|
INTRODUCTION.
The year following, he was promoted to the degree of Doctor of Divinity, which
imposed on him the duty of delivering theological lectures in the University. It
soon became plain, that he was formed to be the ruling spirit of the new
movement, which had commenced in the Church of the Palatinate. He gained
completely the confidence of the Elector ; his learning and piety, and excellent
judgment, secured for him the general respect of his colleagues ; and from all
sides, the eyes of man were turned to him more and more, as the best
representative and expounder of the cause in whose service he stood, and to
whose defence he had cheerfully consecrated his life. In this way, with all the
natural quietness of his character, we find him gradually placed in the very
heart and centre of the great ecclesiastical struggle, in which he was called to
take part. His settlement at Heidelberg, continued till the death of his patron,
Frederick, in 1576, a period of fifteen years. During this time, his labors were
kept up with the most untiring constancy and diligence ; the occasion and demand
for them, being still in proportion to their generally acknowledged faithfulness
and worth. His regular official services were extensive and heavy ; the more
especially so, as he could never consent to be loose or superficial in his
preparations, but felt himself bound always to bestow on his lectures the most
thorough and conscientious care. But in addition to all this, he was called upon
continually, to conduct a large amount of other business, growing out of the
public history of the times, and often of the most arduous and responsible kind.
On every emergency, in which it became necessary to vindicate or support the
Reformed faith, as it stood in the Palatinate, whether this was to be done in
the name of the theological faculty of Heidelberg, or by the authority of the
Elector, Ursinus was still looked to as the leading counsellor and spokesman of
the transaction. With the high position, moreover, which the Church of the
Palatinate very soon won, among the Churches generally of the same confession,
associated as its distinctive genius and spirit were from the beginning with his
name, the representative character now noticed took from year to year a still
wider range, extending in time, we might almost say, like that of Calvin
himself, to the entire Reformed communion. As the earlier chiefs of this faith
were removed by death, there was no one who, by his personal connections, his
extensive knowledge, his clear insight into the interior nature of the points in
debate, and the admirable qualities of his spirit, could be said to be better
fitted to represent the communion in any such general way ; and there was no one
probably, to whom in truth the confidence of all was so much disposed to turn,
as the main prop-and pillar, theologically, of the whole Reformed cause.
Among the public ecclesiastical services to which we have just referred, the
first place belongs, of course, to the formation of the Heidelberg Catechism,
which is to be regarded as in some sense, the, foundation of his subsequent
labors. To this task he was appointed in 1562, by the Elector Frederick, in
association with the distinguished theological professor and court-preacher,
Caspar Olevianus.
Each of them drew up separately, in the first place, his own scheme or sketch of
what was supposed to be required, Olevianus in a popular tract on the Covenant
of Grace, and Ursinus in a two-fold Catechism, the larger for older persons, and
a smaller one for children. Out of these preliminary works was formed, in the
first place, the Catechism as it now stands. It has been generally assumed from
the first, that the principal agency in its production, is to be ascribed to
Ursinus > and to be fully convinced of the correctness of this view, it is
only necessary to compare the work itself with his larger and smaller
Catechisms, previously composed, as well as with his writings upon it hi the way
of commentary and defence afterwards. Whatever use may have been made of foreign
suggestion or help, it
is sufficiently plain from the interior structure of the formulary itself, that
it is no mechanical compilation, but the living product of a single mind ; there
is an in ward unity, harmony, freshness and vitality, pervading it throughout,
which show it to be, in this respect, a genuine work of art, the inspiration, in
a certain sense, of one representing the life of many. And it is no less plain,
we may say, that
the one mind in which it has thus been moulded and cast, is that emphatically of
Ursinus and of no one besides. The Catechism breathes his spirit, reflects his
image, and speakes to us in the very tones of his voice, from the first page to
the last.
