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MARTIN MBS TEXTE 8 BUCER 2004 SEMINAR

Dr. George M. Ella : Moderator of the

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ReformiertesReformiertes Forum Forum TableTable of Contents of Contents

Knowing where one stands with Bucer ...... 3 Refereeing between Lutherans and Zwinglians ...... 4 Bucer gains the fear but respect of Rome ...... 5 Bucer’s part in the controversy ...... 5 Bucer and the doctrines of grace ...... 6 Bucer’s name has a greater right than Calvin’s to be associated with the doctrines of grace ...... 6 The same truth but different attitudes to peace ...... 7 injuriously so called ...... 7 An invitation to join Cranmer’s international team of Reformers ...... 8 The Lord alone rules and disposes ...... 8 The author ...... 9 Impressum ...... 10 Dr. George M. Ella Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation

Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation Dr. George M. Ella

One of the most important Reforma- some find Roman thoughts in him, some tion figures was undoubtedly Martin Lutheran and some Calvinistic. This is a Bucer who was born in in 1491 strange way to tackle Bucer indeed. We and died at in 1551. His sta- must start at the beginning of Bucer’s tus as Reforming leader is emphasised by life and testimony and then follow him the way he was treated after his death. chronologically from youth to old age to When Mary the Bloody came to power see that though his early path was rough in 1553, she imported a band of Italian and ready and his steps wavering, Bucer thugs under their captain Cardinal Pole became more and more sure-footed as he to symbolise her own triumph over the continued his heaven-bound pilgrimage Reformation. Pole and his henchmen until few were as competent as he in fin- were given the task of holding a mock ding the way. Of his own retractions as he heresy trial over Bucer’s grave and then came nearer the truth, Bucer said, pronouncing him guilty. After going “Because the Lord has given me to through this shameful sham, they dug up understand some places (of Scripture) the saint’s remains, tied them to a stake, more fully than I formerly did, which as and piled Bucer’s books around his bones. it is so bountifully given me, why should Then they set the morbid scene on fire. I not impart it liberally to my brethren, Mary, in her superstition, was now sure and ingenuously declare the goodness of that she had quenched the Reformation the Lord? What inconsistency is there in in the heat of the flames. profiting in the work of salvation? And who, in this age, or in the last, has treated of the Scripture, and has not experienced, Knowing where one stands that, even in this study, one day is the with Bucer scholar of another?” It was this understanding of his own Oddly enough, Bucer has been highly walk into the faith found in Christ that criticised for the long spiritual journey made Bucer the most moderate and tole- he made from Rome, via and rant of men and caused him to offer his Luther until he became Calvin’s mentor entire life in striving to persuade all the and the genius behind Calvin’s work. “We different strands of the Reformation to never know where we stand with Bucer”, learn and grow in grace together. Much is the quite unfounded complaint. Thus of this work was long, hard and thankless

MBS TEXTE 8 3 Dr. George M. Ella Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation as he strove, with little success, to break great hunger. Though still very young, the down prejudices and the artificial, lingu- Elector of the Palatine was so impressed istic barriers between the Lutherans, the by his religious devotion, great learning Zwinglians and later the Genevans. and eloquence that he made Bucer his Bucer was but also criticised for his chaplain and spiritual advisor. Being development in theological understan- sent as a delegate to the ding, but for a number of petty incidents in 1521, Bucer spent several days in con- that aroused the suspicion of his holier- versation and fellowship with Luther who than-thou fellow ministers. He was expressed his great admiration for Bucer. soundly criticised for publishing under The latter confessed that the meeting had his Latinised name, though this was the deepened his trust in Christ. Three years rule of the day and the leaders of his cri- later, we find Bucer in Strasburg brin- tics had Latinised or even fictive names. ging out a work with a number of Refor- All expected Bucer to be more open and med preachers explaining why they had honest than others, as he certainly was! renounced popery. The young Reformer, Bucer’s first wife, like Luther’s, had been however, soon came to abhor the hot- a nun. This caused Bucer to be reviled headedness and arrogance of Lutherans by the Romanists. When his wife died of such as Brentius, who became notorious the plague and Bucer eventually remar- for his unfounded railings against those ried, this time a widow, criticism came whom he called ‘Zwinglians’, whether from all religious quarters. It was claimed the term fitted or not. We thus find Bucer he had committed a double sin. He was writing in 1527 in defence of Zwingli’s now the husband of more than one wife position. This made both Bucer’s friends and had gone against Scripture by mar- and enemies feel that he had swung from rying a widow. Bucer obviously did not one extreme to the other. However, Bucer allow such ill-use of the Scriptures and pointed out that whereas Luther read far his reputation to influence him and when too much into the Biblical doctrine of the his second wife died, he married a third Lord’s Supper, Zwingli left a good deal time! out. This view did not stop him from defended both Luther and Zwingli whe- never he felt they were wrongly accused. Refereeing between Bucer was never a party man. Sadly, espe- Lutherans and Zwinglians cially at this time, Luther was, and he lost his former admiration for Bucer. Bucer was an avid student from his birth onwards and, even as a child, he busied himself with a vast amount of reading, including the study of Greek and Hebrew. He read Erasmus fresh from the printer’s and devoured Luther’s earliest works with

