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diff --git a/9841-0.txt b/9841-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa4ed41 --- /dev/null +++ b/9841-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4185 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Selections from the Table Talk of Martin +Luther, by Martin Luther, Edited by Henry Morley, Translated by Henry Bell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther + + +Author: Martin Luther + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: August 10, 2014 [eBook #9841] +[This file was first posted on October 23, 2003] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SELECTIONS FROM THE TABLE TALK OF +MARTIN LUTHER*** + + +This eBook was prepared by Les Bowler. + + [Picture: Book cover] + + CASSELL’S NATIONAL LIBRARY + + * * * * * + + + + + + SELECTIONS FROM THE + TABLE TALK + OF + MARTIN LUTHER. + + + TRANSLATED BY + CAPTAIN HENRY BELL. + +[Picture: Decorative graphic] + + CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED: + _LONDON_, _PARIS_, _NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_. + 1886. + + * * * * * + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +MARTIN LUTHER died on the 18th of February, 1546, and the first +publication of his “Table Talk”—_Tischreden_—by his friend, Johann +Goldschmid (Aurifaber), was in 1566, in a substantial folio. The talk of +Luther was arranged, according to its topics, into eighty chapters, each +with a minute index of contents. The whole work in a complete octavo +edition, published at Stuttgart and Leipzig in 1836, occupies 1,390 +closely printed pages, equivalent to 2,780 pages, or full fourteen +volumes, of this Library. + +The nearest approach to a complete and ungarbled translation into English +was that of Captain Henry Bell, made in the reign of Charles the First, +under the circumstances set forth by himself; but even that was not +complete. Other English versions have subjected Luther’s opinions to +serious manipulation, nothing being added, but anything being taken away +that did not chance to agree with the editor’s digestion. Even the folio +of Captain Bell’s translation, from which these Selections have been +printed, has been prepared for reprint by some preceding editor, whose +pen has been busy in revision of the passages he did mean to reprint. In +these Selections every paragraph stands unabridged, exactly as it was +translated by Captain Bell; and there has been no other purpose governing +the choice of matter than a resolve to make it as true a presentment as +possible of Luther’s mind and character. At least one other volume of +_Selections from the Table-Talk of Martin Luther_ will be given in this +Library. + +Johann Goldschmid, the Aurifaber, and thereby true worker in gold, who +first gave Luther’s Table-Talk to the world, was born in 1519. He was a +disciple of Luther, thirty-six years younger than his master. Luther was +born at Eisleben in 1483, and his father, a poor miner, presently settled +at Mansfeld, the town in which Goldschmid afterwards was born. Johann +Goldschmid was sent by Count Albrecht of Mansfeld, in 1537, to the +University of Wittenberg, where Luther had been made, in 1508, Professor +of Philosophy, and where, on the 31st of October, 1517, he had nailed his +ninety-five propositions against indulgences to the church door at the +castle. Luther had completed his translation of the Bible three years +before Johann Goldschmid went to Wittenberg. In 1540 Goldschmid was +recalled from the University to act as tutor to Count Albrecht’s +children. In 1544 Goldschmid was army chaplain with the troops from +Mansfeld in the French war; but in 1545 he was sent back to Wittenberg +for special study of theology. It was then that he attached himself to +Luther as his _famulus_ and house-companion during the closing months of +Luther’s life, began already to collect from surrounding friends passages +of his vigorous “Table Talk,” and remained with Luther till the last, +having been present at his death in Eisleben in 1546. He then proceeded +steadily with the collection of Luther’s sayings and opinions expressed +among his friends. He was army chaplain among the soldiers of Johann +Friedrich, of Saxony; he spent half a year also in a Saxon prison. He +became, in 1551, court preacher at Weimar; but in 1562 was deprived of +his office, and then devoted himself to the forming of an Eisleben +edition of those works of Luther, which had not already been collected. +In 1566 he was called to a pastorate at Erfurt, where he had many more +troubles before his death. Aurifaber died on the 18th of November, 1575. + + H. M. + + + + +THE TESTIMONY OF JO. AURIFABER, DOCTOR IN DIVINITY, CONCERNING LUTHER’S +DIVINE DISCOURSES. + + +AND whereas hitherto I have caused certain tomes of the Books, Sermons, +Writings, and Missives of Luther to be printed at Eisleben, so have I +also now finished this tome of his Discourses, and have ordered the same +to be printed, which at the first were collected together out of the +Manuscripts of these Divine Discourses, which that Reverend Father +Anthony Lauterbach himself noted and wrote out of the holy mouth of +Luther, and afterwards the same by me were collected into sure and +certain Loci Communes, or Common-places, and distributed. + +And whereas I, Joannes Aurifaber, in the years 1545 and 1546, before the +death of that most famous Divine, Luther, was much with and about him, +and with all diligence writ and noted down many most excellent Histories +and Acts, and other most necessary and useful things which he related: I +have therefore set in order and brought the same also into this tome. + +Now, forasmuch as very excellent declaration is made in this tome of all +the Articles and chief points of Christian Religion, Doctrine, and Faith; +and also therein are