How the sacramental controversy was again addressed in 1542, and Luther was again urged to oppose the Zwinglian errors.
A. From the discord over Holy Communion that arose at Frankfurt am Main in 1542 and the articles Bücers.
114 Concordia, that is, Martin Bucer's article of union, established between the preachers of Frankfurt. Dec. 9, 1542.
This writing, written by Bucer in Latin, is found in desfen soriptn; German in Ritter's Franks. The first 17 articles concerning Holy Communion are found in Latin in Ilos^inlani trist, saerani, ?. II, p. 319; German in Historre des Sacramentsstreits, p. 309.
After a doubt arose between the distinguished and devout men, the preachers and teachers of the churches at Frankfort, about the presence of the Lord in the Lord's Supper, about sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, and about His two natures in One Person, by God's grace such matters were dealt with and discussed in a friendly, brotherly conversation; and they agreed that the following articles were true, also promising that according to the contents of the same they would speak and teach publicly and in common, faithfully and Christianly, about the points of controversy mentioned.
In Holy Communion, when it is administered according to the institution of the Lord, the true Body and true Blood of Christ are truly and substantially administered and received by those who partake of the Sacraments.
But there is no spatial or circumscribed presence of the Lord set here, so that nothing is to be remembered of the descent of the Lord from heaven here.
For both are true, and shall always be taught, that Christ the Lord sitteth and reigneth in heaven at the right hand of the Father, and is present in his holy supper, when the same is kept according to his institution, and is given and enjoyed by all them that receive the sacraments even as the Lord hath instituted them, and deny not the institution and word of the Lord. 1)
For the word of the Lord testifies to both, to which one should cling badly and not inquisitively investigate anything in this mystery.
Thus the Lord is not shut up in heaven in a certain place, since the Scriptures testify that he ascended above all the heavens and sits at the right hand of the Father in things above heaven (in supracoelestibus), that is, in the glory and power of the Father, which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has not entered into the heart of man.
Therefore, to inquire about the place and manner in which the Lord is in heaven is pagan, and foreign to the godliness of faith.
This is to believe and confess badly that the Lord Jesus always remains in this heavenly glory of His Father, where no one can come, and that He gives Himself to us in this glory in Holy Communion and is truly present.
For although the Lord presents Himself in the Holy Communion in a mirror and a dark word, i.e., in the Holy Communion, He is the Lord.
1) Instead of "veretzern", Wohl would like to read "verkehren".
ly in his word and sanctified signs, which are things of this world, yet in these very things he does not give himself after the manner of this world, but in a divine and heavenly way.
For our sense and natural mind does not see and grasp it in these sacred symbolisms, but only the heart and mind that is lifted up in faith; so it does not give itself to the food of the belly or of the old man, but of souls and of the new man, for it is food that brings life.
It is not only said paganly, but also quite foolishly or inconsistently and without any legitimate consequence: If the Lord is in heaven, how then can he be given presently in the Lord's Supper, which is held on earth? If he has left the world and is in heavenly glory, how is he eaten by men?
Therefore, people should be deterred and led away from such ungodly and blasphemous conclusions or sophistical arguments with the utmost diligence.
Neither should any transubstantiation, or transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of the Lord be put or defended, but confess with Paul and the holy fathers that in the holy supper two things are administered, one heavenly and one earthly. The heavenly is the body and blood of the Lord; the earthly is bread and wine, as sacred symbols or emblems, by which or with which the Lord truly and substantially (vere et realiter), that is, in fact and truth, presents and communicates to us his body and blood.
We are also to believe and teach that the two natures in Christ, divine and human, are united in one person, so that they are both whole and unmixed, and that Christ the Lord is true God and true man, and therefore, because Christ is true God and true man, what is characteristic of both natures is rightly and properly ascribed to him.
But it is ungodly speech to say that Christ is a creature (for if we call Christ a creature).
(If we call the human nature in Christ a divine person, that is, one who is both God and man), but it is right to say that the human nature in Christ is a creature. For this is not swallowed up by the divine nature, but remains completely perfect in him, just as the Godhead does.
