July 25, 1525.
Explanation of how Carlstadt respects and wants to have respected his doctrine of the reverend Sacrament, and others.
Because I have heard from Andreas Bodenstein of Carlstadt that some fall upon my books, which I have written about the reverend Sacrament, as upon a proven divine teaching, and now consider it certain that the Body of Christ in the Sacrament cannot be bodily, I must explain myself better and report what everyone is to think of my writing.
2. although I meant that no one would want to draw such a serious meaning from my books, which he would consider a certain divine reason, because I write in clear words that I want to accept Christian instruction; so that I ever secretly admit my guilt and confess that I myself am still uncertain. Item, because I also write that I have no Scripture that drives me to the old or other understanding, and have placed my letter in such a way (as it seems to me) that it should ever be understood from it that no Scripture would faze me, nor throw me under this obedience, that I would have to say: The body of Christ must be bodily in the bread of the Lord 2c.
(3) For I speak and write this from my head and from my ability and bestowed grace, and not from all men's understanding and grace, for 1) in such writing or speaking, all this is also impossible, that there are many thousands to be found, who have received much more skillful eyes and ears from God than I, who could hear God's word more thoroughly than I, who find an understanding of God in the place where I can find nothing. For I know it well that by natural powers I am not able to fathom nor dig out the meaning of holy Scriptures. The readers of my books should have considered all this, and not consider anything to be proven and divine, before they assured themselves of God from the holy Scriptures. But since it has not happened, and not much happens yet, such disciples, who alone understand who is writing, should know this:
1) In the old edition: when.
4. that I have been willing to give a divine and proven doctrine; but not before, nor any further, than when we have sufficiently searched and ransacked the Scriptures, so that we actually know and do not mean 2), become certain, and do not doubt anything. Before that happens, which is still undone, my teaching should be considered nothing better than a delusion and conceit.
(5) And let the people search and discern the time, and draw no full or final judgment from my Scriptures, but stand still. As Paul teaches: One or two should speak; the others should judge or recognize. But if a revelation happens to one, the speaker should be silent. This is what my readers should do, namely, recognize, and not conclude or make certain, before the revelation has come, or before they have been overcome and caught by God's word and driven into an obedience of divine truth.
(6) But most of them forsake the holy Scriptures, and little regard what is founded in the Scriptures; but many boast of persons, and have no other consolation or reason than this: he or that one wrote it; he learns 3) this, I hold it with him. So they do not seek the fountain of living and unconfessed waters, but cisterns, from which of course nothing good and no truth can flow, but foolishness, deceit 2c. Namely, they forsake God, and look at men, of whom it is written: What goes out of their hearts stains them, Matth. 15, 18. Item: All men are liars, Ps. 116, 11. No one respects God, Ps. 14, 2. Do you not know what the Scriptures speak? Does not God say thus, "Cursed is he who trusts in man?" Item: Everything that reveals flesh and blood is satanic and not divine, seductive and not true, contemptible and not praiseworthy? Is this not frightening, that human wisdom is an enmity against God? And that our wisdom cannot please God?
2) "not meant" - not merely holding an opinion. 3) learn - teach.
Luther wrote a preface to this explanation, which is found in Walch, old edition, Vol. XV, 2472. The time is given at the end of the text. We give the text according to Walch's old edition.
From this you should all be wise and certain that what the flesh and blood of Carlstadt invents, understands and presents or learns is not good, nor can it be divine. But now it is not good nor dangerous. So you should be afraid in Carlstadt's books that you might catch something for God that is Carlstadt's, something for good that is evil. Now open your eyes and brains and ask God to keep you from such teaching as often as you read the books of men. Truly, it has ever been repugnant to me that some fall for the person and attach themselves to it. But if you want to boast about persons, Zwinglium or Carlstadt, you would gain nothing, as is now said, and put yourself in danger, as I have now warned you. About this you know almost well that many saints have been, and still are, who hold this doctrine: The body of Christ is bodily in the sacrament and is bodily partaken of, to be divine. How many martyrs have died in this faith? how many of the other saints? Do you want to talk about scholars? Which one is more learned than Augustine? Do Cyprian and Jerome not count for anything? What is Ambrose? what Bernard? If you also want to praise the bunch, the other part has it far better. Although this is forbidden, nevertheless some babble into the new mind, and know of no other reason to speak but of poor persons.