found necessary Rules, Questions and Answers, many +fair Histories, all sorts of Learnings, Comforts, Advices, Prophecies, +Warnings, and Admonitions: I have therefore thought it a thing fitting to +dedicate the same to your Highnesses, Graces, Honours and Worships, etc., +as special favourers, protectors, and defenders of the Doctrines which +God, through Luther, hath cleared again, to the end that by diligent +reading therein, you may be president, and give good examples to others, +to your subjects, citizens, etc., diligently to love, to read, to affect +the same, and to make good use thereof, as being fragments that fell from +Luther’s Table, and therewith may help to still, to slake, and to satisfy +the spiritual hunger and thirst of the soul. For these most profitable +Discourses of Luther, containing such high spiritual things, we should in +nowise suffer to be lost, but worthily esteem thereof, whereout all +manner of learning, joy, and comfort may be had and received. + + DR. AURIFABER, in his Preface + to the Book. + +_Given at Eisleben_, _July 7th_, _1569_. + + + + +CAPTAIN HENRY BELL’S NARRATIVE: + + + OR, + +RELATION OF THE MIRACULOUS PRESERVING OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER’S BOOK, +ENTITLED “COLLOQUIA MENSALIA,” OR, “HIS DIVINE DISCOURSES AT HIS TABLE,” +HELD WITH DIVERS LEARNED MEN AND PIOUS DIVINES; SUCH AS WERE PHILIP +MELANCTHON, CASPARUS CRUCIGER, JUSTUS JONAS, PAULUS EBERUS, VITUS +DIETERICUS, JOANNES BUGENHAGEN, JOANNES FORSTERUS, AND OTHERS: + + CONTAINING + +_Divers Discourses touching Religion_, _and other Main Points of +Doctrine_; _as also many notable Histories_, _and all sorts of Learning_, +_Comforts_, _Advices_, _Prophecies_, _Admonitions_, _Directions_, _and +Instructions_; _and how the same Book was_, _by God’s Providence_, +_discovered lying under the Ground_, _where it had lain hid Fifty-two +Years_; _and was a few years since sent over to the said Captain Henry +Bell_, _and by him translated out of the High German into the English +Tongue_. + +“I, CAPTAIN HENRY BELL, do hereby declare, both to the present age, and +also to posterity, that being employed beyond the seas in state affairs +divers years together, both by King James, and also by the late King +Charles, in Germany, I did hear and understand, in all places, great +bewailing and lamentation made, by reason of the destroying and burning +of above fourscore thousand of Martin Luther’s books, entitled _His Last +Divine Discourses_. + +“For after such time as God stirred up the spirit of Martin Luther to +detect the corruptions and abuses of Popery, and to preach Christ, and +clearly to set forth the simplicity of the Gospel, many Kings, Princes, +and States, Imperial Cities, and Hans-Towns fell from the Popish +Religion, and became Protestants, as their posterities still are, and +remain to this very day. + +“And for the further advancement of the great work of Reformation then +begun, the aforesaid Princes and the rest did then order that the said +Divine Discourses of Luther should forthwith be printed; and that every +parish should have and receive one of the aforesaid printed books into +every Church throughout all their principalities and dominions, to be +chained up, for the common people to read therein. + +“Upon which divine work, or Discourses, the Reformation, begun before in +Germany, was wonderfully promoted and increased, and spread both here in +England and other countries besides. + +“But afterwards it so fell out that the Pope then living, viz. Gregory +XIII., understanding what great hurt and prejudice he and his Popish +religion had already received, by reason of the said Luther’s Divine +Discourses, and also fearing that the same might bring further contempt +and mischief upon himself and upon the Popish Church, he therefore, to +prevent the same, did fiercely stir up and instigate the Emperor then in +being, viz. Rudolphus II., to make an Edict throughout the whole Empire, +that all the aforesaid printed books should be burned; and also that it +should be death for any person to have or keep a copy thereof, but also +to burn the same: which Edict was speedily put in execution accordingly, +insomuch that not one of all the said printed books, nor so much as any +one copy of the same, could be found out nor heard of in any place. + +“Yet it pleased God that, anno 1626, a German gentleman, named Casparus +Van Sparr, with whom, in the time of my staying in Germany about King +James’s business, I became very familiarly known and acquainted, having +occasion to build upon the old foundation of a house, wherein his +grandfather dwelt at that time when the said Edict was published in +Germany for the burning of the aforesaid books; and digging deep into the +ground, under the said old foundation, one of the said original books was +there happily found, lying in a deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a +strong linen cloth, which was waxed all over with beeswax, within and +without; whereby the book was preserved fair, without any blemish. + +“And at the same time Ferdinandus II. being Emperor in Germany, who was a +severe enemy and persecutor of the Protestant religion, the aforesaid +gentleman and grandchild to him that had hidden the said books in that +obscure hole, fearing that if the said Emperor should get knowledge that +one of the said books was yet forthcoming, and in his custody, whereby +not only himself might be brought into trouble, but also the book in +danger to be destroyed, as all the rest were so long before; and also +calling me to mind, and knowing that I had the High Dutch Tongue very +perfect, did send the said original book over hither into England unto +me; and therewith did write unto me a letter, wherein he related the +passages of the preserving and finding out the said book. + +“And also he earnestly