At the beginning of the year 1532.
To the strict and firm Eberhard von der Tannen, Amtmann zu Wartburg, my favorable lord and friend. Grace and peace in Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
I have heard, my dear lord and friend, how the Anabaptists also like to sneak in and around you and want to throw their poison on ours. Although I now know that you have been sufficiently informed from Er Justus Menius' book 1), and
1) "Der Wiedertäufer Lehre und Geheimniß aus heiliger Schrift widerlegt." (The Anabaptist Doctrine and Mystery Refuted from Holy Scripture). Luther's preface to this is found in Walch, old edition, vol. XIV, 276.
But because the devil does not like to let go, and many are, if they have overlooked a book once, quickly go into a corner with it, and forget everything, because they are admonished, that probably needs a daily guardian, who admonishes constantly: I have with this letter to you all other officials, cities and lords again ask and want to admonish, such sneaks to defend, so that we do ours.
2 And first of all they are well and easily seized with it, if one asks them for
*) This writing appeared in the year 1532 in several single editions, namely to Wittenberg with Nickel Schirlentz; to Erfurt "to the black horn" and to Nümberg with Friedrich Peypus. In the editions: in the Wittenberg (1551), vol. II, p. 244; in the Jena (1566), vol. V, p. 490 b; in the Altenburg, vol. V, p. 966, in the Leipzig, vol. XX, p. 357 and in the Erlangen, vol. 31, p. 214. In the old edition of Walch with the wrong year 1531; in De Wette: "Perhaps in October 1532"; in the Erlangen: "October 1532". The closer determination of the time we have given after Köstlin, Martin Luther, vol. II, p. 325. We bring the text after the Erlanger, which reproduces the first original print, under comparison of the Wittenberger and the Jenaer. It should be noted that the Erlanger, as it seems from its original printing, offers after the title: "Anno 1531", which we have not printed, because the Wittenberg edition explicitly notes: "Im MDXXXII. Erstlich ausgangen."
If they have their orders, whoever they call to sneak or come and preach in the corner, they may not give an answer, nor indicate their order. And I say truly, if such creepers had otherwise no evil in them, and were true saints, yet this certain thing (that they creep without command and come unasked) may convince them for devil's messengers and teachers by force. For the Holy Spirit does not creep, but openly begs from heaven. The sly ones creep, but the doves fly: therefore such creeping is the right course of the devil, which is missing more and more.
(3) I have heard it said, how the creepers may be found preaching to the laborers in the harvest, and in the field under the work, so also to the charcoal burners and to some people in the woods, and sowing their seed everywhere, and blowing poison, turn the people away from their parish churches. Behold the devil's right footstep and grip, how he shuns the light and mews in the darkness. Who is so rude that could not notice that they are true messengers of the devil? If they were of God and righteous, they would first of all find their way to the priest and deal with him, declare their profession, and tell what they believed and whether he would allow them to preach publicly. If the priest would then not allow them, they would be excused before God, and then they would want to knock the dust off their feet 2c. For the pastor holds the chair of preaching, baptism, sacrament, and all pastoral care is commanded to him. But now they want to secretly bite out the pastor with all his command; and yet do not denounce their secret command; these are real thieves and murderers of souls, blasphemers and enemies of Christ and his church.
4 Now there is truly no other counsel than that both offices, ecclesiastical and secular, do this with all diligence. The ecclesiastical must indeed instruct the people always and with diligence, and these aforementioned pieces must be imagined, so that they do not allow a sneak and certainly recognize them as messengers of the devil, and let them ask: Where do you come from? Who has brought you
1) d. i. teach.
sand? Who told you to preach only? Where are your seals and letters that you were sent by men? Where are your miraculous signs that God sent you? Why do you not go to our priest? Why do you creep up to me so secretly and crawl into the corners? Why don't you appear in public? Are you a child of light, why do you shun the light?