It is well known, what widely extended favor this little work soon found in all
parts of the Reformed Church. In every direction, it was welcomed as the best
popular summary of religious doctrine, that had yet appeared on the side of this
confession. Distinguished divines in other lands, united in bearing testimony to
its merits. It was considered the glory of the Palatinate, to have presented it
to the world. Some went so far, as to make it the fruit of a special and
extraordinary influence of (rod s Spirit, approaching even to inspiration. It
rose rapidly into the character of a general symbol, answerable in such -view to
what Luther's Catechism had already become as a popular standard for the other
confession. Far and wide, it became the basis on which systems of religious
instruction were formed, by the most excellent and learned divines. In the
course of time, commentaries, paraphrases, and courses of sermons, were written
upon it almost with out number. Few works have passed into as many different
versions. It was translated into Hebrew, ancient and modern Greek, Latin, Low
Dutch, Spanish, French, English, Italian, Bohemian, Polish, Hungarian, Arabic
and Malay. In all this, we have at once an argument of its great worth. It must
have been admirably adapted, to meet the wants of the Church at large, as well
as admirably true to the inmost sense of its general life, to come in this way
so easily and so soon to such wide reputation and credit. Originally a
provincial interest merely, it yet grew rapidly into the character of a general
or universal symbol ; while other older Catechisms and Confessions of Faith, had
force, at best, only for the particular countries that gave them birth. It was
owned with applause, in Switzer land, France, England, Scotland and Holland, as
well as by all who were favorably disposed towards the Reformed faith, in
Germany itself. Nor was this praise transient; an ephemeral burst of applause,
succeeded again by general indifference and neglect. On the contrary, the
authority of the symbol grew with its age. It became for the Reformed body, as
we have just seen, the counterpart in full of the similar text book held by the
Lutheran body from the hand of Luther himself. In this character, we find it
quoted and appealed to on all sides, by both friends and foes. Such vast
popularity, we say, of itself, implies vast merit. We may allow, indeed, that
the terms in which some of the old divines have spoken of its excellence, are
carried beyond due .measure. But this general testimony of the whole Reformed
Church in its favor, must ever be of force, to show that they had good reason to
speak here with a certain amount of enthusiasm.
The fact of its wide spread and long continued popularity, is important, also,
in another view ; it goes to show that the formulary was the product, truly and
fully, of the religious life of the Reformed Church, in the full bloom of its
historical development, as this was reached at the time when the work made its
appearance. No creed or confession can be of genuine force, that has not this
inwardly organic
connection with the life it represents. This must go before the symbol, creating
it for its own use. The creed so produced, may come to its utterance, indeed, in
the first place, through the medium of a single mind ; but the single mind, in
such <$ase, must ever be the organ and bearer of the general life in whose
name it speaks ; otherwise it will not be heard nor felt. Here is the proper
criterion of any true
Church confession, whether it be in the character of a liturgy, catechism or
hymn book. It must be the life of the Church itself, embodied through some
proper organ, in such form of speech, as is at once recognized and responded to
by the Church at large, as its own word. This relation between word and life, is
happily exhibited in the case now under consideration. Though in one sense a
private work, the formulary before us, was by no means the product of simply
individual reflection, on the part either of one or of several. Ursinus, in the
preparation of it, was the organ of a religious life, far more general and
comprehensive than his own. It is the utterance of the Reformed faith, as this
stood at the time, and found expression for itself through his person. The
evidence of this, we have in the free, full response with which it was met, on
the part of the Church, not only in the Palatinate, but also in other lands. It
was, as though the entire Reformed
Church heard, and joyfully recognized, her own voice in the Heidelberg
Catechism. No product of mere private judgment or private will, could have come
thus into such universal favor.