moved me in his letter, that for the advancement +of God’s glory, and of Christ’s Church, I would take the pains to +translate the said book, to the end that that most excellent divine work +of Luther might be brought again to light. + +“Whereupon I took the said book before me, and many times began to +translate the same, but always I was hindered therein, being called upon +about other business, insomuch that by no possible means I could remain +by that work. Then, about six weeks after I had received the said book, +it fell out that I being in bed with my wife one night, between twelve +and one of the clock, she being asleep, but myself yet awake, there +appeared unto me an ancient man, standing at my bedside, arrayed all in +white, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his +girdle-stead, who, taking me by my right ear, spake these words following +unto me:—‘Sirrah! will not you take time to translate that book which is +sent unto you out of Germany? I will shortly provide for you both place +and time to do it;’ and then he vanished away out of my sight. + +“Whereupon, being much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat, +insomuch that my wife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked me +what I ailed. I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never did heed +nor regard visions nor dreams; and so the same fell soon out of my mind. + +“Then about a fortnight after I had seen that vision, on a Sunday, I went +to Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended I returned to my +lodging, which was then in King Street, at Westminster, and sitting down +to dinner with my wife, two Messengers were sent from the whole +Council-board, with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the Gatehouse, +Westminster, there to be safely kept until further order from the Lords +of the Council, which was done without showing me any cause {17} at all +wherefore I was committed. Upon which said warrant I was kept there ten +whole years close prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the +translating of the said book; insomuch as I found the words very true +which the old man, in the aforesaid vision, did say unto me: ‘I will +shortly provide for you both place and time to translate it.’ + +“Then, after I had finished the said translation in the prison, the late +Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Laud, understanding that I had translated +such a book, called _Martin Luther’s Divine Discourses_, sent unto me his +chaplain, Dr. Bray, into the prison, with this Message following:— + + “‘Captain BELL, + + “‘My Lord Grace of Canterbury hath sent me unto you, to tell you + that his Grace hath understood that you have translated a book of + Luther’s, touching which book his Grace, many years before, did hear + of the burning of so many thousands in Germany by the then Emperor. + His Grace therefore doth desire you, that you would send unto him the + said original book in Dutch, and also your translation; which, after + his Grace hath perused, shall be returned safely unto you.’ + +“Whereupon I told Dr. Bray that I had taken a great deal of pains in +translating the said book, and was very loth to part with it out of my +hands, and therefore I desired him to excuse me to his Grace, that I +could not part from it; with which answer he at that time returned again +to his master. + +“But the next day after he sent him unto me again, and bade him tell me +that, upon his honour, the book should be as safe in his custody, if not +safer than in mine own; for he would lock it up in his own cabinet, to +the end no man might come unto it, but only himself. Thereupon I, +knowing it would be a thing bootless for me to refuse the sending of +them, by reason he was then of such great power that he would have them, +_nolens volens_, I sent them both unto him. Then, after he had kept them +in his custody two months, and had daily read therein, he sent the said +Doctor unto me, to tell me that I had performed a work worthy of eternal +memory, and that he had never read a more excellent divine work; yet +saying that some things therein were fitting to be left out; and desired +me not to think long that he did not return them unto me so soon again. +The reason was because that the more he did read therein, the more desire +he had to go on therewith; and so, presenting me with ten livres in gold, +he returned back again. + +“After which, when he had them in his custody one whole year, and that I +understood he had perused it all over, then I sent unto his Grace, and +humbly desired that his Grace would be pleased to return me my books +again. Whereupon he sent me word by the said Dr. Bray, that he had not +as yet perused them so thoroughly over as he desired to do; then I stayed +yet a year longer before I sent to him again. + +“In which time I heard for certain that it was concluded by the King and +Council that a Parliament should forthwith be called; at which news I did +much rejoice. And then I sent unto his Grace an humble petition, and +therein desired the returning of my book again; otherwise I told him I +should be enforced to make it known, and to complain of him to the +Parliament, which was then coming on. Whereupon he sent unto me again +safely both the said original book and my translation, and caused his +Chaplain, the said Doctor, to tell me that he would make it known unto +his Majesty what an excellent piece of work I had translated, and that he +would procure an order from his Majesty to have the said translation +printed, and to be dispersed throughout the whole kingdom, as it was in +Germany, and as he had heard thereof; and thereupon he presented me again +with forty livres in gold. + +“And presently after I was set at liberty by warrant from the whole House +of Lords, according to his Majesty’s