1. where to get preachers and pastors.
2. what houses most comfortable.
3. from the University of Erfurt.
4. the benefits that come from schools.
5. several universities and schools in Germany, so Christian are.
6. from the deposition.
7. deposition, what it is useful for.
8. from the University of Wittenberg.
9. of degrees and doctorates in universities, and of good arts.
10. God sustains good arts and schools.
11. that it is better to study now than in the past.
12. from the dialectica.
13. what the dialectica is.
14 A question from the Dialectica.
15 Another question from the Dialectica.
16. the difference between dialectics and rhetoric.
What the Grammatica teaches.
18. from disputations.
19. from weekly disputations.
20. what is the eloquence.
How dialectics is used in schools, teaching and training.
22. schools maintain the church.
1. where to get preachers and pastors.
Schools must be given by pastors and preachers, as is also done in the papacy; but what has come to cathedrals and vicarages has become rotten and done no good.
At another time, Luther said: "From schools one must take pastors and preachers, who must build and maintain churches. Schools and parishes are better than the concilia; that is why I have preferred them to the conciliis in my booklet, which will annoy the papists.
In 1539, on January 28, Luther said how now the youth had such a good time and comfort to study, because all arts were taught in a fine, orderly and correct way, so that one could easily grasp who was not a fool. In this way, the boys would not be held so harshly. In former times, the youth was pulled too hard, so that they were called martyrs in school: especially they were plagued with the Lupo and Casualibus and Temporalibus, which was no use at all, very annoying and burdensome, also unfunny, so that one only spent the good time and spoiled many a fine, skilful head; but it did not last beyond six years. Now, at this time, when God has again given good arts, and those who can teach them finely correctly, the youth does not want to study, is lazy, careless and disgruntled. And read the young Hans von A. a good
Text for the sake of his disobedience and indiscipline, since he had a fine head and ingenuity for studying, and his parents had a lot of interest in him, they wanted him to learn something, and since he would not improve, he wanted to trample him underfoot himself. For I do not want to know or suffer such examples of disobedience in my house and over my table," he said, "even if you had earls' estates: you judge yourself by them, I do not want you to suffer them.
2. which houses are the most comfortable.
D. M. Luther praised the houses in cities above others, and said that those were the best for married couples, which had two rooms high and well situated to the churches and the market.
(The following Cordatus No. 1110. 1111.)
I hope that the universities of Erfurt and Leipzig will flourish again, since they agree with our theology. But some must lay down their heads first.
Theology maintains the universities, lawyers do not. It is allhie no more than a Schindleich. Erfurt is in the best position where a city must stand, even if it should be destroyed. It is now no more than a stable full of pigs. Where evil food is, there are funny people, because they have to search. Where fat fields are, there they do not build the houses, but fatten the bellies. Bavaria and Switzerland are barren, but well cultivated.
3. from the University of Erfurt.
(Cordatus No. 1004.)
The University of Erfurt was once so large that all the others were hardly Particularschulen. I do not believe that there has been a larger secular school in the world than [the number of those] who wanted to be graduated [there] as Magisters. 1)
4. useful, so comes out of schools.
(The beginning of this § in Lauterbach, Oct. 1, 1538, p. 139 f.). What then follows until the end, 12 Dec. 1538, p. 189.)
On October 1, he praised the usefulness of the schools, which, although they had little prestige, nevertheless created great benefit, which was simply the preservation of the church. For there the youth is educated to godliness and sent to all ranks. From them, collaborators and school teachers are chosen to be servants of the church. Woe to Germany, because it neglects the schools so much! Woe to the bishop of Mainz, who destroys the universities in Erfurt and Mainz, which he could preserve with one word! Only this corner in Wittenberg flourishes in studies. The papists -will probably build the stable in time, when the wolf has eaten the cattle. The bishop of Mainz is guilty of this sin; indeed, he is the ruin of the schools and of all Germany. He deserves the punishment for it, because he has a pale color in his face, earth-colored, deadly, as if clay is stained with blood. As he is by nature and character, so he has his color. He has certainly incited Lemnius against D. Brück, that he should call him the most excellent rabulist [chatterer]. He does not care much about my person, because he is dead in the first table [of the holy ten commandments, but he fears the bridge in the second table. Therefore Lemnius is instigated to attack him. For it is probable that his courtiers and lawyers are the most spiteful enemies of Brück, who want to retaliate against him with this attack. I want to tease D. Brück with this "Rabulist".
