MELANCTHON, PHILIP, the celebrated friend and coadjutor of Luther, was born in Bretten, a town of Sax ony, on February 16, 1490. His father, George Schwart zerd, (which was the German family name,) held the office of commissary of artillery, and was distinguished by his ingenuity in the inventien of military instruments, as well as by the strictness of his piety and correctness of his morals. The care of Melanethon's early studies (in consequence of his father's public engagements) was entrusted to his maternal grandfather, John Reuter, who long filled the office of mayor in Bread). lie w as at first sent to a public school in his native town ; but, a contagious disease having appeared among the scholars, he was soon placed under private tuition. He was in structed in the Latin language by John Hungarus, (who afterwards became a protestant preacher,) and gave curly indications of his great natural capacity. He studied the Greek language with equal diligence and success at Pforzheim, under George Simlerus ; and during the course of his studies in this place, had frequent opportunities of receiving the friendly advices of John Rcuchlin, or Capnio, as he is more generally called, who Was one of the principal restorers of learning in Ger many, and who was greatly attracted by the promising talents and studious habits of young Melanctlion. At the vg of twelve he wrote several pieces in Latin verse, and iu the following year composed a humorous comedy, which he dedicated to Capnio, from whom he received, on that occasioti, the name of Melancthon, which signifies in Greek w hat Schwartzerd dues in German, namrly, black earth." Aber a residence of two years at Pforz heim, he was sent to the University of Heidelberg, where he soon became distinguished by his talents, application, and amiable dispositions. He wrote most of the public harangues delivered at the university, during his attend ance there ; and was entrusted with the education of the two sons of Count Leonstein. The situation of Heidel berg appearing to be unfavourable to his feeble constitu tion of body, and his mind being chagrined by the refusal of a higher literary degree, on account of his youth, he left that university after a residence of three years, and removed to that of Tubingen, which was then celebrated for its eminent professors in every branch of literature and theology: There lie devoted himself particularly to mathematics, jut isprudencc, logic, medicine, and theolo gy. and, at the age of seventeen, was created doctor in philosophy, or master of arts. He soon afterwards be came a public lecturer in the university, and excited general admiration by his profound knowledge and ele gant taste in the Latin classics. He was at this period the restorer of Terence, whose poetical compositions had hitherto appeared in a prosaic form ; and he speedily at tracted the attention of the greatest scholars of the age. He was patticularly eulogized, when only a youth of eighteen, by the learned Erasmus, whose works abound in the set ongest testimonies both to the eminence of Me lanothen's attainments, and to the excellence of his cha racter.
The history of his religious principles cannot be de tailed with the same precision as that of his literary pro gress ; and the principal fact, illustrative of this point, is the gift. or a small Bible from his friend Capnio, upon which he was accustomed to note such explanatory hints as occur red to his own mind, or as pleased hint in the works of others, and which he made his constant com panion, particularly during the set vice of public worship. After remaining six years at Tubingen, he removed to the university of Wittemberg, where he was appointed to the Greek professership ; and where he attracted such numbers of students, that he is said to have sometimes had an audience of 1500 persons. Here he soon became the intimate friend and invaluable associate of Luther, by whom he was consulted on all occasions, and to whose great cause he rendered the most essential service by his literary resources and temperate counsels. He took a leading place in the improvement of philosophical studies, uniting the study of the Aristotelian method, with all that was valuable in the writings of the Stoics and Platonists, and thus forming a kind of eclectic system, which was named Iron' him the Philippic method, was speedily in troduced into all the Lutheran schools, by abridgements from his own pen on the various branches of philosophy. After the celebrated disputation at Leipsic between Luther and Eckius, at which Melanothon was present., he applied himself more intensely to the study of the scriptures, and the illustration of pure Christian doc trine. Having been assailed by Eckius in an abusive letter, on account of the opinions which he had express ed of the different disputants, he published a reply, drawn up with so much elogance of language, acuteness of ar gument, and mildness of spirit, that it proved extremely favourable to the cause of his friend. In 1520, he mar
