1. by Marco N. of Zwickau, and a turner.
2. reds are proud and presumptuous.
3. the sacramentaries.
4. from Carlstadt.
5. about Campanus and his enthusiasm.
6. another one from Campanus, that red spirits keep stiff about her rapture, and that she also goes away.
7. from the Rottengeister ambition.
8. you have to condemn the spirits of the rotten, who otherwise proclaim their masters to be saints.
9. red spirits are ambitious.
10. The peacock is an image of all heretics.
11. the flies are the devil and the heretic image.
12. wolves and foxes are the heretic image.
13 How God Saved D. Luthern from the Rotten.
14. zealots and hordes do not look at God's word.
15, From Witzel.
16) Why Georg Witzel fell away from the Gospel again.
17. gushers do not answer correctly.
18. God punishes the despisers and blasphemers of the Word.
19. gushers are presumptuous and foolhardy.
20. D. Zochen's Conversion and Opinion of the Sacramentaries.
21. of several gushers.
22. sacramentirans are godless.
(23) Which are the best preachers among the enthusiasts.
24. swarmers do not want to have erred, but to have done right.
25. D. Luther's complaint about the enthusiasts.
The trouble caused by the swarms does great harm.
The gushers' presumption and presumption of hope.
28. by M. Eisleben.
29. by D. Jakob Schenk.
30. from arch-heretics.
Ambition spoils everything.
32. comparison of the papilion, moths or summer birds, with the hawkmoths.
Of antinomians and lawbreakers:
33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. by M. Eisleben.
40. 41. By D. Jakob Schenk.
42. 43. 44. The sins are to be distinguished.
45. from false brothers.
46. d. j. false glory.
47: Of D. Jeckel's hopeful stubbornness.
Fortune beguiles the people.
The devil can suffer that one preaches Christ with the mouth, but does not punish with what is to be punished.
For whom the preaching of the Law and the Gospel belongs.
The proud and presumptuous cannot teach Christ.
52. gushers are proud fools.
53. 54. Red spirits can stay behind the mountain for a while, so it is good to make a fuss.
55. of M. Eisleben's propositions.
The antinomian doctrine is a very harmful doctrine.
57. 58. The antinomian doctrine of different repentance.
59. false brothers, the sweet-mouthed teachers, are more harmful than the public enemies and papists.
60. a different one from M. Eisleben.
61. False brothers and heretics are to be despised only.
62. by Thomas Münzer.
63. from Carlstadt.
64. by M. Eisleben.
65: The Waldensian Brethren in Bohemia.
The Waldensians do not know how to distinguish between faith and works.
67. what they think of the Sacrament of the Altar.
68 The Waldensian Fallacy.
(69) Of some fancied unity, who pretend to teach the very things we teach.
70. by Witzel. One should not write against blasphemers, but despise them.
71. gushers are presumptuous and great people.
72. of Thomas Münzer and his rapture.
73. of sacramentaries.
74. Bucer's Argument from the Sacrament.
Abuse of the sacraments is punished by God.
The Sacramentarian Delusion of the Supper, and Luther's Concerns. Luther's Concerns.
From Sadoletus, the Cardinal.
78. the heretic war.
79. by Thomas Münzer.
80) The most serious damage to the gospel is done by the fanatics and the mobs.
D. Luther's Opinion of Pauli Ricii Pretending.
82. a different one from Paulo Ricio.
That all false religion and worship is of opere operato origin.
How all heretics could be fed.
Of future sects that would miserably vex, afflict and devastate the true church of God.
The first is the first of the two.
87 A different from Arii heresy.
D. Luther's Prophecy of the Sects to Come.89. of heretics, the abelists.
90 All sects and sectarian groups are rebellious.
The heretics and rotten errors have a great appearance.
92. heretics and rotters want to be innocent martyrs on top of that.
93. 94. Of the Anabaptists.
The devil does not like baptism.
96. mock remedy of the Anabaptists.
That one should read and consider God's Word diligently, for one cannot unlearn it.
The teaching of the Gospel is like the sun and the moon.
99. enthusiasts always find followers.
100 Whether the Anabaptists will also be blessed.
101. gushers want to be able to do everything and learn from no one.
102 Anabaptists have not written anything against D. Luther.
103) Whether the Anabaptists should be killed.
104. gushers are possessed by the devil.
105. Blasphemy finally brings destruction.
106. 107. D. Luther's judgment of Erasmo Roterodamo.
108. erasmus is a launderer.
109. Erasmus is not a warrior.
110. Erasmus is not Lutheran, but a papist bloc and scoffer.
111 Erasmus a Lucianus.
112. The Epicurer argument is like Caiphä Rath.
113. By Erasmus Prefaces on the New Testament.
114. by Erasmi Moria.
115 Erasmus sits between two chairs.
116. erasmi way or ingenium.
117. 118. Erasmus does not respect Christ and his word.
119. by Erasmi Conterfei.
120. from Erasmi Catechismo.
121. 122. The Life and End of Erasmi.
123: Prince Frederick's speech by Erasmo.
124. Erasmus Christ's enemy.
125. 126. Erasmus judges in matters of God only according to reason.
127. A sharp judgment of D. Luther by Erasmo Roterodamo, written to his son with his own hand on a note in Latin.
128. Erasmus asks nothing about faith in Christ.
129. beware of erasmi books.
130. Erasmus does not respect God's word in theology.
Erasmus does not respect God's works and creatures.
132. from Erasmi case.
Erasmus does not think anything of God.
134. by Erasmi Diatribe.
135 From Erasmi Epistles.
136. gushers deceive themselves.
137. from Balaam.
138. of heretics.
139. of the Rottengeister theology.
140 Error is apparent and glistens.
141: Of errors and sects.
The false teachers' nature and sin.
143. false teaching does not hold in the length.
144. heretics cannot be persuaded of their delusion.
145. lack of listeners and preachers.
The devil does not harm the gospel with persecution.
Luther's complaint that Germany is in an evil state and that God will punish it, as punishment has always followed the preaching of God's Word.
148 Of the eclipses.
That false teachers and heretics should not be accepted again without recognition of their sin and public retraction.
150 D. Luther's Answer, Given to a Wise Man.
1. by Marco von Zwickau and a turner.
(Cordatus No. 1059. 1060. 1061.)
In 1521, that Marcus approached me with very sweet words and gestures, but without writing. Therefore I said to him, "I will have nothing to do with you and will not believe you unless you do signs. But he said: In seven years you will see signs. And soon the peasants' revolt followed. He said, among other things, that he could see immediately by sight whether a man was devout or ungodly and not chosen. That means to get lost with words.
This man spoke strangely dark words: coarseness, meanness, boredom, and when I asked him how people could understand him when he spoke like that, he answered that he only preached to gifted disciples who had the pound. And when I asked him about my pound, he said that I was in the first degree of mobility and would yet come to the first degree of immobility, in which he was, and since he had sent a letter and admonition from Kemberg with very kind words, he said that I was in the first degree of immobility.
I said, "Goodbye, dear Marcus.
Drechsler said he had a message to him from his father. I [asked him]: Who is your father?-He: Jesus Christ. - He is my father, too. What then is the message? - That God is angry with the world. - Me: Where did he tell you that?-He: Outside the city, when I went out of the gate, I saw a very small cloud, which is a sign of the wrath of God. And in my sleep I saw the drunkards saying: It is true, it is true, and the hand of God upon them, and when one of them poured a candelabra of beer upon my neck, I awoke. I scolded him that he would not play his game with the name of God. But he went away and said: Whoever does not say what Luther wants must be a fool.
2nd Rotten are proud and presumptuous.
(The first paragraph Cordatus No. 1062.)
Martin Cellarius, a very godless knave, also wanted to deceive me by flattery, for he said that my profession was greater than the
the apostles. But I said to him: Oh, what am I against the apostles! He wrote me four sextons about the tabernacle of Moses, but when I did not want to believe his flattery, he insulted me more than he had praised me [before]. To this I said: Go and do what you want.
Another from the Netherlands also came to me and wanted to argue with me until the fire, since he was quite unlearned. I said to him, "Let's argue about a candel of beer or two," and he went away again, for the devil, as a proud spirit, cannot stand to be despised.
3. of sacramentaries.
(Cordatus No. 1063. 1064. 1)
When Bucer conferred with me at Coburg about the Lord's Supper and finally asked whether the sacrament was also given to the ungodly, I told him whether the ungodly could also hear the word of God and misuse it. After he left, he wrote me these words: "Do not doubt that we teach the same things that you teach. But it has come into denial, as H[erzog] G[eorg], they cannot go back.
Oecolampad and Zwingli said they had to keep peace with me because I had been the first to preach the gospel, but after my death they wanted to make their opinion known. But they did not know that they would die before Luther.
4. from Carlstadt.
(Cordatus No. 1495.)
Everything that Carlstadt also started, he started for the sake of vain honor", because he let himself think that there was no scholar from earth, but he. And what I also wrote, he imitated, but gave it another coat of paint. He wanted to be alone, and I would have gladly given way to him, but I could not do it without doing injustice to God. I have never used any audacity or presumption in writing, even when I wanted to begin; for I thought so when I saw the abomination of indulgences: I will write about this evil thing,
1) Cf. Cap. 19, § 23 and Cap. 11, § 25. Cordatus No. 1281.
After that, others will come and write about other errors; there would probably be other people who would know how to lead it out better. This I thought to myself, although by the grace of God I am more learned than all sophistical doctors or theologians.
5. about Campano and his rapture.
(Cordatus No. 762. 957. 958. 959. 179.)
Campanus is an extremely bad man, and he must not be confronted soon; for, if one wrote against him, he would only become more audacious. He must only be suppressed with contempt, and his opinions will go no further.
Campanus falls into these questions as a young and untrained man, much more because he thinks he understands more Greek than Luther or Pomeranus. He has not experienced any challenge and yet he boasts of plerophoria [complete certainty] and boasts that he can describe the Godhead more clearly than John, and condemns me as a liar because I teach a weak faith that must grow and increase day by day through struggle.
Campanus describes a Christian as a perfect saint; but I say that a Christian is a wretched sinner, afflicted by various lusts, who feels human 2) inclinations about him. This is how Paul clung to Epaphroditus. Campanus, however, makes men into sticks, like the Stoics. If I were such a man, I would soon be baptized four times over.
If we could be as sure and certain of our faith as Campanus speaks of the Christians, I would not give one lighter around the sermon and sacrament.
No mortal can ever speak with such art and put his words so eloquently as the apostles. Therefore, Campanus is a worthless man who imagines that he can speak more clearly of the Godhead 3) than John himself in his Gospel.
(Here 24 lines are omitted because contained in Cap. 4, § 23.)
2) Instead of pravis, which would allow a nefarious interpretation, we have read Iiumanis with Bindseil II, 25 and Rebenstock II, 3Iu.
3) In the original certainly wrong: äs DvauMlio Oosnnis.
6. another one from the Campano, that the spirits of the mobs keep stiffly over their rapture, and that it also goes away.
(Contained in Cap. 2, § 39.)
7. from the Rottengeister ambition.
(The first paragraph of this § in Lauterbach, Dec. 12, 1538, p. 190.)
After that he talked about Carlstadt's and M. B(ucer's) arrogance, which would have greatly hindered the course of the gospel. For in other arts, professions and gifts, it is more appropriate to be proud. In theology it is the very most harmful thing to presume. For the heavens shall tell the glory of God and not their own; God alone the glory! (Ps. 19, 2.) Therefore I was very frightened when Carlstadt said these words: "I like to have honor as much as another." He did not want to give me precedence in the disputation at Leipzig, so that I would not deprive him of the honor that I nevertheless gladly granted him. But he put honor to shame at Leipzig because he is a very unfortunate disputator and has an awkward, ponderous mind. He had a particularly pleasant subject, but left it to me to dispute Eck's last theses on the primacy of the pope and on Johannes Huss. Eck, however, a domineering man, yes, an impudent and shameless one, obtained for me a safe stay and safe conduct with Duke Georg in Leipzig, so that I could debate with him; otherwise I had only come to Leipzig under the wing of Carlstadt. Carlstadt and Peter Lupinus were very vehemently hostile to me in the early days of the Gospel; but when I overcame them in the disputation and laid them down with Augustine's writings, they, after reading Augustine, became more vehement in this matter than I was. But the dreadful hope deceived the Carlstadt.
We must, said Martinus, have something new every year: Two years ago there were the murderers, this year there was the patricidal war, which the papists wrought through their French G. of K., 1)
1) Instead of "welschen G. von K." Bindseil II, 31: Herzog Georg.
whom they corrupt and bribe with money. But God will soon disgrace him, since he will not repent.
Thus, D. J[eckel] is also setting up a game for us at F.; he wants to ponder and scout according to my letters, which I wrote to D. H. W. 2) especially and secretly, he wants to ponder and scout. But his horns shall be scraped, since he will not stop. Now V. Ammerbach is also rebelling against us, daring to rebuke our teachings and the priests' marriage.
Oh, the shameful mobs do great harm to the gospel, even among foreign nations; therefore the adversaries blaspheme us. For a French scout told me roundly and expressly, as his king would be, quite eloquently, that we respected neither religion, nor police, nor secular regiment, nor marriage, but that everything went wildly astray, like cattle.
In addition, Carlstadt and Zwingel are brazen and defiant; for Zwingel may boast publicly and say: We want to have France, Hispania and England on our side and our part in three years. Thus, N. N. 3) has had his books carried from Switzerland into France under our name, so that many cities are still contaminated and polluted with them. And the city of N. N. is also not yet pure, only that they simulate under the appearance of protection and keep behind the mountain. But I have greater hope for those in Strasbourg.
8. you have to condemn the spirits of the rotten, who otherwise proclaim their masters to be saints.
(Contained in § 18 of this Cap.)
9. red spirits are ambitious.
(Cordatus No. III3.)
How is it possible that all the rotas speak: It is I? They want to be alone and have the honor all alone and hate others. And the Sacramentarians and Anabaptists hate me more than the pope, and the pope is more hostile to me than to them, and all at the same time dispute the gospel.
2) Bindseil II, 31: D. Hieronymus Weller.
3) Bindseil II, 31: Bucer.
4) Bindseil II, 31: Augsburg.
10. The peacock is an image of all heretics.
It is said of the peacock that it has an angelic robe, a thievish walk and devilish song. This bird is a true image of heretics: for all heretics can pretend to be pious and holy, and as angels, but they come sneaking along, and intrude before they are called to the preaching ministry, and want to teach and preach; but they have a devilish song, that is, they preach lies, error, heresy and seduction.
The flies are the devil and the heretic image.
D. Luther once said: "I am hostile to flies and resent them because they are imago Diaboli et Haereticorum. For if one opens a beautiful book, soon the fly flees on it, and runs around with the ars; as if it should say: Here I sit, and here I should smear my balsam or dirt. So does the devil: when the hearts are purest, he comes and shits in them. When I am at my funniest and most skilled in praying, I come to Babylonia with my thoughts, or build a castle or houses.
12. wolves and foxes are the heretic image.
In 1536, when the theologians of the Upper Lands were in Wittenberg in the cause of the Sacramentary, Luther said: Our Lord God has painted Haereticos et damnatos homines in Lupis et Vulpibus; for Lupus et Vulpes look so simple and pious, ac si omnibus horis orarent Pater noster et Symbolum; but the devil believes them.
13 How God Saved D. Martinum from the hordes.
(Cordatus No. 1140.)
God, with great mercy, has saved me from the praises and also from the tears of many enthusiasts who exalted my profession, but without God's word. That is why they wanted to be my masters; that is why I rejected their words. They see the affairs of this world only with One Eye, but they do not see the Word. That is why everything they hear is annoying and offensive to them.
14. zealots and hordes do not look at God's word.
Satan, said D. Martinus, often plagued me with many enthusiasts who boasted of the spirit, more than thirty, all of whom dared to lead me away from God's word to their dreams. As a maid was brought from Halle, she complained and pretended that she was possessed by the evil spirit. But when the captain spoke to her seriously in my presence and said that she was a scout, slanderer and blasphemer of the gospel who should be put to death with the executioner, she escaped from the city.
So one of them, named Gutwalt, wanted to persuade me with his humble, hypocritical words to applaud his opinion and enthusiasm, and said: "Doctor, do not despise me, even if I am a poor, unintelligent, simple man; for God can also work and accomplish much through such. I prayed day and night with fasting and tears, and called upon God; then I opened the book, and found it right at first, and the Holy Spirit revealed to me the right truth at that time. This is my opinion etc.
Therefore, those who praise the Spirit and seek special revelation and dreams are unbelievers and despisers of God, for they are not satisfied with God's word and will not be satisfied with it. In spiritual matters I neither seek nor desire revelation nor dreams. I have a small word, and that alone I abide by. As St. Paul also admonishes and teaches that we should keep and adhere to it, even if an angel from heaven teaches otherwise, Gal. 1:8. In worldly and outward things I can well admit prophets who speak and prophesy of things to come, how things will be, and of God's wrath etc., but in spiritual matters, as far as salvation is concerned, I remain alone with the manger, believing in Jesus Christ, born of virgins, suffered, crucified and died for me etc. Do not be misled by this. And since we stand and remain firm on this article, we will be able to drive out all spirits and argue with them about the articles with blessing and victory, and be man enough for them.
15. by Witzel.