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Bucer gains the faith thus given should be accompanied fear but respect of Rome by charity. Bucer saw justification as being received into grace. He also openly argued Now Bucer was firmly established as for two ordinances only, namely baptism a leading Reformer and represented the and the Lord’s Supper. Bucer argued that Strasburg church in 1529 at the the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper of Marburg. At Ratisbon he was chosen were not the very body and blood of Christ to confer with Henry VIII’s ambassador but that Christ nevertheless can be recei- the notorious Bishop Gardiner. Finding ved in the feast spiritually and in faith. himself on the losing side if the argument, Thus, for Bucer, Christ’s presence was in Gardiner worked himself into such a rage the believer only, not the unbeliever and and used such violent language that the not in the supposedly changed elements. onlookers thought he was going to attack For Luther, Christ was bodily present in placid Bucer. Reporting on the confe- the sacrament for believer and unbeliever rence, Cardinal Cantarene said concer- alike. Bucer came near him by saying that ning the reforming side: Christ is there for the unbeliever, too, “They have, among others, Martin but to his condemnation. Luther wrote Bucer, endowed with that excellency of to the Frankfurt Senate, warning them learning both in theology and philosophy, of Bucer’s interpretation, claiming that and, besides, of that subtlety and happi- Bucer was double-tongued as he maintai- ness in , that he alone may be ned that though Christ was present in the set against all our learned men.” sacrament, it was not corporeally but spi- After a similar conference at Regens- ritually. He thus pronounced Bucer to be burg, John Groppar, ambassador to the in grave error. However, now the Zwing- Archbishop of , commented con- lians accused Bucer of as cerning Bucer: they themselves denied any presence of “He was the fittest man in the world to Christ whatsoever in the ordinance. As reform religion, because he was not only if all were invited except Christ! It soon very learned and exemplary in his life, but became clear that the Reformation was in a great lover of peace and concord.” danger of losing its initial spirituality and Biblical nature through highly sophisti- cated reasoning from the Zwinglian and Bucer’s part in the Lutheran, and later the Genevan, sides Eucharist controversy as to the symbolic value of ceremony, thoroughly ignoring the major doctrines At the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, Bucer which united them. Bucer complained: again represented the church at Strasburg, “I am grieved, and not without reason, showing that they had now gone furthest that we, to whom the Lord hath so boun- in their doctrines of justification by the tifully revealed the other mysteries of his work of Christ but also taught that the kingdom, have not been able, now in

