian humility. Altogether he sliines next to Zwingii and BuUinger as the most influential and useful Antistes of the Reformed Church of Ziirich.^
§ 56. Oswald Myconms, Antistes of Basel.
I. Correspondence between Mycoxius and Zwixgli in Zwingli's Opera, vols.
YII. and VIII. (28 letters of the former and 20 of the latter). — Correspondence with Bullinger in the Simler Collection. — Antiqu. Gernl., I. — The Chronicle of Fridolix Rtff, ed. by W. Vischer (son), in the Easier Chroniken (vol. 1, Leipzig, 1872), extends from 1514 to 1541.
II. Melchior Kirchofer (of Schaffhausen) : Osicald Myconius, Antistes der Bas/erischen Kirche. Ziirich, 1813 (pp. 387). Still very serviceable. — E. Hagexbach : Joh. Oecolainpad und Oswald Myconius, die Reformatoren Basels. Elberfeld, 1859 (pp. 309-462). Also his Geschichte der ersten Easier Confession. Basel, 1828. — B. Riggexbach, in Herzog^, X. 403-405.
1 Comp. Schweizer, Centraldogmen, II. 26, 116 sq., 140 sq., 143. - J. C. Morikofer (author of the Life of Zwingii), Johann Jakob Eveitinger Leipzig, 1873. Karl Meyer, in Herzog'^, II. 597.
216 THE SWISS KEFOEMATION.
Oswald Myconius (1488-1552), ^ a native of Luzern, an intimate friend of Zwingli, and successor of CEcolampadius, was to the Church of Basel what Bullinofer was to the Church of Ziirich, — a faithful preserver of the Reformed religion, — but in a less difficult position and more limited sphere of usefulness. He spent his earlier life as classical teacher in Basel, Ziirich, Luzern, Einsiedeln, and again in Ziirich. His pupil, Thomas Plater, speaks highly of his teaching ability and success. Erasmus honored him with his friendship before he fell out with the Reformation. ^
After the death of Zwingli and CEcolampadius, he moved to Basel as pastor of St. Alban (Dec. 22, 1531), and was elected Antistes or chief pastor of the Church of that city, and professor of New Testament exegesis in the university (August, 1532). He was not ordained, and had no academic degree, and refused to take one because Christ had forbidden his disciples to be called Rabbi (Matt. 28 : 8).^ He carried out the views of CEcolampadius on discipline, and maintained the independence of the Church in its relation to the State and the university. He had to suffer much opposition from Carlstadt, who, by his recommendation, became professor of theology in Basel (1534), and ended there his restless life
1 His proper name was Geisshiissler. He is to be distinguished from Friedrich Myconius (Mecum), who was a friend of Luther and superintendent of Gotha (d. 1546).
2 In a letter of Oct. 5, 1532, Erasmus called Myconius a "homo ineptus et quondam lud'imagister frigidus." Epist. 1233. See Hagenbach. Oekol. und Mycon., p. 329 sq. and 339, where he remarks : " Und dock hatte Erasmus diesen Einfallspinsel von Schulmeister friiher seines Umgangs geiviirdigt und ihn vor Vielen ausgezeichnet ! Aber der grdmliche Mann war jetzt gegen alles erbittert, icas mit der von ihm verkannten und gehassten Reformation in Verbindung stand und glaubte sich, vom alien Ruhme seines Namens zehrend, berechtigt, seincm Unwillen jeden beliebiqen Ausdruck zu geben."
3 Hagenbach (341) : " Myconius hatte keine kirchliche Ordination erhalten, nock viel weniger etwas von dem was man einen akademischen Grad nennt. Er war we(ier Baccalaureus, noch Licentiat, noch Magister, nock Doctor geivorden." Luther was proud to be a doctor of divinity; but Melanchthon and Zwingli were satisfied with their M.A. Calvin, like Myconius, was never ordained, as far as we know, although he was intended for the priesthood.