5 With such questions (I respect) they should be easily resisted, because they cannot prove their profession. And if we could bring the people into such an understanding of the profession, then such lurkers could be well controlled. Item, that they are also always instructed and admonished to report such lurkers to the pastor, which they are also obliged to do, if they want to be Christians and become blessed. For, where they do not do so, they help the devil's messenger and sneak to the pastor (yes, God Himself) to steal his preaching ministry, baptism, sacrament and pastoral care, as well as to steal the parishioners secretly, and thus to devastate and destroy the parish (as God has ordered). If they heard such an admonition, and knew that it was in the opinion of the Berns, some pious hearts would probably denounce such angle preachers and assassins to the parish priest. For, as I said, with the Berns, where one insists, one can scare the devil. A pastor can boast that he holds the office of preaching, baptism, sacrament, and pastoral care publicly and rightly, and that he is commanded to seek and wait for such things; but the foreign sneaks and assassins cannot boast such things, and must confess that they are of foreign origin, and that they take hold of and fall into a foreign office. This cannot be the Holy Spirit, but must be the wretched devil.
The secular office must also see to it. For since such lurkers are the devil's messengers, preaching poison and lies, and the devil is not only a liar, but also a murderer, he cannot fail to intend, through such his messengers, to cause sedition and murder as well (even if he expresses himself of it for a time and pretends to be peaceful), and thus to overthrow both, spiritual and secular government, contrary to God's will. He can not be
For his way is to lie and murder; so his own, possessed by him, cannot be powerful themselves, must drive as he drives them.
7. Therefore, officials, judges, and those who have to govern should know and be certain that they must suspect such sneaks, not only of false doctrine, but also of murder and sedition, because they know that such people are ridden by the devil, and should also have their servants assemble the subjects, and warn them against such villains, and command in the highest way, with great punishment, that every subject must denounce such lurkers, as the subjects are obliged to do, if they themselves do not want to become guilty of all the murder and sedition that the devil has in mind 2c.
(8) And so, like the ministry, go to the professional, and ask the sneak, or his host, Whence comest thou? Who sent you? 2c., as above. And ask the host also: Who has called you this lurker? to listen to his sermon? How do you know that he has orders to teach you, and you to learn from him? Why didn't you tell the priest or us? Why do you leave your church, since you are done, taught, reported 1) and belong to it by God's order, and crawl into the corner? Why do you establish a new one, secretly and unauthorized? Who gave you the power to divide this parish and to set up divisions among us? Who commanded you to despise, to condemn, to condemn your parish priest in the back, before he is questioned or sued? From where did you become such a judge over your priest, even your own judge?
(9) For such a misdeed, and much more, is committed by anyone who attaches himself to the sneaks, and should be justly addressed for it. And I have good hope that if the authorities were diligent in this, it would be of great benefit, and many pious people would take care, and help to illuminate such boys, if they knew that there were such great
1) i.e. communicated. - "reported" put by us instead of: "report".
2) and that so much would be attached to the calling or command. Otherwise, where one does not stand firm and press on the calling or command, no church would remain anywhere in the end. For just as the insidious come among us and want to break up and destroy our churches, so afterwards other insidious would also come into their churches and break up and destroy them, and from then on there would never be an end to the insidiousness and separation, one over the other, or soon nothing would remain of any church on earth. This is also what the devil wanted and seeks through such spirits of the mob and sneaks.
10 Therefore it means: Either prove the profession and command to preach, or in short, keep quiet and forbid preaching. For it is called an office, yes, a preaching office. But no one can have an office except and without command and profession. Therefore also Christ speaks in the parable, Luc. 19, 13. that the master of the house did not give his servants the centner, so that they should act, he called them before, and commanded them to act. Vocatis servis (says the text) et negotiemini3 ) etc. He called his servants (says he) and commanded them to act with his money. Such a vocatus and command shall the creeper also bring, or shall leave the Lord's money with peace, or shall be found a thief and a rogue. Neither did the laborers go into the householder's vineyard, Matt. 20, until the householder commanded them to go, but stood before the command and labored idly all the day.
Thus God also speaks of such sneaks Jer. 23:21: "They run, and I have not sent them; they preach, and I have not commanded them. It still takes great effort and work for those to preach rightly and stick to right doctrine who have a certain calling and command from God Himself or through men in God's stead: what should it be then without God's command, yes, to preach against God's command and prohibition, out of nothing but driving and chasing the devil? There must be no other sermon, but out of giving in to the evil one.
2) Thus the Wittenberg and the Jena. In the old edition Walch's and in the Erlangen: "Schleichen".
3) So the editions. In the Vulgate: nsZotianlinl.
The spirit, and must be vain doctrine of the devil, let it glow as it will.