MBS TEXTE 8 5 Dr. George M. Ella Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation thirty-four years, to agree concerning this something in it of the good work of God. most sacred and most general mystery, Scripture does not hesitate to affirm, that which all Christians ought to understand, there are some persons, whom God deli- as well as use.” vers over to a reprobate sense, and whom he forms for destruction: Why, therefore, should it be deemed derogatory from Bucer and the God, to assert, that he not only does this, doctrines of grace but resolved beforehand to do it?” Bucer was equally convinced that it is The Lutherans were, at this time, not possible to thwart the will of God, seriously departing, under Melancthon, especially in salvation; that those who fall from the doctrines of grace seen in pre- away were never of the elect; that God destination, election and perseverance. never loved the reprobate, but always Concerning the controversy that ensued, loved the elect; and that God’s purposes Bucer said: must stand, not because of man’s works “Predestination, is neither more nor less but solely because of “him that calleth” than pre-limitation, or fore-appointment: (Rom. 9:2). And God, who consigns every thing to its proper use, worketh all things agreeably to its pre-determination; and, accordin- Bucer’s name has a greater gly, separates one thing from another, right than Calvin’s to be asso- so as to make each thing answer to its ciated with the doctrines of respective use. If you desire a more exten- grace sive definition of this predestination, take it thus; predestination is an appointment Erasmus Middleton in his Biographia of every thing to its proper use; by which Evangelica remarks, “If Bucer was not appointment, God doth, before he made a Calvinist, where shall we find one?” them, even from eternity destine all things The fact is that Bucer had reached this whatever to some certain and particular understanding of Scripture a good many use. Hence it follows, that even wicked years before Calvin. Indeed, whilst Cal- men are predestinated. For, as God forms vin was still devotedly dealing with phi- them out of nothing, so he forms them losopher Seneca and his works, Bucer to some determinate end: For he does all was outlining and expounding the very things, knowingly and wisely. The Lord doctrines of grace which are now known hath made all things for himself, even the as Calvinism. It is no difficult task to wicked for the day of evil. (Prov. 16:4). show that Calvin relied very heavily on Divines, however, do not usually call this Bucer’s commentaries on the gospels and predestination; but, reprobation. ’Tis Romans for his own later expositions and certain, that God makes a good use of reproduced very much of Bucer in his evil itself: And every sin we commit, hath Institutes, especially his teaching on the

REFORMIERTES FORUM 6 Dr. George M. Ella Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation doctrines of grace, the church and prayer. not read so much as a mention of Calvin’s Indeed, not only did Bucer prove a direct dependence on Bucer. Francois Wendel main source of influence for Calvin, but of the University of Strasburg, is one of Calvin’s French mentors such as Lefèvre, the few modern scholars to tackle this Roussel and Farel were also influenced by problem. Calvin denied that he had influ- Bucer and thus passed this influence on enced his followers against Bucer in any indirectly to Calvin. This caused Johann way but it was impossible for him to say Sturm to say that everything that was anything positive about Bucer without lea- good and pure in French religion came ving a sting in its tail for him and a word from Bucer. Indeed, in his well-argued of praise for himself. For instance, Calvin book, War against the Idols, Carlos M.N. declared openly that though Bucer was a Eire shows that this war was won for the man of peace, he, himself, was a man of Swiss by Bucer in Strasburg before ever truth. Nobody in their right senses could Calvin came on the scene. Thus Calvi- thus accept Calvin’s claim of innocence nism might just as well be called Buce- regarding his followers’ harsh attitude to rism, and the cradle, primary school and Bucer. Calvin did not notice the weakness university of Genevan theology is to be in his own character here and wrote insul- found historically in Strasburg rather tingly to Bucer, telling him that the bad than . However, Calvin sharpened reputation he had with the Genevans was some of Bucer’s points and drew them to his own fault and that suspicion would an imagined logical and legal conclusion dwell on him until he came over to the where Bucer would have pleaded caution. Genevan side. Actually, the only major Calvin was also strongly influenced by difference between Bucer and his pupil Bucer’s forms of worship during his own Calvin was that Bucer would never have years of exile in Strasburg but, when he written Calvin such presumptuous let- returned with power to Geneva, Calvin’s ters. followers openly denied that Calvin owed any debt to Bucer and, indeed, argued that Bucer had brought in a new form of Calvinism injuriously so called popery. They had no eyes for any leader but Calvin, who thus became their pope. Obviously, there has been little reason to call Calvinism by that name: the Five Points neither originated with Calvin The same truth but nor were compiled and reintroduced by different attitudes to peace him. We are to thank God for providing us with these doctrines in the Scriptu- Sadly, the situation is hardly better res; the saints of old, including Calvin, today. One can read through book after for preserving them; and the Synod of book with the title The Theology of Cal- Dort for codifying them. The best way to vin, such as that of Wilhelm Niesel, and approach the doctrines of grace is as Cow-

