A dispute had arisen among the clergy in Nuremberg over a general formula of absolution to be read from the pulpit, which Osiander opposed. In this letter, Luther exhorts them to unity.
Manuscript in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 159 and at Wolfenbüttel in Cod. Printed in a single edition under the title: Rev. viri D. M. Lutheri missa ad Theologos Norimbergenses (orta quadam inter ipsos dissensione) pia et vere apostolica epistola etc.. From the Molius Collection in Kiel, Schütze, Vol. III, p. 250; Strobel-Ranner, p. 209 and De Wette, Vol. IV, p. 465.
Grace and peace in Christ. Dear men and exceedingly dear brethren in Christ! If I have ever desired and asked of the Lord that a well-sounding and effective speech be put into my mouth, I ask above all that this letter of mine be made effective and sweet in your ears and hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not possible to say with how much pain my
1) Probably the "Responsibility of the imposed riot of Duke Georgen" etc. St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, 1826.
2) This time determination results from the following letter.
I have perceived in your minds that a discord has arisen among you, who are ordained angels of peace and salvation in this excellent place. For, to say nothing of the disturbance and harm to your native church, how much trouble do you think will result from it for other churches? what boasting, what rejoicing, what triumphs will the adversaries on both sides, the Papists and the Sacramentarians and the Anabaptists, catch for themselves from these mischiefs of yours and throw up high! For this morsel, this delight of his wickedness, the hound of hell obtains through you. And, as much as Christ should love me, as much as I can recognize and judge from the matter itself and from your letters (for I speak quite freely in such great distress and danger), this discord does not come from this present matter, namely private and public absolution. One can notice it, one can notice it badly (don't pretend, don't conceal it), that before there were some old impulses among you, and that the sparks are nourished and hidden in the tinder, which now, since a little breeze blows and a small, insignificant occasion is given, strive to rise to a conflagration. If in due time, as Isaiah [Cap. 50, 4] says, there had been a learned and healing tongue, it would have extinguished them, as Sirach says, with a spout, whereas now, blown out and inflamed by the tongues of many, they are very severely subdued. For if you had been One Heart and One Soul in the Lord before this, and the bond of love perfect, it would have been impossible that these little offences should count for so much as they, alas! do. For how often does a finger injure an eye, a tooth injure a tongue, a hand injure another hand! And yet these members, concerned for each other, suffer these insults from each other. And you know very well that the words and deeds of another, however good and praiseworthy they may be, are severely disregarded by a bitter and suspicious mind. For such are also the things of God, whatever and however our opinions or consciences may be: so that we may not be able to
Letters from the year 1533. No. 1993.
consider as useful to life what is fatal, and as fatal what is useful to life. How much more does a sick mind take the words and deeds of another brother in a wrong way (ad iniquam partem), especially when they are somewhat reprehensible and obviously faulty. But meanwhile, where is the empress and mistress of these impulses and movements, love? Of which it is gloriously praised by the Holy Spirit [1 Pet. 4:8.]: "Love also covers the multitude of sins," and again [Jac. 2:13.]: "Mercy boasts against judgment," and again [Luc. 6:37.]: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Will we then, who preach love, mercy, and forgiveness to others, leave nothing of love behind for ourselves? will we not bear one another's burdens? will we not do all that mercy may boast against judgment? Or does it give us pleasure to hear the word: Turpe est doctori, cum culpa redarguit ipsum [It is disgraceful for a teacher when an accusation falls on himself]? Yes, what is frightening is that we, who are teachers of grace, arouse the wrath of God against ourselves, when we, giving in to our passions, strike through this anger and dangerous and hateful discord the weak brethren for whom Christ died. For this is one of the chief things of original sin, that we demand justice from our brother more than mercy from us, while mercy must be demanded from us more than justice from our brother. "It is said, Love shall go for the right and above the right." Now if this order cannot be kept, then right must be abolished from the foundation, rather than that right should be allowed to be equal to mercy, or to contend or quarrel with it, just as Christ abolished our judgment from the foundation, and the handwriting that testified against us, before he would have allowed the same to be equal to or preferred to his love against us. And it is rightly said: The highest right is the highest injustice. It is the right or the judgment absolutely and absolutely condemned, both with God and with men,
when it goes beyond its limits and wants to rule over or be equal to love or mercy, for law should serve love, not rule over it. Otherwise it is one of the four evils that make a country restless (as Solomon says [Prov. 30:21-23.]), namely, a servant when he becomes king, or a maidservant when she becomes heir to her wives. Therefore, for the sake of Christ, for the sake of all that we have in common in him, and for the sake of our fellowship in him, make diligent and faithful efforts that by patience, humility, and forgiveness among yourselves this evil may be healed among you. At least look at us, and stop heaping pain upon pain, because you cannot deny that your wound is our wound, and that if you are hindered and afflicted by Satan, we will also be hindered and afflicted. For you are our crown and glory in that so excellent place. Remember how great power of enemies we have to endure, and that from devils and men of every kind. Let us not ourselves be bitten and devoured among ourselves by this exceedingly sad turmoil of spirit, which we should hold out our hands to one another in unanimous spirit, since we even have to fight with danger of life against so many, so vigilant, so tireless enemies day and night. And since they rejoice when one of us falls or is wounded, how much will they triumph when they see such a great church cast down by mutually inflicted and more than moderate (civilibus) wounds! This is what Satan would like, that we, who have hitherto remained unconquered by all his gates, should now fall without his hand and while he sleeps, by our own hands and inward wars. May the Father of all life and comfort prevent this, amen.