For the resurrection brought heavenly glory and honor to Christ, but did not destroy or take away nature.
The disputation of the ubiquity or omnipresence of the Body of Christ is to be left undone, as well as everything that is not of such great mysteries in the divine Scriptures.
And let it be taught faithfully and with Christian devotion what is written in the Holy Scriptures and declared in our Augsburg Confession and the same Apologia, as also in the Articles of Regensburg, handed over by our estates to the Emperor, and finally in the Formula Concordia, made and established at Wittenberg, all of which the aforementioned preachers, with Christ's help, want to constantly and faithfully comply with and persevere in.
They have also unanimously agreed that they will all faithfully proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in Christ's name, as these two things are held up to us everywhere in Scripture, and neither can be known or understood without the other; for Christ does not forgive sin, for only those who are sorry and sorrowful over it, 1) so also no one can salutarily repent of his sins, unless he believes that forgiveness of them is offered to him by Christ the Lord.
But since the gifts given to one to either cheer up the people with sermons of repentance, or to praise the grace of Christ, are various, they are not to be interpreted or received in an evil way, but each one with his given gifts is to be helpful and helpful, so that the common ministry or service of the Gospel may be most fully and best suited to the needs of the people.
1) "have" put by us instead of: "hold".
God's people. Now in whichever part one is most able to preach, let each one teach both with all faithfulness, that forgiveness of sins is acquired and offered in Christ our Savior to all who believe in Christ, and that forgiveness of sins is to be expected or hoped for only by those who truly rely on him in faith.
Each one should also praise and glorify the ministry and gifts of the others publicly and secretly to the people of God with special diligence, and everywhere most diligently prevent anything that might serve to diminish another preacher, or give rise to the slightest suspicion of antagonism and disagreement between them.
If, however, one of them (as we are all human beings) should offend and fall, either in doctrine or in life, the others shall endeavor to set him right again with a gentle spirit, either with admonition in secret, or else in their common conventicles and meetings, so that in public sermons, however, no one shall be reported of it, nor shall anyone be touched with concealed accusation.
For this reason, they should also attend their convent diligently, and with true Christian love and gentleness, present and hear in them what may be useful for the edification and improvement of the common minister or preaching ministry.
Thus, although all estates, as well as the authorities, must be diligently reminded of their office, while vices are denounced and punished, such moderation should be used in this, so that the reputation of the secular authorities is not diminished, or the common rabble is incited to hate and despise the ordinary authorities, who, after all, are to be held high and worthy and honored next to God. In particular, however, a preacher of Christ should diligently take care that he does not allow himself to be moved to please wanton ear-blowers and slanderers, to attack and punish other people's sins and vices too vehemently and bitterly; for, in order that a true repentance of their sins and correction of life may be awakened in all, the faults and sins of men should be severely punished, but not in such a way that
they enmity and blasphemy even among themselves with vengeful hearts.
In this they have all truly agreed, and have united with one another in the Lord through uncontaminated love, so that all unrighteousness that has hitherto been lost shall, with all their hearts, for Christ's sake, be abolished, forgiven, dead, and gone; And each one, according to the measure of faith given him, by the help and assistance of Christ, will endeavor that they may all together, and each one in particular, give himself wholly to the edification of the churches, and that his preaching, doing and burdening may be publicly and secretly directed to the same. Which the Lord Christ, the true and supreme shepherd of his flock, may graciously bestow upon them. To Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and honor forever and ever, amen.
Actum in Frankfurt, the 9th day of Dec. 1542.
I, Martinus Bucerus, ecclesiastic at Strasbourg, have been present at this, and testify with this handwriting of mine that it is so.
Petrus Geltner signed. Matthias Limpergius, with my hand. M. Melchior Ambach.
Joh. Lullius.
Andreas Zöpfling.
Sebastian Ligarius, of Mainz. Eberhardus Haberkorn, Hessus. Simon Kittel.
B. How Luther here and there warned against the Sacramentarians and decided to publicly declare himself against them, and what the Elector of Saxony did when he received news that Luther himself did not want to spare Melanchthon.