The great merit which may be fairly inferred from this great reputation, is
amply verified, when we come to consider the actual character of the work
itself. The more it is carefully studied and examined, the more is it likely to
be admired. Among all Protestant symbols, whether of earlier or later date, we
hold it to be decidedly the best. It is pervaded throughout, by a thoroughly
scientific spirit, far
beyond what is common in formularies of this sort. But its science is always
earnestly and solemnly practical. It is doctrine apprehended and represented
continually in the form of life. The construction of the whole, is uncommonly
simple, beautiful and clear, while the freshness of a sacred religious feeling,
breathes through its entire execution. It is for the heart, full as much as for
the head. The pathos of a deep toned piety, flows like an under current, through
all its teaching, from beginning to end. This serves to impart a peculiar
character of dignity and force, to its very style, which at times, with all its
simplicity, becomes truly eloquent, and moves with a sort of priestly solemnity,
which all are constrained to reverence and respect. Among its characteristic
perfections, deserves to be noted particularly, its catholic spirit, and the
rich mystical element, that is found to enter so largely into its composition.
No other Reformed symbolical book
can compare with it in these respects.
Its catholicity appears in its sympathy with the religious life of the old
Catholic Church, in its care to avoid the thorny dialectic subtleties of
Calvinism, in the preference it shows for the positive in religion as opposed to
the merely negative and controversial, and in the broad and free character
generally, which marks the tone of its instructions. Considering the temper of
the times, and the relations out of which it grew, it is remarkably free from
polemical and party prejudices. A fine illustration of the catholic, historical
feeling now noticed, is found in the fact, that so large a part of the work is
based directly upon the Apostle s Creed. It not only makes use of this as a
text, but enters with evidently nearty interest and affection also, into its
general spirit, with the sound, and most certainly right feeling, that no
Protestant doctrine can ever be held in a safe form, which is not so held as to
be in truth a living branch from the trunk of this primitive symbol in the
consciousness of faith. We have to regret indeed always, the turn given (Q, 44 )
to the clause in the fourth article, He descended into hell; where the authority
of Calvin is followed, in giving to the words a signification which is good in
its own nature, but at the same time notoriously at war with the historical
sense of the clause itself. A great deal of offence too, as is generally known,
has been taken with the unfortunate declaration, by which the Roman mass is
denounced, at the close of the 80th Question, as being " nothing else than a
denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ, and an accursed
idolatry." But it should never be forgotten, that this harsh anathema, so
foreign from the spirit of Melancthon and Ursinus, and from the reigning tone
also of the Heidelberg Catechism,
forms no part of the original work as published under the hand of Ursinus
himself. It is wanting in the first two editions ; and was afterwards foisted
in, only by the authority of the Elector Frederick, in the way of angry retort
and counter blast, we are told, for certain severe declarations the other way,
which had been passed a short time before by the Council of Trent.
The mystical element of the Catechism, is closely connected with the catholic
spirit, of which we have just spoken. It is that quality in religion, by which
it goes beyond all simply logical or intellectual apprehension, and addresses
itself directly to the soul, as something to be felt and believed even where it
is too deep to be explained. The Bible abounds with such mysticism. It prevails,
especially, in every page of the Apostle John. We find it largely in Luther. It
has been often said, that the Reformed faith, as distinguished from the Catholic
and the Lutheran, is unfriendly to this element, that it moves supremely in the
sphere of the understanding, and so is ever prone to run into rationalism ; and
it must be confessed, that there is some show of reason for the serious charge.