On December 12, there was a lot of talk about universities and their ceremonies; the be-
1) quam erat promotio Magistrandorum.
The most famous, and which would have the largest number of students, would be the one in Paris, where the theologians would have your own and very pleasant place in the city, called the Sorbonne. I believe it is so called from the sorbis, the apples near the dead sea, which outwardly have a very beautiful appearance, but inwardly they are ashes. Thus the University of Paris is very frequented, which is the mother of many errors; for it holds quite boorish disputations; they shout among themselves, as in a tavern, Latin, French, Italian, and finally they enforce silence by clapping hands. But they do not award a doctorate in theology to anyone who has not proven himself for ten years, admittedly, in their futile sophistry. In Bourges, too, they adorn the graduated doctors and give them fish traps to catch people with.
5. quite a few universities and schools in Germany Christian.
(This § is transferred to Cap. 4, § 71, where it belongs).
6. from the deposition.
And when D. Martinus was at a deposition together with some excellent scholars, he graduated three boys and said: "This ceremony is used so that you may be humbled, not be hopeful and presumptuous, nor become accustomed to evil. For such vices are strange monstrous beasts, which have horns not befitting a student, and are evil. Therefore humble yourselves and learn to suffer and have patience, for you will be deposited all your lives. In great offices, the burghers, peasants, the nobility, and your wives will one day depose you and plague you. If such things happen to you, do not become fainthearted, despondent and impatient, for they will not overcome you; but be confident, and suffer such crosses with patience, without murmuring: remember that you are consecrated to suffer at Wittenberg, and you can say when it comes: "Well, I have first begun to be deposited at Wittenberg, that must be done.
last my whole life long. So this deposition of ours is only a figure and image of human life, in all kinds of misfortunes, plagues and chastisements. Poured wine on their heads and absolved them from bean and bachanten.
7. the deposition, to which it is close.
When at a different time M. Antonii Lauter
bach's famulus, B. Tham, was deposited, and
D. M. Luther graduated him from the Bachanterei, he admonished him to the fear of God, to the right knowledge of God, to good morals and respectability, to patience and suffering, and to diligent study, and said: He should know that his study and this student status would be subject to many misfortunes, displeasure and resistance and would have all kinds of offence. It starts with deposition and conspiracy, and it remains until the pit, therefore he should be patient. For deposition is nothing other than a work of the law, which teaches us that we should know ourselves, who and how we are, and humble ourselves, both before God and men, as befits each in his station: that one not become arrogant and proud, as the young students, baccalaureates, magistri and doctores do in their gifts, which God gives them out of pure grace. Therefore, God also sends them many depositions, so that they may be well deposited and humbled. And depositions are an old custom and habit in universities and high schools.
8. from the University of Wittenberg.
Oh, how bitterly hostile is the devil to our church and school, which he attacks before others and storms into it. This church was called the dear bread, bread roll, therefore it is contested everywhere from within and without: Tyranny and sectarianism prevail with all violence, since all the members of the body in the church are against one another; even we, who are of one heart, plague one another. I think that there are many bad boys and lurkers here who listen to us, and are glad when trouble and disunity arise, therefore one should
Pray and watch diligently; if God does not preserve us, we are finished. It can be said thus. Pray, pray. This school is like a foundation and the bedrock of pure religion; therefore it is maintained with lectionary and remuneration, against Satan's raging and fury.