115 Martin Luther's letter to Christoph Froschaner, printer in Zurich, who had sent him Leon Judah's new translation of the Bible, informing him that he should not send him any more Swiss books because he did not want to have anything to do with the preachers in Zurich. August 31, 1543.
Handwritten in Zurich. Printed in the Altenburg edition, vol. VIII, p. 1008; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXI, p. 432; in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 65 and in De Wette, vol.V, p.587.
To the honorable, prudent, Christophel Froschouer, at Zurich Drucker, my favorable, good friend.
Grace and peace in the Lord. Honorable, careful, good friend! I have received the Bible that you sent and gave to me through our accountant, and because of you I am grateful to you. But because it is the work of your preachers, with whom I, nor the Church of God, can have no fellowship, I am sorry that they should work so nearly in vain, and yet be lost to it. They are sufficiently admonished that they should renounce their error. They are sufficiently admonished to desist from their error and not to lead the poor people so miserably to hell with them. But since no admonition helps, they must let go; therefore you must no longer give me or send me what they do or work. I will not share in their condemnation and blasphemous teachings, but know myself innocent, pray against them and teach to my end. May God convert some of them and help the poor church to get rid of such false, seductive preachers, amen. Although they laugh at all of this, they will weep one day when they also find Zwingel's judgment, which they follow. God protect you and all innocent hearts from their spirit, Amen. Friday after Augustine [Aug. 31] 1543.
Martinus Luther, D.
116: Instructions from the Elector of Saxony to Chancellor Brück, who was sent to Wittenberg.
Sept. 1537.
From the History of the Sacrament Dispute, p. 315. This document belongs to the year 1537. Compare Köstlin, Martin Luther (3.), Vol. II, p. 459.
His Electoral Grace must take action, so especially D. Martinus, or he, the Elector, must lay the head, that then the division would want to be driven and carried out violently; which, if it does not occur before, will have less resistance than withstanding, 1) especially because one can see well what now exist for skilled people; and would have many of them from the jurists, little things hold, and the other from the lawyers.
1) The meaning will be: one will no longer be able to resist, but only find all the stronger resistance. In the old edition of Walch: "less währens, denn wiederhaltens haben werde".
and the desire to do so. 2) It was also his princely grace that the students notice and understand it well, and thereupon support themselves to defend it also as right, against the recognized and known doctrine. But that he should knowingly do so in his university, still during his and D. Martini's life, he should knowingly tolerate and let it take root, and give room to future distant divisions and aggravations, that would be burdensome to him for the sake of his conscience. And even though his ecclesiastical grace graciously endowed the university, it would be a burden to his conscience. grace graciously founded the university, and would be inclined to it with grace, which would also not be in the least in great favor on account of M. Philipp Melanchthon, his electoral grace would nevertheless not want both, D. Luthero and Pomerano, to be left to their own devices. Luthero and Pomerano, and would not know how to restrain them out of a merciful heart: before he would tolerate and suffer this division, he would think to put it there, whether it should be and remain a small university, or even none at all, which he would not like. Therefore, his gracious and complete request to D. Martinum and Pomeranum would be that they report thoroughly and actually to his Electorate how things stand in all matters, and whether they have settled with each other or not; and in the case that this does not happen, that they want to indicate their faithful council, either for settlement, or otherwise to other ways. For, if Duke Georg had let his university in Leipzig fall by the wayside for the sake of untruth, then, according to the will of God, his electorate would also have to decide whether, for the sake of preserving the truth, such a thing should also happen at this university etc.
117. D. Brück's report to the Elector on what Luther thinks of Melanchthon. The 18th or
September 19, 1537.
From the History of the Sacrament Dispute, p. 317. Also in 6orx. Kkk., Vol. Ill, 427 and in Seidemann's "Schenk", p. 25. According to the latter is our time determination; Bretschneider puts it: "about the 12th of October".
Most Gracious Prince and Lord etc. Doctor Martinus says and confesses that he would never have thought that Philip was still so stiff in his fantasies. From this I understand that Philip had hidden from him the letter from E. churf. G. to Doctor Jakob. He also indicated that he had all kinds of precautions and could not know how Philip was at the Sacrament. For he did not 3) call it anything else, and also considered it only a bad
2) "to it", namely to the bickering and discord.