direction in that behalf; but +shortly afterwards the Archbishop fell into his troubles, and was by the +Parliament sent unto the Tower, and afterwards beheaded; insomuch that I +could never since hear anything touching the printing of my book. + +“The House of Commons having then notice that I had translated the +aforesaid book, they sent for me, and did appoint a Committee to see it +and the translation, and diligently to make inquiry whether the +translation did agree with the original or no; whereupon they desired me +to bring the same before them, sitting then in the Treasury Chamber. And +Sir Edward Dering, being Chairman, said unto me that he was acquainted +with a learned minister beneficed in Essex, who had lived long in +England, but was born in High Germany, in the Palatinate, named Mr. Paul +Amiraut, whom the Committee sending for, desired him to take both the +original and my translation into his custody, and diligently to compare +them together, and to make report unto the said Committee whether he +found that I had rightly and truly translated it according to the +original: which report he made accordingly, and they, being satisfied +therein, referred it to two of the Assembly, Mr. Charles Herle and Mr. +Edward Corbet, desiring them diligently to peruse the same, and to make +report unto them if they thought it fitting to be printed and published. + +“Whereupon they made report, dated the 10th of November, 1646, that they +found it to be an excellent Divine Work, worthy the light and publishing, +especially in regard that Luther, in the said Discourses, did revoke his +opinion, which he formerly held, touching Consubstantiation in the +Sacrament. Whereupon the House of Commons, the 24th of February, 1646, +did give order for the printing thereof. + +“Thus, having been lately desired to set down in writing the relation of +the passages above-said concerning the said book, as well for the +satisfaction of judicious and godly Christians, as for the conservation +of the perpetual memory of God’s extraordinary providence in the +miraculous preservation of the aforesaid Divine Discourses, and now +bringing them again to light: I have done the same according to the plain +truth thereof, not doubting but they will prove a notable advantage of +God’s glory, and the good and edification of the whole Church, and an +unspeakable consolation of every particular member of the same. + + “Given under my hand the 3rd day of July, 1650. + + “HENRY BELL.” + + + + +A COPY OF THE ORDER FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. + + + _24th_ _February_, _1646_. + +WHEREAS Captain Henry Bell hath strangely discovered and found a Book of +Martin Luther’s, called his Divine Discourses, which was for a long time +very marvellously preserved in Germany: the which book the said Henry +Bell, at his great costs and pains, hath translated into the English out +of the German Tongue, which Translation and substance thereof is approved +by Reverend Divines of the Assembly, as appears by a Certificate under +their hands: + +It is Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in +Parliament, that the said Henry Bell shall have the sole disposal and +benefit of Printing the said Book translated into English by him as +aforesaid, for the space of fourteen years, to commence from the date +hereof. And that none do Print or Re-print the same but such as shall be +licensed by the said Captain by Authority under his hand. + + HENRY ELSYNG. + +(Vera Copia.) + + + + +LUTHER’S TABLE-TALK. + + +OF GOD’S WORD. + + +_Of the Word of God_; _or the Holy Scriptures contained in the Bible_. + + +THE BIBLE, or Holy Scripture, said Luther, is like a fair and spacious +orchard, wherein all sorts of trees do grow, from which we may pluck +divers kinds of fruits; for in the Bible we have rich and precious +comforts, learnings, admonitions, warnings, promises, and threatenings, +etc. There is not a tree in this orchard on which I have not knocked, +and have shaken at least a couple of apples or pears from the same. + + +_Proofs that the Bible is the Word of God_. + + +That the Bible is the Word of God, said Luther, the same I prove as +followeth. All things that have been and now are in the world, also how +it now goeth and standeth in the world, the same was written altogether +particularly at the beginning, in the First Book of Moses concerning the +Creation. And even as God made and created it, even so it was, even so +it is, and even so doth it stand to this present day. And although King +Alexander the Great, the kingdom of Egypt, the empire of Babel, the +Persian, Grecian, and Roman Monarchs, the Emperors Julius and Augustus, +most fiercely did rage and swell against this Book, utterly to suppress +and destroy the same, yet notwithstanding, they could prevail nothing; +they are all gone and vanished; but this Book, from time to time, hath +remained, and will remain unremoved, in full and ample manner, as it was +written at the first. But who kept and preserved it from such great and +raging power; or, Who defendeth it still? Truly, said Luther, no human +creature, but only and alone God himself, who is the right Master +thereof; and it is a great wonder that it hath been so long kept and +preserved, for the devil and the world are great enemies unto it. The +devil doubtless hath destroyed many good books in the Church, as he hath +rooted out and slain many saints, concerning whom we have now no +knowledge. But, no thanks unto him, the Bible he was fain to leave +unmeddled with. In like manner Baptism, the Sacrament, and the Office of +Preaching have remained among us against the power of many tyrants and +heretics that have opposed the same. These our Lord God hath kept and +maintained by his special strength. Homer, Virgil, and suchlike are +profitable and ancient books; but, in comparison