In 1539 an Italian from Sems ate with D. M. Luther, talked a lot with him, and stayed there for several weeks, perhaps to find out how things were here. M. Luther said: "We like to have them, because we act publicly and do not shy away from the light: perhaps he is dispatched here by devout God-fearing people, so that he could inquire and see whether such shameful things are happening and being committed here, as they say and tell us.
I have told D. Pommer before: That whoever will despise the authority of this school after my death, since it remains otherwise only as it is now, both school and church, the same is a heretic and a perverse man. For God first revealed and purified His Word in this school, and now this school and city, both in doctrine and life, may be compared with all others; although we are not perfect, but still frail in life. Those who are now the highest and most distinguished theologians and scholars, they hold with us, as Amsdorf, Brentius, Rhegius, desire our friendship, write to us; and all those who flee us, secretly poke at us and speak ill of us, they have left the faith and fallen away, as Jeckel and Grickel, they alone can do it, and have learned nothing from us. As Zwingel also boasts. Who could do something five and twenty years ago? Who stood by me one and twenty years ago, when God led me into the game against my knowledge and will? But Ladünklein has the misfortune.
D. M. Luther said that the universities were not old in Germania. Fulda and some rich monasteries would have been universities at first, and they would have read, preached and worked so that the youth would be taught about God and good arts, otherwise no one would have taken care of the youth. But after the founders and monasteries had become rich, they would have put off the work, and the studia would have been corrupted.
At the same time nothing was valid, because Papa, and the poor Ecclesiae gemebant, clamabant, suspirabant, they have opened the heavens to our Lord God; as God says in the Psalm: Propter miseriam inopum et gemitum pauperum nunc exsurgam, Ps. 12, 6. 12, 6. Gemitus pauperum, the groaning of the poor, is a great thing in the sight of our Lord God, for when the Gemitus goes, the devil and the world beware. The pope remembers: "Wait, they must cry out and groan; as the world now also presses us hard and everything is flooded with sins. The cries and groans are going on now, and they will become even greater. The nobles and merchants 1) are now exhausting land and people with usury, so that many people will have to die of hunger because of poverty, so that one will not be able to come ad conjugium, as the voces are always ready to go: I would gladly take a wife, if I knew how I should feed her; will thus become a forced celibate. That is not good. In this way the nobility will also come and take over the parishes. Ita conticescet vox Evangelii, then the last day will come in threes. We have left them the large monasteries and church estates, so that they should provide us with the parishes alone; but they do not do it. My most gracious Lord is still doing something; praise be to God!
I often reckon him, and come closer and closer to forty years; 2) then I think it should have an end. For St. Paul did not preach longer than forty years; item, the prophet Jeremiah also did not preach longer than forty years; the same also St. Augustine. And when the forty years had often passed, during which the divine word was preached purely, it ceased, and a great calamity came upon it.
Tempora Arii have been quite miserable, miserable times, there have been no more than two righteous pious bishops. Who presided over them? Our Lord God.
1) Usurers.
2) This is not to be understood of years of life, but, as is immediately apparent from what follows, of years of action.
9. of degrees and doctorates in universities, and of good arts. 3)
D. Carlstadt Bodenstein publicly condemned the degrees and doctorates, when one makes Magistros and Doctores in universities. And since he himself was present, he said: "I know that I do wrong, that I promote these two to doctors, only for the sake of two florins; but I promise and swear that I will henceforth no longer promote anyone. And he did this publicly in the castle church in Wittenberg, where it was customary to make doctores. For this reason, I and other good people punished him severely. And [he] wrote to the cathedra and chair, where the doctores theologiä are used to stand: You shall not let yourselves be called masters; and spouted such blasphemous words that it is not to be said, and yet even for the sake of two florins he took his doctorate, saying: This little profit and little enjoyment I accept in the meantime.
But all his blasphemous words he wanted to gloss over with the saying Matth. 23, 8. where Christ says: "You shall not be called Rabbi", that is, Magister. And he made himself so useless with evil blasphemous words that all those who sat by and listened to it were grieved, and became unhappy about it; they were angry, and could hardly refrain from paying him again with such words. But I, finding it written on the catheter and chair, wrote under it: This saying is not to be understood thus: You shall not let yourselves be called masters; but thus: You shall not devise new doctrine, nor bring forth anything new; let it remain with that which I have taught, and commanded you that you should teach and show it to others.