I confess this before God without reproach, but from the heart. Everything that I have ever written, spoken, or even taught from my own property, or have found from myself, is human, false, unsolvable, seductive, satanic, to be feared and to be fled; I must confess this to the honor of truth and to the praise of God in divine things or teachings. Now boast of Carlstadt's writing or books without understanding of divine truth! May you still blow out the doctrine of a poor man and exalt yourself with it?
(8) Not only in this article about the reverend sacrament do I want to have said this and to have kept it from my doctrine, but in all martyrdom, which I have written out, about the mass, about idols, and about other articles. Namely, this is what I want to have: No one shall think that my doctrine is good, just, true, divine, or wholesome, unless he has been assured of it from the wholesome word of God; for I will have judged my writing according to God and from God's word. From the holy scripture the reader shall praise or rebuke my teaching. But many fall upon their consciences and feet into my books, as hungry
Swine in dung, and when the swine is, they drag in the dung, and the noble pearl, God's. Word, they tread among themselves in the dung, and direct God's word according to my doctrine, all absurd and perverse, and contrary to my will.
What is the cause? This is the reason that most of them seek not reason and truth, but folly and novelty. For 1) methinks that not a few fall into my delusion and conceit, for the sake of novelty and oddity, and intend nothing else than to talk something new in front of others in tabernacles and in the tassel 2). But aren't such right pleasure diggers, poor and foolish people? Would not all desire to write be extinguished in the face of such ambitious gleamers? Are these not the loose, robbing and unbelieving people, who seek nothing but honor and glory? Who then dishonor and revile God's word the most, when they carry around and spread His divine word for their own glory.
10) Truly, there is nothing in such people but a colorful exterior, and inwardly vain and evil. 3) They build and comfort themselves on nothing but a reed or a gentle wind of the person. These are the swine to whom no pearl should be presented.
(11) But this is not to punish all men, nor to deter or dissuade devout Christians from the reading of Christian scribes. For Paul writes: Ye shall try all things, and keep those things which are good, 1 Thess. 5. Neither do I wish to turn away any man from the practice of prophesying, nor to hinder the least from hearing and judging, for I know well that Paul writes: I want you all to prophesy, and to know or to judge, 1 Cor. 14.
(12) Neither will I speak into the divine revelation of anyone, knowing what is written in Matt. 2 and John 5, nor dampen or quench the Spirit of God, for the Scripture says, "Do not quench the Spirit," 1 Thess. 5:19, but test whether it is of God.
(13) What is good and divine is wholesome and true, and to be accepted in whom it is found, whether old or young, man or child, high or low. Whatever is divine in my books, I do not contradict, nor does anyone force me to contradict divine truth, hear me.
14. but I can not stand that sows in
1) In the old edition: If.
2) tassel - quarrel: so set by us instead of: in quasi.
3) "Oeß" is unknown to us, perhaps: Aas? The plural of "Aas" is similar in Low German.
my doctrine porcelain,' who want to be Christians, and eat nothing, but only what they consider to be human. But the doctrine of God they sniff at, as dogs in the run-up, and ask nothing after God and after their blessedness. Remember me: What is not godly, that I reject and want [it] to be thrown down freely by everyone.
(15) But what you are still uncertain of, you shall not make yourself certain of by my Scriptures. Truth, the truth of God, known by the grace of God, that alone can and shall make you free from all error and lack, secure and certain, John 8, which you must seek in the place where it lies, or standing in the street and crying out: Come to me 2c.
(16) I have had to let it happen that my books came to print, that I did not mean otherwise, nor do I understand otherwise even today, except that my conceit is well proven, good, right, divine and wholesome. But I am not sure of this, therefore no one may make me greater than I am, nor make me higher than I pretend to be. My books could also do no harm, nor seduce anyone, if they were read and respected as I want them to be read and respected, as described above. For they do so little harm that some have become firmer and more certain in the faith than before. Therefore I have not deserved great ingratitude.
(17) Though I would that none were written in the world, for the sake of the fellows who ask nothing of divine truth, or think that it is certain and approved, that 1) they have no other evidence than the name of a poor person. And truly, if I had worried about these dangerous times, no one would have brought my books from me with a wooden axe. For I have had to wander about in misery, and have had to be at the ends of all my enemies, where they wished me or lied to me. This is also one of the causes that cast me into suspicion of rebellion among the noble Christians, who are more careful 2) than they realize.