3) Seidemann: "meant".
Ceremony. He would also not have seen him receive Holy Communion for a long time. He would also have brought arguments after the time when he was in Cassel, from which he heard how he was almost of Zwinglian opinion 1); however, how it stood in his heart, he did not yet know. But the secret letters and counsels, that among the tyrants one might receive the sacrament in the same form, gave him strange thoughts. But he wanted to share his heart with Philip, and he wanted very much that Philip, as a high man, would not distance himself from them and from the school here, for he was doing great work. However, if he were to persist in his opinion, as he noted in the letter to D. Jacob, then the truth of God would have to take precedence. He wanted to pray for him. For if, for the sake of the tyrants' prohibition and for the preservation of peace, a figure should be taken, then one would have to justify their commandment, and for the same reason one would also have to teach that works would do for justification. In short, he says, there would now be no more weakness; and besides this, he introduced many good things to me against writing too long about it. I told him what E. C. G. considered Philippi's opinion to be, and held for it, as I had noted from E. churf. G. next to Lochau, that he would press until he saw his time and comfort, and especially if he would experience the doctor's death. And truly, most gracious lord, I fear there will be something in it, as your honorable lordship thinks. Martinus thinks that if he does so, he will become a wretched man and will have no peace of mind. I think it does no harm that D. Martius presses on and speaks earnestly and from the heart with Philippo. There is a chain there that is somewhat attached to each other in these things. The Almighty send it for good, Amen etc.
118 D. Martin Luther's short Confession of Holy Communion, end of September 1544. This writing is found in the St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 1764.
119 Martin Bucer's Letter to Martin Luther. September 9, 1544.
From the History of the Sacrament Controversy, p. 323.
Grace and peace from the Lord. Venerable Father! It seems to us that Ew.
1) Seidemann, "Schenk", p. 2->: "mood". Walch: "opinion", likewise the Oorp. Red.
would be moved somewhat violently and grievously over those of Zurich. Now not only we, who serve in the churches of the holy realm, but also the brethren at Bern and Basel, do not like to hear that you have been given cause for anger and displeasure by the aforementioned Zurichers; for we, who have accepted the note of agreement that you have given, stand firmly by the accepted truth, as we have approved and accepted such articles after sufficient Christian consideration and trust in the divine word.
The people of Bern and Basel hold their confession and confession, which they sent to you, to be so pure and clean that they even agree with us, except for one or two opponents at Bern; for with those at Basel, the unity of the churches is pure and righteous. The same have not refrained from trying all kinds of ways and means, so that we could have made the Zurichers completely united with us. But the devil has found many more ways by which he has prevented and destroyed this highly necessary unity of the churches. For he has seen, and still sees to this very hour, how very useful and serviceable this discord is to him for the increase and confirmation of the crude, desolate, unchristian life, and also for the seduction and misguidance of the pious righteous consciences. And for the reasons that we have not been able to avert this evil entirely, we have nevertheless endeavored to cover it up, for they also do not want to be taken for it, as if they thought that in the Lord's supper there should only be empty signs, without the true presence of the body and blood of Christ. And so, if they want to flee and avoid the present and real inclusion of Christ in the signs, or any other such unworthy connection of Christ with the signs, which no one sets, they write as they write, and quarrel, since they have no cause to quarrel. But they practice and teach repentance and forgiveness of sins in the Lord Christ with all diligence, and live honorably and blamelessly; for which reason we have stood until now in undoubted hope that they might be delivered from this seduction (where only a few would be eradicated). Therefore, when we look at and think how innumerable misfortunes and damages this sacramental quarrel has brought into the churches, we have wished nothing better, and still wish it at this hour, that such quarrels may be stopped and settled, first of all because of the writings and books that have gone out beforehand to all pious consciences,
enough has happened to those whom God has given grace to understand His will and Word, and no one applauds the Zurichers for their unanimity.