of the Bible, they are +nothing to be regarded. + + +_By whom and at what Times the Bible was translated_. + + +Two hundred and forty-one years before the humanity of Christ, the Five +Books of Moses, and the Prophets, were translated out of the Hebrew into +the Greek tongue by the Septuagint Interpreters, the seventy doctors or +learned men then at Jerusalem, in the time of Eleazar the High-priest, at +the request of Ptolemeus Philadelphus, King of Egypt, which King allowed +great charges and expenses for the translating of the same. + +Then, one hundred and twenty-four years after the birth of Christ, his +death and passion, the Old Testament was translated out of Hebrew into +Greek by a Jew, named Aquila (being converted to the Christian faith), in +the time of Hadrian the Emperor. + +Fifty and three years after this Aquila, the Bible was also translated by +Theodosius. + +In the three-and-thirtieth year after Theodosius, it was translated by +Symmachus, under the Emperor Severus. + +Eight years after Symmachus, the Bible was also translated by one whose +name is unknown, and the same is called the Fifth Translation. + +Afterwards the Bible was translated by Hieronymus (who first amended and +corrected the Seventy Interpreters) out of Hebrew into the Latin tongue, +which translation we use to this day in the Church. And truly, said +Luther, he did enough for one man. _Nulla enim privata persona tantum +efficere potuisset_. But he had not done amiss if he had taken one or +two learned men to his translation besides himself, for then the Holy +Ghost would more powerfully have been discerned, according to Christ’s +saying, “Where two or three be gathered together in my name, there will I +be in the midst of them.” And, indeed, said Luther, translators or +interpreters ought not to be alone, for good and apt words do not always +fall to one single man. And so long as the Bible was in the Church of +the Gentiles, it was never yet in such perfection, that it could have +been read so exactly and significantly without stop, as we have prepared +the same here at Wittemberg, and, God be praised, have translated it out +of Hebrew into the High German tongue. + + +_Of the Differences between the Bible and other Books_. + + +The Holy Scripture, or the Bible, said Luther, is full of divine gifts +and virtues. The books of the Heathen taught nothing of Faith, Hope, and +Love; nay, they knew nothing at all of the same; their books aimed only +at that which was present, at that which, with natural wit and +understanding, a human creature was able to comprehend and take hold of; +but to trust in God and hope in the Lord, nothing was written thereof in +their books. In the Psalms and in Job we may see and find how those two +books do treat and handle of Faith, of Hope, of Patience, and Prayer. + +To be short, the Holy Scripture, said Luther, is the best and highest +book of God, full of comfort in all manner of trials and temptations; for +it teacheth of Faith, Hope, and Love far otherwise than by human reason +and understanding can be comprehended. And in times of troubles and +vexations, it teacheth how these virtues should light and shine; it +teacheth, also, that after this poor and miserable life there is another +which is eternal and everlasting. + + +_What we ought chiefly to seek for in the Bible_, _and how we ought to +study and learn the Holy Scriptures_. + + +The chief lesson and study in Divinity, said Luther, is well and rightly +to learn to know Christ, for he is therein very friendly and familiarly +pictured unto us. From hence St. Peter saith, “Grow up in the knowledge +of Christ;” and Christ himself also teacheth that we should learn to know +him only out of the Scriptures, where he saith, “Search the Scriptures, +for they do testify of me.” + +We ought not, said Luther, to measure, censure, and understand the +Scriptures according to our own natural sense and reason, but we ought +diligently by prayer to meditate therein, and to search after the same. +The devil and temptations also do give occasion unto us somewhat to learn +and understand the Scriptures by experience and practice. Without trials +and temptations we should never understand anything thereof; no, not +although we diligently read and heard the same. The Holy Ghost must be +the only master and tutor to teach us therein, and let youth and scholars +not be ashamed to learn of this tutor. When I find myself in temptation, +then I quickly lay hold and fasten on some text in the Bible which Christ +Jesus layeth before me, namely, _that he died for me_, from whence I have +and receive comfort. + + +_That we should diligently read the Texts of the Bible_, _and stay +ourselves upon it as the only true Foundation_. + + +Whoso layeth a good foundation, and is a substantial Text-man, that is, +he that is well grounded in the Text, the same hath whereupon he surely +may keep footing, and runneth not lightly into error. And truly, said +Luther, the same is most necessary for a Divine; for with the texts and +grounds of the Holy Scriptures I dazzled, astonished, and overcame all my +adversaries; for they approach dreamingly and lazily; they teach and +write according to their natural sense, reason, and understanding, and +they think the Holy Scripture is a slight and a simple thing; like the +Pharisee, who thought a business soon done when our Saviour Christ said +unto him, “Do that, and thou shalt live.” The sectaries and seducing +spirits understand nothing in the Scriptures; but with their fickle, +inconstant, and uncertain books which they have devised, they run +themselves into error. + +Whoso is armed with the Text, the same is a right pastor; and my best +advice and counsel is, said Luther, that we draw water out of the true +fountain, that is, diligently to read in the Bible. He is a learned +Divine that is