D. Martinus said: Witzel is not worthy that I would write against him, lest he be strengthened in his wickedness. For I have experienced that those who have fallen away from us have become the most miserable people, since there is no heart, joy or courage in them. Nothing is there, because a bitter heart, which would gladly go by force and avenge itself, have no good hour. So I am not, praise God, that I would spoil my rest, food, drink and joy for the sake of the pope. But they are serpents, raised among us, they have laid aside all human affections and love, they do not take care of the needs of others.
16) Why Georg Witzel fell away from the Gospel again.
D. M. Luther said that D. Gregorius Brück, Saxon chancellor, would have kept Georgium Wicelium alive: because he would have been a beginner with the rebellion in Thuringia, therefore, when he was caught, one should have beheaded him: Then D. Brück would have asked for him. When he came to us in Wittenberg, I appointed him pastor of the Niemeck parish, which is now held by Conradus Cordatus. But since he then attached himself to the Campanum, wrote together, and was a cake with each other, and disputed the article of the divinity of Christ, which Dominus Philippus Melanchthon first learned and required the Campanum to do, and he pretended such terrible blasphemy; then Elector Hans went to, and had Witzel caught and put in a tower; but we theologians knew nothing about it. Then Witzel fell away from us and attached himself to the pope again, and has now become our worst enemy, but he will also get his modest share.
17. gushers do not answer correctly. 1)
On May 9, Johannes Cellarius, preacher at B[autzen], came to D. Martino, and told him much of his f[rankfurters], 2) who, whether they were well acquainted with the doctrine of the Gospel, were
1) The first part of this § is very suspicious, although something similar is found in Rebenstock and in the Hall manuscript.
2) Thus Bindseil II, 35.
asks to answer; but they confessed nothing freely, kept flour in their mouths all the time, their answer would be: Well, well. Then said D. Martinus said: "It is true that they do not give a correct, round answer; they are such that they may not confess what they believe: they are quite Erasmian, and their words are screwed, as it is now called, and doubtful, which can be interpreted and understood as one likes, from which nothing certain can actually be taken.
(The following Cordatus No. 1683.)
I can also drink, laugh, and make fun, but what is or must be done by the word, no one vexes me, and I let a lot of laughter. In Strasbourg, even when Bucer ruled there, the words "this is my body" and "this is my blood" were omitted when, as is the custom, the words of Holy Communion were read out in a very loud voice, and yet he wrote to me in the meantime, since I contradicted him and did not want to do everything that suited him: Martine, if you are not in earnest, it is better that we remain enemies than that we form a fictitious friendship. Isn't that playing at sacred things? This was said to me by someone who was present at her main service [missae].
18. God punishes the despisers and blasphemers of the Word.
(Cordatus No. 1075. 1076. 1077.)
The despisers of the Word perish in misery, soon here, soon there, for God is a just judge and His judgment is right. He proves this now, just as in Hamburg, where an outstanding despiser of the Word, who had turned many away, finally fell into despair, which no one could take away from him. And he said, My sin is greater than that it could obtain forgiveness, because he had deceived many. This man broke out of the house by force and threw himself into a well in broad daylight.
It is terrible enough not to believe God's words, but how terrible it is to despise and laugh at the word! (Marcius mensis Mara et mors est.) 3)
3) The bracketed words are probably, with Mr. D. Wrampelmeyer, to be taken for an addition to the cordatus. Therefore, we do not consider it necessary to add a
It is much better and more plausible to declare Zwingli and Oecolampad damned than blessed, even if one does violence to them, because in this way it is useful to preserve and deter those who are now alive and their descendants. But to proclaim them righteous and holy, which their followers do, harms many and strengthens all sectarians in their error.
19. gushers are avoidant and foolhardy.
(From § 7 of this chapter together with the last sentence of the next paragraph, the introduction will be formed. It seems spurious to us. Because there is absolutely no thought in it that is not also found in the following, we have omitted it).
(The following at Cordatus No. 1131 to 1135.)
kiss. But our enthusiasts are still uncertain about themselves and do not pray, even Zwingli only cried out: Let us tear through [perrumpamus].
I hear that Oecolampad prayed in his bedroom the day before that God would not promote his cause if it were not the truth, and yet he defended it most stubbornly in the disputation afterwards and affirmed that he was certain. But it is also possible that someone prays good words and yet is uncertain and doubts.
In theology and in prayer before God, there must be no uncertainty and doubt; even before men, one must act and speak modestly in such matters: If anyone knows better, let him say so. I at least was doubtful in some things in the beginning, although I certainly had the article of justification. But I was not able to put down the whole papacy with it, because I was not able to put down the celibate state, the mass, and the like. Therefore, always get rid of the "Let us tear through"; for that causes confusion.
In any case, it is a somewhat forced explanation to give them a relation to the predicted. Translated they read: The month of March is Mars and death.
The Swiss are now returning to the Pabst.
Presumption of faith corrupts many, like those at Frankfurt, who have promised all protection to the clergy and do not know that in this way they let the people themselves shoot the reins to revolt, by which they themselves could also perish, as happened to those at Mühlhansen, who did not want to believe but to experience.
Since I wrote against the rebellious spirit of the old town, Münzer wrote back: "Against the gentle flesh of Wittenberg. So great was the gratitude of the man who wanted to perish.
20. D. Zochen's Conversion and Opinion of the Sacramentarians.
(Cordatus No. 536.)
When D. Zoch had read my books against the Sacramentarians, he said: Now I believe that Luther was enlightened with the Holy Spirit, because none of the papists could have done this. I am also of the same opinion that all the papists could not have overcome them with all the canons, with their writings nor with their prestige, and yet they are ungrateful, of which I will speak to them when I have died. I have offered myself enough against them in exhortation, 1) but it will not help. Jonas said that they [the papists] had said to Augsburg: "What shall we advise? everything has already been decided"; but after eight days they had completely forgotten this book until the second psalm came: "Why" etc. O how long was the time for us, but we were relieved of our sorrow by your letter, especially by the allegory of the shining sun and the cloud.
21. of several gushers.
Carlstadt was very presumptuous to have been allowed to discuss in Rome in the most distinguished college, in domo Sapientiae.
1) The exhortation to the clergy, assembled from the Imperial Diet at Augsburg. Walch, old edition, vol. X VI, 1120. - The letter to the Elector of Mainz with attached interpretation of the second Psalm idiä. Vol. XVI, 1085. - The letter to Brück Ldiä. Vol. XVI, 2139 ff.
After that, he became a farmer out of loud envy, went bareheaded, and did not want to be called a doctor, but rather neighbor Enders.
Oecolampadius was a kind man at first, but afterwards he was bitter and harsh. Zwingel was a cheerful, polite collation man, but became so dark and sad afterwards.
Campanus came to Marburg and wanted to disputate with me, could not do dialecticam, and nevertheless wanted to defend his delusion and fancy hopefully and measurably; said that neither Luther, nor Zwingel, nor Oecolampadius, nor the pope had not taught correctly about the Lord's Supper, because he did not ask about figures or tropes and made a new way of speaking; said that it was a bread literal body. And he was very angry that he was not called to Marburg and allowed into the chamber for disputation and discussion. Such fellows are blinded by the devil. But Bucer and Capito are very friendly, kind and mediators, and would like to set things right, but it cannot happen so soon. There has been great trouble in France and Italy with the letter about the Lord's Supper in the upper country. The cause, raised against the papacy, went off well; but the enthusiasts, Carlstadt, Münzer, Zwingel and their ilk, also wanted to hunt for honor, fished only in front of the hame, and thus promoted the papacy.
22. sacramentirans are godless.
Godless is called and is the one who denies God, which are the sacrament-riders: because they deny the essence and the custom of the sacrament. The others, who only deny the custom of the sacrament, are not godless, but are weak in faith.
(23) Which are the best preachers among the enthusiasts.
Among the gushers, these are the best preachers that these four pieces can probably do: One, don't put on a choir robe. The other, no chasuble. The third, not to think anything of confession. And the fourth, that in the Sacrament
of the altar is nothing but bread and wine. Just as with the papists, who are smeared and shamed by bishops, they are held in high esteem, even though they are the most unlearned and rude asses. That is why St. James rightly says in his epistle that in the last times the person will be considered.
(24) The swarmers do not want to have erred, but to have done right.
Anno 1536, the 25th of August, D. Martin's letters came from M. Bucero, in which he asked the Doctor to write to the Swiss and to send them the Notel of Concord, as they had compared themselves with each other. Then spoke D. Martinus: "I do not know what to write, they only seek a cover with our letter to embellish their cause, and yet they do not want to confess their errors: they pretend and boast as if neither part had understood the other; 1) which I did not want to suffer, nor do I want the blame to come upon me that I should not have understood their opinion and opinion. Oh Lord God, she is too clearly understood. Why did I write so harshly against her if I did not understand? But I would gladly do so, if they confessed their errors, then I would also confess that I had been vehement and bitter against them. But I do not like this proposition that no one should have understood the other. It shall be said of me even after my death. For I have always been hostile to such mediations. And I have asked them more than ten times, since they did not seek right, pure, true unity, they should leave it at the first dissension and disagreement, until they bled themselves to death. I do not want to burden myself with other people's sins, so that I extinguish a little spark in them and make a big fire in us. God protect me from that.
I have always taught God's word with simplicity; I will stay with it and give myself up to it; or I will become a pope who believes neither in the resurrection of the dead nor in eternal life. They have written only what is according to reason, that
1) Cf. Cap. 19, § 42 and the literature cited there.
In the sacrament one receives bread and wine, not the body and blood; but the body and blood are eaten and drunk with faith and spirit alone, but with the mouth only bread and wine.
There can be no real true unity, because they measure this thing only with reason. I would gladly die if we could win back the church in Switzerland and the cities and bring it back into line, then the pope and the emperor would be afraid of us. But one should not trust in people, yes, one should let people go. They are looking for my words in the most precise and quickest way. I alone promised to do the best in the matter. They want to catch me with their words, they think. Oh no, I do not want to hand over God's word, I did not want to do it either in Augsburg or in Worms, since they also wanted to persuade me to hand over the matter. However, I would rather recite my escort and hand it over, at great risk to life and limb, than abandon my teaching, yes, God's word, and hand it over to people.
25. complaint D. Martini about the gushers.
(Lauterbach, April 22, 1538, p. 68.)
Afterwards he sighed: "Ah, Carlstadt and Münzer have greatly hindered the Gospel. The Sacramentarians have gradually retreated. First, they taught nothing but bread and wine; second, spiritually, i.e. speculatively, there is body and blood; third, bodily, but it is received with faith. These are vain philosophical thoughts. For the articles of faith are against all philosophy, geometry, and arithmetic, yea, against all creature. It is, it is not, that no one can rhyme together. That is why the landgrave, who once favored Zwingli, wanted to establish unity among us, that we should call each other brothers; but I did not want to, although Zwingli said with tears that he wished to remain in our church, and that no separation would arise among us. And I hope that he has been punished in time and has changed his mind. There will always be dangers.
1) This is part of Luther's conversation with M. Simon Sulcer, Superintendent at Bern, Cap. 22, § 45.
We will not be overtaken by our golden friends. We will not be overtaken by our golden friends, since Christ suffered such things.
The trouble caused by the swarms does great harm.
D. Martinus said to the messenger whom the Swiss had sent to him: He still hoped good to them, that they would let go of the opinion and thought, sucked from reason, namely, of bringing Christ down and up from the right hand into the bread. Of this we have never taught; but have badly and simple-mindedly believed that the true body and blood of Christ is in the bread and wine, without ascending and descending; otherwise we could not believe any article of faith, of the holy Trinity and incarnation of the Son, as the middle person, if we would take reason with its wisdom to counsel.
Oh, dear God, this trouble hinders many people. When the teachers disagree among themselves in doctrine, because one pretends this and the other that, and do not teach from one heart and mouth, this pushes many people over the head, so that they go astray and do not know whom to believe. Dear, what do you think that the Jews, who had been placed in the most beautiful kingdom or regiment and priesthood of God, were annoyed and displeased when they saw that righteousness was offered and given to all without distinction, free of charge, out of pure grace, without any merit, and the Gentiles were supposed to be like them? What thinkest thou that the Roman empire and empire, which was the most powerful, and had the wisest men, and walked in its divine services in fine order, should have thought that they should be ruled by a foolish nation of Jews, by strange, weird, monstrous, and superstitious fables (as they called and blasphemed the faith in Christ crucified)? Such astonishments have always caused the gospel to be persecuted, as is also happening today. What blasphemy and slanderous lies are thought and said about the true pure doctrine of faith and the church? as if we were heretics, rebels etc. It is still going on.
The gushers' presumption and presumption of hope.
(Lauterbach, Sept. 26, 1538, p. 136.)
Zwingli was a very cheerful, open-hearted man, but after his fall he fell into such presumption that he dared to say and write: I hold that no man in the world has believed that the Body and Blood of Christ are in the Sacrament. He dared to speak this against the knowledge of almost all men, and so he perished miserably, like Egranus, the impetuous man.
28. by M. Eisleben.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 29, 1538, p. 182.)
On the November before last he was merry with his paternal brothers, his brother and sisters, his blood relatives, and when they had mentioned J. A[gricola) they wanted to put in a good word for him; but he replied: I have taken this person for my most faithful friend, who has so injured me by his deceit that I can never again exclude him in the number of my intimates. I will write against him shortly. He may be provided with it, because there is no repentance, but a man with a very insolent forehead.
29. by D. Jakob Schenk.
(Transferirt according to Cap. 45, § 58, to which this § is excluded by Lauterbach).
30. from arch-heretics.
There was talk of arch-heretics, in the presence of D. Erasmi Alben, who was called to Brandenburg. 1) Said D. Martinus: Erasmus Roterodamus has passed away and died, like a good epicure, without sacrament; God also help N. N. that it is his earnest. Eisleben remains obdurate and a sly, treacherous mocker who can simulate and pretend. That is why I did not want to receive him when he came here. And I said to the margrave: He was not yet reconciled with me; I wanted to
1) Here we have omitted the words: "that there would be no hope for their fatherland", because they do not fit the context.
would gladly forgive him, if he were sorry. Then the margrave said to the doctor: If only he were serious. D. Martinus answered: "I will let the Lord take care of that. It is very burdensome and annoying to learn such things from the household. But Judas solves this argument, since Christ said to him: O Juda, you betray the Son of Man with the kiss! So we have to experience the gloss and learn to understand it.
Such a fellow is also D. Jeckel, who now lies in Leipzig and is despised by everyone, because he is said to be able to do more than preach. He asked for my little girl, Anna Sfchützmeister], 2) free; but I told him: This shall not happen for eternity. And to the maiden: If you want to have it, then lift yourself up from me immediately, I will neither hear nor see you. It was the same with the mayor H. K., when he was courting his daughter.
Ambition spoils everything.
(Contained in Cap. 22, K 110.)
32. comparison of the "Papilio", two-folders or summer birds, with the swarmers.
A Papilio or summer bird is generated in the following way: First it is a caterpillar and hangs on a wall somewhere, gains a little house; then in spring, when the sun shines warmly, the house breaks open and a Papilio flies out. When it wants to die again, it sits down on a tree or leaf, presses a long tract of eggs from itself, from which young caterpillars emerge. So it is generatio reciproca, it is first a caterpillar, and becomes a caterpillar again. I have found varia genera of caterpillars in my garden; I believe that the devil brought them to me. First of all, they have horns in the nose etc. But they are actually the hawkmoths. For the caterpillars have beautiful, silver, golden stripes, glisten and seem pretty; but inside they are full of poison. The enthusiasts pretend to be pious and holy, but they have false, erroneous and seductive teachings. And
2) Seidemann: Lauterbach p. 2.
When summer birds die, they leave many eggs behind, and one caterpillar becomes many other caterpillars. Thus, one hawkmoth seduces many people, and from it grows more hawkmoths and red spirits.
At another time, M. Luther called the Rottengeisters, who were clowns and wise men, untimely and immature saints, who would soon become worm-eaten and fall under the tree by a soft wind.
33: Of Antinomians and Lawbreakers. From Eisleben.
My best friends, said D. Martinus with great sighing, want to trample me underfoot, and smear and turbulence the gospel; therefore I will undertake a disputation, to provoke the opposite, that they must come out into the light. And since they humbly offer themselves and surrender, I will not be satisfied with their pretense and hypocrisy, but will drive them either to oppose, or to preside and answer their propositions and pretensions. No, it is not a matter of joking. It is not for our name and glory, but for the glory of Christ.
And he continued with great sorrow in his heart: "Oh, what a pity it is when one loses a good friend whom he loves very much! I had this one (Eisleben) at the table, he was my good companion, who laughed with me and was cheerful: nevertheless he is backwards against me; I cannot tolerate that, he can never receive it. For it is gross error to reject the law. If other errors and vexations would go, it would be easier; but to reject the law, without which neither the church, nor the secular and domestic government, nor any man can be and exist, is to push the bottom out of the barrel. It's time to fight: I can't stand it, and I don't like it.
