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Medler, Nicholas

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Medley, Samuel

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one of the three principal disciples of Luther, was born at Hof, in Saxony, in 1502. He studied at Erfurt and Wittenberg, where he held conferences on the Old Test. and mathematics. He afterwards opened a school at Eger, but came into conflict with the authorities of that city for teaching the doctrines of Luther to his pupils. He then took a situation as teacher in his native city, and was appointed pastor there in 1530, but preached such violent sermons that he was obliged to leave in 1531. Retiring to Wittenberg, he remained there six years as deacon. Luther often allowed him to supply his place in the pulpit, as he highly esteemed Medler for his great talents as well as zeal. He was made chaplain of the wife of Joachim I, who had fled to Wittenberg. In 1535 he was, together with Jerome Weller, made DD., and in 1536 superintendent at Naumburg. Here he engaged in numerous controversies, but was much beloved and respected both by the people and by the authorities. Maurice of Saxony succeeded in attracting him to the University of Leipsic. In 1541, as he went by order of the elector to hold the first evangelical worship in the cathedral of Naumburg, he found that the canon regulars had closed the doors: Medler caused one of them to be broken open and another he burned down. In the same year he got into a controversy with Sebastiar Schwebinger, who was surnamed the Greek, on account of his philosophical acquirements and his devotion to the cause of the canons. He also quarrelled with his colleague Amsdorf, and with the senate of Naumburg particularly with Mohr, to whom he addressed the reproach, "Quod numquam palam et expresse taxarit vel errores papisticae doctrinae et cultus impios, vel manifests scandala in vita illius gregis." The faculty of Wittenberg approved the accusation, and deposed Mohr, but Medler himself was also obliged to resign. Medler now went to Spandau, near Berlin, where the Reformed doctrines were becoming established, and in 1546 finally became superintendent of Brunswick, after having three times declined the appointment, notwithstanding the advice of Melanchthon and Luther. In Brunswick he succeeded, after great efforts, in establishing a school, where afterwards Melancthon, Urbanus Regius, Justus Jonas, and Flacius taught for a while after the downfall of Wittenberg in 1547. In 1551 he left Brunswick on account of his health, and went to Leipsic, where he was made superintendent of Bernburg, but on his first preaching he was struck with apoplexy, and died shortly after at Wittenberg. He was full of controversial zeal for the doctrines of Luther. His works are enumerated by Streitperger, v. 4, and by Schamelius, Numburgum literatum, p. 19, 37. A sermon of his against the Interim of Leipsic (q.v.). was often reprinted; also in Schamelius, Numburgum literatunr. See M. A. Streitperger, De vita D. N. Medl. (in Actus promotionis-per A mbrosium Reudenium, fol. O sq., Jena, 1591); Hummel, Neue Bibliothek, 3:536 sq.; Rethmeyer, Kirchengesch. v. Braunschweig, 3:173, 194; Danz, Epistolk P. Melanch. ad N. Medl.; Dollinger, Reformationsgesch. 2:74 sq.; Herzog, Real- Encyklopadie, 9:234. (J. N. P.)