well grounded in the Text; for one text and sentence out +of the Bible is of far more esteem and value than many writings and +glosses, which neither are strong, sound, nor armour of proof. As when I +have that text before me of St. Paul, where he saith, “All the creatures +of God are good, if they be received with thanksgiving.” This text +showeth that what God hath made is good. Now, eating, drinking, +marrying, etc., are of God’s making, therefore they are good. But the +glosses of the Primitive Fathers are against this text, for St. Bernard, +Basil, Dominicus, Hieronymus, and others have written far otherwise of +the same. But I prefer the Text before them all, and it is far more to +be esteemed of than all their glosses; yet, notwithstanding, in Popedom +the glosses of the Fathers were of higher regard than the bright and +clear text of the Bible, through which great wrong oftentimes is done to +the Holy Scriptures; for the good Fathers, as Ambrose, Basil, and +Gregory, have ofttimes written very cold things touching the Divine word. + + +_That the Bible is the Head of all Arts_. + + +Let us not lose the Bible, said Luther, but with all diligence and in +God’s fear read and preach the same; for if that remaineth, flourisheth, +and be taught, then all is safe. She is the head and empress of all +faculties and arts. If Divinity falleth, then whatsoever remaineth +besides is nothing worth. + + +_Of the Art of the School Divines in the Bible_. + + +The art of the School Divines, said Luther, with their speculations in +the Holy Scriptures, are merely vain and human reasonings, spun out of +their own natural wit and understanding, of which I have read much in +Bonaventura, but he had almost made me deaf. I fain would have learned +and understood out of that book how God and my sinful soul had been +reconciled together; but of that there was nothing to be found therein. +They talk much of the union of the will and understanding, but all is +mere phantasy and folly. The right and true speculation is this: +“Believe in Christ; do what thou oughtest to do in thy vocation,” etc. +This is the only practice in Divinity. Also, _Mystica Theologia +Dionysii_ is a mere fable, and a lie, like to Plato’s Fables. _Omnia +sunt non ens_, _et omnia sunt ens_—All is something, and all is nothing; +and so he leaveth all hanging in frivolous and idle sort. + +True and upright Divinity consisteth in the practice, use, and exercise; +her foundation is Christ; she taketh hold by faith on his passion, death, +and resurrection. All those, said Luther, that concur not with us, and +have not this doctrine before their eyes, the same do feign unto +themselves but only a speculated Divinity, according to their carnal +sense and reason, and according as they use to censure in temporal +causes; for no man can divert them from these opinions, namely, “Whoso +doth good works, and liveth an honest and civil kind of life, the same is +an upright Christian, and he is well and safe;” but they are therein far +deceived; for this is the truth indeed, “Whoso feareth God and trusteth +in him, the same most surely will be well and safe at last.” + +Therefore, said Luther, these speculating Divines belong directly to the +devil in hell. They follow their own opinions, and what with their five +senses they are able to comprehend; and such is also Origen’s divinity. +But David is of another mind; he acknowledgeth his sins, and saith, +“_Miserere mei Domini_,” God be merciful to me a sinner. At the hands of +these sophisticated Divines, God can scarcely obtain that he is God +alone; much less can he find this favour of them, that they should allow +only him to be good and just; nay, very hardly will they yield that he is +an immortal God. + + +_The Depths of the Bible_. + + +The wise of the world, and the great ones, said Luther, understand not +God’s Word; but God hath revealed it to the poor contemned simple people, +as our Saviour Christ witnesseth, where he saith, “I thank thee, O +Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes,” etc.; from +whence St. Gregory says well and rightly, that the Holy Scripture is like +a water, wherein an “elephant swimmeth, but a little sheep goeth therein +upon his feet.” + +I remember a Fable, said Luther, which fitteth very well for these times, +and for this purpose, discoursed of before. A Lion, said he, making a +great feast, invited all the beasts thereunto, and with them also he +invited swine. Now, as all manner and sorts of dainties were brought and +set before the guests, the swine demanded if Brewer’s grains might be had +for them. Even so, in these days it is with our Epicures; we Preachers +bring and set before them in the Church the most dainty and costly +dishes, as Everlasting Salvation, Remission of Sins, and God’s Grace; but +they, like swine, cast up their snouts, and root after Dollars, Crowns, +and Ducats; and, indeed, said Luther, “what should a cow do with +nutmegs?” She would rather content herself with oat-straw. + +When we have God’s Word pure and clear, then we are secure, we are +negligent and regard it not, we think it will always so remain; we do not +watch and pray against the devil, who is ready to tear the Word out of +our hearts. It goeth with us as with travellers, who, so long as they +are on the right way, are secure and careless; but when they go astray +into woods or by-ways, then they are careful which way to take, whether +this or that way be the right: even so are we secure by the pure doctrine +of the Gospel; we are sleepy and negligent; we stand not in God’s fear, +nor defend ourselves with prayer against the devil. But those that +entertain errors are highly busied, yea, they are very careful and +diligent how to keep and maintain the same. + + +_Of the future Want of upright and true Preachers of God’s Word_. + + +In a short