012 Who had greater and more certain profession than Aaron the first high priest? He still fell into idolatry and made the Jews make the golden calf [Ex 32:4]. And after that the whole Levitical priesthood fell into idolatry, and persecuted the word of God and all the true prophets. King Solomon was gloriously enough appointed and confirmed; yet he fell in his old age and caused much idolatry [11) Kings 11:4]. Have not the bishops and popes glorious calling and command? Do they not sit in the apostles' chair, and in Christ's stead? Nor are they all the worst enemies of the gospel; be silent, that they should teach rightly and maintain right worship.
(13) Can the devil deceive the teachers whom God himself has called, ordered and ordained, so that they teach falsely and persecute the truth; how then can he teach something good through the teachers whom he himself, without and against God's command, drives and ordains, and not rather teach vain devilish lies? I have often said it, and still say it, that I would not take the world's good for my doctorate. For I would truly have to despair in the end and despair in the great, difficult matter that lies upon me, where I, as a sneak, would have started it without profession and command. But now God and all the world must bear witness to me that I have publicly begun it in my doctorate and preaching ministry, and have led it to this point with God's grace and help.
(14) There are some who pretend. According to 1 Corinthians 14, St. Paul gave every man liberty to preach in the church, and also to bark against the regular preacher, saying [v. 30]: "If it be evident to him that sitteth, let the first hold his peace. Therefore, the lurkers think that in whichever church they come, there they have power and right to judge the preachers and to preach differently. But that is far, far wrong. The lurkers see
1) Here the Erlangen edition has again reprinted Walch's incorrect Bible quote: "2 Kings 11:4."
2) So the Jenaer. Wittenberg and Erlangen: "with".
They don't really accept the text and take from it, even brew into it what they want. St. Paul speaks in that place of the prophets who are to teach, and not of the rabble who listen. Prophets are teachers who have the office of preaching in the church. Why else should one be called a prophet? Let the sneak prove that he is a prophet or teacher in the church where he comes, and who has commanded him such a ministry there, and then he will be heard according to the teachings of St. Paul. If he does not prove it, let him run away to the devil, who sent him and commanded him to rob a foreign ministry in a church, where he does not belong as a hearer or disciple, but as a prophet and master.
(15) What a fine example would it be to me if a priest preached, and each one had power to fall into his speech and scold himself with him? Further, another would fall into the speech of the two, and the other would also be called silent, and after that, a full beer blackbird would run out of a pitcher and fall into the speech of all three, and the third would also be called silent, and finally, the women would also have such a right as the sitters, and the men would be called silent, and after that, one woman would always call the other silent. O what a beautiful church fair, Kretschmer and fair shall there be! In which pigsty should it not be finer than in such a church? There the devil shall be preacher in my place. But the blind lurkers do not mean this, they think as if they were the only ones sitting, and do not see that everyone among the others should just as well have this right, and they could also be called silent, they themselves do not know what they are saying, what is sitting or speaking, what is called prophet or layman, in this place of St. Paul.
16 Let anyone who wishes read the whole chapter, and he will find it clear that St. Paul there speaks of prophesying, teaching and preaching in the congregation or church, and does not command the congregation to preach, but acts with the preachers who preach in the congregation or assembly; otherwise he would not have to forbid the women to preach, as they are also a part of the Christian congregation.
And when the text is given, it will have been 1) such a way that in the church among the people the prophets, as the ordinary priests and preachers, sat, and one or two sang or read the text; as still in our times on the high feasts two used to sing the gospel with each other in some churches.
(17) On such a text one of the prophets, on whom it has been done, has spoken and interpreted, as the homilies have been done in the Roman church. When he spoke, another one might speak, confirm, or explain something about it. Just as St. James, Apost. 15, 13 ff, also did to St. Peter's speech, confirming and explaining it. Just as St. Paul did in the synagogues, especially in Antioch Pisidia, where Lucas says: "After the teaching of the law, the rulers of the synagogues also let Paul speak. Then Paul stood up and spoke, but as a sent apostle, about the fact that he was demanded by the school ruler 2) and did not act as a sneak. It seems that sitting is a matter for the appointed prophets or preachers alone; whoever among them should have spoken stood up or remained sitting, according to the importance of the matter.