After that the doctor said: "Oh, how kindly and with a gentle spirit I punished him; but how deceitfully and treacherously he answered me! Oh the shameful hopefulness and presumption, what harm does it do! it is a mother of all heresy. Now would be the time to sing the Te Deum laudamus
singing and thanking God, it becomes a time of quarreling and bickering. Fie on you - there is no error so gross that does not have listeners! I must see that they still strut in my life and want to rule. As St. Paul says to the Corinthians (1 Ep. 4, 8.): "Would to God that you reigned without me." The good Paul had to see many of these things; as God speaks, Apost. 9, 16: "I will show you what you must suffer for my name's sake." Soon he was subjected to pati and suffering, and experienced it well; which suffering and heartache was also more bitter than death. It is called a martyrdom inter- pretativum, spiritual suffering, which happens without blood, in which one roasts and fears. I also have to suffer this in such astonishments and presumption of my disciples and pupils, that I would much rather suffer death and end with my blood etc. Then he said to those who were at his table: "Pray for the peace of the church against these troubles. I am deceived, as Christ cries out in the Psalm against Judah. The adversaries do not do such great harm, but those who want to be out of us and cause trouble are the most harmful.
It is altogether too coarse and much to reject Moses. If he had taught another repentance, which concerns the police, outward good manners and discipline, not the repentance of the churches; that would still have to be suffered. And it is not enough that he apologizes and says that he meant D. Creuziger and M. Rörer; for the Catechism, the interpretation of the Ten Commandments, and the Augsburg Confession are mine, not Creuziger's or Rörer's. Since he wants to teach repentance out of love of righteousness, he only preaches the revelation of wrath to the righteous and pious; to the ungodly he preaches nothing. Since St. Paul says 1 Tim. 1, 9: "The law is given to the unrighteous". Summa, he opens windows and doors to all safety: for he who abolishes the law also abolishes the gospel. He casts out our doctrine from the comfort of conscience to the will of the flesh. I would not have done such a thing to him, if he had been able to talk to me about it every day and tell me what his opinion would be if he had a little Christian heart.
34. a different one from M. E.
(Lauterbach, 3, Feb. 1538, p. 22.)
Afterwards they discussed many things about J. Agricola, who in great presumption wanted to be [it] alone and tower over all others by his proud behavior, but he is well hewn. And the prince ordered today that he should be admitted publicly to the sermons in order to investigate it, and he had it announced to me [Lauterbach] and the other deacons that we should admit him. I indicated Pomer's order, otherwise we wanted gladly. [Luther] answered: The prince's command goes over Pomerania. He does not insist on it without cause. He does not give him so much pay for nothing, therefore he wants him to be sincere. Amsdorf, however, could not turn his suspicion away from him, because he could cover up many things by dissimulation and leave many things unsaid in speech. Luther answered: We will watch him and force him to teach clearly. And if he does not teach the affirmative opinion [affirmativam sententiam] of the law, then watch him. I have preserved him jetzunder, he would otherwise be gone. Oh, how many pains and struggles of soul I have had in this matter, that I have experienced this annoyance, that he in whom I have placed my trust, whom I have favored, defended, elevated, who [sat] mildly and meekly at my table, has willed otherwise than he showed. If it were weakness, it could be borne; but since it is willful malice, it is appalling. I am not a martyr as far as blood is concerned, but what temptations I have had in this matter, God knows. I would have almost died of fear before I managed to write the theses. I wanted to come to his aid and [ward off] the arousal. Oh God, it is unfortunate to seek one's honor in theology; this ambition is a consuming fire. As Christ says, John 5:23, "He honoureth not him that sent me." The holy Scriptures are given for the dishonor of the flesh, and we great fools want to seek our glory in them. Every other kind of courting, among physicians, philosophers, poets and artists, among beautiful young people, is tolerable because it can be easily changed. A girl who imagines something out of her beauty will be
A disease humbles. But the abominable presumption in theology is the source of all kinds of evils and a consuming fire. 1) Let us ask God.
35. a different.
(Lauterbach, Aug. 18, 1538, p. 114.)
On August 18, he wondered at the presumption and vanity of J. Agricola, who presumed to bring about a reign with his very insipid thoughts, and in the meantime hindered the cause of the Gospel. Philip answered: This is the complaint at all times; for all difficult tasks have few helpers, but many who hinder them, and yet God goes forward in the weakness of the few, against the hindrances of the many. To this Luther said: Who would have thought of this sect of the antinomians? I have experienced three horrible weathers, Coiners, that of the Sacramentalists and the Anabaptists. Through these senseless people, other [weather] comes into being. So there will be no end to writing. I do not wish to live longer now, because there is no peace to hope for. The ancients may have said, like Bernhard, that four things must be preached: Virtues, vices, rewards, threats. And that is very well said. But the wisdom of the antinomians is much different. Verse:
Indocto tria sunt recte inculcanda popello: Virtus cum vitiis; his addes praemia, poenas, [i.e. To the unlearned people three things are to be properly impressed: Virtues, vices, rewards and punishments].
2) J. Justus Jonas said to D. M. Luthern: M. Eisleben Oportet will do it, and told how he used to say, the mush 3) must be gone: it is salted, we do not want it. Then D. Luther said: He must eat the mush again, I will salt it for him so that he would spit over it.
On this Philip Melanchthon made this verse:
Arator quoties miserandum portat oportet, Ipse sui fastus non bene portat onus.
1) Cf. cap. 22, §110; 1, § 58.
2) The following is no longer at Lauterbach.-
3) Cf. Mathesius, Ute Sermon, St. Louis edition, p. 201 f.
36. a different.
(The first paragraph of this § in Lauterbach, Sept. 30, 1538, p. 138.)
J. Agricola disguises himself excellently in these great weathers, he puts on a mask [fingit sibi vultum] and I marvel at the cheerfulness of this man who is not humbled in such great misfortune. He has given me his retraction, perhaps in the hope that I will deal with him more cleanly. But I will seek the honor of Christ, not his, and describe the cowardly, proud and godless man in his own words, who would have greatly harmed the church, and I will dedicate this retraction in his name to Caspar Güttel 1) and the other preachers.
Magister Eisleben, said D. Martinus, wants to oppose his preceptors; but his art is too thin for that. I am not hostile to him out of some personal affinity, disfavor and revengefulness, as my conscience testifies; but for the sake of the common cause and the church, so that the poor wretched man may prefer his own cause to the public, common and righteous pure doctrine in our churches. He alone wants to be everything, the others are to be nothing, and he dares to do so, out of true courage, by a new doctrine.
Oh, that would be a fine theology, if one let everything go freely, and therefore did not punish and scold, so that "the consciences would not be offended and angered. But where would this saying of Paul's remain, when he says 2 Tim. 4, 2: "Punish, rebuke, admonish" etc.? So the lawyers with their legal decisions and judgments anger and offend the thieves, the parents their children, when they scold and prod them. It cannot be otherwise. If a father provides food for his children, with God and honor, gives them good words, promises them, and feeds and clothes them, still he must also be angry, scold, punish and use the rod.
And said further of Eisleben's secret deceit and hypocrisy, and said, This will I do, and so show myself against him, that he either recant, or publicly recant against me.
1) Walch, old edition, vol. XX, 2014.
write. I will no longer tolerate his pretense and hypocrisy. Until now, I have suffered so many nonsensical spirits of the mob against me, which I have slain and overcome by the grace of God: now Satan attacks me with a new kind of spirits of the mob, who can pretend wonderfully, and pose and show themselves as the best of friends with words and gestures: they do not go right under anyone's eyes, and do not publicly argue against one, but can simulate and pretend finely, they are real assassin spirits, and cats that lick in front and scratch in the back.
37. a different.
Eisleben is smitten with nonsense and blindness, acts as if he wants to recant; but he is not serious, but vain hypocrisy. Alas, said D. Martinus said with a sigh, I do not begrudge him that he himself causes such misfortune and ruin. God would that he had neither wife nor children. A few days ago, I admonished him through the clergy with my letter to seriously and righteously recant; then I reminded him again through D. Creuziger and M. Ambrosium. But he is so insolent, proud and stiff-necked that he wants to make a liar out of me and accuse me of fourteen lies that I am supposed to have used against him: calumniret and says that I am not a dialecticus. Well, the prince has taken the matter to himself and has sent for him these days; I will order him to do it.
38. a different.
Well, Eisleben is a proud, hopeful, presumptuous spirit; he dares to cause great misfortune; he hurries so that he will be disgraced; he recants his previous recantation and wants to justify himself and burn himself white. I will not give him that, if God wills it; I will give him the larva. I want to strip off or dare to strip off his make-up and name or appearance. He should have enough examples and mirrors in Zwinglio, Oecolampadio, Münzer, and other red spirits; if he were otherwise wise. Bucerus has repented and improved in time, but he is more skilful in one finger than all the Grickel. Summa,
What can one say, it is Satan's deceit, which makes all godless, secure preachers to proud, hopeful, glorious Thrasones, as if they seek only God's glory, and the people's salvation and bliss.
39. a different one from M. Eisleben.
Anno 1539, on April 19, V. Martinus seriously ordered M. Ambrosio Bernd that he, as a master, wanted to indicate to the professoribus in the university that they should not become factiosi and cause division or separation, but keep the right order. And forbade that M. Eisleben should not be elected dean, lest his presumption, presumptuousness and disobedience should thereby be confirmed and strengthened: for he is a most insolent and hopeless enemy of the churches, schools, and all of us; thus we should have a serpent in our bosom, which should not be cauterized and fed with milk, but with earth, unless he righteously converts and corrects himself. Tell this to your facultists, but if they will not do it, I will preach against them publicly.
I am afraid of nothing more than of our ingratitude, which will now be greatly increased, grow and increase by the antinomian doctrine and hypocrisy: for they promise people everything beyond the cross in the most certain way; make good raw, wild companions out of them; write and carve a god and conscience for them themselves, according to their sense and pleasure.
Oh, that we could recognize our sin and only cry out to God: God, have mercy on me; then the matter would be helped. For our Lord God can certainly give us something to be thankful for, even if we are sinners: if we only repent, confess it and let us be sorry from the bottom of our hearts, and hold on to faith alone in Christ crucified, then all is forgiven, simple and just. But the poisonous doctrine of the antinomians enters gently, tastes good to flesh and blood, is delicately sweet: it will do great harm. If God wanted D. Pommer to be here now, I would attack the hypocrite, Eisleben, with the judgment of the church and put him under ban: for his feigning and hypocrisy, that he poses as a friend, and yet is an enemy, is very wicked.
tedious and hostile. After my death he will raise the comb 1) again and become courageous. The little man has not yet set or made a single proposition in which he affirmed or denied it; says neither yes nor no, as is the way of the people, does not close right away, always keeps mush in his mouth.
40. by D. Jakob Schenk.
(Lauterbach, Jan. 10, 1538, p. 5.)
Letter of Jak. Schenk against the preaching of the law. - A letter he had written to his pastors was shown, in which he completely rejects the preaching of the law as unnecessary, because it would be obvious to human reason. But the gospel, which is above all understanding of reason, must always be preached, and that in the sweetest way, because Christ commanded Peter: Feed, feed, feed my sheep, not slaughter them, nor kill them. And it would not be advisable for a preacher to blaspheme in his sermons because of a few ungodly people, and in the meantime miss the whole church. The ungodly must be admonished privately and reported to the authorities. Luther replied: "I have yet to see such monsters in my lifetime. Without my advice, the Elector had that Magister Karg 2) imprisoned, because he saw Satan's game among them, that one might sing at the other. 3) Perhaps all of this is done against the future aggravations for the glory of Christ and the gospel.
After that, a new motet was sung, namely, "My soul has become joyful." He remarked: "They have given the most beautiful joyful notes to the songs of the Virgin Mary, just as the young journeymen sing their metz [girls] most joyfully; so they have invented everything for the glory of Mary.
41 Another of the same.
D. Martinus wrote to D. Jakob Schenk, and admonished him the last time thus: Although
1) Bindseil 11, 76: cristarn; in Aurifaber and Stangwald "fight".
2) Karg. Cf. cap. 4, z 77.
3) The meaning will be well: that one may follow the other's false doctrine, therefore also be liable to the same punishment.
He said that many a complaint had come from time to time from his neighbors about him and from him; but he had believed him more than all the others; now, however, his faith was beginning to waver: for he thirsted for the rule, wanted to be the highest bishop, according to whom all the others would have to follow and keep. He would have obligated and committed M. G[eorg Karg] to him with his handwriting, who would have sworn against him to keep to him. Therefore, if he wanted to be a companion to the teachings of the Gospel, he should act sincerely and deal with it properly, or be a public enemy. But if he would despise this last admonition and rely on something, he should know that D. Luther again relied on Jesus Christ, who had so far preserved him from the gates of hell and from many enthusiasts and the spirits of the pagans. Therefore, beware that you do not start, and remember that you do not answer me with letters, but with action and work, and strengthen my wavering faith in me with action etc.
And said: I have done enough with the man, I have promoted, excused and forbidden him so far with the Elector; but I do not want his made-up and colored doctrine. I have done enough to him, with admonitions in secret, both special and public. After my death, I will boldly and freely repeat this.
42. the sins are to be distinguished.
Doctor Jakob Schenk, who was then the court preacher of Elector Johann Friedrich, said D. Martin Luther, has made it so that one never wants to believe him when he already speaks the truth: First, he speaks of sin without distinction, as I myself heard him preach in Eisenach. There he said: Sin, sin, sin is nothing. God wants sinners, for he says: They will go into the kingdom of God. He makes no distinction between the sins that have been committed and those that are being committed now or will be committed in the future. When the common man hears that God wants sinners, he soon says, Igitur peccemus. This is false teaching. It does not say: God wants to have sinners; but it says: when the
If a sinner repents, God wants him; therefore, a distinction must be made among sins. Agnitum peccatum is a bad sin, but velle peccare, that is the devil. For this the text stands, and does not say that God wants sinners, but says: "Sinners will enter the kingdom of heaven before hypocrites. There is a comparative in the words; and in order that one may understand what he means for sinners, it soon follows in the text: de agentibus poenitentiam. Item, if it were granted to us to sin, why then do the authorities punish sin? Now he would like to make it up with his disputation in Leipzig; but he has now lost faith, no one wants to trust him anymore.
43. a different.
(Lauterbach, June 20, 1538, p. 90.)
On June 20, the wife of the prince of Freiberg, 1) Duke Heinrich, came to Wittenberg, with whom Luther twice discussed the pride and arrogance of Doctor Jakobi, and admonished her that she should be careful about the aggravations of the church etc. There were also councilors from Freiberg who wanted to appoint another, and denounced Jakob's ungodliness and separation, because he had publicly taught carnal freedom: Do what you want, only believe, and you will be saved. Luther answered: It is badly distinguished, but one turns it around: Dear man, believe in God, and afterwards, as a born-again, new man, then do what comes before your hands. Fools do not know what faith is, they think it is a cold delusion, as the Sophists taught about the infused and unformed [informis] faith: the latter is a gift of the Holy Spirit even in children, which also remains in mortal sin; but faith that is formed [formata] by love cannot sin. Thus they have taught, although it is impossible to sin and to be born of God; this is contrary to each other. Oh dear Lord God,
1) In the original, this section reads "Freiburg" instead of "Freiberg", as it should read, and § 47 of this section is also found.
2) D. Jakob Schenk from Waldsee near Memmingen, court preacher in Freiberg.
there will follow many aversions, because we do not fear God and do not pray, but do the thing with the powers of our intellect.
44. a different.
(Lauterbach, Aug. 23, 1538, p, 119, is the continuation of Cap. 30, § 14, where we have transferred it for the sake of coherence).
45. from false brothers.
(The first paragraph of this § in Lauterbach, Aug. 24, 1538, p. 120.)
On that day, whimsical things were said of the wretched character of Joh. A[gricola] and Jsakob] S[chenk], because they proved their cleverness by dissimulation and pursued the applause of the people in an astonishing way. He replied, "We must see this in false brethren. Therefore Christ says to Paul (Acts 9:16), "Go, I will show you how much you must suffer." He wants to make it sour for his own. He also brought me into it, the dear Lord will also help me out of it. I have enough, if I keep his grace.
Item, Anno 1538, den 3. September, came Herr Gabriel, Pfarrherr zu Torgau, gen Wittenberg zu D. Martino, and complained about D. Jeckel's courtly conduct, hypocrisy, and deceitfulness: for he deceitfully attracted to himself almost all of the nobility, councilors, and the princes 1) themselves, who thought much of him, so that he also had to suffer against the order of the visitation, that his brother preached at T[orgau] 2). When the doctor heard this, he was frightened, sighed, kept silent, and prayed. And the same day he ordered to act with Eisleben, so that he would either publicly recant or be disgraced.
46. D. J[eckel's] false delusion.
D. Jakob S[chenk] 3) fraudulently boasted how he was one with the Wittenbergers. Then said D. Martinus said: "I must take him for my friend, and believe this, even though I have to protect him with letters and seals.
1) Thus Bindseil II, 65.
2) Thus Bindseil II, 65.
3) Bindseil II, 65.
convince me. But let it go as it goes, my and his time has not yet come. It will be found in the sweepings and in the end. Let us pray against the troubles.
47: Of D. Jeckel's hopeful stubbornness.
(Lauterbach, Sept. 11, 1538, p. 129.)
