RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Mairphy Musculus
a Viti Erbermanni, iterata maledicentia vindicata (1663) and concerning the Church in his Tractatus de ecclesia (1671); then against Jodocus Kedde in his Verteidigung des unbeweglichen Grundes, dessert der Augsburgischen Konfession verwandte Lehrer zum Beweis ihrer Kirchen sich gebrauchen (1654), and finally against Jakob Masenius in two theological disputations, of which the more important is entitled De ecclesia. Another treatise of the same category is his Tractatus theologicus de conversione hominis peccatoris ad Deurn (1661). He likewise entered into a controversy with the Arminians regarding the salvation of the heathen, opposed the Socinians, and also devoted much labor to the critique of Reformed doctrines and traditions. In his De usu principiorum rationis et philosophice in controversiis theologicis (1644) he attacked the excessive use of philosophy in theology among the Reformed theologians, and opposed M. F. Wendelin and the doctrine of predestination in his De ceterno electionis decreto an ejus aliqua extra Deum causa impulsiva detur necne (1668) and his De sacra ccena sintne corpus et sanguis Christi in ea realiter prwsentia? (1664). After various doubts and struggles he publicly attacked the syncretism of Calixtus in his Qucestiones theologicce inter nostrates hactenus agitatce de Syncretismo et Scriptura sacra (1679). His conception of theology as an object of heart as well as of head led him to emphasize the importance of good works and of the sanctity of the will to such a degree that he has been characterized as a precursor of Spener, and these same convictions obliged him to oppose the rigid definitions then prevalent in orthodox Lutheran dogmatics. Like the other theologians of Jena, Musaeus refused to sign the Consensus repetitus fidei vere Lutherance, drawn up by Calovius (q.v.) in 1655, remaining true to this decision even after Duke Ernest the Pious tried to negotiate peace ( 1 670-72) . Along and bitter controversy ensued. After the death of the duke in 1675 Johan Reinhard published in Wittenberg his Theologorum Jenensium errores, in which he listed no less than ninety-three heresies, chiefly from the lectures of Musaeus. In accordance with the unanimous resolution of the faculty of Jena, Musaeus, then their dean, replied in his Der jenischen Theologen ausfuhrliche Erkldrung iiber 93 vermeinte Religionsfragen oder Kontroversien (1677), whereupon Calovius attacked him in the continuation of his Sy sterna locorum. In 1679, however, a formal visitation of the university of Jena was instituted, and all the professors, nineteen in number, were forced to subscribe to a new formula and to renounce their syncretism. The Pralectiones in epitomen Formuloe Concordice (1701) and the Compendium theologice positivae appeared posthumously. One of the chief merits of Musaeus was his completion of the system of natural theology by giving due consideration to the religious and ethical capacity of the natural man, thus seeking to determine the process of conversion. He taught that the natural will could turn effectually to righteousness, though only in an obscure way (Rom. ix. 30 seq., x. 2.). Despite the attacks of his opponents, Musaeus was orthodox, although he was less easily satisfied with the various statements
of the orthodox system than the Wittenberg theologians, his scientific conscience compelling him to search for proofs and to base his doctrines upon safe principles. The most important service, however, which Musaeus rendered the Lutheran Church was his check to the exclusive rule of the Wittenberg orthodoxy without denying or perverting the true tenets of Lutheranism. (Johannes Ktjnze.) Bibliography: For early sources consult: Hauck-Herzog, RE, xiii. 572. Consult: F. W. Buck, De Joanne Muscbo, Jena, 1862; A. Calovius, Historia syncretistica, 1682; J. G. Walch, Religionsstreitigkeiten von der Reformation an, parts i.-iii., Jena, 1733 sqq. ; idem, Religionsstreitigkeiten der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche, parts iv.— v., ib. 1739; H. Schmid, Geschichte der synkretistischen Streitigkeiten, pp. 400-420, Erlangen, 1846; E. L. T. Henke, Georg Calixtus und seine Zeit, vol. ii., Halle, 1860; G. Frank, Die jenaische Theologie, Leipsic, 1856; A. Tholuck, Vorgeschichte des Rationalismus, vols, i.-ii., Halle, 1853— 1862; W. Gass, Geschichte der protestantischen Dogmatik, ii. 202-212, Berlin, 1857.
MUSAEUS, PETER: Lutheran theologianbrother of Johann Musaeus; b. at Langewiesen (27 m. s.e. of Gotha), Thuringia, Feb. 7, 1620; d. at Kiel Dec. 20, 1674 He obtained his education at Jena and Helmstedt; through the influence of Georg Calixtus, he received a position at Rinteln, first as professor of philosophy in 1648 and five years later as professor of theology. In the latter capacity he took part in the colloquy of Cassel (1661), but incurred the displeasure of the orthodox by the concessions which he favored. Musaeus himself is said to have been offended later by the encroachments of the Reformed and to have left Rinteln. From 1663 to 1665 he was professor in Helmstedt, and in 1665 was called to the new university of Kiel, where he opposed syncretism and union, especially in his Liber de fugiendo syncretismo jussu Christiani Alberti Ducis Holsatioe scriptus (Kiel, 1670), but satisfied neither the Lutherans nor the Reformed. His versatile training in philosophy and his scholarship were considered even superior to his brother's, but their theological tendencies were the same. (Johannes Kunze.)
Bibliography: J. Moller, Cimbria literata, ii. 565-573, Copenhagen, 1744; C. A. Dolle, Lebensbeschreibung aller Professorum Theologies zu Rinteln, i. 275-296, Hanover, 1752; F. W. Strieder, Hessische Gelehrlengeschichte, ix. 321-328, Cassel, 1794.
MUSCULUS (MEUSEL), ANDREAS: Lutheran theologian; b. at Schneeberg (21 m. s.w. of Chemnitz), Saxony, 1514; d. at Frankfort-on-the-Oder Sept. 29, 1581. He was educated at the Latin school of his native city, and at the University of Leipsic. In 1538, after acting as a tutor for several years, he resumed his studies, this time at Wittenberg, where he became an enthusiastic disciple of Luther. At the instance of Johann Agricola, whose brother-in-law he seems to have been, he was appointed to a position at the University of Frankfort and also as preacher of the Franciscan Church in 1541. As an orthodox Lutheran, however, he became involved in disputes with his colleague Ludecus, whom he attacked in several theses (directed at the same time against Melanchthon and the entire Wittenberg school). Melanchthon was much displeased at the attitude of his former pupil, and in a letter of 1546 endeavored to instruct and appease him. Musculus
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