In 1538, the day after the holy day of Christ, Luther admonished the people of the church that they should keep the ceremonies held and used in universities and schools honestly, for the honor and glory of God, and for the benefit of religion and the government; so that the youth might know and see how and for what purpose good arts are useful and
3) The narrative in the first two paragraphs is in other relation Cap. 9, § 2.
and said, as one compared an unlearned man to a dead man, but a learned man to a living man. Experience shows that all those who have not studied complain and are sorry that they despised good arts and did not learn them in their youth, even though they would have learned to read and write least of all. Knowledge of languages, especially Latin, is useful to all, even to soldiers and merchants, so that they can converse with foreign nations and deal with them without interpreters, and not only remain German brothers. You parents (he continued) can leave your children no better nor more certain treasure than that you let them study and learn good arts: house and farm burn and go, but art is good to bear and remains. When we are far from each other in body, yet we can be present by letters and writing, and one can speak to another and show his heart: I can speak here to one in Rome by letters.
He, M. Luther, also spoke fiercely against those who could not do anything themselves and were hostile to good arts and scholars. He told a story about how a miser and an unlearned man should have advised and said in the council: One should spare the money, and not keep a town clerk; but one should trade with notched woods over land. Such clumsy ruffians and asses would not like to see the right pure religion and secular government advised, but would much rather see them perish. Now we would like to advise Germany, so good arts despised; well, she will probably realize it in time. But I am glad that a school is being established here, and it is my greatest concern and care that it be preserved, for the church is seeded and planted with such grafts and trees.
10. God sustains good arts and schools.
(The first paragraph Cordatus No. 1317.)
God sustains the arts, not the people, but for each of them he assigns some gifted people [ingenia]; and this is a delicious art, which is considered worthless in the world'.
D. M. Luther marveled that there were so many useful arts, and said: "If our Lord God has so highly adorned this miserable life with such lovely gifts, what will be in that life? Therefore, a special patron and patron saint was given and assigned to each art, who presided over it; as, the patron saint of the artists was St. Catherine, St. Augustine of the theologians. In the beginning, St. Paul was the patron of the University of Wittenberg, after which it was changed in seals; St. Paul still reigns in our university.
11. now is better to study, neither before times.
(Cordatus No. 832.)
All the arts are now very splendid and all the languages, which were formerly buried in such great barbarism that even the greatest doctor could not have delivered A Latin speech, but the barbarians 1) spoke barbarously and formed barbarous words.
12. from the dialectica.
(Cordatus No. 1577.)
If I had to write dialectical things, I would banish all such words as syllogism, enthymema, 2) proposition, exemplum, because they are foreign and Greek, and are not understood. Proposition, that is status, the thing; syllogism is a taking off, as one speaks: You can well take that off with you, not an entangled speech, as some are wise [i.e. nose-wise].
13. what dialectica is.
(Cordatus No. 1578.)
The dialectic speaks simply, as if I said: Give me to drink. The rhetoric decorates: Give me the sweet juice in the cellar, which stands fine in the jar, makes the people happy.
1) A barbarian was the name given by the Greeks and Romans to one who did not know their language.
2) åí&íìçìá a kind of hidden inference in logic,
in which one of the two premises is concealed., (Wrampelmeyer.)
14. question from the dialectica.
(Cordatus No. 776.)
Dialectic is when one says a thing differently and clearly with short words, but rhetoric deals with coaxing and dissuading. This has its commonplaces: the good, the honorable, the useful, the easy. Paul summarized this in the shortest possible way when he said: "If anyone teaches, let him wait for teaching; if anyone exhorts, let him wait for exhortation. As if I wanted to instruct a farmer, according to dialectic I would describe his life, his labors, his house, his fruits, and everything that constitutes the content of his life. Then, according to the rhetoric, I would praise his life, saying that it is a very quiet, prosperous, safe life, and I would exhort him to it by persuasion and admonish him from any other way of life by dissuasion. If I want to rebuke, I condemn their vices and exaggerate their crude nature.