On Sept. 11, Luther heard J[akob] S[chenk] preach very boldly [in Lochau], chattering away according to his oratory. After the meal, he [Luther] met with D. Jonas for a private conversation and wished to win him over, but sfound him] unfortunately unrepentant, insolent, rebellious, ambitious, perjurious. When Luther reproached him for his ignorance, since he, as an inexperienced man who was neither a dialectician nor an orator, dared to do such things against his teachers, he answered: "I must do it for the sake of the blood of Christ and His great suffering, and the great pain of my conscience compels me to fear God more than all my teachers. For I have both a God and you. Luther answered: "Even if you understand our teachings from the bottom up, you should have honored us teachers, from whom you first learned, to the praise of God. Even if I understood all the Psalms of David in the spirit in which they were written, I would still not be able to make one; I would not be able to make the first verse of the first Psalm. Finally they parted unreconciled. Luther said: "If you are torn, the devil will mend you. Now we must also suffer the danger of false brothers. Poor Freiberg will never get over it, but God, as an avenger, will destroy the one who has desecrated his temple. For here the saying applies: evil mind, evil heart. (Terence, Andria, I, 1, 137.) A desperate bad boy. - Afterwards, he sat at the dinner table with them as an insolent mocker against Luther and the Freibergers, heckled them and Luther, and said: "If I make the court as pious as you make the world, then I have done wrong. 4) And yet he always sat there with a bold face, his eyes downcast.
4) This will probably mean: so I have directed it evil.
and covered them, indicating the wickedness of his spirit, and was finally about to tie up with Luther when he left.
Fortune beguiles the people.
(Lauterbach, Sept. 15, 1538, p. 132.)
Afterwards, D. Jonas said a lot about the tremendous court life of J. A[gricola] and J. S[chenk], that they had done great things. He answered: Ah, how great is the corruption in man, since he degenerates more even through good days than through the cross! For these people have got into such great hope only through prosperity, presuming as inexperienced people everything and presuming that they, as idle and boastful people, would rule in what we have worked out. There should follow a beautiful church. The Catechism would have perished in the Church long ago, which we still preach with the greatest benefit. God keep us in the purity of his teaching.
The devil can suffer that one preaches Christ with the mouth, but does not punish with what is to be punished etc.
In 1538, September 18, when J. Schenk was being praised and extolled everywhere as a pure teacher of the Gospel, who finely comforted consciences, D. Martinus said: "Oh, how I would like to hear this testimony from him, if only he did not speak such sweet and smooth words, as St. Paul did to the Romans in chapter 16. Martinus said: "Oh, how I would like to hear this testimony from him, if only he did not speak such sweet-mouthed, smooth, splendid words; as St. Paul complains to Romans Cap. 16, 18, which are the greatest deceivers, like the wind of Caecia, which blows so gently, softly and warmly, so that the blossoms are lured out to their destruction. So does the devil, who intends to destroy Christ, even though he teaches Christ and lies, even though he speaks the truth. A pious man may go up the stairs, but a wicked man lies down below.
For this the devil can well yield to and suffer, that Christ passeth over the tongue, and meanwhile lieth under it, that the ears of the people are tickled, and they are infected with that which they love to hear. This gossip will not last long. For Satan wants to spread the gospel through the gospel.
since in presumptuous and secure minds there is no knowledge of sin, nor matter or tinder that [the heart of the gospel] 1) might be able. Christ has no workshop in which to work, for he alone came for the sake of those who are of a troubled and broken heart and spirit. As he himself says Matth. 11, 5: "The poor have the gospel preached to them." And in the prophet Isaiah God speaks Cap. 66, 2.: "I look upon the wretched and the broken in spirit, and who fears my word." But these despisers of the law are the most hopeful spirits, just as in the papacy the people under the traditions of the law were far from it and alien to it. Therefore, the preaching of the law is a preparation for the gospel, and gives Christ, who is the master of faith, matter in which he can work.
For whom the preaching of the Law and the Gospel belongs.
(Cordatus No. 1323. 1397.)
The sermon of the law must be preached for the sake of the wicked, but mostly it falls on the good, who take care of it, and often too much. It is the same as when it rains on the sea and dense forests, not on fertile fields.
God, who is merciful, does not belong to the peasants, but he who strikes with pestilence and war is right for them.
(Here a paragraph is omitted because contained in Cap. 12, § 32.)
The proud and presumptuous cannot teach Christ.
Doctor Jakob Schenk acts the holy scripture, just as a schoolmaster Terentium walks the boy in school. So he looks at his person in the Scriptures, as in a comedy. He should be and wants to be. Therefore, it is impossible for a proud, arrogant, and arrogant man to preach Christ: he only wants to have broken, sorrowful hearts and lowly, humble spirits.
1) In the editions: "that it could be capable." In Bindseil II, 68 this sentence is missing.
52. gushers are proud fools.
^(Lauterbach, 7 Oct. 1538, p. 143 f.)
After that, J[akob] S[chenk] was remembered, who proudly and mendaciously undertook everything and yet denied, and wherever he was, caused dissension by relying on the reputation of the prince and the applause of the people. But he will be disgraced in his time, as Joh. A(gricola) was in great prestige at court and almost the most trusted -councillor, but without me his prestige has fallen. When he preached at the synod in Zeitz, he displeased everyone. This wretched man, puffed up by his court, has deceived himself with new words. He insists that the revelation of wrath should be preached, not the law, since the revelation of wrath and the law are the same and synonymous. I would not ask anything about the revelation of the wrath if the law had been abolished. I would not ask anything about the revelation of wrath if the law had been abolished. They are so foolish and unintelligent that they do not understand the synonyms, as if I said: Of death one should not preach, of dying one may preach; that would be such nonsense. I trusted this man so much that I gave him the doctrine, the church, my house, my secrets, and he, in his devilish dissimulation, hid his wickedness and joked with me daily. Never again will I trust him for all eternity and receive him into such familiar company. O dear God, keep us from falling into arrogance; lawyers, physicians and others may be arrogant. In theology arrogance finds no place, because it wants to have people who are spiritually poor, who should call upon God, and whom God wants to save, and he adds: You shall praise me, not yourself. Likewise: The heavens tell the glory of God (Ps. 50, 15. 19, 2.), not our glory, as those hopeful wretches do. It is a pity that we wretched people still want to seek honor in such great misfortune. We have to toil and gnaw with the devil, who has strong bones before we bite them. Paul and Christ had enough to do with the devil. I also experience my soul struggles every day, but
Those wretched, inexperienced people boast presumptuously of their victory. Just like that were Münzer, Carlstadt, Zwingli, Oecolampad, Stiefel, Eisleben, all of whom fell through hope. God preserve me, for I am a sinful man. I can also fall. 1)
53) The spirits of the red can stay behind the mountain for a while, so it's good to keep an eye on them.
(The first paragraph in Lauterbach, Oct. 10, 1538, p. 145;
the second par. Oct. 11, p. 146.)
When there was a lot of talk about J. S[chenk] that day, he answered: I don't want to accuse him for the sake of teaching, but have quite good hope from him. But I cannot avoid suspicion, because I am burned. [Be-]may well sensation, one praise him as one will. In a fine way Sulla said about Julius Caesar, who was praised by all: You shall be right, only hold fast to it, but this you should know, in Caesar there are many [people like] Marius. Thus Peter, the bishop of Alexandria, said of his presbyter Arius that he would take away Christ's glory. When Peter died, Alexander followed, who also resisted him [Arius]. Athanasius, his college, also resisted him. All of them he despised, and fell into the worst heresy.
Christ used [the word like this]. One cannot rebuke one higher than a hypocrite, a hypocrite, for he is the greatest plague.
54. a different.
Anno 1539, den 16. Januarii, arrived Doct. Martino letters from M. Gabriel Didymus, 2) in which he complained about D. J. Schenk, 3) the antinomian, Hoffahrt, with whom he was
1) On this §, see Mathesius, St. Louis Edition, p. 202.
2) Zwilling, pastor in Torgau.
3) Bindseil II, 71.
and supplicated to [the] Elector on account of his impure doctrine; for he clearly taught: One should abstain from gross sins and avoid the same. With which words hypocrisy would be defended. Then said D. Martinus said: The fool cannot hide himself, for it is an art above all art who can hide his art. The miserable, glorious, ambitious people seek only the favor of the common man even in the slightest word.
55. of M. Eisleben's propositions.
Anno 1539, the last of January, in the evening, D. Martinus of Eisleben read Propositions of the next disputation, which were quite unrhymed by Jonatha, Saul. 1) Finally, he noticed the deception of Eisleben's law, which played with allegories and secret interpretations, and thus revealed what he had in mind and meant. From such suspicion all propositions flowed and hung on each other. But one must, and shall, understand it thus: Jonathas is M. Eisleben, who eats honey and preaches the gospel; Lutherus, however, is Saul, who hinders the use of honey in the church etc., but does not get back to the right goal. And said at last: Ah Eisleben, are you such a one? O, forgive you, God, that you are so bitter and consider me your enemy. God be witness that I have loved you and still love you. If only you would fight against me in public and not fight so viciously behind the Pöckler 2). The next day was the disputation, and Eisleben was publicly disgraced.
The antinomian doctrine is a very harmful doctrine.
M. Hains 3) was remembered, who was an antinomian with the margrave. He did not want to punish, and made use of allegories.
1) We have omitted with Stangwald here the following words, which are found in Aurifaber and the other editions "The most noble final cause that Cyrsilo rightly happened, that he would be killed; Eneas would still be excused."
2) Shield.
3) Mag. Heinrich Ham at the margrave Johannes. Walch, old edition, XVII, 393, § 2.
and spiritual interpretations, which teaching is uncertain, but pleasant and airy to the people. There spoke D. Martinus said: Dear God, how the poison throws and eats around. M. Ham, Jeckel, Schenk are gone; so one would like to call M. Eisleben cheaply a colorful newt, 4) and a Kanker, who has many stars. It is a shameful and harmful doctrine that denies Christ by confessing him, and defiles and disturbs his kingdom by teaching Christ: it makes people presumptuous and despisers of God's grace, even though they boast of grace.
P[hilipp] Melanchthon] wrote from Frankfurt, how he had to argue with the antinomians, and they defended their thing highly, and many people were attached to them. Then said D. Martinus said: "The devil is quite nonsensical, rages and rages. He will cause much misfortune through the antinomians, because many unrighteous things and evil things will come out of it and will take place if the law is brought out of the church to the town hall. After that the authorities will say: We are Christians too, the law does not concern us. Likewise, the executioner, as a Christian, will also throw away the law. Then, sweet mercy, that is, great and infinite courage and evil will follow, which cannot be controlled. So Münzer also concluded and concluded in 1525, with his and other people's following and adhering to him, great harm, made a lot of bad consciences, killed the poor people body and soul.
The antinomian doctrine of different repentance.
Anno 1539, April 15, D. Martino sent Positiones, printed in Leipzig, which, it was said, Johann Hanerus 5) had made, in which he disputes quite sharply how the law does not concern the Christians, and divided the repentance into three parts, saying: The Jews have another repentance, another the Gentiles, and another, the Christians. Then said D. Martinus said: Who would have thought that such unruly spirits should come? For this is a wicked and injurious thing.
4) Cf. § 60 of this Cap.
5) Haner. Cf. De Wette IV, 545.
It is a gross error to distinguish repentance according to persons, when all men repent in the same way, because all men, one and another, have offended and angered one God at the same time, whether they are Jews, Gentiles, or Christians. Therefore, it is a gross, abominable public error to distinguish repentance according to persons, as if men had a different repentance and faith before God than women; princes a different one than subjects; lords a different one than servants; the rich a different one than the poor. Thus, they make a person's reputation with God.
58. a different.
Haner, the wretched man, distinguishes repentance unjustly, and against God and his word; says: We Christians have a different repentance than the Jews and Gentiles: as if the prophets had not taught repentance rightly, and their repentance at Nineveh had not been righteous. Therefore, since repentance from the law should not be preached, it would follow that Christ had not been under the law, since he was under the curse of the law for our sake.
Summa, Satan cannot rest nor celebrate, there come many heresies, which all at once dispute Christ as a God who became man. For all the heresies that have arisen have arisen either against the Lord Christ's divinity or humanity, 1) either denying His efficacy and power, or some circumstances. Thus the antinomians deny Christ, who was under the law, when they dispute the law, and think that it is no more sin than to crucify Christ; as if it were not a sin against the first commandment to crucify Christ again.
We may well pray and watch, there are still many heresies to come. I do not say that repentance should not be preached to those who have already been justified by faith; but I do say this, and I urge that unrepentant, obstinate sinners should be taken seriously.
1) Cf. Cap. 7, § 27.
2) and bring them to the knowledge of sins through the law; for where sin is not recognized nor confessed, and where one does not want to have sinned, Christ and the gospel can have no place, for where there is no sin or does not want to be sin, there is also no forgiveness. But the antinomians want to bring Christ into the midst of impenitent sinners, who have no conscience, nor know themselves how depraved and evil their nature is; there, truly, Christ has no place or room.
59. false brothers, the sweet-mouthed teachers, are more harmful than the public ones.
Enemies and papists.
Our enemies, the papists, will not harm us, but the greatest danger is from false brothers. Who would have taken care of the antinomians? who protect and help themselves from my books, as if it were only a few sins that the Holy Spirit punishes. But if one were to ask the antinomians, "Is the offense against the Son only a few sins?" they would say, "For which Christ died, that is, for our sins against the ten commandments of God. Oh, I am quite hostile to the antinomians; God grant that they may recognize themselves.
60. a different one from M. Eisleben.
When it was said that C[aspar] Asquila, 3) pastor of S[aalfeld], and M. Ham in the Mark were antinomians, D. Martinus sighed deeply and said: Dear God, how the poison is thrown around! M. Eisleben should be called Stellio, a colorful newt, 4) because with his poisonous teaching the gospel is darkened. They, the antinomians, vex and mock the Lord Christ on the right, as the papists do on the left. For in teaching Christ, they impugn Him and take away His power and work. So J. Schenk simulates and holds behind the mountain for a while, and the boy Schwenkfeld, who causes much error, sows and seduces many people with his sweet words. There are still many thoughts
2) So Stangwald instead of: "erstlich".
3) Bindseil II, 77.
4) Cf. § 56 of this Cap.
According to the prophecy of Simeoni, Christ will be set as a sign that will be contradicted; all heretics must aim at him. So many thoughts will be revealed, and it will be seen what they have in mind.
Behold, how many thoughts come now in the day, which were not in the time of the papist darkness: for then men were idle and safe, and the devil had the hearts even within, and kept his palace in peace. Therefore we must learn by experience this prophecy of Simeoni. As happened to the other dear fathers before us. For the devil is enraged, rages and rages, as a lewd woman when she is enraged and enraged, and cannot still her wicked heart, nor atone for her wrath, but with reviling and blaspheming without ceasing.
61. False brothers and heretics are to be despised only.
(Cordatus No. 194.)
We cannot punish f[alf] brothers who go out from us more severely than to let them do what they do, but with this condition that we do not say that they belong to us. So we send them to hell with their own ornaments.
62. by Thomas Münzer.
Münzer, when he was in Zwickau, came to a beautiful maiden and said: He was sent to her by a divine voice to sleep with her, because if it did not happen, he could not teach God's word. This is what the virgin confessed to her priest in confession, when she was deathly ill.
63. from Carlstadt.
Carlstadt once said: "If I knew that our Lord God wanted to condemn me, I would trot into hell as gladly as I would ride. A horrible, terrible and ungodly speech. God says: Believe, keep my word alone, and do what I tell you: let me do the rest. So they want to know beforehand, without and apart from God's word, what His secret and hidden will is, since we should be content with the revealed will, believe it and be satisfied.
64. by L. Eisleben.
(Contained in Cap. 12, § 44.)
65: Of the Waldensian Brethren in the Land of Bohemia.
(Cordatus No. 1099. 1100.)
The common life of the Waldensians is undoubtedly very good, if one looks at the outward appearance, and in many things they are right, like us: they condemn the mass, purgatory, the invocation of the saints. They have unmarried ecclesiastics, but only as long as they want them, otherwise they will be deprived of the office, which will also happen with us, if we do not want to make the provision that married citizens shall be pastors of the churches; otherwise, in what way shall we get the pastors? They [the Waldensians] do not walk idly, they do not get intoxicated, they are truthful, serve their neighbor diligently, have a very good discipline of children; but they do not have the article of justification, although they confess that men are saved by faith and grace. But by faith they understand a quality [qualitas], which is the highest among the other qualities, but neither 1) they explain it [faith] nor grace by the word, as we do.
The Waldenses and the Papists say that faith without works is dead. If this saying of Jacobi [2, 20.] were applied to the moral conduct and the preaching of the law, it is a very good saying. But if you bring it into the article of justification, it is ungodly.
(66) Not to know the difference between faith and works, which is lacking in men.
Waldensians.
(Cordatus No. 1197.)
Although the Waldensians do not know the actual difference between faith and works, they speak of it more skillfully than the papists. This way of speaking "formaliter" is a way of speaking full of poison when it is connected with the word "faith" and its explanation.
1) Before eani should be supplemented good.
It holds that works justify together with faith, and that faith is only a cover of works and the basis of justification. Many fathers were of this opinion, and John Huss was caught in it, but before his death he was freed from it, because he prayed: O Son of the living God, who suffered for me, have mercy on me! He has the whole, who has this article.
67. what they think of the Sacrament of the Altar.
(Cordatus No. 406 and No. 783.)
The Waldensians have strange opinions about Holy Communion, which I cannot understand, because they say that in the bread and wine the body of Christ is true, real, essential, but sacramentaliter, sacramental, namely in the host he appeared to some as a child, to others as a finger of a man, and this they take 1) sacramental.