(18) Just as when a prince sits in council with his councilors, or a mayor with his councilors, one stands up and makes his speech, and then another follows, and at last they follow in unison the one who has given the best counsel, and so one helps the other, and proceeds in an honorable manner. So the prophets were like the church council, to teach the Scriptures and to govern and care for the church. If one should now suffer that a foreign countryman would creep along, or a citizen would penetrate into the council without being summoned, to punish the mayor or to rule? nothing good would come of that; one would have to take him by the head, and order Master Hausen, who would probably teach him where he should sit, and play the right of seat with him.
19 Much less is it to be suffered that into a spiritual council, that is, into the preaching ministry or
1) Walch and the Erlanger: that's how it's going to be.
2) Wittenberger: pupils; Jenaer: of schoolmasters.
The prophets are to be ordered and remain in office, and they are to wait for the teaching, one after the other, and always help each other faithfully. The prophets should be commanded to wait for the teaching, and teach one after another, and always help one another faithfully, so "that it may be done honorably and properly," says St. Paul [1 Cor. 14:40]. But how can things be respectable or orderly, when every one takes hold of another's office, which he is not commanded to do, and every layman wants to stand up in the church and preach?
20 But I marvel, because they are so learned in the Spirit, why they "bring forth the examples, where also women prophesied, and therewith governed men, the land, and the people; as Deborah in the book of Judges, chap. 4, who smote king Jabin and Sissera, and governed Israel; and the prophetess in Avelah, which was in the days of David. 4, who smote king Jabin and Sissera, and ruled Israel; and the prophetess of Avelah, which was in David's days, 2 Sam. 20:16; and Huldah the prophetess in the days of Josiah, 2 Kings 22:14.And long before that Sarah, who taught her lord and husband, Abraham, that he should cast out Ishmael with the mother Hagar, and God told Abraham to obey her [Gen. 21, 10. 12.], and the like, as the widow Hannah, Luc. 2, 36. and the virgin Mary, Luc. 1, 46. 3) 2c. Here they could adorn themselves, and also give the women power to preach in the church; how much more would the men like to preach according to the examples, where and when they wanted!
(21) Now we will leave aside what right such women had in the Old Testament to teach and rule. Of course, they did not do it as lurkers, unappointed, nor out of their own devotion and thirst; otherwise God would not have confirmed their office and work with miracles and great deeds. But in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit decrees through St. Paul that the women should be silent in the church or congregation, and says: it is the Lord's commandment, 1 Cor. 14, 34; and yet he knew well that Joel had previously proclaimed that God would also put his Spirit upon his women.
3) Here, the Erlanger has reprinted from Walch's old edition: "Luc. 2", although the Wittenberg and the Jena, thus probably also the original print, offer "Luc. 1".
The four daughters of Philippi were seen prophesying, Acts 21:9. 21:9. 1) But in the congregation or church, where the ministry is, they shall keep silence, and not preach. Otherwise they may pray, sing, praise and say amen, and read at home and teach, admonish and comfort one another, and also interpret the Scriptures as best they can.
22 In sum, St. Paul does not want to suffer the offense and the will of one to take hold of another's office, but each one should take care of his command and profession and wait for it, so that he may leave another's profession unhindered and in peace. Otherwise he may be wise, teach, sing, read, interpret, as he has right and reason, until he has had enough and is satisfied. If God wants to do something more solid and vain, besides and above such order of offices and appointments, He will prove it with signs and deeds; as He let the donkey speak and punished the prophet Balaam, her master [Mos. 22, 28]. If he does not do this, then we should keep it and leave it in the orderly offices and commandments. If they do not teach rightly, what is that to you? you must not give an account for it.
For this reason St. Paul often uses the word "congregation" in this chapter, so that he makes a certain distinction between the prophets and the people. The prophets speak, the congregation listens. For thus he says [1 Cor. 14:4], "He that knoweth maketh the church better." And again [v. 12], "Seek to amend the church, that ye may have full sufficiency." Who are the ones who are to correct the community? Are they not the prophets, and (as he calls them) "those who speak with tongues," that is, who read or sing the text as the congregation listens, and the prophets, who are to interpret the text for the correction of the congregation? This is clear enough, that here he commands the congregation to listen and to be corrected, and not to teach or to preach. Then he makes a clearer distinction and calls the congregation laymen and says [v. 16, 17] "When you bless in the
1) Here the Erlanger asked to reprint from the old edition of Walch: Apost. 21, 19.