18 And indeed, I had not spread my doctrine of the Sacrament 2c. to more persons than those who heard me orally; and if one had not done so, such books would still be in ink and pen. A good friend asked me to write and lend him such a mind for his person; he brought such a teaching of the Sacrament from me with many kind words and a noble request. After that, my little books came into print, and
1) In the old edition: that.
2) condemn.
out of the pressure into the wide world, and I, the poor, have thus come into poverty, and have become a disgust and an abomination to many, who have sought me out and brought me back, not as an enemy, but as a madman, with sighs out of Christian love; for I have always desired the light, offered myself for justice and interrogation, and have wanted to be wise to something better, where I have ever been.
(19) From this only a man understands how he should judge and hold my writing, and that I myself must not swear that it must be so. But I have used, introduced and presented writings, on which I have founded and established my doctrine. If I have now misused and perverted these writings (which would truly be done out of ignorance and I would be sorry for it), then my teaching is certainly not good, nor divine, nor acceptable.
20 I also hear that Doctor Zwinglius is to write in a booklet that my teaching is right, but does not follow from the holy scriptures which I have introduced. If this were so, the good man would have given him and me a hard push. For I have this scripture: The flesh is of no use, even for a reason. Zwingli, however, considers it the best and strongest reason than I do, even higher; therefore I do not know what he himself means and how he wants to have understood it, or how certain he is in his heart, or whether he spoke such a judgment for the sake of a person. But this is what I want from my readers, that all those who know that my reasons are unhelpful or unsuitable, or that they are badly laid, should also consider my building, which I have placed on it, to be wrong. For we are concerned more than fields and meadows, life or death; we are concerned with eternal life or eternal fire. Therefore, let each one look at the right ground of God, knowing and not supposing, nor concluding anything until he becomes certain. For we are not to go along in a fictitious faith that does not know a word of God. But no one should find me or persecute me because we care so much. If he is a Christian, I deserve thanks. For it is undoubted that many thousands in this and other articles have known nothing more than to say of mere old custom, who truly do not know one letter of the word of faith, from which faith comes, and are now moved to look at the Scriptures and the word of God themselves and with diligence 3); which will bring them great salvation. For we have never heard of any other wisdom, nor
3) So put by us instead of: "in the flesh."
of 1) divine mystery, as Deut. 4. and 29. and in many epistles of Paul it is written.
21 For why? they must not think that they have a right faith or blessed eyes (as the apostles of the Lord had, and we all must have, if we want to be righteous and blameless before God), if they have not been taught by God, and know nothing to testify of the word of faith, but only of this fiddle: I have heard it thus, my parents also have believed it thus. For Christ says thus, He that is of God heareth the word of God, Joh. 5. My sheep hear my voice, and they hear not the voice of strangers, Joh. 10. Beware of false prophets, they speak the visions of their heart, Jer. 23, 16. Item: Thy mother is a Hittite, 2) thy father an Amorean; as the mother is, so is the daughter, and the son as the father, Ezek. 16, 44. Therefore the glory and comfort is false and to be feared, in which the world has lain before, and has known nothing but the faith of parents, and the cry of wolves wearing sheepskins.
I rejoice before God that in all my writings I have sought, meant and laid this foundation, that Christ, through His obedience in His death on the cross, has become our righteousness before God, and our full and eternal Savior. So that we have full forgiveness of all sins through his suffering, as Paul writes a hundred times, and Isaiah and Christ have taught before. Item, that we have this forgiveness of our sins not out of vain grace, but out of righteousness, that is, we have a right honest payment for our sins, that is, Christ suffered as much and more than we all have sinned, and he redeemed the handwriting of our guilt with his suffering, and paid all that was written in the handwriting, and nailed our handwriting to the cross. The handwriting of our guilt is the law of Moses, which Moses wrote as a testimony of our sins, guilt, wickedness and foolishness, as Moses himself says, or God through Moses 5 Mos. 31. The same law of God reveals our sins, Rom. 7, 7, and as often as we look at it, so often we find our guilt; and the deeper we get into it, the more sin we find, and to that our cursing and God's wrath against us. But Christ has taken away the same law or handwriting, as it is said, and put it on the cross.
1) Thus set by us instead of: before.
2) Thus set by us instead of: "Cetea" according to Ezek. 16, 3. 45.