Zwingle s great fault, as well as his chief strength, lay in the clear
intellectuality of his nature. Calvin had a deeper sense of the mystical, but at
the same time a still vaster power
of logic also, which made it very difficult for such sense to come steadily to
its proper rights. His theory of the decrees, for instance, does violence
continually to his theory of the sacraments. It is only in its last and best
form, as we find this brought out in the German Palatinate, that the Reformed
system can be said fairly to have surmounted the force of the objection now
noticed. The Heidelberg
Catechism has regard throughout, to the lawful claims of the understanding ; its
author was thoroughly versed in all the dialectic subtleties of the age, and an
uncommonly fine logic, in truth, distinguishes its whole composition. But along
with this runs, at the same time, a continual appeal to the interior sense of
the soul, a sort of solemn undertone, sounding from the depths of the invisible
world, which only an unotion from the Holy One, can enable any fully to hear and
understand. The words are often felt in this way, to mean much more than they
logically express. The Catechism is no cold workmanship merely of the
rationalizing intellect. It is full of feeling and faith. The joyousness of a
fresh, simple, childlike trust, appears beautifully and touchingly interwoven
with all its divinity. A rich vein of mysticism run& every where through its
doctrinal statements. A strain of heavenly music seemb to flow around us at all
times, while we listen to its voice. It is moderate, gentle, soft, in one word,
Melancthonian, in its whole cadence ; the fit echo and image thus, we may fairly
suppose, of the quiet, though profoundly earnest soul of Ursinus himself.
It carries the palm, very decidedly, in our view, as we have before said, over
all other Protestant symbols, whether formed before it or since.
But notwithstanding all that has now been said, the Catechism was received far
and wide in Germany itself, at the time of its appearance, as a loud declaration
of war ; and became at once the signal for an angry, violent onset, in the way
of contradiction and reproach, from all parts of the Lutheran Church. The high
toned party which was now filling the whole empire with its alarm of heresy,
could not be expected of course to tolerate patiently any religious formulary,
that might be felt to fall short at all of its own vigorous measures of
orthodoxy. From this quarter, accordingly, the Catechism was assaulted, more
fiercely than even from the Church of Rome itself. Its very moderation, indeed,
seemed to magnify the front of its offence. Had there been more of the lion or
tiger in its mien, and less of the lamb, its presence might have proved possibly
less irritating to the polemical humor of the times. As it was, there was felt
to be provocation in its very meekness. Its outward carriage was held to be
deceitful and treacherous ; and its heresy was counted all the worse, for being
hard to find, and shy of coming to the light. The winds of strife were let loose
upon it accordingly, from all points of the compass.
Not only the unity and quiet of the German Church, but the peace also of the
German empire, seemed in the eyes of the high Lutheran party, to be brought into
jeopardy, by the new Confession. It was held to be not only heresy in religion,
but treason also in politics. Both the Elector and his theologians found their
faith severely tried, by the general outcry which was raised at their expense.
But they were men of faith, and they stood the trial nobly and well
The attack was opened by Tilemann Hesshuss and the celebrated Flaccius Illy-
ricus, each of whom came out with an angry publication against the Calvinistic
Catechism, as they called it, full of the most intolerant invective and abuse,
and grossly misrepresenting at different points, the religious change which had
taken place in the Palatinate. Among other calumnies, the new faith was charged
with turning the Lord s Supper into a profane meal, with undervaluing the
necessity of infant baptism, with iconomachy, and with an attempt to alter the
decalogue in de parting from the old order of its precepts. Other blasts of
warning and alarm were soon heard, in much the same tone, from different
quarters. Wirtemberg in particular, issued a solemn censure, drawn up by her two
best divines, in which eighteen questions of the Catechism were taxed with
serious heresy, and no effort spared to bring into discredit especially its
doctrine of the holy eucharist. It was necessary to meet this multitudinous
outcry with a prompt and vigorous answer ; and such an answer accordingly soon
appeared, with all due solemnity, in the name of the united theological faculty
of Heidelberg. The task of preparing it, how ever, fell on Ursinus, who showed
himself at the same time well able to discharge the service in a truly efficient
and becoming way. The honor of the Catechism was fully vindicated, and the
effect of the whole controversy was only to render its authority in the
Palatinate more firm than before.