The Waldensians are sad and stern people, torment themselves only with the law and do not treat the promises properly. They have no cheerfulness in their conscience. They have pieties, works, from which they get troubled consciences, which the Christian faith [Symbolum] nevertheless comforts miraculously, about the version of which I wonder very much, because it is put to the highest consolation of sorrowful consciences, with which the Waldensians do not deal, yes, they remain in constant sadness. Hennick, who was a Waldensian, answered: "I have often had such a sorrowful heart that I have cursed God for having made me a man and not a beast.
68 The Waldensian Fallacy.
The Waldenses err, first, because they hold that faith without works does not make one righteous and blessed, but is formed by love: they know nothing of imputed righteousness. 2) They do not know about the power of the Word of God. Secondly, they know nothing of the power of the word that God
1) Aurifaber: "name".
2) So Stangwald instead of "reformiret".
He will be gracious before our works, and give his word, and with his gracious word address us ungodly men before faith and works, before we begin to believe and to do good; as he converted Paul. So he called Adam, Abraham, Moses etc. also before grace, before they were converted.
69. of some fanciful unity, who pretend that they teach just what we teach.
(Lauterbach, Aug. 28, 1538, p. 123.)
On August 28, a letter 3) arrived from the Augsburg City Council, in which it was indicated how Mag. Johann Förster would be dismissed from it because he was quarrelsome, biting, careless and incorrigible. And so they rejected this very good man with the highest disgrace, because he did not want to look through the fingers of the hawks Michael Cellarius and Bonifacius. But these write to my face that they have always taught and still teach what we teach; they do not want to appear to have erred, and they impose errors on us. They do this, since I am still alive, and dare to write such a thing to me. That is why I have never liked the imagined unity. I fear that the latter will be worse than the former, because they do not act out of conviction, but are forced by the authorities to seek this bond of unity. I am very agitated and will not write to them for a while and will transfer the matter to Mart. Bucer with the matter and the matter at hand. If he has brought it in, he may well lead it out. These are the four 4) most desperate pots. This very fearful Michael Cellarius fled the light at the Reichstag (and made himself) out of town. Just so was Münzer, Carlstadt and Zwingli, who were very bold in happiness, very fearful in danger. Therefore one says of them rightly: bold in luck, despondent in misfortune.
3) Cf. Luther's answer to the mayors of Augsburg, Aug. 29, 1538, Walch, old edition, vol. XXIz 412 and 1458.
4) The word "four" is missing in Bindseil I, 360.
70. by Witzel. One should not write against blasphemers, but despise them.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 6, 1538, p. 159.)
After that they spoke of the exceedingly faithless apostate Witzel, whom the Leipzigers had called, that he only drove his mockery out of insatiable hatred. Luther answered: "Have patience, this shameful villain and áýôï÷áôÜ÷ñéôïò [who has condemned himself 1) is not worth answering; for he knows that he defends the most unjust cause against his conscience, and he is also the most ungrateful knave who would have been worthy of death, and through our benevolence he has been preserved in life and honor. Now he gives us the reward. He will certainly find his judge. I did not want to take a lot of money to write a booklet against him. Such a knave is not to be feared but despised. He, along with all the papists, will not gain much with his blasphemy and scolding, nor will he achieve much. But we must do so when they blaspheme; we must be silent, but pray and bless, and not carry wood to the fire. Therefore my advice is that such all too godless people should not be answered. - Then he said what difference there was between ÷üëáî, Gnatho [in Terence], a merrier, like Paul Jovius; óõ÷ïöÜíôçò, a mischievous Auf
laurer, as Hamann, Witzel; and ÷á÷ï-Þ^çò, an exceedingly treacherous person, as Ahitophel, Sadoletus. 1)
71. gushers are presumptuous and great people.
(This § is another redaction of Cap. 22, § 34.)
D. Martinus said of the Sacramentarians, who insist so hard on the spiritual food and drink in the Sacrament of the Altar, and said: God has ordered and instituted both, that one can see and grasp, and their custom and use: as, baptism, and the body and blood of the Lord Christ in the Lord's Supper; the custom is that they are useful. But now the heretics deny one of the two: either rem, the essence itself, as it is from God one, or rem, the essence itself, as it is from God one.
1) For the last section, compare Cap. 4, § 70 and Cap. 39, § 2.
or its custom, for which it is instituted. The Sacramentarians and Anabaptists deny rem, the essence. For they say that in the sacrament of the altar is bad bread and wine, not the true body and blood of Christ; baptism is bad water. The pope and his followers do not deny the essence, but let it remain as it was instituted by God, as the key of the churches, baptism, and the sacrament of the altar; but he does not have the right custom. The zealots and the spirits of the mob call the work a papist thing, but the custom and benefit they call spirit, which they only want to have.
But beware of such spirituality. For this is certain: what God gives, He gives in such a way that it can be seen and heard; we should also accept this as spiritual things. So God wanted to give Himself bodily in the day, and Christ wanted to be tangible, as John says in his epistle, 1 John 1:1: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched" etc. So also he gave the oral word, baptism, the true body and blood of the Lord Christ in bread and wine, as he hung on the cross, gave his body for us, and shed his blood for us, etc. as we received it in our mouth, that we should have it all bodily and visibly. I ask the gushing spirits, let them answer me: If God is not tangible, how can they be sure that there is a God? Oh, they are great donkey heads.
The devil spoke from Marxen, Stork and Carlstadt, the enthusiasts, because they said to me D. M.: You shall see signs enough. But they meant the peasants' revolt; I did not understand it at the time. What the devil does, he always presses the seal with his butt on it.
72. of Thomas Münzer and his rapture.
Muenzer, said D. Martinus said: that the outward oral word and sermon would be nothing, the spirit would have to do it, one would have to have it: no one would become a Christian, our Lord God talked to him before: he threw at the God who did not talk to him etc.
With this, Satan shows how hostile he is to the Word.
But he made several degrees or stages of Christianity. The first one he called the decoction, that one should put away the gross sins, such as eating, drinking, fornication. The other is study, that one should think about another being and make an effort to improve. The third is wonder, speculation, and thoughts of sin and grace. The fourth is boredom, so he called the terror of the law, that one becomes hostile to it and suffers from sin. The fifth and last stage he called suspensionem gratiae, deep serenity, or deep unbelief and utter despair, as was in Judah. Serenity, the faith in God, that one should leave it to our Lord God. In this degree would be those who have heard God's word.
This doctrine has a reputation of holiness, and in this way he diminished the authority and glory of the oral word, praised revelation and secret speaking, admonished and punished the Lost Gentiles, that is, those who would not praise nor accept his doctrine; and proved it with examples of the Old Testament. Until he brought together a great and mighty company of peasants and poor people without understanding, with whom he was going to attack and destroy the princes. So he brought in six thousand people miserably for body, honor and property, who were slain.
He wrote from me: I also want to get him, his sharp tongues shall not help him. Once he wrote to me and M. Philippo: "I like it that you attack the pope in Wittenberg, but I do not like your whore marriage at all. He teaches about marriage that a man should not sleep with his wife unless he is sure beforehand, through divine revelation and inspiration, that he will beget a holy son or daughter with her; those who do not do so break the marriage with their wives.
73. of sacramentaries.
(Cordatus No. 1570.)
All want to adorn their deceptions with the pretense of the gospel; for it is written from Augsburg that there sacramen
tirerian preachers thunder and flash against the evangelicals, they held it with Philip and Luther, the others did not know what they blamed in their teaching. So, because they do not want to be our friends in God's name, they are friends in the name of the devil, as Judas was Christ's friend in the garden.
74 Bucer's Argument from the Sacrament, Anno 1531.
(Contained in Cap. 19, Z23.)
Abuse of the sacraments is punished by God.
(The first two paragraphs Cordatus No. 737. 738.)
The enthusiasts, when they handled the dead stones and wooden images, won, but when the living came upon them, namely the Swiss, they were all slain, as it also happened to the coiner.
If one needs the sacraments differently than God has appointed, it does not go out well, as Gideon did when he set up the ephod. He did not feel well about it either.
Zwingel twitched the sword, therefore he received his reward, according to the saying: "He who takes the sword perishes by the sword", Matth. 26, 52; if God made him blessed, 1) then he did it extra regulam, outside the rule of His word, and dispensed with it. And D. Martinus continued: "Zwingel and Oecolampadius are like Phaeton and Jcarus among the poets, they want to master the Scriptures and interpret them as they please.
The Sacramentarian Delusion of the Night Supper, and D. M. Luther's Concerns. M. Luther's Concerns.
The sacramentarians are under the delusion that Christ's body is true in bread, and his blood is true in wine, but Christ's body and blood are neither eaten nor drunk by the ungodly nor the godly, but only spiritually.
And that this is the delusion of the enthusiasts about the Sacrament of the Altar, was shown to all of us church servants in Wittenberg, especially in our presence, by M. Luther, our dear father, who diligently warned us about it, and said this as a testimony to his opinion and doctrine
1) Cf. Cap. 9, § 19.
In this matter, namely, he could not, nor would not, admit, approve, or consent to this doctrine of theirs, because it is, he said, contrary to the clear public words of Christ, in which he commands us to eat his body; for Judas also, the betrayer, hath likewise taken the body of Christ, as well as the other godly, pious apostles. For one thing. Secondly, that this doctrine of theirs is not certain, therefore it cannot make consciences certain, nor assure that it is right. And for these two reasons he decided that he would much rather, and it would also be better, that this discord among us and the sacramentalists remain, than that one should compare and agree on certain proposed conditions and means. This was written to me, Johanni Schlaginhaufey, Johann Förster of Wittenberg on December 19, 1534.
77 From Sadoleto, the Cardinal.
Anno 1539, April 1, Sadoleti's letters were brought to Sturmium, in which he pretended to Phil. Melanchthon and Bucer, and praised them highly. When M. Luther had read them, he said: "How can the devil humble himself so deeply that he would gladly bring these excellent men away from the Gospel and turn them away! If Philip were willing, he would easily be made a cardinal, but would still keep his wife and children; Sadoletus seeks and means Philip more than Stormen. "Satan" does not celebrate, but "go about seeking' whom he may devour," 1 Petr. 5:8; therefore let us be valiant, watchful and prayerful.
78. the heretic war.
When the heretics, says Hilarius, are at loggerheads with each other and quarrel, the right church is at peace. So from Arii heresy came the Eunomiani and Macedoniani: because they tore and bit with each other, the church had peace and tranquility.
79. by Thomas Münzer.
Since Thomas Münzer opposed me as if he wanted to help things, I had to resist him; but I did not like to, but was forced to do so out of great need: God also graciously helped me.
80) The most serious damage to the gospel is done by the fanatics and the mobs.
Just as no sword, power or authority could overthrow or force the pope, the lord of the world, except the one man, Martin Luther; so no tyranny will be able to prevent D. Luthern no tyranny can hinder, but Satan by his cunning treacherous groups and sects, as in Apocalypsi stands that the lion has done no harm, but the dragon. For since Satan cannot do anything by force, nor is he able to, he dares to accomplish everything by trickery and deceit, and to darken and falsify the gospel where he cannot even dampen it; he secretly sows tares among us. Therefore, do not let the spirits of the mob take hold of you or anger you, for this has always been the image and fortune of the gospel; it tends to go that way. Only stay with it, God will preserve it and defend it from the devil and his scales.
The first is the first of the two.
At the Imperial Diet in Regensburg in 1532, Paul Ricius sent out a booklet in which Moses and Paul talk to each other and discuss how the sayings that are now disputed in religion could be compared. When M. Luther saw it, he said: "Everyone knows better how to advise the world than we, who would like to and could do it better than they. So it is also in other faculties and arts, each one thinks he alone can do it, the others nothing.
82 Another from the same Ricio.
Martin Luther's table companion, Severus Schiefer, had once said over the table that Doctor Ricius, a Jew and physician, was now writing a book against our Christian faith, and that he should be displeased that Philip Melanchthon wrote that the articles of our Christian faith should not be understood with reason. To this Martin Luther replied: Ah, what should reason understand of this? It knows nothing of how a human being is created from a drop of blood; or, how
It comes that from a little flower or blossom on a cherry tree a cherry should grow; or how our mouth and our flesh are created. The world is full of miracles and wonders that happen every day. But, as Augustine says about the sixth chapter of John: Haec omnia propter multitudinem viluerunt. The Lord Christ once fed many thousands of people with a few loaves, but how many thousands of people does he feed daily? Omne rarum charum, vilescit quotidianum. He makes wine grow daily from the rocks, he can make butter and bread from the sand, but who respects it?
So he created man once from the earth, and still daily he forms a man from a drop of blood. There is not a big difference. There in paradise he takes a lump of earth in his hand and says: "Make a man out of it"; then it happens. Nowadays he takes a drop of blood and creates a man out of it. These are great miracles, but because they happen daily, they are not regarded at all, and who can understand anything about them in the beginning? It is true that when reason is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, it can understand the Ten Commandments to some extent, and it can be guided by the Jewish religion; but to fully understand the articles of faith, as of the Holy Trinity; item, of the humanity of Christ, is far from being possible, because it does not rhyme. I cannot say that the King of France and this stone are one person; or that this knife and I are one person, for it does not rhyme. So it also does not rhyme that God became man; therefore we have to study it. I also think about it, but I do not understand it. St. Paul understood it well, even though he did not grasp it at all. But there he comes out when he says Col. 2, 3: In Christo sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae Dei; for in Christo all things are known, yea, all creatures, and the whole Godhead: in Christo is found the supreme strength and weakness, death and life, righteousness and sin, grace and wrath of God. Ah, it is a high article, and few take it seriously.
That all false religions and worship originate from the opere operato.
In 1542, M. Mathesius and the other table companions read over Luther's table the booklet de variis ritibus et ceremoniis Judaeorum by the baptized Jew Antonii Margaritä. Then M. Luther said: "All religions, which are against the right, Christian, true religion, all come here ex opere operato, that one says: I will do this, it will please God. But this rule should be well noted, quod omne opus operatum est idololatria. So, what the papists only taught, that was all opus operatum. Their rules and traditions remind me of the Jews, as they have taken much from the Jews. The pope also wanted one to do this or that, as to put on a cap, wear a hard shirt and rope around oneself, and have it put on one's head: whoever did not do or keep this was condemned. Again, if one did it, they could not say for sure whether one would be saved by it or not. Fie on you, devil, what kind of teaching is this! If you do not do it, it will bring you damnation: again, if you do it, you will not know whether it is pleasing to God or not. In such. We poor people are stuck in such error.
Then one of the table companions said: If the world should still stand fifty years, then still much thing would agitate. Then the doctor answered and said: "God does not want the world to stand so long, for it would become worse than it has ever been. For many sects would arise, which are now still hidden in the hearts of men, so that one would not know where one was. 1) Therefore come, O Lord, come, and smite with the latter day; for there is no more improvement to be expected.
How all heretics could be fed.
Do away with the ten commandments of God, said D. Martinus, and all heresies will cease. For the Ten Commandments are a fountain from which all heresy springs and flows. For the Holy Scripture is a book of all heretics.
1) So Stangwald instead of "would be".
Of future sects that would miserably vex, afflict and devastate the true church of God.
D. Martinus sat saddened and lamented the present miserable state of the poor church, which is now in many dangers because of the tyrants and false teachers, sects and cults, through which Satan has challenged the gospel, baptism and the supper of the true body and blood of Jesus Christ these past years. But I hope," he said, "that the two errors will now be completely destroyed. But I am still afraid of two sects, the Epicurismo and Enthusiasmo; the two sects will still reign. For the whole world walks along in the utmost, highest certainty as if it wanted to live here forever, and as if there were no God nor any other life after this.
The others, who do not want to be regarded as not respecting God, will flutter after high things, despise the oral word of God and deal with their own thoughts and speculations, boast of the spirit, and pretend that the oral and external word is nothing; as the enthusiast Marcus of Zwickau was, who said: "No one shall take this teaching from me, not even God Himself. And would have liked to bring me to his opinion in many ways: he boasted and pretended that he had learned everything without the Scriptures, from revelation. Item, he boasted, his pound and gift would be in the degree of immobility (for thus such enthusiasts needed strange, unusual words), namely, he could see into people's hearts, what thoughts they had etc. But God protect me from his enthusiasm.
I am worried that more of the same enthusiasts will come, walking along in gray skirts, hanging their heads, looking sour, drowned in their thoughts, and darkened, stubbornly persisting in their delusion, yielding to no one, and despising the oral word. That is why I have always advised, admonished and pleaded with the utmost diligence that we should read the Scriptures diligently and listen to the sermon, since God Himself speaks through His servants, that we may
with God, who has revealed himself and speaks to us; but God, who is silent and hidden in his majesty, is to be left alone. Therefore, because God has seen that we err in our thoughts and speculations in divine matters, He has revealed Himself to us in His word, and has spoken to us through His only begotten Son, who lies in the womb of His mother at the teat, and has earnestly commanded, saying, "This is the one you shall hear," who will teach you all things. Matth. 17, 5.
But we, alas, do not want to hear him, and despise or master the oral word; we do not want to look for Christ below, by the manger and swaddling clothes, but start above. Oh, if God speaks through a donkey, it is his word; how much more, since he does it through his Son, and his apostles and sent servants! Therefore St. Paul praises the Thessalonians 1 Ep. 2, 13: "You have," he says, "received our word as the word of God, as it is in truth." If we could believe that God spoke to us, we would hold the word in greater honor, love and value. But one cannot receive the concretum, namely the speaking, loquitur. For the enthusiastic quare, as which God seeks with his own thoughts, causes all misfortune: Why the one God is triune, one person God and man, his mother a virgin? why he has mercy on it, that not?