Eph. 2, and so completely abolished that there is no longer a conscience, but the conscience and the law of sins are abolished, Heb. 9. So that we may no longer fear either the plague or the guilt, nor the wrath of God, nor the devil (to whom we were given because of our guilt), and may cheerfully ask and answer, "Who will accuse us because of our vices? God is the one who justifies us. Who will put us to shame? 3) Christ is there, who died for us. What? God is on our side. So if God is for us, who can be against us? God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him for us; how could it be that He 4) did not forgive us all sin? Rom. 8. therefore we have righteousness, and with righteousness we have been set free, and our debt has been paid, and nothing has been given in it; for God gave His Son for our debt, and the Son gave Himself as a ransom for us, 1 Tim. 2.He has paid our debts more precious than silver and gold, for He has redeemed us with His flesh and blood, body and life, and has paid all the debts of the world abundantly and completely, and paid them all at once, and He has not owed a single mite. Therefore we have rightly come from the devil through Christ, and not by pure grace. It is true that if we hold God and the righteousness of Christ against us and compare them, we have nothing but pure grace. But if we compare the redemption of Christ with our guilt, we have more than grace. For Christ gave us his suffering, that is, Christ gave us money and made it our own, that we might pay all our debt. If someone gave me ten guilders, with which I paid my debtor, the gift would be vain favor or grace; but the redemption would be in justice. Even if he gave the money himself and made me free, there would still be grace and justice, and I would be sure and certain of redemption.
(23) So I have taught the forgiveness of our sins, and this foundation I have laid, and have called the faithful to learn how Christ is even our Righteous One, as He was promised by the prophet, Jer. 23, Isa. 53, Luc. 2.And how Christ justifies us through his suffering, and how we have obtained forgiveness of sins in the shed blood of Christ, so that they do not seek forgiveness of their sins or understand it as when a priest forgives sins, or when Christ said on earth, "Stand up and be forgiven.
3) condemn.
4) So put by us instead of: "he."
but to speak of the righteousness of our redemption, and to understand the righteousness of our faith, and how God justifies our hearts through faith in Christ. But this is the right reason, namely, Jesus Christ crucified; and no one can lay any other reason, I rejoice.
(24) If I have built hay or stubble on this foundation out of ignorance, then I have done it out of ignorance; I am even unconscious of it. But if, as I have now said, I had a zeal of God and no art, and built something on it that is to be consumed by fire, I hope for myself that I have suffered enough fire and overcome the damage.
If anyone is deceived by such hay, wood or stubble, he should accuse himself and not me. First, that I have not commanded or compelled anyone to accept my teaching. Second, that I have pointed people away from me to the truth and to Christ 1). Thirdly, that every Christian should know from the teaching of Christ that he should be as simple as a dove, and as witty as a serpent, and test the spirits whether they are of God or not, as I have said above. Therefore, the fault of the foolish readers (is anyone deceived that I am not aware of), of whom I spoke and lamented above, is that they bring in humanity and do not fathom God's word.
26) Therefore, I humbly hope to all Christian princes and lords, and will kindly take care of all other Christians, that they will not accuse me too highly after this purification, nor even blame me, that some hold such, some such a different meaning of the reverend sacrament, or understand it differently, as 2) it is commonly preached. What God plants remains before wind and water; what God does not plant is wiped out and perishes; no defense helps. Tort 3) does no violence.
27. humbly ask all Christian princes and lords, and all who love God, to measure this purification in grace and friendship, not to wrong me, so that I do not write such flowery words as I would like to write, if I could; not to further harass or persecute me unheard,
1) In the old edition: gereiset.
2) In the old edition: deme.
3) Should perhaps read "There"? because the meaning seems to be: Where GOD plants something, violence can do nothing against it.
nor allow myself to be harassed or persecuted before I am convinced.
28 And if ever they would not spare me, that they might spare their own salvation. For God will measure all men by the yardstick and by the measure with which they measure. But whosoever shall offend the least of these, which is due unto God, hath offended the apple of God's eye, Zech. 2:8. God shall also punish not only felonious persecution, but also that which is done out of the mouth, as it is written: Whoever says to his brother, Fool, is worthy of fire. Whoever is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment, Matt. 5. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, 1 John 3. These are terrifying words to consider in the heart of all those who fear God's punishment, or who know that God would compare His punishment, which He consumes out of His divine longsuffering, with the greatness and severity 4) of His punishment, Romans 2. (2) Whosoever therefore will not spare me, let him spare himself; for nothing remains unrewarded; this is what God has said, who does not deny. I am a member of all Christians, for I know and confess that Christ has redeemed me through his death, brought me into the kingdom of his Father, and made me a partaker of the heavenly inheritance. Therefore, if the faith which I have in the perfect righteousness of Christ and our redemption has caused me to believe this doctrine, I beg you not to think me a stranger, and not to corrupt me, because Christ has redeemed me and died for me.