ried a young woman of a reputable family in \Vittem berg, and of a character in every respect congenial with his own. They soon became distinguished patterns of genuine piety and Christian beneficence. His house was crowded by paupers, who were never sent away empty ; and his time was beset by equally numerous ap plicants for his advice, his recommendation, his literary aid, or merely for the pleasure of seeing so celebrated a person, to all of whom free access was granted. But, however devoted by principle and feeling to literary leisure and domestic retirement, Melanethon was fre quently called by his sense of duty, to encounter that publicity, and to share in those contests, which he would otherwise gladly have shunned. During the period of Luther's seclusion in the castle of Wu•tenberg, he found himself placed at the head of the reformed cause, and was fully aware of the high responsibility attached to such a situation. He discharged, at the same time, many of those clerical duties which belonged to the of fice of Luther ; and notwithstanding all the sensibilities (we may almost say the hypochondriasm) of bis nature, lie often appeared in the front of the contest, which was now thickening on every side. In answer to the con demnation of the reformer's principles, published by the divines of the Sorhonne in 1521, he wrote a small but satirical pamphlet, entitled, "Adversus Furiosum Pari siensium, Theologastroruni decretum pro Luther° Apo logia ;" and another in the same year against Placenti nus, or rather Eraser, in which he details the history of the Lutheran controversy, and refutes the calumnies of the anti-reformation party. He was busy also in his university labours, exciting the youth under his care to the diligent study of Christian truth in the writings of the apostle Paul ; and about the same time lie produ celebrated walk, entitled, Theological common which excited great attention, and obtained an extensive circulation, not only in Germany, but also in France and Italy. It was published in Venice under the name of Philip/to de Terra Nerd. (the Italian trans lation of the word Melanctnon); and, under this desig.= nation, was either approved, or at least uncensured ; but, as soon as it was known to be the production of Philip Melancthon, it was instantly suppressed by order of the Inquisition. This work was extolled by Luther as the best book next to the Holy Scriptures, and recommend ed along with his own translation of the Bible, as suffi cient together for the formation of a good divine. His pen was much employed in revising the translation of the New Testament by Luther ; and particularly in com paring that of the Old Testament with the Septuagint version. About the middle of the year 1522, Luther having secretly got possession of a manuscript commen tary by Melancthon on the Epistle of Paul to the Ro mans, printed it without the author's knowledge, and sent him a copy, with a very characteristic apology pre fixed, of which a few sentences will not be thought un worthy of being transcribed. " Martin Luther to Pnilip Melanethon, grace and peace in Christ. Be angry and sin not. Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still.' I am the person who dares to publish your annotations, and send you your own work. If you are not pleased with it, it may be all very well ; it is suf ficient that you please us. If I have done wrong, you are to blame: Why did you not publish it yourself ? I threaten you farther, to steal and publish your remarks upon Genesis, the Gospels of Matthew and John, unless you supersede me by bringing them forward." In the course of the dispute between Luther and Erasmus, the latter made several artful attempts to draw Melancthon from the cause of the reformers, by the prospect of promotion from the popish party. The re ply of Luther's friend sufficiently showed that his mo deration and mildness were very different from timidity or indifference : For my pact I cannot, with a safe conscience, condemn the sentiments of Luther, how ever I may be charged with lolly or superstition—that does not weigh with me. But I would oppose them strenuously, if the scriptures were on the other side. Most certainly I shall never change my sentiments from a regard to human authority, or from the dread of disgrace." In the year 1525, he repaired to Nurem berg, on the express solicitation of the senate, to assist in planning the establishment of a public seminary in that place, and afterwards delivered an oration at the opening of the academy, but declined the offer of one of its professorships. Amidst all his public and private en gagements, which he mentions in his letters as at once oppressive to his mind and injurious to his health, he found means to publish a variety of useful composi tions ; among which were introductions to several of the sacred books, a Latin version of the Proverbs of Solo mon, and an Epitome of the Doctrines believed and taught in the Reformed Churches.