15. another question.
(The first paragraph in Cordatus No. 779.)
Dialectic does not give the ability to talk about every thing, but it is a tool to talk about a thing, which we know. That I should speak dialectically about the mine, I can't, because I don't know how to sink 1) or to dig, or how to paint the tunnels, as the miners know. But if I tried to do that, I'd want to talk about it better than any miner. It teaches not the thing, but the order of speaking.
(Here, one paragraph is omitted because it forms the conclusion of Cordatus No. 777, which we have included in Appendix No. II. - After that, two paragraphs are omitted because they are contained in Cap. 45, §36.)
Dialectics is a useful and necessary art, which one should study and learn at a reasonable price, like arithmetic and arithmetic. And although some astute minds can naturally deduce and calculate something in matters of sense, it is uncertain and dangerous if art does not also come to the rescue.
1) To drive a shaft vertically. - Digging, scraping the surface for ore.
For dialectics finely shows the way how one should speak of things properly and correctly, where one should take it from and what is right or wrong, actually and certainly recognize, and judge or judge. As if one wanted to defend this proposition: Faith alone makes one righteous, pious and blessed. Here I must proceed dialectically, as this art teaches and instructs, namely, that no one is justified before God by the law or good works, for no one keeps them, nor does they do them fully; therefore faith makes one just, if one hangs on the promise of God and takes hold of it, and God accepts and gives it out of pure grace, free of charge, without any merit or worthiness on our part, for the sake of Christ, His dear Son. Such faith alone, which the Holy Spirit works in the heart through the Word and Sacraments, makes righteous and a happy conscience. This justification, how one becomes righteous before God, is righteous and certain.
So, if one wanted to act on this saying, "Unless your righteousness is better than that of the Pharisees and scribes, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven," Matt. 5:20, the word "better" must be understood correctly and dialectically, for it does not mean doing many laws and works like the Pharisees, but the righteousness of faith is necessary for our obedience.
(Medicinä ... Sinners at Cordatus No. 90.)
Medicina makes the sick, mathematica makes the sad, theologia makes sinners. Dialectica is necessary to be used, not only in schools, but also in consistories, courts, and churches, where it is most needed: for often a bad argument makes a noise and fog before one's eyes; but if one looks at it rightly, at each piece in particular, one can easily guard against error and deceit. As in the argument that Demosthenes, the most eloquent Greek, put forward against King Philip of Macedonia, the great Alexander's father: although it had a great appearance and painted hue, yet it was harmful to those of Athens and the whole of Greece; namely, this: He that hath an evil thing hath no fortune in it: Philip the Macedonian
King, has an evil thing, therefore he will have no luck.
This argument made those of Athens safe and presumptuous; for they did not know that the godless bad boys are generally the most blissful, and it is best for them, according to the common saying: The greater the mischief, the better the luck. That is why one cannot do without dialecticam; and the disputations, so that things are done sensibly and demurely and the 'right truth is sought, with seriousness without bickering, are of great benefit to young people, so that they are well practiced in them.
16. difference between dialectics and rhetoric.
(The first paragraph of this § at Cordatus No. 282.)
Dialectic teaches, rhetoric moves; the former addresses the mind, the latter the will. Paul has summed up both Rom. 12 [7. 8.], saying, "If any man teach, let him wait for teaching; if any man exhort, let him wait for exhortation." And these two constitute the [proper] way of preaching, concerning which many things were said in former times, but very unskillfully. But there is a third thing added, which makes the preaching clear, which also belongs to the speakers. This is done by means of scriptures, examples, parables and other such ornaments, by which the listeners can be made to believe and obey the words you preach. But it is an exhortation when you say: Oh, I would like you to follow me and believe. The entire fourth chapter to the Romans is rhetorical, except for one passage where he explains what faith and justification are.
