Meusel (or Mosel), Wolfgang

Meusel (Or Mosel), Wolfgang (Latin Musculus), a German Protestant theologian and Hebraist, was born at Dieuze, Lorraine (lately in France, but now in Germany), in 1497. At the age of fifteen, through the good offices of the prior, he was entered as a novice in the monastery of the Benedictines near Lixheim. After a course of arduous studies he was ordained a priest, and then devoted himself to preaching. In 1518 the writings of Luther strongly inclined Meusel to embrace the doctrines of the Reformation. Though elected prior of the cloister with which he was connected, he declined that office in order to maintain his independence. About this time he began so openly to preach the dogmas of Protestantism that he became generally known as the "Lutheran monk." Soon afterwards he quitted the monastery and went to Strasburg, where, in 1527, he married a relative of his former superior in the priory. A series of misfortunes and vicissitudes involved Meusel in obscurity until 1529, when he was appointed vicar at the cathedral at Strasburg. It was then that he diligently applied himself to the pursuit of Hebrew under the tuition of Bucer and Capito. In 1531 the Augsburg Senate invited him to come and labor for the spiritual good of the city. His principles of liberality and toleration so pleased the Senate that they intrusted him with some important missions. In 1536 he was sent to the assembly at Wittemburg, where he executed the formulary of a union designed to bind together the churches of Germany, North and South, in the matter of the Eucharist. In 1540 the Augsburg Senate delegated him to the councils held at Worms by the Protestants and the Catholics, and afterwards to the conferences which took place at Ratisbon. In the following year he drew up the heads of the controversy between Melancthon and Eck. In 1544 he established at Donauwirth the principles of the Reformation, and distinguished himself as a preacher. In 1549 he was installed professor of theology at Bern. He died in that city about 1563. Meusel wrote, Anti-Cochlaeus primus, adverus J. Cochlei de sacerdotio ac sacrificio novae legis libellum (Augsburg, 1644, 4to): — Commentarii in D. Joannis Evangelium (Basle, 1545, fol.): — Commentarii in Matthaeum (ibid. 1548, fol.): — Dialogi IV de Quaestione: Liceat homini Christiano evangeliae doctrinae guaro papisticis superstionibus ac falsis cultibus externa societate communicare? (1549, 8vo): — Commentarii in Psalmos (ibid. 1553, fol.): — In Decalogum Explanatio (ibid. 1553): — Commentarii in Genesis (ibid. 1554, fol.): — Commentarii in Epistolam ad Romanos (ibid. 1555, fol): — Commentarii in Esaiam prophetam (ibid. 1567, fol.): — Commentari in Epistolas ad Corinthios, ad Galatos, ad Ephesios (ibid. 1559, fol.): — Loci communes Theologiae sacrae (ibid. 1560, fol.): — Commentarii in Epistolas ad Philippenses, Colossenses, Thessalonicenses et in primam ad Timotheum (ibid. 1565, fol.). See Synopsis festalium concionum, auctore Wolf. Musculo Dusano. Ejusdem vita, obitus, erudita carmina. Item clariss. virorum in ipsius obitu epicedia (Basle, 1595, 12mo). See Haag, Le France Protest.; Melch. Adam, Vitae Theologorum; Bayle, Hist. Dictionary, s.v.; Hoefer, Nouv. Bio. Generale, s.v.