But if some would not consider me a Christian, they must consider me a stranger, and judge me by the right of God, as God's commandment is. If princes and lords, citizens and peasants do not want to spare me again, they should spare the judgment of God and themselves. Judgment is ever of God, Deut. 1, and not of men, which commandeth that no man be ashamed of a man's seed; saith also unearthly, 5) that it shall befall him that begetteth falsely, or that judgeth falsely wilfully, as him whom they abridge, or afflict, or injure unjustly. Now I am neither overcome by two witnesses, nor by one, and yet I am almost weighed down by everyone, as if I were the very worst. One does not want to see me, the other asks to catch me and murder me, the third begs to sell me food and drink, the fourth pushes otherwise, and is of the urge to kill me.
4) compare - balance.
5) uncanny - obviously.
niß 1) so much that methinks that things are more orderly in Turkey.
(30) Christ commanded the rulers that they should seek out and bring back the erring in mercy, and that they should let ninety and nine sheep go until they bring an erring one to his right. But the way this is now done in Christendom is pitiful to hear, and not in great honor, but it will gain its reward when the righteous judge sets his judgment, and then he will judge and punish the unmerciful with unmercifulness.
Dear Christians, believe with moderation the evil, but think one thing, that this malice, envy and hatred neither invent nor speak anything good. That I have acquired envy and hatred through my teaching of the Sacrament, I have come to realize with insurmountable damage. But if such envy and hatred had been divine in some, there are still many more of them who know no more of God than the miller's ass, 2) without further understanding or loving my suffering and that of Christ than Caiphas, who have persecuted me out of poisonous envy and hatred, and would have strangled me if I had not been protected and provided for by God, 3) who have hated me without order and without reason, who have invented all kinds of lies about me and thrown them out, and have drawn others into their hatred against me. But shall it all be true what such malicious tongues lie against me? But how can I defend myself against them?
I am said to have been the peasants' captain or instigator, who suffered little peace, much danger, great mockery and violence from the peasants. Such suffered violence I can prove. But they may not prove their lies. But I cannot do anything about the fact that they so hate me for such teachings. God has led me into such teaching, which I could not resist, nor could I foresee his ways beforehand, through which he has now led me.
33 Recently, I ask those who are able to do me violence to spare themselves and keep God's order.
1) i.e., of affliction, of distress. - Instead of "that" we have put "of".
2) In the old edition: an dem; "an" often stands for "without".
3) Through Luther, who kept Carlstadt hidden in his house for more than eight weeks; in Luther's house this writing is also written. Compare the introduction to this volume.
34. those who like to carry around new newspapers, let it be said to them that they should not be comforted by my books or my teaching.
(35) But to others who desire a true understanding of sacred Scripture, I counsel that they place themselves on God's word and ask God for understanding and wisdom, who graciously endows all who seek in truth.
36 But those who want to have people, as we really should have people, for the sake of the work (as Paul teaches 1 Thess. 5, 13.), and praise them, will find more convenient ones than I am, who are of a higher spirit than I am, who are more skilled than I am. I write this out of truth and duty, because [Paul teaches] to think more highly of others than of oneself, Phil. 2, 3.
(37) My soul praises God and justifies His ways, and applies to it as God does. He cast me down, or cast me up, so far as to give me his good peace, divine will and strength, and to implant in me obedience to him, and he shall remain my Lord and my God forever, amen. Dat. Jacobi Anno 25.
*
After that, one 4) is not unknown to me, who tends to click his own into my books, because of which I have to fear that it might happen to me now more than before, and that such a one, or other idlers, might not only price me some words and sentences, but whole books behind my back, 5) in which such offenders might attack and revile me, or other people under my name, with painting of my diction, which they are able to do: Accordingly, everyone is hereby informed, faithfully warned and kindly prayed not to buy a new book under my title, or to consider it mine, if it does not contain these letters in the first leaf: H. G. V. B. M., that is, Helfe GOtt Und Bewahre Mich, and is printed in Wittenberg.
4) This may refer to the schoolmaster in Rothenburg, Valentin Jckelschammer (Jckelsamer).
5) In the old edition "to praise", which we have contracted into "zuprelsen", which is to be taken for "to ascribe". This results from the following warning of Carlstadt, in which he indicates that books are issued under his name, which he has not written.