Meanwhile the Elector was taken solemnly to account, in a more private way, by
several of his brother princes, who seemed to think the whole empire scandalized
by his unorthodox conduct. This led to the celebrated conference or debate of
Maulbronn ; in which the leading theologians of Wirtemberg and the Palatinate
came together, for the purpose of bringing the whole difficulty, if possible, to
a proper resolution and settlement. The Heidelberg divines, were not themselves
in favor of the measure ; apprehending more evil from it than good. But they
allowed their objections to be over-ruled, not caring to show what might be con
strued in any quarter, into a want of confidence in their own cause. The confer
ence took place in the month of April, 1564, and lasted we are told, a whole
week, from the tenth day of the month to the sixteenth. Among the disputants
from Heidelberg, were the Professors, Bocquin, Olevianus and Ursinus. On the
other side appeared Brentius, two of the Tubingen Professors, and other
distinguished divines. The burden of the debate, however, was thrown mainly upon
Ursinus in the one case, and wholly upon James Andreas, -the great and good
chancellor of the University of Tubingen, in the other.
The acts of this colloquy of Naulbronn are of the highest value for the history
of the German Reformed Church, and serve at the same time to throw a most
honorable light on the whole character of Ursinus. They furnish throughout a
lively image of his keen penetration, his comprehensive science, and his clear
doc trinal precision, as well as a brilliant exemplification of the firmness
with which he adhered to his own convictions of truth and right. His
distinctions and determina tions, especially on the question of the Uliiquity,
may be regarded as carrying with them a sort of truly classical authority for
the Reformed theology in all sub sequent times.
The colloquy itself, however, only led afterwards to new controversy. It ended
with a compact, indeed, to abstain from public strife, but, unhappily, this was
soon forgotten and broken. Both sides, as a matter of course, claimed the
victory ; and it was not long till an effort was made, on the part of the
Wirtemberg divines, to establish this claim in their own favor, by publishing
what they called an epitome of the debate in a form to suit themselves ; placing
the whole discussion, with no email ingenuity and address, in a light by no
means fair or satisfactory to the other eidje. To meet this misrepresentation,
the divines of the Palatinate published, in the first place, a copy in full of
the proceedings of the colloquy from the official record made at the time ; and
then added a clear and distinct reply to the Wirtem berg epitome, exposing what
they conceived to be its grave offences against truth. This called forth, in the
year 1565, the great " Declaration and Confession of the Theologians of Tubingen
on the Majesty of the Man Christ, and the Presence of his Body and Blood in the
Holy Supper. " Then came in reply again from the side of the Palatinate, in
1566, a " Solid Refutation of the Sophisms and Cavils of the Wirtemberg
Divines," designed to make clean ground once more of the whole field. The
controversy was renewed and continued thus in its full strength ; and the author
of the Catechism was still required to hold a weapon for its defence in one
hand, while he labored on its proper exposition with the other. Both services
were well fulfilled.
Among his various apologetic tracts, the chief place is due to the Exegesis
verae doctrinae de Sacramentis et Eucharistia, published in the name of the
Heidel berg Faculty and by order of the Consistory, whose sanction gave it at
the same time the force of a public confession. It was translated also into the
vernacular tongue, and in a short time went through several editions. It is
still a work of great interest and value, as it furnishes the most authentic
interpretation, which is anywhere to be found, of the real sacramental doctrine
of the Catechism, in the sense which it had in the beginning for Ursinus
himself, as well as for the whole theological faculty of Heidelberg. As just
intimated, howerw, the business of such public apology and defence for no means
exhausted the labors of Ursinus in regard to this truly admirable symbol. The
Catechism was fully enthroned in the Palatinate, from the begin ning, as the
rule and measure of the public faith. It was made the basis of theo logical
instruction in the University. It was introduced into all the churches and
schools, under a regulation which required the whole of it to be gone over in
course, in the way of familiar repetition and explanation, once every year. A
regular system of catechisation was established in the churches, to which the
afternoon of every Lord s day was devoted, and which was so conducted, as to
include grown persons as well as children. Ursinus, in his capacity of
professor, accommodated himself also to the general rule, and made it a point to
go over the text of the Catechism once a year with his theological lectures.
