THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
succeeded Ludecus, on the latter's removal to Stendal, both as pastor and professor, was also made rector, and was for a long time the only theological teacher of the institution. After the death of Agricola he became general superintendent of the entire March of Brandenburg.
The life of Musculus was a continual battle, especially as he was polemic by nature. At first he assailed the Interim, then Osiander's doctrine of justification, and when Stancari (q.v.) came to Frankfort, the pair speedily became involved in controversy. In 1552 Elector Joachim ordered both to discuss at Berlin the mediatorial office of Christ, and Agricola, as arbitrator, decided in favor of Musculus. In 1558 Friedrich Staphylus, a Roman Catholic convert, who had studied with Musculus at Wittenberg, published his Theologia M. Lutheri trimembris epitome (Cologne, 1558), in which he accused Musculus of teaching that Christ suffered according to his divine as well as according to his human nature. Musculus immediately replied in his Responsio ad virolentum et maledicum scriptum Friderici Staphyli (1558), which was answered, in its turn, by Staphylus in his Defensio pro trimembri theologia M. Lutheri (Dillingen, 1559), in which he clearly proved the truth of his charge. Musculus was accordingly defeated, and retained his position only on account of the general resentment against Staphylus.
As Melanchthon had only half approved the position of Musculus in his dispute with Stancari, and had declined the office of arbitrator in their controversy, he had rendered himself unpopular in the March, and thus helped to prepare the way for the long struggle of Agricola and Musculus against Philippism (see Philippists) in that territory. Agricola attacked his colleague, Provost Buchholzer of Berlin, and Musculus assailed Abdias Praetorius, the enthusiastic Philippist in Frankfort who injoyed the favor of Elector Joachim. The moot point was the formula of the Frankfort convention concerning the necessity of good works, and in 1558 Musculus began the controversy from his pulpit. The mandate of peace issued by the elector in 1560 had little effect, but in Feb., 1562, Praetorius considered his cause lost and fled from the country. Buchholzer, however, opposed Agricola so successfully that Philippism was victorious, and Prsetorius was able to return two months later. In the following year the elector entirely changed his mind and Philippism was definitely defeated. After the death of Agricola in 1566, Musculus bore the responsibility of sole leadership in the defense of a pronounced anti-Melanchthonian and anti-Calvinistic Lutheranism, and in 1574-75 he published three treatises on the Lord's Supper to controvert the Crypto-Calvinists, while in 1577 his Widerlegung der Calvinisten appeared. Musculus increased the bitterness of the controversies in which he was involved by his vehemence and his habit of making his accusations in the presence of his congregation. He availed himself of the confidence of his sovereign to erect charitable institutions and to found scholarships and other aids for students, while he gave generous assistance to the poor. He performed
faithfully the duties of his office, preached twice a week, and undertook frequent tours of inspection. In his sermons he criticized the fads and abuses of his time, and in this spirit published pamphlets such as Wider den Hosenteufel (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1555); Vom Gotteslastern (1556) Wider den Eheteufel (1556); Vom jiingsten Tage (1557); Vom Himmel und der Hellen (1559); Von des Teufels Tyrannei in den letzten Tagen (Worms 1561); Vom itzt regierenden Epicuro (1569); Bedenke das Ende (1572); and Vom Wucher und Geiz (1579). He also wrote a Latin book of prayers (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1553), which included meditations on the passion and on the proper use of the Lord's Supper, etc. Among his doctrinal works mention may be made of his Enchiridion sententiarum ac dictorum (1552), citations from the works of the ancients in defense of the Lutheran doctrine; and Catechismus der heiligen alten
Lehrer nach Ordnung der Hauptstilcke des Katechismus (1555), in which he tried to prove that Luther's doctrine was older than Roman Catholic teaching. Joachim II. commissioned him to compile a doctrinal confession from Luther's works for a Brandenburg Corpus doctrines. This work appeared in 1572, containing the doctrinal system of Musculus, in addition to the Augsburg Confession and the Smaller Catechism. Musculus also published an epitome from Luther's writings, entitled Thesaurus; Hochnutzlicher teurer Schatz und gulden Kleinod aus den Bilchern . . Lutheri zusammengebracht (1577). In 1576 he helped frame the Book of Torgau (see Formula of Concord, § 3), and in 1577 aided in the final redaction of the Formula of Concord. (G. Kawerau.)
Bibliography: C. W. Spieker, Lebensgeschichte des Andreas Musculus, Frankfort, 1858; L. Grote, in ZHT, 1869, pp. 377 sqq.; G. Kawerau, J. Agricola, Berlin, 1881; M. Osborn, Die Teufelslitteratur des 16. Jahrhunderts, ib. 1893.
MUSCULUS, mus'kiu-lus (MUESSLIN, MEUS- SLIN), WOLFGANG: Reformed theologian; b. at Dienze (9 m. e. of Salzburg), Lorraine, Sept. 8, 1497; d. at Bern Aug. 30, 1563. He received a
thorough education in his native
Early Life town and in the best schools of the
and neighborhood. He remained for a
Education, time in Rappoltsweiler, Colmar, and
Schlettstadt, being powerfully influenced by German humanism in the latter city. At the age of fifteen he entered the Benedictine monastery near Lixheim, and there found an opportunity to plunge into the classics, especially Ovid. At the age of twenty he began to study theology, and as he showed a talent for eloquence, he was entrusted with preaching in the monastery and in its parochial churches. In 1518 he became acquainted with Luther's works, and immediately became a decided advocate of the new doctrine, so that he fled from the monastery nine years later and married the niece of his former prior. He was then compelled to struggle for existence by working as a weaver, but at last secured a position as assistant preacher in the village of Dorlitzheim, and in 1529 became deacon in the cathedral church of Strasburg. There he learned Hebrew and completed bis theological education by attending lee-