The noblest fruit and use of dialectics is to define and describe a thing finely, briefly and actually, which it certainly is. Therefore, one should be accustomed to good, righteous, intelligible words, which are in common use and indicate and give a thing actually and understandably; which is a special grace and gift of God, whoever is able to do so; for many rascals and clever ones often darken a thing deliberately, with strange, unusual words, devise new ways of speaking, so that one is not able to understand it.
are doubtful, two-faced, and screwed, which can be interpreted as one wishes, according to the circumstances, as the heretics do.
17. what grammatica teaches.
(Cordatus No. 664.)
Grammar teaches what concerns the expression; what concerns the thing must first be learned. One who wants to preach must first know the thing and then the designation, namely, what the thing is of which he wants to speak. Grammar teaches only words that are signs of things, such as "the righteous lives by faith. Grammar says what faith is, what righteousness is. But to defend these words against the scoffers requires perfect art, and does not belong to grammar as well as to theology.
18. from disputations.
(Lauterbach, Oct. 11, 1538, p. 148.)
After that, one spoke of the benefit of the disputations, which are called circulares, which would bring great benefit and training to the youth, and one leads the proud journeymen under the rut, so that they learn what kind of people they are. That is why I praise the young people for their arguments, even if they are not in order, and I dislike Philip Melanchthon's sharp manner, that he so soon takes the poor journeymen by surprise. For we must ascend step by step on one staircase to the other, for no one suddenly becomes the highest.
19. weekly disputationes.
(Lauterbach, Dec. 17, 1538, p. 192.)
Luther praised the circular disputations very highly because these preliminary exercises served very well to train the minds of young people. In the past, these disputations were very frequent, but the material was lacking. Now that the material is available, we snore; therefore, God willing, we will establish them again. Even if the young people are not skilled at all, it is enough if only there is no evil will and presumption, but good will, according to the word: In great things it is enough to have the will [In magnis satis est voluisse] (Propert. 11, 8, 10. Tibuli. IV, 1, 7.). No one will at once
the highest. There is no tree that has not been a shrub before. Therefore we praise the will of the young. So also Augustine says: God crowns the [good] will inwardly, even if they do not have the ability outwardly; but the hope against the [good] will and the ability he puts to shame.
20. eloquence, what it is.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 25, 1538, p. 182.)
Eloquence is not a far-fetched adornment of words, but a well-placed speech that presents a matter in a pithy manner and clearly, like a beautiful painting. But those who invent new words also introduce new things, like Scotus with his realitas, hiccitas, and the Anabaptists with their decoarsening, sprinkling, purification. One must beware of all who use new, unusual and uncommon words. For this way of speaking is completely contrary to eloquence.
21. in schools, teaching and training.
Anno 1539, on May 15, M. Ph. once again sent out his Dialecticam through the printing press; it was highly praised by D. M. Luther. For, he said, a man's noblest office, for which he was created, is to praise God, which is done by speaking and teaching: therefore
The art of dialectics is to be praised highly, as through it God's praise and human society is preserved. Therefore, a faithful teacher is far above a warlord than one who protects and preserves only human society, body and goods; although the Scharrhansen think that it is they alone who carry heaven and earth. But let such companions go; the work praises its master, says Jesus Sirach Cap. 9, 24.
22. schools maintain the church.
If schools increase, it is well, and the church remains righteous; yes, so also the doctrine, which is pure. Let us only be called doctors and masters; young pupils and students are seeds and springs of the church. If we are dead, where would others be who would take our place if there were no schools? For the sake of the Church, Christian schools must be had and maintained: for God sustains the Church through schools, schools sustain the Church. They may not have a pretty reputation, but they are very useful and necessary. In schools, the little children have nevertheless learned the Paternoster, Our Father, and the faith, and the churches have been whimsically preserved through the little schools.
The philosophia is the theologia of the pagans and reason: righteous, truthful histories, even among the pagans, point to God's will, like silent letters.