This custom he is said to have kept up regularly, on to the year 1577. Notes of
his lectures were taken down by the students, which were allowed soon after his
death, at three different places, to make their appearance in print. As much
injustice was done to him, however, by the defective character of these
publications, his particular friend and favorite disciple, David Pare us, who
possessed besides all necessary qualifications foi the task, was called upon to
revise the whole, and to put the work into a form that should be more faithful
to the name and spirit of its illustrious au thor. This service of duty and love
could not have fallen into better hands, and no pains were spared now to render
the publication complete. Under such proper ly authentic form, it appeared first
in the year 1591, at Heidelberg, in four parts, each furnished with a separate
preface by Pareus ; since which time, it has gone through numerous editions, in
different countries. The Heidelberg Catechism has been honored with an almost
countless number of commentaries of later date ; but this first one, derived
from Ursinus himself through David Pareus, has been gene rally allowed to be the
best that has been written. No other, at all events, can have the same weight as
an exposition of its true meaning.
In the midst of other agitations in the year 1564, the plague broke out with
great violence in Heidelberg, causing both the court and the University to
consult their own safety by withdrawing for a time from the place. During this
solemn recess, Ursinus wrote and published a small work on Preparation for
Death. It appeared first in Germany, but was translated afterwards into Latin,
in which form it is found in the general collection of his Works, under the
title of Pia Meditatio Mortis.
In the year 1571, he received an urgent call to Lausanne, which he seems to have
been somewhat inclined to accept, in view chiefly of the undue burden ef his
labors at Heidelberg, which was found to be greater than his physical
constitution, naturally weak, could well support. To retain him in his place,
the Elector allowed him to transfer a portion of his college service to an
assistant.
His marriage with Margaret Trautwein, followed the year after, and is
represented as having added materially to his comfort and rest. He was at the
tune nearly forty years of age.
This domestic settlement, however, was not of long duration. With the death of
his patron Frederick, in October 1576, the whole religious state of the
Palatinate fell once more into disorder. He was succeeded in the electorate by
his eldest son, Louis, whose previous connections had inspired him with a strong
zeal for Lutheranism, in full opposition to the entire course of his father.
Before his death,
the old prince had sought an interview with his son, wishing to bring him under
an engagement, if possible, to respect his views in regard to the church, as
expressed in his last will and testament. Louis, however, thought proper to
decline the interview, and subsequently showed no regard whatever to his father
s directions. On the contrary, he made it his business, from the start, to turn
all things into an entirely different train. The clergy, together with the mayor
and citizens of Heidelberg, addressed a petition to him, praying for liberty of
conscience, and offering one of the churches for the particular use of those who
belonged to his confession. His brother, Duke Casimir, lent his intercession
also, to sustain the request. But it answered no purpose j Louis declared that
his conscience would not suffer him to receive the petition. The following year,
accordingly, he came with his court to Heidelberg, dismissed the preachers,
filled all places with Lutheran incumbents, caused a new church service to be
introduced, and in one word, changed the public religion into quite another
scheme and form. The more prominent theologians were soon compelled to leave-
their places ; among whom of course, were the authors of the Heidelberg
Catechism, Olevianus and Ursinus.
Ursinus found an honorable refuge with Prince Casimir, second son of the late
Elector, who exercised a small sovereignty of his own at Neustadt, and made it
his business to succor and encourage there, as far as he could, the cause now
persecuted by his Lutheran brother. The distinguished divine was constituted
professor of theology in the Neustadt Gymnasium, which the prince now proposed
to raise to the character of something like a substitute, for what the
University of Heidelberg had been previously for the Reformed Church. The
new institution, under the title of the Casimirianum, soon became quite
important. It could hardly be otherwise, with such names as Ursinus, Jerome
Zanchius, Francis Junius, Daniel Tossanus, John Piscator, in its theological
faculty, and others of the like order in other departments. Here Ursinus
continued to labor, true to the faith of his own dishonored Catechism, till the
day of his death.