Therefore, unless the Spirit gives you something better, my advice would be that you sharply distinguish between this matter and your peace. And although there is no danger to the church, if you leave this matter subdued (God grant, extinguished) for a while, until at a safer and better time, and with minds fortified in peace and united by love, you may discuss it as you wish.
Letters from 1533. no. 1993. 1994.
But at this time, when the minds are so agitated, it is a poison to discuss or touch this sore or ulcer. Then, when the public absolution, which was the end desired by this disputation, has asserted itself and triumphed, follow the example of the Athenians, and let a pardon and forgetting (amnesty) take place, since here again there is no danger for the church. And this you clearly owe, so that you do not prefer this matter to peace and your and all people's love. Imagine that Christ himself is bodily present in your midst, and learn from his countenance which of the two must be preferred in this matter. He will undoubtedly address your hearts in this way, perhaps with his eyes: What do you do, dearest children, whom I have redeemed by my blood, born again by my word, that you should love one another? You know that this is the mark of my disciples. Lay this thing down, or cast it upon me, and I will watch. There is no danger in this thing resting or even dying. There is no harm to my church if public absolution prevails, but there will be danger if you disagree and bite among yourselves. Here you will not only cut my unstitched skirt, but you will cut and tear my body. Do not grieve the Spirit, by whom you are sealed for the day of salvation [Eph. 4:30]. Do not deprive the holy angels in heaven of their joys. Do not trouble and vex your brethren and the whole church. Do not make yourselves ridiculous before my enemies and yours. Do not increase Satan's joys and triumphs. You already have enough evil to suffer for the sake of my name. Or am I not more to you than all things, all affectations, all impulses? Do then some words of a brother or an unjust grievance penetrate deeper and hang more firmly than my wounds, my blood, than even the whole Savior Jesus Christ? Surely this, and far more beautiful and abundant, his exceedingly beautiful eyes, redder than wine [Gen. 49:12], will speak to you, if you only let him stand in your midst and, with your eyes fixed on his countenance, speak of the matter.
and be silent to your excitements. For after this silence, what else will he say but: "Peace be with you; do not be afraid"? Then he will show you his wounds and cover your sores and bruises, and so you will all have salvation and joy.
I would write more, but much more I would like to use the oral word with you, having the confidence that I would achieve something with Christ's help. But since you are men to whom God has given to know His wisdom, I do not despair that you will recognize the opportunity given by this letter to be wiser than I can write and say. But at the same time, because you are also human, and not yet risen from death, it will not seem miraculous to you if something human has happened to you, but has nevertheless been human up to now, and does not cease to be human, and does not turn into something devilish. It is a human thing to be offended, but it is added [Eph. 4:26.], "Sin not." To be offended is human, but not to want to be reconciled is devilish; but not to be offended or not to offend is angelic, or, which is the same thing, Christian. Since we have not yet reached that point, it is reasonable that we, as beginners, as it were, and as people who have the beginnings of Christians, if we have not avoided offenses or have not borne them with patience, should both gladly forgive one another and humbly ask forgiveness, wrapping our lives in that petition: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." May the Lord Jesus himself, our peace and mercy, make you joyful, that is, may he give you to overcome one another by peace and mercy, and to consume your strife and dissension by the furnace of love, amen.
Your brother and servant
D. Martin Luther.
No. 1994.