time, said Luther, will be such want of upright Preachers and +Ministers, that people would be glad to scratch out of the earth these +good and godly Teachers now living, if they might but get them; then they +will see what they have done in molesting and contemning the Preachers +and Ministers of God’s Word. Of Physicians and Lawyers there are enough, +if not too many, to serve the world; but a country hath need of two +hundred Ministers where one Lawyer is sufficient. My most gracious Lord, +said Luther, the Prince Elector of Saxony, hath enough of twenty Lawyers +in all his territories, but he must have near six thousand Preachers and +Ministers. + + +_That People_, _out of mere Wilfulness_, _do set themselves against God’s +Word_. + + +Had I known, said Luther, when I first began to write, what I now see and +find, namely, that people had been such enemies to God’s Word, and so +fiercely had set themselves against the same, truly I had held my peace; +for I never should have been so courageous as to have fallen upon the +Pope, and to have angered him, and almost the whole Christian world with +him. I thought at first that people had sinned ignorantly, and out of +human weakness, and not of set purpose and wittingly to endeavour to +suppress God’s Word; but it pleased God to lead me on in the mouth of the +cannon, like a bar-horse that hath his eyes blinded, and seeth not who +runneth upon him. Even so was I, as it were, tugged by my hair to the +office of preaching; but had I then known what now I know, ten horses +should scarce have drawn me to it. Moses and Jeremiah also complained +that they were deceived. + + +_Of the Archbishop of Mentz_, _one of the Spiritual Princes Electors_, +_his Censure of the Bible_. + + +Anno 1530, at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of +Mentz, by chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the space of +four hours he continued reading therein; at last, one of his Council on a +sudden came into his bed-chamber unto him, who, seeing the Bible in the +Bishop’s hand, was much amazed thereat, and said unto him, “what doth +your Highness with that book?” The Archbishop thereupon answered him, +and said, “I know not what this book is, but sure I am, all that is +written therein is quite against us.” + + +_That the Bible is hated of the Worldly-wise and of the Sophists_. + + +Doctor Ussinger, an Austin Friar, with me in the Monastery at Erfurt, +said once unto me, as he saw that I diligently read and affected the +Bible, “Brother Martin, what is the Bible? Let us,” said he, “read the +ancient Teachers and Fathers, for they have sucked the juice and truth +out of the Bible. The Bible is the cause of all dissension and +rebellion.” + +This, said Luther, is the censure of the world concerning God’s Word; +therefore we must let them run on their course towards that place which +is prepared for them. + + +_Of the Errors which the Sectaries do hold concerning the Word of God_. + + +Bullinger said once in my hearing, said Luther, that he was earnest +against the sectaries, as contemners of God’s Word, and also against +those who attributed too much to the literal Word; for, said he, such do +sin against God and his almighty power, as the Jews did in naming the ark +“God.” But, said he, whoso holdeth a mean between both, the same is +taught what is the right use of the Word and Sacraments. + +Whereupon, said Luther, I answered him and said, “Bullinger, you err: you +know neither yourself nor what you hold; I mark well your tricks and +fallacies. Zuinglius and Œcolampadius likewise proceeded too far in this +your ungodly meaning; but when Brentius withstood them, they then +lessened their opinions, alleging they did not reject the literal Word, +but only condemned certain gross abuses. By this your error,” said +Luther to Bullinger, “you cut in sunder and separate the Word and the +Spirit; you separate those that preach and teach the Word from God who +worketh the same; you also separate thereby the Ministers that baptize +from God who commandeth it; and you think that the Holy Ghost is given +and worketh without the Word; which Word, you say, is an external sign +and mark that findeth the Spirit, which already and before possesseth the +heart. Insomuch, according to your falsities, that if the Word findeth +not the Spirit, but an ungodly person, then it is not God’s Word; whereby +you define and hold the Word, not according to God who speaketh it, but +according as people do entertain and receive it. You will only grant +that such is God’s Word which purifieth and bringeth peace and life; but +seeing it worketh not in the ungodly, therefore it is not God’s Word. +You teach that the outward Word is like an object or a picture, which +signifieth and presenteth something; you measure the use thereof only +according to the matter, like as a human creature speaketh for himself; +you will not yield that God’s Word is an instrument through which the +Holy Ghost worketh and accomplisheth his work, and prepareth a beginning +to righteousness or justification. In these errors are you drowned, so +that you neither see nor understand yourselves. + +“A man might vex himself to death against the devil, who, in the Papists, +is such an enemy to God’s Word. The devil seeth and feeleth that the +external Word and preaching in the Church doth him great prejudice, +therefore he rageth and worketh these errors against the same; but I hope +God ere long will look into it, and will strike down the devil with these +seducers. + +“A true Christian,” said Luther, “must hold for certain, and must say, +That Word which is delivered and preached to the wicked, to the +dissemblers, and to the ungodly, is even as well God’s Word as that which +is preached to the good and godly upright Christians. As also, the true +Christian Church is among sinners, where good