His last publication of any importance, was a work of some size, undertaken by
order of Prince Casimir, and issued in the name of the Neustadt clergy, in 1581,
in review and censure of the celebrated Form of Concord. This was executed with
his usual ability, and did good service at the time to the cause of the Reformed
Church.
The triumph of Lutheranism in the Palatinate, proved in the end to be short.
Before the plan could be fully executed, by which it was proposed to extend the
revolution of the capital over the entire province, Prince Louis died, in the
midst of his days ; and now at once the whole face of things was brought to
assume again a new aspect. The administration of the government fell into the
hands of Duke Casimir, who soon after took measures to restore the Reformed
faith to its former power and credit. As far as possible, the old professors
were once more brought back to the University. The Casimirianum of Neustadt, saw
itself shorn by degrees of its transient glory. The Form of Concord sank into
disgrace, while its rival standard, the Heidelberg Catechism, rose gloriously
into view again as the ecclesiastical banner of the Palatinate. In due time, the
whole order of the church was restored as it had stood at the death of Frederick
the Pious.
But there was one among the banished theologians of Neustadt, who did not return
at this time with his colleagues, to the scene of his former labors. The author
of the Catechism himself, the learned and pious Ursinus, was not permitted to
have part in the triumph to which it was now advanced. His feeble constitution,
which had been for some time sinking more and more, under the untiring labors of
his
profession, gave way finally altogether ; and on the 6th of March, 1583, the
very year in which Prince Casimir came into power, he was quietly translated to
a higher and better world. The event took place in the 49th year of his age.
He was buried in the choir of the church at Neustadt, where his colleagues
erected also a suitable monument to his memory. The inscription describes him as
a sincere theologian, distinguished for resisting heresies on the person and
supper of Christ, an acute philosopher, a prudent man, and an excellent
instructor of youth. A funeral oration was pronounced on the occasion in
Latin, by Francis
Junius, which is still important for the picture it preserves of his mind and
character Its representations, of course, are somewhat rhetorical, and some
allowance must be made for the colorings of friendship and grief; but after all
proper abatement on this score, it is such a glowing eulogy, as coming from one
so intimately familiar with the man, must be allowed to tell greatly to his
praise.
His works were published collectively, some time after his death, in three folio
volumes, by his friend and disciple, David Pareus.
The leading traits of his character have been already brought into view in some
measure, in the sketch now given of his life. An enduring witness of his theological
learning, and of his intellectual abilities in general, is found in his works.
The best monument of his virtues and moral merits is the influence he exerted
while living, and the good name he left behind him throughout the whole Reformed
Church at his death, the odor of which has come down to our own time. He was at
once a great and a good man.
He seems to have excelled especially as an academic lecturer. His friend,
Francis Junius, speaks with high commendation also of his talent for preaching ;
but his own estimate of himself here was probably more sound, which led him to
withdraw from the pulpit in a great measure, as not being his proper sphere. His
style and manner were too didactic for its use. For the ends of the lecture
room, however, they were all that could be desired. At once full, calm,
methodical and clear, his mind flowed here without noise or pomp, in a
continuously rich stream, both gentle and profound, that was felt to diffuse the
most wholesome instruction on all sides. He spared no pains to prepare himself
fully for his work, and laid himself out to serve as much as possible the wants
of his pupils; throwing his soul with living interest into the task in hand, and
encouraging them to do so too by presenting difficulties or asking questions at
the close of each exercise ; which it was his habit then, however, not to answer
on the spot, but to hold in reserve for a well studied judgment on the following
day.
His diligence seemed to have no bounds. Of this we have the best evidence in the
vast amount of the labors and services he performed, in the course of his public
life. His parsimony of time, always as gold to the true student, is illustrated
by the inscription which he is said to have had in full view, for the benefitof
all impertinent visitors, over the door of his study: " Amice, quisquis hue
venis, aut agito paucis, aut abi, aut me laborantem adjuva" That is, " Friend,
entering here, be short, or go, or else assist me in my work."