MBS TEXTE 8 7 Dr. George M. Ella Martin Bucer: Moderator of the Reformation per, the poet did. He wrote to his young accepted the offer. He was made Profes- kinsman John Johnson after persuading sor of Divinity at Cambridge on a salary the student to drop Maths for Theology, three times as high as his forerunner, saying: out of respect for his great learning and “Life is too short to afford time even expertise. Oddly enough, Calvin, who for serious trifles. Pursue what you know was still not considered one of the grea- to be attainable, make truth your object test of Reformed men and had not been and your studies will make you a wise invited, wrote a most busybodied and man. Let your Divinity, if I may advise, arrogant letter to Bucer, telling him how be the Divinity of the glorious Refor- to behave in England and talking down mation. I mean in contra-distinction to to him as if he were acting as Calvin’s very Arminianism and all the isms that were junior officer, though Bucer was 18 years ever broached in this world of error and his senior and had far more experience ignorance. The Divinity of the Reforma- of the Christian ministry. Calvin told tion is called Calvinism but injuriously; it his mentor, “You must free yourself from has been that of the Church of Christ in envy, which you know you labour under, all ages; it is the Divinity of St. Paul and without cause, among several persons” of St. Paul’s Master who met him in his and “you must take care not to give the way to Damascus.” ignorant occasion to think ill of you, or a handle to the wicked to reproach you” As the Lutherans had, by this time made An invitation to join relatively large concessions in Bucer’s Cranmer’s international team direction and the Anglicans were thrilled of Reformers with Bucer’s thoroughly Reformed theo- logy, the only envy seemed to come from In 1547-50, Archbishop Cranmer Geneva. It is interesting to note that, once of England decided to invite the great Bucer was out of the way, Calvin adopted, Reformers of Europe to be the guests of on the whole, the same stance that Bucer the Reformed Church of England and had held under Calvin’s criticism, though help revise the Articles of Religion and he remained more Lutheran than Bucer . Cranmer had on the Lord’s Supper. realised that the Continental Reformers had not worked together on defining the Reformation, and thus had not taken a The Lord alone common stand against Rome and wor- rules and disposes ked together on a common statement of faith. He felt that confessions such as that Bucer spent two years at the most in of Augsburg were too insular to be con- England, before his life’s work ended. sidered as a pan-European . Bucer Nobody seems to know when he died was entirely of Cranmer’s opinion and so but it must have been some time in 1551.

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We do know that on his death bed John alone rules and disposes all things”. Bradford, soon to be martyred, and other Bishop Burnett in his History of the friends of the Reformation told Bucer Reformation summed up Bucer’s charac- to arm himself against the assaults of ter well when he said, “Bucer was inferior the devil as death was approaching him. to none of all the Reformers in learning, Bucer answered that he was wholly in but superior to most of them in an excel- Christ’s hands and had thus nothing to lent temper of mind.” Calvin, on hearing do with the devil. “God forbid,” he said, of Bucer’s death, spoke of his disappoint- “that I should not now have experience ment at what Bucer, in his opinion, had of the sweet consolations of Christ.” His not achieved, but did not refer to what very last words were “’Ille, ille, regit, et Bucer, under God, had achieved. Calvin moderatur omnia,’ The Lord, the Lord claimed that for himself.

TheThe author author

Dr. George M. Ella was born in England in February 1939, and as a teenager moved to Sweden to continue his training as a Forestry Apprentice. After his conversion he returned to England to study theology. Whilst at the London Bible College, he attended the worship services of the well- known Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Upon graduation at London and Hull Universities, he worked as a school teacher and evangelist among the Lapps. For the past 32 years Dr. Ella has lived in , near the Dutch border. Now retired, his career included work as a Senior Civil Servant, university examiner and writer of curricula for librarian assistants and apprentice retailers for the state‘s commercial colleges. This work included editing and grading textbooks. After adding various external degrees and post-graduate qualifications in theology/literature, business studies, education, history, psycho- logy and library science at Uppsala, Duisburg and Essen universities, he gained a doctorate in English Literature at Duisburg University. He has written a number of books prior to this volume, including works on William Cowper, James Hervey, John Gill, Andrew Fuller, William Huntington and Augustus Toplady. Dr. Ella was nominated for the John Pollock Award by Prof. Timothy George in 2001. A major work on the Exiles under Mary I will appear shortly. Dr. Ella has authored numerous biographical essays and doctrinal studies which have appea- red in magazines such as the Banner of Truth, the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, the English Churchman, the Baptist Quarterly, Focus, New Focus, the Bible League Quarterly, and the Evangelical Times.

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