This is what I wanted to report and remind Your Honor of, so that you would not think that others are also being seduced by this discord, that you also note how highly we and others are concerned about what the Zurichers are doing here and why we are tolerating it in this way. We see that the wild, unchristian life is gaining the upper hand the longer, so we also see how the people of Cologne and other enemies of Christ, the papists, are only becoming more courageous against those who want to plant and maintain the pure, righteous teachings of Christ and all Christian conduct in the church. May the Lord Jesus graciously calm and turn these impetuosities and storm winds, and our affairs at the present time are truly in such a state that it seems as if the German nation is in a great hurry to perish. Therefore, we ask with all diligence that Your Eminence will entrust us, our ministry and church, to the Lord Christ in your prayers. Date Strasbourg, September 9, 1544.
120 Martin Luther's letter to Balthasar Alterius and his comrades in Italy, containing a warning against the Sacramentarians.
Date Wittenberg, Nov. 12, 1544.
xuis WoruMkutarias ssotuk inaposturis. Vited. 1575.8. in Schütze, vol. Ill, p. 219 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 695. According to the latter we have translated.
Newly translated from the Latin.
To the venerable and dear lords and brothers, Balthasar Alterius and his very sincere and faithful comrades in the confession of Christ, at Venice and Vicenza etc.
Grace and peace in Christ our Lord and Savior, amen. For the sake of Christ, I beg you, dear brethren in the Lord, that I answer your letters and petitions late,
not to be construed to my negligence or ingratitude. Yes, I also ask this: if it should seem in the future that I am too negligent, do not in any way think that my heart is cold or indifferent toward you. The Lord, who sees the hearts, is my witness and will be my witness how brotherly, yes, how reverently we think of you, seeing that you are so clothed, so adorned with the glorious gift of the Spirit of Christ, so strengthened in the knowledge of the Son of God, that in comparison to you, we ourselves stink and are displeased, since, although we have God's word superfluously, in a far safer place, we are nevertheless all too cold, even in life, and more than lukewarm in spirit. Therefore, I do not blame the amount of business, not the old age, which in itself is sluggish and cold, and now also exhausted and infirm, but that I consider that my letters are not necessary. Then I am ashamed to write to you to cheer you up, since I cannot write anything worthy of your spirit: with such great blessings our blessed and sweet Savior Jesus Christ has showered you, so that you give us great joy, and we receive more consolation from you and from your letters than you can receive from ours. I am not lying; the Lord is witness to this, as I have said. But since Matthias [Flacius] Illyricus, who takes a great interest in you, did not cease to insist on a letter that would at least contain a greeting, so that in you, who are in tribulation, a suspicion would not arise as if negligence or forgetfulness against you had taken hold of us, I was forced to write this very short letter.
But he reminded me that letters should be written again by our princes to the Senate of Venice for the confessors of Christ who had been laid low. And I know indeed that our princes have spoken with the Venetian envoy; what he has said, we do not know. If there is hope that letters from the princes to the Venetian Senate will be of any use, our efforts will not be lacking. There are, of course, some who suspect that our princes are not held in high esteem by the Venetians.
1) Matthias reminded us of another thing, namely, that harmful teachers are also creeping into Italy, who are still mistreating our Germany among a part of the Swiss today, I mean the Sacramentarians, who make bread and wine out of our body and blood, who were an eight-headed serpent in the beginning. Six heads we have trampled underfoot, two heads are still languishing, namely Zwingli, whose raving (furor) was this: "This is my body," that is, this means my body, and: "The flesh is of no use." But this other has not been Zwingli's, but Oecolampad's [reason]. Their reasons for proof are quite tasteless and exceedingly foolish, so that they are convicted that they are not arguing from error, but knowingly against the truth by the effect of Satan.