This regard for tune was with him a. sense of duty, and flowed from the general
feeling he had, that his powers and his talents were not his own, but belonged
to his faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ, and that he had no right to divert them
from his service. Altogether his conscientiousness was of the highest order. His
funeral orator says of him, that he had never heard an idle word fall from his
lips ; so careful was he with the government of his thoughts and the regulation
of his tongue. He may be said indeed to have fallen a martyr, in some sense, to
his own faithfulness ; for it was the hard service to which he put himself in
the discharge of his professional engagements, that wore out his strength and
brought him down finally to the grave.
The modesty and humility of the man were in full keeping with his general
integrity, and contributed much to the pleasing effect of his other virtues. His
manners were perfectly unassuming, as his spirit also was free from everything
that savored of pride or pretension. He seemed to court obscurity, rather than
notoriety. Such of his works as appeared in his own life-time, were published
anonymously, or in the name of the Heidelberg faculty ; while the greater part
of them never saw the light at all in any such form, till after his death.
Altogether, as we have before seen, he was of a reserved, retiring nature;
formed for meditation and self-communion ; averse from all noise and strife ;
mystical as well as logical, and no less contemplative than intelligent and
acute ; a true heir in this respect of Melancthon s spirit, as well as a true
follower of his faith. For theological controversy, though doomed to live in it
all his days, he
had just as little taste as his illustrious preceptor himself; and when forced
to take part in it, one might say of him that scarce the smell of its usual fire
was allowed to pass on his garments ; so equal was he still, and calm and mild,
in the conduct of his own cause, avoiding as far as possible all offensive
personalities, and bending his whole force only on the actual merits of the
question hi debate. On the other hand, however, no one could be more decided and
firm in this calntway, when it was necessary to withstand error or maintain
truth. In this respect he was superior to Melancthon, less yielding and more
steadily true to the chart and compass of his own creed.
He was charged by some with being sour and morose. But this was nothing more,
probably, than the construction, which his reserved and earnest character
naturally carried with it for those who were not able to sympathise with such a
spirit, or who saw him only as it were from a distance and not near at hand. It
is characteristic of such a soft and quiet nature, to be at the same time
ardent, and excitable on occasions even to passion ; and it is not unlikely,
that in the case of Ursinus, this natural tendency may have been strengthened at
times by the morbid habit of his body, disturbing and clouding the proper
serenity of his mind. Francis Junius describes him as just the reverse of the
charges now noticed, and as made up of self-forgetting condescension and
kindness towards all who came in his way.
The same witness, than whom we could have no better, bears the most honorable
testimony also to his habits of devotion and personal piety. Religion with him
was not a theory merely, but a business of life. He walked with God, and showed
himself thus a worthy follower of those who through faith and patience have
entered into the rewards of his kingdom.
On the whole, we may say, it is a great honor for the German
Reformed Church to be represented in the beginning by so excellent a man ; and
it is not going too far perhaps to add, that the type of his character has
entered powerfully into the true historical spirit of this communion, as
distinguished from all other branches of the same faith. Such is the prerogative
of genius, and such its high and lofty commission in the world. It stamps its
own image, for ages, on what it has power to create. J. W. N
NOTE. In the preparation of this article, use has been made of the following
works:
-
ALTING S Historia de Ecdesiis Pdlatinis;
-
H. S. VAN ALPEN S Geschichte und Liter atur des Heidelberg
schen KatecTiismus;
-
PLANCK S Geschichte der protestantischen Theologie;
-
BATLE S Dictionary art. Ursinus;
-
SEISEN S Geschichte der Reformation zu Heidelberg;
-
K. F. VIERORDT S Geschichte der Reformation im Grossherzogthum
Baden;
-
EBRARD S Das Dogma vom Heil. Abendmahl und seine Geschichte.
Reference may also be made to the writer s own work on the
History and Genius of the Heidelberg
Catechism.
|