It is the peccatum originale, the original sin, which brought Adam in paradise into all misfortune, and has crept into our skin and inward parts, must also be brought out again through Christ. The Haars, in German Wie?, has become a woe for us; for when Adam wanted to strut and deal with the Haars, Wie?, a woe resulted. Is there no landlord so bad in the house who allows his servant to ask in his secret things how and why he does this? But the servant shall be satisfied with his master's command: he shall carry it out, and not ask why. So God also wants us to fear Him, and with trembling and bruised heart and spirit do what He has commanded and as He has commanded it, and not ask, inquire any more.
and ponder the reason why he wants it that way. He wants us to give ourselves the shame, but him the honor only; that we are poor fools and sinners, but he is wise and righteous, and considers those righteous who believe in his Son, as St. Paul says Rom. 3, 24. But we seek our honor and glory, and his shame.
Therefore, whoever wants to be advised and helped, should diligently pay attention to the oral word, believe it, and turn the quare into an ita, and become like a child; as the holy scripture speaks of the oral word in a very fine and masterly way. If we had no more than the two Psalms, the 119th and 131st, which teach us that we should diligently pay attention to the word, we should be content with that, if the devilish quare (why? how?) had not taken us thus through original sin.
But that some pretend and say that the oral word does nothing, but the Spirit does it, is necessary; for the apostles did not believe either, therefore God had to send them the Holy Spirit etc. Answer: The apostles did believe, however weakly; but afterwards such weak faith became strong through the sending of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit taught nothing else than what Christ had taught before, since Christ says in clear words, Joh. 16, 13: "He (the Holy Spirit) will not speak of Himself, but what He will hear, that He will speak" etc. Summa Summarum, the devil does not want us to stay on the right path, but always drives us to one side. Epicurism goes to the left side, enthusiasm to the right, on which the most pious and devout walk in great superstition and idolatry.
The first is the first of the two.
In 1538, September 13, a fierce disputation against the antinomians and lawbreakers was held for almost five hours, in which D. Martinus opposed the new teachers in the strongest possible way and persuaded them to reject the law through the gospel and to abolish the law, and
He said that he would resist them to the end, even if he should die over them. It shall also be said of him after his death.
And on the evening over the table he said: He would never have agreed to Jeckel's and Grickel's opinion, he would never have put up with them, not even in the least. For the fire always used to be lit by a tiny spark. As the sacramentarians said in the first: It would only be bread; then, it would only mean the body; finally, it would be the true body, but only spiritual,
So Arius also continued his heresy one by one, unhurriedly, of which Peter, bishop of Alexandria, when he noticed it, said long before that it was strange and against the honor of Christ; for whoever denies the divinity of Christ, takes away his honor. And he, Arius, began thus: First, he denied that Christ was God, and said, He was a creature, but fully adequate. But since the Catholic and pious bishops resisted him, he said to the other: Christ was the most perfect creature, even above the angels, through whom all things were made. Thirdly, he pretended: He would be only by the name of God. Fourthly, he said that he was true God from true God, light from light, led Christ into the school, and thus taught from him that the error was so subtle that many fell to him, and kept it with him. Also, the fine bishop of Milan, Auxentius, was deceived by the same error, against which Hilarius wrote an epistle.
But since the pious Christian bishops were not satisfied, he said to the fifth: Christ was not born of the Father, like God, but made of one essence with the Father; he would not admit that he was not made. Then the quarrel arose over the Homousion. Hilarius opposed this, which book he wrote against him is the sum and content, that Christ is natural God, of the same essence with the Father. Although afterwards St. Jerome opposed it, he would have liked to see that this word, Homousion, was taken from the Symbolo Athanasii and Confession of Faith.
because it was not written anywhere in the Bible and the Holy Scriptures. Which Athanasius. Athanasius put a stop to it and said: That one also spoke of the father, he was unborn, could not be born. Even though it was not written in the Scriptures, it rhymed well and would be spoken of in the same way.
Summa, what shall I say: There is no error, superstition or idolatry so gross that one does not fall for it and does not accept it; just as now the Pope of Rome is also honored as a god. And the pagans also had a god, which name was not to be denied: for the same conceived as many creators as there were years in the world. As the Greek word (áëñáîéò) brings with it in number.
87 A different from Arii heresy.
The Arii heresy lasted very long, over three hundred years, reached the time of Augustine and Gregory. Under the emperor Constantino it was in the highest bloom; under the emperor Domitiano it tyrannized; under Joviniano, Valentiniano and Gratiano it diminished a little; it endured seven emperors until the Goths came. Thus the Turk is still today an Arian, although he praises in his oaths the four Gospels; item, that God is a creator of heaven and earth, likewise the resurrection of the dead. But he praises his Mahomet as the highest prophet: he has Christ preached publicly in Constantinople, but that one should leave his Mahomet satisfied and not attack and rebuke him, who is a wonderful man.
88. Of the future sects prophecy of D. M. Luther.
In 1539, January 23, D. Martinus lamented and lamented the sects that would still come from false brothers. There will be so much writing, he said, that the least grammarian and philosopher will want to write special things, and we will fall back into the old errors. For the devil is a thousandfold artist, and can disguise and adorn an error in many ways. So, the Samosateni's and Arii's error is almost the same, only
that the latter confesses one person with the Father, but the latter confesses two persons, but nevertheless one named God, who has only the name. Thus the sacramentarians have also twisted and decorated this saying: "This is my body".
89. of heretics, the abelists.
He, D. Martinus, also remembered the heretics at that time, who were called Abelists and had taken the name from Abel; they would have been the most distinguished teachers outwardly in the light that the sun shone. For first, they held that all who wished to be in their sect should be in wedlock and have wives. Second, that they should dwell with one another, yet abstain from conjugal works, and diligently increase the household with goods and food. Third, that they should choose children from others and from other people to be their heirs. Truly, this has been a strange heresy, and a frivolous one, which has accepted foreign people as heirs. Who would not like that? Thus, the marriage state and God's order are always challenged.
90 All sects and sectarian groups are rebellious.
It is certain, said D. Martinus said, that every heretic and spirit of the mob is also seditious: for after he has taught and spread lies, he seals it with murder. Just as the Lord Christ paints the devil with the two titles, who so sets up poor people that they only set the antecedent, under a good opinion and pretense of peace, as if they sought nothing else than the salvation and salvation of people's souls, peace and unity: after that the devil soon infer such a consequentiam, and leads such a consequence on it, as the heretics themselves never meant nor thought. So Grickel does not now see this consequence that will follow; but the devil is a good dialectician, who has already made the syllogism, antecedens and consequens, the final speech and consequence: but we are sure, think that the devil sleeps, walks idly, and does not rule, since he is among the children of God, and walks around, as Job complains Cap. 1, 6, and St. Peter says 1 Ep. 5, 8.
The heretics and rotten errors have a great appearance.
The heretics and the red spirits, the Jews and the enthusiasts, the doers and the nobles, are always more hopeful, more heated and have a greater appearance and reputation than the true Christians, for which reason one does not think otherwise, that they are righteous and that their thing is vain sanctity. But one can and must meet them with this one argument and reason, and ask them: Dear, is this also the command of our Lord God? Then they must fall silent.
92. heretics unk Rotten want to be innocent martyrs on top of that.
Doctor Martinus remembered the Grickel and said: "He is a proud, presumptuous man whom you cannot win over with whistling or crying, do what you will. The other day I was in Will, already on my way to talk and reconcile with Jeckeln and Grickeln, and yet I was about to be prevented from doing so and was advised otherwise: for I see that the kinder and friendlier I show myself to them, the more their stomachs swell, and they become more and more proud and defiant. He boasts that he is Abel, that he must suffer much and be strangled. What? He will become a martyr under my hands, and I must be his executioner to make him a martyr, since he has troubled and tortured me much more than all my adversaries. No pope or fanatic has grieved me more than he, and now he wants to lay the blame on me. Arius did the same when he wrote to his own: I am persecuted by my pastor and bishop for the truth's sake, but I overcome it all etc. I mean, he was a martyr. In the same way, Christ also made the devil a martyr. Oh dear God, how we walk safely in such great wickedness, without all fear of God and prayer! Therefore, also very horrible and evil lines will follow.
It was the same in the time of the apostles, after whom Manichaeus, the heretic, soon came and said: The apostles had the Holy Spirit, but inadequately, but he had it fully. So now our red spirits also say: we have well
and be fine and right, but they would be perfect, they would have to work it out completely and bring it right etc. So the devil's process goes, he does not do otherwise, that must be expected of him: he always wants to be our Lord God's master, and make everything better.
So for these twenty years I have had more than fifty heretics who wanted to teach me, but God protected me from them, saying, "I will show you what you must suffer for my name's sake," Acts 9:16. 9, 16. Summa, "they must be heresies," 1 Cor. 11, 19; one cannot help it, do what one will. It was so in the time of the apostles; we will not do better than our fathers. When tyranny and persecution cease, heresies follow. For this reason I have let my confession and the three symbols of our Christian faith go out publicly, primarily for this reason, because these articles will soon come into danger and be challenged. The times under the Gospel are evil; where the doctrine is taught and preached purely, all things are revived. Now that this bright light of the gospel has gone out, we see what the world is, which we did not see before in the darkness: and though it hurts now, and we would gladly lament, Christ has laid down for us the loquebar, speaking, strong, as he says: "I am your Lord and Master, you are my disciples and pupils; if they have called me Beelzebub, how much more will they do it to you", Matth. 10, 24. 25. 10, 24. 25. You shall not have it better than I.
93 From rebaptizers.
(Cordatus No. 836. 837.)
The Anabaptists are very bad boys who always boast of their great patience and always shed blood. That is why they cry out that the princes are godless and must be exterminated. They are living devils, not human beings. Carlstadt belonged to their sect and let his son die without baptism.
Baptism is a bath of life, not just water. It is better that those who think it is only a sign remain without it.
94. a different.
(Cordatus No. 1695.)
I do not know the faith of an adult, for he can lie; furthermore, the testimony of a man is not believed. Pay attention to God's word, which commands, and pay attention to God, who says: Preach, baptize, absolve. The prosperity is to be brought home to me. The Anabaptists say, If you believe etc. Only the commandment and the word of God are to be regarded.
The devil does not like the tanfe.
Luther said that baptism is such a thing that all devils must not swallow a drop of it, otherwise it would become a cellar throat for them, which would burn them like hellish fire; but where they see baptism, they must not go to it nor stay with it, but must flee far away from it. Why is that? Because God has commanded and commanded that we should put our hand and tongue to it, and pour the water over the person to be baptized, with the words and letters that God has promised and assured us in the most certain way that He Himself will be present with His divine grace and power, and will do such a work Himself: Baptism is not mere letters, or merely bad water, but God has joined Himself to us and through us, as His instruments, to exercise His grace, power and might.
96. mock remedy of the Anabaptists.
(Contained in Cap. 17, § 10.)
That one should read and contemplate God's Word diligently, for one cannot unlearn it.
Doctor M. Luther said that Duke Frederick of Saxony, Elector, was in the habit of saying: "What one otherwise runs from worldly things or wisdom, I still want to understand well, but when God speaks, that is too high, that one does not grasp and fathom so soon. Yes, of course, said D. M. Luther; still
we go there and think: O we read it ten years ago, and we know it well; but listen:
Lectio lecta placet, decies repetita placebit. This is said of a poet, for example, as of Virgilio or Ovidio; and if one runs it over ten years, then he finds something in it, quod delectet. But here they all cry out: O you can do nothing, because Fides, Fides, bona opera etc.. Well, they say: Repete, repete, acue, acue. So Moses cries out: Just read, just read, there you will probably find more, you will always find something that you never knew before. But we do not. I don't do it myself, that's why I'm sorry for myself, ego odi me; but when I come across it and read it, then I find strength, then I feel that it is a strength, and that it is not a history. The Sapientia says: Come and eat my bread, and you will not hunger; drink my wine, and you will not thirst; drink and be filled. Prov. Sal. 9, 5.
Thus it is said: Letters of princes should be read two or three times, for they are written thoughtfully and wisely. Much more, one should read the Bible often, for God has written His wisdom in it.
The teaching of the Gospel is like the sun and the moon.
The teaching of the gospel is like the sun and the moon in the sky. For as the moon lightens the night, so the gospel also lightens the night, that is, our reason and human wisdom and understanding. Plato and Aristotle know well from the light of nature: Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris, but it is still dark and night to them. When the gospel comes, it wipes men's eyes so that they have to say, "Yes, indeed, it is true. Then the gospel is also a sun, because it brings the promise of the Son of God, when it says: Believe in the Son, who was crucified for you, died, was buried, and rose from the dead. This is the luminare magnum. That is why a Cardinal of Rome rightly said: "Even if the Gospel were not true (as they are wont to say), there is still no silent faith in the Son of God.
rer doctrine will never come on earth. And it is true that no teaching is more difficult than this, as you can see in Matth. 5:20 ff.
99. enthusiasts always find followers.
(The first paragraph of this § in Lauterbach, Jan. 13, 1538, p. 8. - Das Folgmde, July 12, 1538, p. 98.)
On January 13, Phil. Melanchthon a note written by an Anabaptist who had seduced G. K[arg]. This note had been given to Philip by the imprisoned G. K. had handed it over to Philip; in it the Anabaptist praised his spirit and where he had gotten it from; how he had been with Sebastian Frank, whose wife he praised with the highest and heavenly praises, because of her figure, because of her eloquence and her spirit, and he had agreed with her in such a way that his spirit and her spirit had joined together as high as [if] they were both one person; how he had stayed with the highest delight for seventeen weeks, at last he had departed from her, like Elijah from Elisha. This was written. Luther said: This was a whimsical deception of Satan and the most impudent lies by which he attacked the truth, and yet he had disciples who imitated him. The rude devil shall get disciples here, since we are still alive. I cannot hold Mr. D. S[chenk] unsuspicious that he has sent such a deceiver here. But in the end we will see how it stands [cujus toni].
On July 12, he commemorated the Anabaptist Hans Sturm, 1) who had been visited, interrogated and instructed here in the castle several times and still did not want to repent. When I asked him in the presence of many whether he also believed that Christ was a savior of children? If he believed that Christ died for them, and if he believed that he died for the children, that they also had sin, for which Christ had done enough by his death, he answered, "It is true that Christ died, but for us as an example, that we also should die. And thus he completely denied the power and fruit of Christ's suffering. For in this way Christ would be no more than John the Baptist and an-
1) Hans Sturm, a cloth shearer in Freistadt near Linz, Austria. (Kummer.)
other saints, who have also died as an example for us. He stubbornly held on to such things and led many into error. That is why he died in prison in Schweinitz.
100 Whether the Anabaptists will also be blessed.
(Contained in Cap. 9, § 19.)
101. gushers want to be able to do everything and learn from no one.
(Lauterbach, Aug. 14, Wednesday, p. 112.)
On August 14, there was a respectable matron from Freiberg, the wife of W(olf) L(ose), who in the presence of Luther deplored the audacity and courtliness of J. S(chenk), and with what pride he had despised Wittenberg. Luther answered: "It is the art and manner of the same spirits that they please themselves alone, they despise the reputation of all others; and told of the foolhardiness of some. Master Lorenz [Werder] of Torgau, the Anabaptist, and also a goldsmith were brought here; they went along in such great impudence, wanted to be tested by us and laughed: What is the matter? Furthermore: What are you examining us for, Magister Luther? I knew that before you shat on a straw wipe. I am baptized and holy. I may no longer baptize children, for all my children are born holy of me. Such abominations Satan begets in sure and presumptuous spirits. Therefore Solomon says Proverbs 28 (v. 14): "Blessed is he that feareth all things: but he that is stiff-necked shall fall into mischief." Let us take care and pray that we do not fall into temptation, and the visitations are very well ordered, so that such wicked men can be controlled.
102 Anabaptists have not written against M. Luther.
There was a special, excellent Anabaptist who had been wandering in a desolate forest for three days and had eaten nothing; after that he would have come back to the city and found all the citizens and inhabitants of the city, the people of the city, and the people of the city gathered together.
and the unlearned, and asked that the learned should stand in one place, and the rabble in another: and he spake most vehemently, and reproached the wisdom of the world, and then turned to the rabble, and received and pledged them as simple pious men.
(The following Cordatus No. 1065.)
None of the Anabaptists has written against me, because they, being a rebellious rabble, do not have a scholar who could become a master. The red spirits have wanted to become masters of me.
103) Whether the Anabaptists should be killed.
Luther answered and said: "There are two kinds of Anabaptists. Some are public rebels, teaching against the authorities, whom a lord may well have judged and put to death. Some, however, have fanatical delusions and opinions; these are generally expelled.
104. gushers are possessed by the devil.
Muenzer, Carlstadt, Campanus and similar fellows, groups and sects are all devils in the flesh, for all their thoughts are directed toward doing harm and taking revenge.
105. blasphemy finally brings ruin.
Blasphemy kills and knocks the bottom out of the barrel. The blasphemy of the Sacramentans will certainly break their necks. As soon as the blasphemies come, as soon as must become another world. Like Pharaoh and Rabaces, the king of Assyria's heir, who have miserably corrupted and lost theirs by blasphemy, along with themselves.
