DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.56869#0024
xviii
lignity with which he was opposed in them, and, conse-
quently, the precautions which he may very reasonably have
adopted to protect his writings from the destruction with which
his adversaries threatened them, and the vigilance with which
the latter pursued their avowed object of obliterating all re-
cord of the very name of their hated opponent.
Melancthon had, of course, read of the fate which had at-
tended the books and writings of the first reformer, Wicliffe,
and other eminent men. He had witnessed the condemnation
of the works of Luther, and the vigorous steps which very
early began to be taken for the suppression of his own.
Dr. Cox, in speaking of his Loci Communi T/ieologici, states,
(l It was very popular both in France and Italy. At Venice
it was published under the name of Messer Philippo de Terra
Nera, which is the Italian translation of the word Melanc-
thon, and was extensively read. Not a syllable of disappro-
bation was expressed, till one Cordelier, who had read the
work as it was first published, with the author’s real name
affixed, gave information to the Inquisitors, who, though they
approved, or at least did not censure it, as the writings of
Philippo de Terra Nera, instantly suppressed it as the
production of Philip Melancthon.”—Life of Melancthon,
chap. v.
Some idea of the precarious position in whichMELANCTHON
felt himself placed, not only in respect of his writings, but
even of his person, may be formed from the fact recorded by
Middleton in his Biographia Bvangelica, that “Melanc-
thon said he held his professor’s place forty years, without
ever being sure that he should not lose it before the end
of the week.”
That the fears which he entertained for the safety of his
writings were not only well grounded, but subsequently ful-
filled to the letter, will appear from the following note to the
Memoir of Melancthon in the Biographic Universelie:—
“ On trouve dans presques toutes les anciennes bibliotheques de
France, des exemplaires des ouvrages classiques de Melancthon ;
mats it est rare que le frontispiece n'en soit pas mutile, et que le nom de
Vauteur n’en ait par etc efface ou tronque avec tine exactitude mineutieuse.”
lignity with which he was opposed in them, and, conse-
quently, the precautions which he may very reasonably have
adopted to protect his writings from the destruction with which
his adversaries threatened them, and the vigilance with which
the latter pursued their avowed object of obliterating all re-
cord of the very name of their hated opponent.
Melancthon had, of course, read of the fate which had at-
tended the books and writings of the first reformer, Wicliffe,
and other eminent men. He had witnessed the condemnation
of the works of Luther, and the vigorous steps which very
early began to be taken for the suppression of his own.
Dr. Cox, in speaking of his Loci Communi T/ieologici, states,
(l It was very popular both in France and Italy. At Venice
it was published under the name of Messer Philippo de Terra
Nera, which is the Italian translation of the word Melanc-
thon, and was extensively read. Not a syllable of disappro-
bation was expressed, till one Cordelier, who had read the
work as it was first published, with the author’s real name
affixed, gave information to the Inquisitors, who, though they
approved, or at least did not censure it, as the writings of
Philippo de Terra Nera, instantly suppressed it as the
production of Philip Melancthon.”—Life of Melancthon,
chap. v.
Some idea of the precarious position in whichMELANCTHON
felt himself placed, not only in respect of his writings, but
even of his person, may be formed from the fact recorded by
Middleton in his Biographia Bvangelica, that “Melanc-
thon said he held his professor’s place forty years, without
ever being sure that he should not lose it before the end
of the week.”
That the fears which he entertained for the safety of his
writings were not only well grounded, but subsequently ful-
filled to the letter, will appear from the following note to the
Memoir of Melancthon in the Biographic Universelie:—
“ On trouve dans presques toutes les anciennes bibliotheques de
France, des exemplaires des ouvrages classiques de Melancthon ;
mats it est rare que le frontispiece n'en soit pas mutile, et que le nom de
Vauteur n’en ait par etc efface ou tronque avec tine exactitude mineutieuse.”