Spirit, how can he who stands in place of the layman say Amen, since he does not know what you say? You say fine thanks, but the other is not improved by it. There is a difference between the preacher and the layman. But what is necessary to go on about it; the text is there, and also gives the reason that there is no foreign office to reach into.
24 For thus saith St. Paul [v. 29], "Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others judge. 2c. This is not spoken otherwise than of the prophets, which one or two shall speak, and the rest shall judge. What do others mean here? Is it to be called the rabble? By no means; but it is to be called: the other prophets or prophets who are to help preach in the church 2) and improve the congregation, who are to judge and help to see that the preaching is right. And if it come to pass that one of the prophets or preachers do the best, then the first shall be instructed, and say, Yea, thou art right, I understood it not so well; as it is done over tables, or in other matters, that one shall judge another (even in worldly matters): so also shall one yield much more to another in this matter.
25 From this you can see how finely and diligently the lurkers have looked at St. Paul's words, with which they presume to prove themselves to be saints in all churches, that is, to attack, judge and blaspheme all the preachers of all Christendom, and to appoint themselves and make themselves judges over other people's preaching seats. These are called right thieves and murderers, who take hold of other people's offices with sacrilege and violence, against which St. Peter teaches in 1 Epistle 4:15: "Let no one suffer as an evildoer, or as one who takes hold of another's 3) office.
26 Although such a consecration has now ceased, that the prophets or preachers sit in the church and talk around each other (as St. Paul says here), a small sign and footstool has remained of it, namely, that one sings around each other in the choir and does one lesson after the other and then all sing a
2) "help" is missing in the Wittenberger.
3) So the Wittenberg and the Jena. In Walch's old edition and in the Erlangen one, "a" is missing.
antiphons, hymn or responsory. And if one preacher interpreted another's lection and another interpreted it or preached from it, it would be just the right way to teach in the church, which St. Paul calls. For one would sing or read with tongues, another would prophesy or translate it, the third would interpret it, and another would confirm or improve it with sayings and examples, as St. James did in Acts 15 and St. Paul in Acts 13. And it would be better than to read or sing the mere lection in Latin, unknown language, like the nuns read the Psalter, although St. Paul does not condemn such speaking in tongues by himself, but does not praise or command it in the church without interpretation.
27 But whether this way should now be set up again and the preachers' chairs removed, I will not advise, but help to defend. For the people are now too wild and too forward, and a devil might mingle between pastor, preacher and chaplain, so that one would want to be above the other, and thus quarrel and bite each other in front of the people, and each would want to be the best. Therefore it is better to keep the preaching chair, for there, as St. Paul teaches here, things are done honestly. And it is enough that in a parish the preachers preach one day after the other and, where they want, in one place after the other, and one interprets after midday or before midday what the other has sung and read early or in the mass, as it happens now and then with the gospel and epistle. For St. Paul does not insist so hard that one must keep such a way; rather, he insists that it should be done properly and honorably, and gives such an order.
Wise as an example. Because our way of preaching is more proper among our people than theirs, we should keep it.
In the time of the apostles, such a manner of sitting prophets was well kept, for it was an old, daily, practiced custom among a well-mannered people from the Levitical priesthood, kept from Moses, which now would not be well brought into pregnancy among such wild, naughty, impudent people.
29 Let this be said of the saying of St. Paul. And summa, the insidious and the false preachers are the devil's apostles, since St. Paul complains everywhere about "how they walk through the houses, and the same traffic, always teaching, and yet do not know what they say, or what they set" [2 Tim. 3, 6.]. Therefore be warned and exhorted spiritual ministry, be warned and exhorted worldly ministry, be warned all things Christian and subject, that they beware of them, and hear them not. Or whoever suffers them and hears them, let him know that he hears the afflicted devil himself in the flesh, nothing else than as he speaks out of a possessed man. I have done my part, and have also spoken of the eighty-second Psalm 1); I am excused. Let the blood of any man who does not follow good and faithful counsel be on his head. Command you and yours, my dear Lord and friend, in God's grace and mercy; to whom be praise and thanksgiving, honor and glory forever in Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
1) The interpretation of this psalm is found in Walch, alte Ausgabe, Vol. V, 1020 ff.