Dear God, is it not enough that God forgives and pardons all other sins? But the sin of blasphemy against God he does not want anyone to be blamed, nor to go unpunished; as he himself says in Exodus 20:7: "I will not hold him innocent who uses my name uselessly. And this is the judgment, "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain." From the beginning of
In the world, God's commandments have always been attacked, but they still stand for and for; but they, the transgressors and blasphemers, perish and perish.
Item: The gospel is accused of being a seditious doctrine, but it is not seditious; although sedition always follows it, it does not cause any, but brings peace and unity: the devil, with his scales, sects and cults, causes sedition and all misfortune, because he cannot stand pure doctrine, which destroys his kingdom; he makes the world oppose it. That is where dissension and turmoil come from.
What did it cost God before he brought his people to where he wanted them to be! Namely, the kingdom of Egypt into the Red Sea, and the whole people of Israel into the desert. In the same way, Christ took with him the police, regiment and priesthood of the Jews and the Roman Empire. So also today Germany will be torn apart and devastated.
106 D. Martini Urtheil von Erasmo Roterodamo.
(Cordatus No. 530.)
Erasmus has in his appearance and in his writing the mark of deviousness, because he mocks God and religion, and if he makes the greatest words of Christ, of the Scriptures etc., they are still very cold. But he has a spirit to be biting, as his Moria and his Julius 1) prove; are grown and not made words. A made sermon leaves cold; as when he calls Christ reverentially for the sake of sinecures: If Christ does not want to be a king, let him be a beggar. He has provoked and refuted the papacy; now he pulls his head out of the noose.
107. a different.
(Cordatus No. 1466.)
I ask all of you who are serious about the glory [of God] and the gospel, that you take the
1) Erasmus' famous writing
laus stultitias, appeared in Paris in 1509. His witty dialogue "Julius" was probably written in Italy in 1506. According to others, he is not the author. (Wrampelmeyer.)
Be enemies of Erasmus, for he is an abhorrer of religion. Just read his Dialogue de peregrinatione, and you will find that he wants to overthrow the whole religion from the ground up and completely reject the whole religion because of individual abominations, since the dialecticians say that no conclusion can be drawn from what is only individual to what is general. For it does not follow: A certain religion is godless, therefore every religion is godless. Therefore dialectics is also necessary, not the sophistical fallacies which he uses, as they [the sophists] once said: No one and no one bit each other in the sack; where they argued about whether "no one" was taken in itself [absolute], or accidentally, whether personally or really.
108. erasmus is a launderer. 1)
(Cordatus No. 1093.)
Erasmus is not a Greek, but a little Greek, 2) who ridicules and imitates all others, and if he remained in his art, he would be a man, but since he wants to be wise in all things, he deceives himself. It is said: he shall be a fool before the world who wants to be wise before God. Erasmus does not want to do that.
Erasmus is not a warrior.
(Cordatus No. 1102.)
Nature without art can do nothing, lies there like a log, and art without application can also do little. Therefore, use is the golden art, but art is the wooden art. The application has made me a teacher etc. To mock Erasmus is not to refute, and if I were a papist, I would easily convict Erasmus; for although he mocked the ceremonies of the pope, he did not refute them. By mocking, we do not defeat anyone in our time.
110. Erasmus is not Lutheran, but a papist Bloch and scoffer.
(Cordatus No. 1226.)
I want to free Erasmus from the suspicion that he is a luthe-
1) Cf. Cap. 73, § 12.
2) Orusoulus Used by a scholar in a contemptuous sense: a conceited fool.
He has the Roman faith and believes what Pope Clement believes. He is a papist, who believes what the pope wants, but ridicules everything about himself. In the dialogue, which he titled "Puerpera", his spirit and his faith come out. He says of God that if he were concerned about affairs, he would be foolish, powerless or unjust, because he does not govern everything on earth according to his will. But it is said [1 Cor. 1, 21.], "It pleased God well to make blessed by foolish preaching those who believe in it."
111 Erasmus and Lucianus.
(Cordatus No. 1294.)
When I die, I will forbid my children not to read the Colloquia of Erasmus; for he speaks through other persons his exceedingly ungodly opinion, which is against the faith and the church. He may well ridicule me and others, but he will not ridicule the Scheflimini. Erasmus is much worse than Lucian, because he ridicules everything holy under the appearance of holiness.
The Epicurean argument is like Caiphas' advice.
(Cordatus No. 1304. 1305 and 1306.)
I heartily hate Erasmus, because he uses the same argument against the gospel that Caiphas uses [John 11:50] against the person of Christ; for he thinks it better to be silent than that the princes of Germany should be aroused. John also hated Caiphas and Christ gives him a great blow [Joh. 19, 11.]: "He that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin."
What a plain man 3) speaks should be noticed. Therefore John is to be read with special attention. Every word is worth a centner. He speaks as it were sleepy words like [Joh. 17, 5.]: "Father, glorify your son." But God and a godly person judges differently about these and other words of him.
I have patiently borne that Erasmus mocked me, but since he also mocked Christ and
3) In the original worse, i.e. plain, simple.
mocking all godliness with his ambiguities, I will make a move on him and will kill him, because I have sworn to Christ. Therefore, I will no longer let his [Christ's] honor stand in danger. He [Erasmus] has the material of a Democritus and an Epicurus, let him hear that etc. Admittedly, this is also true: he who presses Erasmus presses a bug. I will cite the passage from Isaiah [59, 5.] about the basilisk egg, which fits him. I made this verse on him in bed that night:
Qui Satanam non odit, amet tua carmina, Erasme etc.
[He who does not hate Satan, love your poems, Erasmus.]
113. From Erasmus Prefaces to the New Testament.
(Cordatus No. 1332.)
Even if many wise men in the world should be angry and turn away from me when I write against Erasmus, it is better that I lose them than Christ. In his prefaces on the evangelists he almost does not distinguish Christ from Solomon; John he almost despises. About Paul's letter to the Romans he says that the difficulty of the letter is greater than its usefulness. Does that mean Paul praised? Fie on you!
114. by Erasmi Mona.
(The first paragraph of this § at Cordatus No. 1330.)
When Erasmus wrote his "Moria", he has begotten a daughter worthy of him. For it is fitting that that slippery-talking Vertumnus 1) should turn his tails in circles like this, and that a Thor should beget a Thorheit.
(The following paragraph Cordatus No. 1338.)
One leaf in Terence is better than all the dialogues and colloquies of Erasmus, my serpent, whom I hate. Epiphanias, Cyril, Bulgarius [Theophylact] have been the best in the Greek Church.
2) Item: I am the snake, the Erasmo,
1) Vertumnus, change god, the god of nature and the seasons, which are always changing.
2) This paragraph is probably spurious, an edit of the next preceding paragraph.
I will faithfully oppose the reading of his books by all God-fearers, for they serve neither good discipline nor understanding. From one leaf in the Terentio, Erasmus can make a great long Dialogum or conversation. He is a mocker of religion, police and economy, of the church, secular and domestic regiment. And, since God is before, if our Confession and Apologia were dead, Erasmus would create an epicurean church.
115 Erasmus sits between two chairs.
Erasmus could well have served and been useful to the trade of the Gospel, as he is often Christianly admonished to do, but he has not done so. And now that he would like to, he cannot, for the matter has now come too far, and he no longer has the deck of cards in his hand, but has given it up. He has expressed himself in this way, so that he is no longer used by the papists for this purpose, and he is like Jude Iscariot, who also did not want to do it, since he was kindly admonished by Christ, when Christ said to him, "Why do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? Luc. 22, 48. "My friend, why have you come?" Matth. 26, 50. Then he could have refrained and served Christ, but he would not. After that, when he was sorry and wanted to, he could not, and was also despised and rejected by the Jews. Therefore a bishop said of Ario, the heretic, and said: Arius does not seek God's glory. So may I say of Erasmo also.
116. erasmi way or ingenium.
(Cordatus No. 1635.)
Erasmus is such a mocker [Momus] that he cannot be seized either by us or by the papists, and on and on he devises new ambiguities which must be interpreted against him (even if the decree had not already made this determination). 3)
3) The original offers: huas [arnpüidolias] aävsr8U8 6uni l ni8i ut 8tatuit Dserstum) 8unt intsrprstanäas. The explanation which Dr. Wrampelmeyer attempts with respect to the bracketed words: "if they are not within the bounds of the decree" is impossible, for Luther would in that case be following the
If he were a Christian, he would not be playing his game with religion now as an old man.
117 Erasmus does not respect Christ and his word.
(Cordatus No. 1636.)
I will speak plainly of Christ, and will say with Joshua [34:15], Call yourselves whom ye will serve; but I and my house will serve the Lord. How great a sin it is to mock Christ, as happened to him who said that Peter had said, "The devil is at war; what I strike, he heals;" this is clear from the suffering of the whole creature, which mourned when Christ was blasphemed on the cross.
118. a different.
After my death, said D. Martinus, now that he has spoken much of Erasmo, you shall say that Erasmus was a godless man and an epicure. But if I am alive, I will go after him. One should not suffer his treachery. He thinks he alone is wise and learned, mocks us as if we were vain geese and sleepy fools. In his writing he uses vain words of uncertainty, 1) which one can interpret as one likes, so that he will not be punished; as he now does in his new catechismo. Such dark, uncertain, and doubtful speeches do not serve piety, but do great harm and mislead the people. It behooves a teacher to teach, to nurture, and to defend with certainty.
(Cordatus No. 1765.)
I would have meant, I wanted to bring Erasmus with my epistle again in armor, that I would seize him as a not ambiguous [amphibologicum] in some words, but it is in vain. I would have hoped that I could cleanse the church of his doctrine and of his brood, that is Egranus, Crotus, Witzel, Oecolampad, Campanus etc. I do not want him in the church.
Decree have made no concession. But the words are to be put thus: umpbibobas aäversus eum interpretanäue sunt a nokis, visi sam taoiendum esset, ut 8tatuit V6er6turu.
1) Cf. cap. 22, § 40.
119. by Erasmi Conterfei.
When Doctor Martinus was shown Erasmi's conterfei, he did not like it. And it was said that when Erasmus saw his own Conterfei image, he said: Seeing thus, I am the greatest knave. So no one likes his own figure.
120. from Erasmi Catechismo.
Erasmus, said D. Martinus, has been poisoned and besmirched with Epicurismo in Rome and Venice: he has praised the Arians more than the Catholics: he may say: Christ is called God only once in John, since Thomas thus speaks to Christ: My Lord and my God, John 20, 28. But among all his enamored, 3) arrows I can least like his Catechismum, because he teaches nothing certain in it, makes young people only misguided and doubtful.
121. of his life and end.
(This § in Lauterbach, Aug. 16, 1538, p. 114, and. (the second paragraph) Sept. 30, 1538, p. 138.)
Luther: Erasmus' sentence and position was: one must serve the time. He looked only at himself. He lived and died without a preacher and without comfort. He went in repentance correptam. 3)
Erasmus of Rotterdam has written many things gloriously, for he had spirit, leisure, was without all complaint, without office, he did not preach, he did not read, he was not a steward, was in a state of life without God, lived very securely, as he also died [morixit], and in his agony did not desire a minister of the Word nor the Sacraments, and perhaps one still imputes to him the words that in his agony he is said to have confessed: Son of God, have mercy on me. God protect me that I should not desire a pious servant at my last end, yes.
2). Thus at this point in Aurifaber. The otherwise more common spelling is: verlipt, e.g. Wittenb. VII, 148 b. It means: poisoned.
3) in Teufels Rachen (Stuttg.-Leipz. Ausg.). This expression still occurs in Tischreden, Cap. 43, § 163, and in the admonition to the clergy at Augsburg. Wittenb., ed. VII, 447 b.; Jen. (3rd printing) V, 78 b.
If only I could call the next one, I would thank God. But that man learned that in Rome. But now one must be silent because of his reputation and his books. - Afterwards, there was again talk of collecting Luther's works in volumes; but he resisted: "I do not want my books, especially the earlier ones, to be published; indeed, I would rather destroy them all. For the whole church is filled with books, and the Bible is neglected. For many books of Augustine are nothing, the whole Jerome is almost nothing, with the exception of the Histories, which one would like to bring to four quaters 1). The world is vain, always desires new things, neglects the godly. A desire for libraries arises, and so my example gives others an opportunity. Everyone wants to write, because Luther has written.
122. a different.
Doctor Martinus pointed out to M. A. Lauterbach a very violent, bitter epistle that Erasmus had written to Elector Duke Frederick against him, the doctor. Anno 1525. Yes, this one can, he said, scold me, and [only wants] to have his Epicurismum praised. Ah, epicurism is the most harmful sect, which cannot be refuted with the holy scriptures, for they do not respect it.
123: Prince Frederick's speech by Erasmo.
Doctor Martinus said that Duke Frederick, Elector of Saxony, had once addressed Erasmus at Cologne in 1519 and had given him a damask; after that he said to M. Spalatin: What kind of man is Erasmus? One does not know how to deal with him. And Duke George, as he used to say, "That the addiction stabs him, one does not know what he is up to: I still praise the Wittenbergers, who speak yes or no. It is also true, said D. M. M., because we tell it to the pope dryly.
Then S. said: Erasmus once went out, let himself be heard of these blasphemous words: If God were not, I would rule the world by my cleverness. Dar-
1) Quatern, a printed sheet of four leaves.
D. Martinus answered: Erasmus has always attributed to him this divinity, which he wanted to deprive Christ of, has considered himself alone wise, has despised the others, and has considered us to be his fools and game birds, in whom he would have his pleasure, as if we did not understand his screwed and fickle words. I offered and challenged him in the epistle that displeased Philip, but he would not go along with me; for I had much from his great book, which he called Farraginem Epistolarum, that I wanted to cut out for him.
124. Erasmus Christ's enemy.
This, said D. Martinus, I leave after me in the will, and to this I take you to witnesses that I consider Erasmum the highest enemy of Christ, as none has not been in a thousand years. In his Catechismo there is not a word that he said: Do this or leave that. He does nothing in it except to mislead consciences. And he has written against me in his booklet "Hyperaspistes," 2) in which he wants to defend his book on free will, against which I have written in my book "On the Servile Will," which he has not yet published and will never be able to publish for eternity. This I know for certain, and I defy the devil with all his scales, so that he may confute it. For I am certain that it is the immutable truth of God. But if a God lives in heaven, he (Erasmus) will one day become aware of what he has done.
Erasmus judges only according to reason in matters of God.
(Contained in Cap. 34, K 5.)
126. a different.
(Cordatus No. 394 and 246.)
It will be a ridiculous thing for Erasmus that God should be born of a poor woman. Lucian has ridiculed all, but
2) In the ablative editions: Hyperaspiste. Cf. De Wette IV, 509, where Luther jokingly calls this writing Viperuspläes.
A greater knave is Erasmus. But on the last day he will feel differently and he will speak 1): I thought the life of these people was nonsense.
Erasmus of Rotterdam considers the Christian religion to be a comedy or a tragedy, containing things that never happened, but invented to ennoble [firmandos] the manners of men. 2)
127 Another sharp judgment of D. Martin Luther by Erasmo Roterodamo, written to his son with his own hand from a note in Latin. Anno 1533.
(This § in Walch, old edition, vol. XVIII, 2498.)
Erasmus does not ask about faith in Christ.
I did not want to take ten thousand florins, said D. Martinus, and stand in danger before our Lord God, since St. Jerome is standing in it, much less Erasmus, who in one place annoyed me very much and pushed me before the head. When he was supposed to answer about faith in Christ, he said, "I will let this little thing pass and go.
129. beware of erasmi books.
If I am in good health and God gives me strength and power, I will confess my Lord Jesus Christ fully and freely against Him. I will not sell Jesus like this. I go to the pit every day, therefore I will confess him with a free open mouth, and not mince words. For he that speaketh sophistically, and keepeth gruel in his mouth, that is a good enemy to him, especially in matters where he is sensibly concerned. Just as the pagan Quintilianus says that one should beware of the one who speaks doubtfully, with uncertain and wavering words, which can be interpreted and twisted wherever one wants, in both rights. But now Erasmus speaks with diligence and deliberately, even maliciously, slippery and, as they say at court, with screwed words, which have no certain sense, and which he directs and ver-
I) When Erasmus will see the believers in bliss.
2) Maybe: kormandos?
can turn of his liking, according to his sense, as he wants, according to opportunity of the circumstances.
Therefore I command you by God's command, said D. Martinus to those who were with him, that you be enemies to him and beware of his books, for he considers all our theology, like Democritus, the pagan mocking philosopher, that is, to be nothing but foolish heiding, you laugh and scoff. I will write against him, if he should die and perish: I will kill Satan with the pen. Although these thoughts have plagued me for a long time, I have refrained from writing against him, because I thought, "What if you kill him? Well then, I have killed Muenzer, whose death is on my neck. But I did it because he wanted to kill my Christ. Uncertain, doubtful, wavering words and speech are to be swept up, run through the reel, quickly chastised and not left well alone. With rhetoric I cannot be his equal, but with dialectica I want to be superior to him; if not beautiful and curly, as they say, then silly and firm.
Erasmus does not respect God's word in theology.