I have written many things in our language against them; I thought that I had no need to write in Latin, since this evil had begun to rage only in Germany and in the German language. But I am dealing with it, now that I have heard so late that those in Latin have spread their poison in Italy and France and are striving to publish something in Latin, although I would rather that this be done by one of yours who is more skilled in the Latin language, or in French. I, as you see, am little skilled in the Latin language, having spent my life in the barbarism of the scholastic teachers. So now do not be deceived, I beseech you in the Lord, neither by the Zurichers, Bullinger, Pellican, nor by Bucer himself, who is said to have written many things in Latin in the beginning of this sad trade (which I have not seen), but, as I am convinced, has long since come to terms with it. Yes, if you should perhaps hear that Mr. Philip or Luther would have agreed with the raving of those people, do not believe it for God's sake. For so I hear that those or some of those people have spread the rumor, so that they would have protection and reputation for their harmful error also under our name. Do not believe them; they are false prophets,
1) It is only here that Walch comes in.
which the Galatians want to consort. But if the Lord wants me to live longer, perhaps I will publish more. I am sickly, old and sluggish, and await the hour of grace, which you too, I pray, will obtain for me through your prayers. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who called us and you, and gave us in the same spirit one mind and one speech, keep, strengthen and perfect us and you to the same likeness and image of His beloved Son, Amen. Wittenberg, November 12, 1544.
Martin Luther.
Luther's letter to Jakob Probst, preacher at Bremen, about the Zurich counter-script against Luther's short confession of Holy Communion. January 17, 1546.
This letter is found, printed from des ?str. ^Ibin. Mvslnont. äs xraseipuis sueramsutarias ssetas ilupokturis reprinted, in Schütze, vol. Ill, p. 228 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 778. Seckendorf, nist. lib. Ill, 634 has only the beginning. In Luääsus, x. 287 and llospiuiunus, vol. Il, p. 199 is only half of the letter. German in Historie des Sacramentsstreits, p. 336 and in its appendix, p. 517. We have translated according to De Wette.
Newly translated from the Latin.
To the venerable man in the Lord, Jakob Probst, teacher of the church at Bremen, his exceedingly dear one in Christ.
Hail and peace! Old, frail, sluggish, tired, cold, and now one-eyed, I write, my dear Jacob, and as I hoped that I, who am now deceased, be given a (as it seems to me) well-deserved justissimam) rest, 2) so I am, as if I had never acted, written, said and done anything, even overwhelmed with matters in which I must write, speak, act and act. But Christ is all in all, mighty and working, given eternally, amen.
I am very happy that you write that the Swiss write against me in such an angry way and condemn me as an unfortunate person of unfortunate character.
2) Here De Wette has set a punctum.
For this I have sought by this my writing, 1) by which they are vexed; this I have willed, that they should bear witness by their public testimony that they are my enemies; this I have obtained, and of this, as I have said, I rejoice. I, the most miserable of men, have had enough of this one beatitude of the Psalm: "Blessed is he who walks not in the counsel of the Sacramentans, nor treads in the way of the Zwinglians, nor sits where the Zurichers sit." There you have what my opinion is. By the way, what you ask me to pray for you, I do; I ask that you may pray for me again. And as I do not doubt that your prayers are strong for me, so I pray that you will not doubt that mine are strong for you. And if I should go home first (which I desire), I will draw thee after me; if thou goest home sooner, thou wilt draw me after thee. For we confess one God, and wait with all the saints for our Savior.
1) Luther's short Confession of the Holy Sacrament, St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 1764.
I have already begun to take on the Lions in a public writing, 2) as much as I will be able to do by God's grace, for I am angry at these unreasonable lumps, more than it may befit me, so great a theologian and old man in a hurry, but one must confront the monstrosities of Satan, even if one must blow against them with one's last breath. Fare well and remember that you are exceedingly dear to me not only because of our old and very intimate friendship, but for the sake of Christ, whom you teach at the same time as I do. We are sinners, but He is our righteousness, who lives forever, amen. On January 17, 1546, greet yours, yours, ours, in the name of all of us, respectfully.
Your Martin Luther, D.
2) After Luther had answered the 32 articles of the theologians of Louvain in September 1545 with 76 counter-theses (see St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, 1809), he set about to have a larger writing follow in the same month; however, it was not finished. The small fragment that still exists has been published by D. Buchwald. It can be found in this volume, No. 1456, Col. 1494.