Hebrew preface to Elias Levita's Chaldee Lexicon. 10. The Targum, with notes. 11. An introduction to the Hebrew tongue. And many others.

3.

Melchior Adam has preserved the heads of his valedictory sermon, when Fagius left Strasburgh; in which, among other exhortations, he desired his hearers; " not to raise "a disturbance, nor attempt by human force, to keep "the ministers of the gospel among them, now attacked "by persecution; but to read their bibles, to edify one "another, and to continue in the doctrine which had “ been faithfully preached to them; to honour the mini"sters for their work's sake, who were not sent to serve "their own bellies, nor to please men; that the causes "of the present evil were, 1. That wherever God raised a church, the devil would build a chapel by it. 2. "That the professors of the gospel had been too remiss "and secure, so that the devil had sown his tares. "That they had been too little thankful for the divine "blessing of God's word. 4. That God would try his "own, and, by the trial, separate the chaff from the "grain.” He added concerning himself: "I hear the "trumpet of sedition, upon this occasion; but I bless "God, I have instigated no man to follow it. This "cannot truly be said of me. What I would confess is, "that I have been too little diligent in preaching the "gospel among you; for which I implore pardon of my "God. Pray for me, that I may abide faithful in all "afflictions. I am but a man: and even Peter fell.". Thus humbly did this gracious man think and speak of himself! He knew his own heart; and knew too, that nothing but alınighty grace could keep that heart from falling. This is a point of wisdom, which comes alone from heaven, and which is given to all the faithful in leading them thither.

MARTIN

BUCER,

THE MODERATE REFORMER.

THE HIS Protestant divine was born at Schelestadt, in Alsace, in 1491, and died at Cambridge in 1551. He was one of the ablest ministers of that century, and there were but few ecclesiastical negociations in which he was not employed. He wrote several books, and composed many lectures, in which he laboured with great zeal, and much dexterity, to pacify the differences between the Lutherans and Zuinglians. He wished that both parties had been less rigid; and that great affair might have happily succeeded, if all the heads had been persons of a reconciling temper like himself.

Bucer was a man of immense learning. From his earliest youth he applied himself to acquire a thorough knowledge of the Greek and Hebrew. He read Erasmus's books with great attention. Meeting afterwards with some of Luther's treatises, and comparing the doctrine there delivered with the scripture, he began to doubt of his Romish principles. His uncommon learning and eloquence, which was assisted by a strong and musical voice, recommended him to the elector palatine, who made him one of his chaplains.

Bucer met Luther at the diet of Worms in 1521, when they passed several days in familiar conversation; after which Bucer embraced the doctrine of Luther, and openly professed it from that time. Two years after, he was admitted into the number of the reformed preachers in Strasburgh; and he subscribed a book with them, which they published in 1524, setting forth the reasons that induced them to renounce popery: But he wrote some tracts in 1527, in defence of the Zuinglans against Brentius and Pomeranus, who were Lutherans. He assisted,

in 1529, as deputy of the church of Strasburgh, in the conferences of Marpurg, where they endeavoured to pacify the dissentions between the Lutherans and the Zuinglians: But it was false, that he begun by being a Sacramentarian, for he followed Luther as the instrument of his conversion from the beginning.

The bishop of Meaux endeavours to make Bucer pass for a dissembler, and alleges the testimony of Calvin for it, • Whether Bucer had a formal design to trifle with the world by affected equivocations, or whether any confused idea of reality made him believe, that he might sincerely subscribe to expressions so evidently contrary to the figurative sense, is left to the judgment of the protestants. It is certain that Calvin, his friend, and in some measure his disciple, when he would express a blameable obsurity in a profession of faith, said, that there was nothing so perplexed, so obscure, so ambigu ous, so winding in Bucer himself.' It was said by Justus Jonas, that there was in Zuinglius something rustic, and a little arrogant: In Oecolampadius a wonderful good nature and clemency: In Hedio, no less humanity and good nature: In Bucer, a fox-like cunning, imitating prudence and sagacity. But the bishop of Meaux would not rely on the disadvantageous judgment that this divine of Saxony made of Bucer, after the conferences of Marpurg in 1529.

All the works of Bucer were very moderate: But, it is said, by one who was an Arminian in his heart, that Calvin castrated some of them at his pleasure at Geneva. However, we are told, that Bucer used, as often hap'pens among learned men as long as they live, to revise his lucubrations, to add, or take away, and even to retract some things. Bucer declares this concerning himself, in his preface to his commentaries on the gospels, in these words: "This disturbs some, because they make "no doubt but many will be offended, that I now seem "not very consistent with myself. Because the Lord "has given me to understand some places more fully "than I formerly did, which as it is so bountifully given "to me, why should I not impart it liberally to my "brethren, and ingeniously declare the goodness of the "Lord? What inconsistency is there in profiting in the "work of salvation? And who in this age, or in the "last, has treated of the scripture, and has not experi"enced, that, even in this study, one day is the scholar "of another?" Afterwards he produces the example of

S

Augustine