Erasmus, said D. Martinus, understands his thing, that is, pagan trades; but our thing, that is, theological things, he does not respect: brings together all philosophers, kings and princes, sayings, words and deeds: then he brings to heap and shows all the aversions that have come from our doctrine, that Christ, as an incomprehensible, inexperienced young man, punishes and rebukes them all at once, yes, condemns them. Finally, he concludes: "If there were a God, he would not suffer such things. That is why he has a god called Rhamnusia, 4) that is, luck: as it goes, so it goes, as it falls, so it falls, approximately; believes no other god.
The first is that in all his books there is no mention of faith in Christ and how he conquered sin, death, the devil and hell.
3) I.e. necessarily.
4) Rliarnnusia, i.e. nemesis, fate.
and which he has overcome. The other is that he deliberately desecrates and blasphemes our thing with special diligence, and uses such words and sayings that would not occur to a stick-fool; but he speaks and writes deliberately. But he opens his heart, and makes it manifest, because he defends his thing so highly, otherwise he would 1) press on the epicurum, as it is written Luc. 19, 22: "Thou servant of a fool, out of thy words I judge thee."
Erasmus does not respect God's works and creatures.
We, said D. Martinus, are now in the dawn of the life to come, for we are beginning to regain the 2) knowledge of the creatures that we lost through Adam's fall. Now we see the creatures quite rightly, more than in the papacy. Erasmus, however, asks nothing about it, cares little about how the fruit is formed, prepared, and made in the womb, so he also does not respect the marriage state, how glorious it is. But we, by the grace of God, begin to recognize His glorious works and wonders even from the little flowers, when we realize how almighty and kind God is; therefore we praise and extol Him, and thank Him. In his creatures we recognize the power of his word, how mighty it is. When he spoke, 3) there it stood. Also in a peach pit: the same, although its shell is very hard, yet it must open in its time, through the very soft pit that is inside. Erasmus ignores this and does not pay attention to it; he looks at the creatures as the cow looks at a new gate.
132. from Erasmi case.
(Cordatus No. 1521 and No. 1529.)
I am surprised that a hurried man can fall away from God as far as Erasmus did. I wonder that a man can fall so far from God as Erasmus; for he is as certain that there is no life with God as I am certain that I have two eyes. Lucianus is not as certain as he.
I resent the fact that Erasmus arrogates to himself the name of a theologian, since he is the
1) The words: "otherwise he would" etc. are omitted by Stangwald.
2) In the editions "the".
3) In the editions: Since he said, he spoke etc.
custom of Christ and his ministry does not know why he came to earth; for in his whole theology he makes Christum a jurist 2)
Erasmus does not think anything of God.
(Cordatus No. 1518. 1519 and No. 51.)
Erasmus is a jack in the skin, which is evident from all his books, especially in the Colloquiis, where he does not speak in his own person, but in others. He mocks the true religion next to the false one. If I had a year free, I would want to fight with him. To this Erasmus, the father and the son is a ridiculous thing.
God has allowed us to play with "apples" and pears and nuts, our wives; but with Him and His majesty He does not let us joke.
Philip Melanchthon: Erasmus of Rotterr dam said that after the theologians invented the Father and the Son, they also added the Holy Spirit so that they could argue about their offices.
5) Erasmus is worthy of great hatred. I admonish you all to consider him an enemy of God. Erasmus strikes fire in the tinder of the young boy, and holds Christ, as I hold Claus fool: he teaches nothing, but wash; what Res are and the things concerned, there he teaches nothing of.
134. by Erasmi Diatribe.
(Cordatus No. 153.)
Of all the books that the enemies of truth have written against me, I have read through none but the Diatribe of Erasmus, and even these I have read in such a way that I often thought of throwing them under the bench. For all of them, no matter how many have written against me, have given me, when I had read one or two sheets, material enough-the rest was good to wipe my butt. This I also did, so that the lies that were left in such books did not weigh me down beyond measure.
4) The last sentence of this section is transferred to the following §, where it belongs.
5) The last paragraph is no longer with Cordatus.
135 From Erasmi Epistles.
In Erasmi's epistles you will find nothing more special than that he praises the friends and scolds and blasphemes the enemies and adversaries, and nothing else.
136. gushers deceive themselves.
(This § except for the first sentence Cordatus No. 733 and 735.)
I have, said D. M. Luther, the enthusiasts, who rage so hostilely, gladly; because they corrupt and kill themselves.
Paul has been the wisest man, according to Christ, who says [Tit. 3, 10.], "Avoid a heretical man, when he is admonished once and again."
I am well pleased; he that deceiveth me, let him deceive me. The game is started in one name, which is called Christ. I dare now, ask nothing of it, where stocking 1) or tail remain.
137. from Balaam.
(Contained in Cap. 22, § 105.)
138. of heretics.
(Contained in Cap. 7, § 31.)
139. of the Rottengeister theology.
One of them said how the theology of the red-blooded spirits was the cause of much evil and misfortune. Yes, said D. M. Luther, there is no greater mischief than the sun: for if it did not shine, there would not be thievery, adultery, robbery and drudgery. Our Lord God is the greatest cause of sin, so why did he create it? says Frau Hulda, the reason.
140 Error is apparent and glistens.
(Cordatus No. 87.)
There is no error that does not have a very beautiful appearance when one breaks into God's word with reason. Thus, for Manichaeus, error had a very beautiful appearance of the two gods or principles, one of which was good, the other evil;
1) Stocking--Trunk. Wittb. Ausg., Bd.V1I.Fol. 610.
For when he looked around at all creatures, he saw in all of them something good and something bad, as in the trees some good fruit, some bad, in others worms, rotten twigs, and the like. Furthermore, that he fell into such a gross error was due to the fact that he either did not treat the first article of the Christian faith at all, or only very superficially; otherwise he would not have admitted a second God. The same happens to all those whom reason deceives. But it deceives those who either wholly or partially follow their thoughts and not only the word of God.
141: Of errors and sects.
(Except for the last paragraph, Lauterbach, 21 Jkln. 1538, p. 14.)
Afterwards Schneidewein said that a big rumor was spread here and there about a preacher who was caught here, who had been seized during a disputation and thrown into prison. Some spread this rumor about M. Georg Rörer, some about Major. Luther answered and gave information about the matter and the person [Karg], that he was seduced by an Anabaptist, so that he denied that Christ had received his body from Mary. He claimed that Christ's body was a real body, not an illusory body, as the Manichaeans say, but a heavenly and divine one. When I countered him: If Christ has not taken on our flesh, then our flesh and blood cannot enjoy blessedness: he claimed, on the other hand, that our flesh would not be resurrected, but that a new flesh would be created. Thus one error begets other errors, and if we do not watch and pray, innumerable sects will obscure the pure gospel. If the devil dares to defile the articles of faith in our time, when we are still alive, what good can we hope for in our descendants? Alas, dear Lord, the devil is grief-stricken for us, and we snore in our security. We want to show great prudence in theology. He who wants to seek his honor in the holy scriptures is nonsensical; for the same is given for God's honor, not for man's glory. Poets, jurists, beautiful girls may be fine, if
They strut in their gifts, but in the holy scripture everyone should humble himself 2) I hold Jakob S(chenk) suspicious that he has incited that student against us by his arrogance and hatred. For I hear that he has boasted that he wants to create all the theologians and philosophers of the university. It is just a lot to take a bite out of.
The Anabaptists and Sacramentarians, said D. M. Luther. M. Luther, "have caused tumult and noise and disrupted the church, but have done no particular harm to Christianity. But I, if I were to take three bishoprics from the pope and deny Christ, would do great harm to Christendom. For the devil gives me other more pointed arguments, which they do not yet know and can pretend. But God protect me from that. And in this I realize that the devil is a master of the world. Nevertheless, I also realize that Christ is stronger: because Verbum Domini manet in aeternum, God's word remains eternally, and whoever clings to it with faith also remains eternally.
The false teacher's nature and sin.
All murderous and wolfish teachers' kind, said D. M. Luther. M. Luther, is that they want to be praised as doing better than all other salutary teachers. Therefore, they also sin against the Holy Spirit in this way, so that their sin cannot be forgiven 2) but must fall into punishment, because they not only sin, but also justly defend such sin with all iniquity; for sin must be recognized and repented of if it is to be forgiven.
143. false teaching does not hold the length.
In 1532 a very poisonous book went out against the Holy Trinity. M. Luther: "People do not think that others have also written and acted on this article; but it does not hold the sting that I want to set my thoughts against God's Word and the Holy Spirit.
1) From these words "for ... humble" is Cap. 22, z 57 made. - The same thought Cap. 37, § 34.
2) Cf. cap. 39, § 18 at the end.
144. heretics cannot be persuaded of their delusion.
In 1542, D. M. Luther said: "No heretic can be persuaded to turn away from his own delusion and mind and give honor to the truth of the divine word. No, they see and hear nothing. Like M. Stiefel, when he preached in 1533 that the last day should come in the same year: he neither saw nor heard me. Throughout my life, no adversary has given me such evil words as he did. And even if they repent, it is still generally a gallows repentance that does not have the time or the right root.
Oh, it is soon done for a man that the devil takes him over so completely that he has neither sense nor reason. We do not believe that we are such weak people and that the devil is so powerful. I often wonder what kind of battle it must be between the devils and the angels. I think that the angels are often defeated for a while when they fight for us. It is said: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, you shall not curse, rebuke etc., much less commit heresy. I hold that Grickel believes nothing: he holds godliness to be a trade and business; and again. If it were without the prophets, and [we] had not them, we should despair: but their examples sustain us, because it was so with them, yea, with the Lord Christ himself. "The disciple is not above his master," Luc. 6, 40.
145. lack of listeners and preachers.
D. M. Luther said: "The only thing people lack is that they cannot take the preaching ministry for the word of our Lord God: they only think that it is the speech of the priests. Therefore they fear (as they say) that one wants to become papist again, or that one wants to get the upper hand over the laity again. So we pastors and preachers also fail to hold our teachings as God's word. For when people humble themselves before us, we soon want to tyrannize.
3) D. i. duration.
Now this is the plague that has always been from the beginning of the world, that the hearers are afraid of the tyranny of the teachers, and the preachers want to be gods over the hearers. It was the same with the prophets: If they put just a long time before: Haec dicit Dominus, it did not help until the punishments came afterwards. So then one complains: These are evil times. Yes, recordare, fili, says God, that you also did not want to hear me. This is what Solomon said in fine words, Proverbs 1:24, 25, 26: Extendi manus meas etc., nunc ego vos quoque ridebo. They are mala mundi, there is no other way, it will remain so. Lot must be in Sodom and Moses in Egypt, Jacob with Laban in Mesopotamia. Nothing else will come of it, therefore we may send ourselves to suffer cheerfully.
The devil does not harm the gospel with persecution.
D. M. Luther once said: "If the devil were so wise as to keep silent and allow the gospel to be preached without hindrance and persecution, he would have less damage to his kingdom; for if the gospel is not challenged and persecuted, it rusts away and has no cause to display its power and strength.
Luther's complaint that it is evil in the German land and that God will punish it, as punishment has always followed the preaching of God's Word.
O dear children, whoever can die, let him die soon, it does not want to become good in the world, it truly does not want to become good. If I knew that my children would see the misery that is coming, I would much rather die soon with my children and all believers in Christ. It will happen this way, and you can already see how John the Evangelist says: Christ will have ventilabrum in manu sua, and purgiren aream suam, he will winnow the grain on the threshing floor, Matth. 3, 12. When the Gospel was in Rome, our Lord God winnowed confidently, and many fine people came away. God gathers the grain into his barn. When
When the people were gone, he set fire to Rome so that it lay in ashes and cannot yet be rebuilt. The same will happen to the German land. Our Lord God will collect his grain: when that is gone, he will set the German land on fire. For our sins oppress us, and we do not repent, but still heap God's wrath and punishments upon us.
Recently, a great prince gave Erasmo Albero leave, only because he wrote to him that it was not right that the poor priests should give protection and tax from their pay, if they otherwise had no trade nor access, but their pay, from which they would have the nourishing bread to eat, and this pay they should still overspend. But he had to leave the country because of this, and the citizens, where he was, tied a pair of shoes to his door and wrote over them: Surge et ambula; so he had to go away in disgrace, as a rebel. Well then, let us begin a Domo Dei, so let it be lamented to God.
148 Of the eclipses.
It was once thought over Luther's table that the eclipses had neither effect nor effect; if one had said in former times that the eclipses or darkness always meant the death of a king or otherwise of a great leader. To this D. Luther answered and said: It is true, the eclipses want to have no more effect. I think that our Lord God will soon come with the right effect and strike with the last day; as I dreamed the other day: when I lay down to sleep after noon, I dreamed that the last day came on the day of Paul's conversion, and I said: In pace in id ipsum requiescam seu dormiam.
And Luther said: "I know no more counsel, for it is as I dreamed that the last day had come. For it is impossible that the Pope's church or the Roman court should be reformed; the Turk and the Jews cannot be punished and reformed; there is also no improvement in the Roman empire; it cannot be punished and reformed.
help. They have now come together for thirty years at many imperial congresses, and yet they have never achieved anything; the longer it goes on, the worse it gets. So our people are rising, and now they are also becoming incorrigible; so that this regiment cannot stand, no one can be drawn any more; therefore it cannot remain, or there would be no God.
(This paragraph Cordatus No. 409.)
There is no greater plague on earth than a wayward woman. Therefore Solomon says [Prov. 30:21-23] "A land is troubled by three things, and the fourth it cannot bear. A servant, when he becomes king; a fool, when he is too full; a hostile woman, when she becomes wicked; and a maid, when she becomes her wives' heir. When the louse is in the grind, no one can get along with her. The servant who becomes king is the nobles, the fool is the peasants.
These four things are now going on with force in the pregnancy, therefore I know no other advice nor help, except that the last day will come; one can never help, it is desperate. Perhaps our Lord God lets his gospel go now, so that he wants to gather his Christians beforehand, as he has always done. When he wanted to destroy a kingdom, he first gave them preachers and had them call out: Here, here; come, come; learn rather.
The sermon is always preceded by punishment. So he did also in Rome: when he had gathered his Christians therein, the Goths and Vandals came, and thrust them into a heap. He did the same in Jerusalem. As John the Baptist says in Matt. 3:12: "God hath a shovel in his hand, and gathereth his wheat into the barn, and the chaff he will burn with fire." How many a strong sermon will he have preached, which are only described in short words; he will have said: Dear people, look, your Savior is coming, I am his praecursor, he will surely come when I am dead. Yes, what does he mean by this? Little. I would like to hear such a sermon. What a sharp sermon that would have been, when St. John says: "You vipers", Matth. 3, 7.
is much more severe than when I call the pope an antichrist. So all the sermons of the prophets are only short sentences and indications of their teachings: otherwise, if all the sermons of Jesus and other prophets had been collected together, it would have been a large book, probably sixteen times as many as the other prophets' writings are now.
But so it goes: our Lord God gathers his grain, the axe is laid to the tree, says St. John Matth. 3, 10. It will not be otherwise. Curavimus Babylonem et non est sanata, ideo relinquamus eam, say the angels, Jer. 51, 9. we will leave it and go away.' O it is a poor thing when the world is thus abandoned.
Therefore I often think when I walk and speculate what I should pray for the Diet; for the Bishop of M[ainz], Albrecht C[ardinal], is not pious, the Pope is lost; so I know no other help than that I pray: Dear Father, adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua, and make it an end, veniat dies illa extrema. There is no hope of improvement. One can help the empire as little as I can help a ship that is out of my hands and floating in the middle of the Elbe; only that I pray that they do not make it worse, so that there may still be a little stay.
I am not so much afraid of the emperor and the pope who persecute us as of our own sins and ingratitude. I did not want to look at the pope, he can do nothing, he has not done anything to us yet; but our ingratitudo, contemptus et fastidium verbi in tanta luce, will do it, so that the devil even creeps in to us. This sometimes causes us to be despondent, for this sin even pushes the bottom out of the barrel.
149) That false teachers and heretics should be punished without knowledge of their sins, and without public knowledge of them.
Revocation, not shall accept again.
In 1540, Luther said: "If the pope would throw away his triple crown and leave his Roman chair, and let go of the primacy, and if the pope would give up his triple crown, and let go of his Roman chair, and let go of the primacy, and let go of his triple crown, and let go of his triple crown.
publicly confess that he has erred and devastated the church, and shed innocent blood; yet we cannot receive him back as a member of the Christian church, but we must consider him to be the real Antichrist.
When M. Eisleben had denounced the Antinomy in Wittenberg, and would have liked to have gotten along with M. Luther, and all kinds of conditions had been proposed; also M. Eisleben's wife wept bitterly, and begged very much to accept her husband again; item, the Elector of Brandenburg wrote for him, and interceded, M. Luther answered nothing to it, but this: If he is publicly recanted in this manner, he can be accepted as: I confess that I have deceived and wronged those of Wittenberg.
I am sorry for this and repent from the bottom of my heart, and I ask for God's sake that I be forgiven. Otherwise, we will not accept a revocation that he can interpret. It must be spoken clearly. If he does not want it, I will give it.
150. answer of D. M. Luther, given to a Klügling.
When M. Luthern once asked someone a question, and the doctor had answered him, and he did not want to be satisfied with that, he continued much more with various questions; then D. Luther said to him: Beware of the quare, si non vis errare. Strife makes strife. Hader significat panniculum, ex quo conficitur papyrus.