and bad are mingled +together. And that Word, whether it produceth fruit or not, is +nevertheless God’s strength, which saveth all that believe thereon. And +again, it will also judge the ungodly, as St. John saith in chap. v., +otherwise they might plead a good excuse before God, that they neither +ought to be nor could be condemned; for then they might truly allege that +they have not had God’s Word, and so consequently could not receive the +same. But,” said Luther, “I say, teach and acknowledge that the +Preacher’s words, his absolutions, and the sacraments, are not his words +nor works, but they are God’s words, works, cleansing, absolving, +binding, etc.; we are but only the instruments, fellow-workers, or God’s +assistants, through whom God worketh and finisheth his work. We,” said +Luther to Bullinger, “will not endure these your metaphysical and +philosophical distinctions and differences, which merely are spun and +hammered out of human and natural sense and reason. You say, It is a man +that preacheth, that reproveth, that absolveth, comforteth, etc., and +that the Holy Ghost worketh; you say, likewise, the Minister baptiseth, +absolveth, and administereth the sacraments, but it is God that cleanseth +the hearts, and forgiveth sins, etc. Oh, no,” said Luther, “but I +conclude thus: God himself preacheth, threateneth, reproveth, +affrighteth, comforteth, absolveth, administereth the sacraments, etc. +As our Saviour Christ saith, ‘Whoso heareth you, heareth me; and what ye +loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,’ etc. Likewise, ‘It is not you +that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.’” + +“I am sure and certain,” said Luther, “when I go up to the pulpit, or to +the cathedral, to preach or read, that it is not my word which I speak, +but my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, as the Psalmist saith. God +speaketh in the Prophets and men of God, as St. Peter in his Epistle +saith: ‘The holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ +Therefore we must not separate nor part God and man according to our +natural reason and understanding. In like manner, every hearer must +conclude and say, I hear not St. Paul, St. Peter, or a man speak; but I +hear God himself speak, baptize, absolve, excommunicate, and administer +the holy sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, etc.” + +Bullinger, attentively hearkening to this discourse of that holy man, +Luther, fell down flat on his face to the ground, and uttered these words +following: “Oh, happy be the time that brought me hither to hear the +divine discourse of this man of God” (Martin Luther), “a chosen vessel of +the Lord to declare his truth! And now I abjure and utterly renounce +these my former errors, finding them convinced and beaten down through +God’s infallible Word which out of his divine mouth” (Martin Luther), +“hath touched my heart, and won me to his glory.” After he had uttered +these words lying on the ground, he arose and clasped his arms about +Luther’s neck, both of them shedding joyful tears. + +Ah, God! said Luther at that time, what an unspeakable comfort a poor, +weak, and sorrowful conscience might have and receive, if it could but +believe that such words and comforts were the words and comforts of God +himself, as in truth they are; therefore we conclude, short and round, +that God through the Word worketh, which is an instrument whereby we are +instructed to know him in heart, as by this present and happy example of +the conversion of this our loving brother, Bullinger, we apparently see +and find. + +But whereas, said Luther, the Word produceth not fruit everywhere alike, +but worketh severally, the same is God’s judgment, and his secret will, +which from us is hid; we ought not to desire to know it. For “the wind +bloweth where it listeth,” as Christ saith; we must not grabble nor +search after the same. + +If, said Luther, I were addicted to God’s Word at all times alike, and +always had such love and desire thereunto as sometimes I have, then +should I account myself the most blessed man on earth. But the loving +Apostle St. Paul failed also thereof, as he complains with sighs of +heart, saying, “I see another law in my members, warring against the law +of my mind,” etc. Should the Word be false because it bringeth not +always fruit? Truly this art of determining and knowing the Word hath +been in great danger from the beginning of the world, and hath endured +much: few people there are that can hit it, except God, through his Holy +Spirit, teacheth it them in their hearts. The Sectaries understand not +the strength of God’s Word. I do wonder, said Luther, that they do write +and teach so much of God’s Word, seeing they so little regard the same. + +Ferdinand, Prince Elector of Saxony, used to say he had well discerned +that nothing could be propounded by human reason and understanding, were +it never so wise, cunning, or sharp, but that a man, even out of the +selfsame proposition, might be able to confute and overthrow it; but +God’s Word only stood fast and sure, like a mighty wall which neither can +be battered nor beaten down. + + +_Which are the best Preachers and the best Hearers_. + + +I, said Luther, esteem those to be the best Preachers which teach the +common people and youth most plainly and simply, without subtlety, +screwed words, or enlargements. Christ taught the people by plain and +simple parables. In like manner, those are the best Hearers that +willingly do hear and believe God’s Word simply and plainly, and although +they be weak in faith, yet so long as they doubt not of the doctrine they +are to be holpen forward; for God can and will bear with weakness if it +be but acknowledged, and that we creep again to the Cross and pray to God +for grace, and amend ourselves. + +David saith, “I hate them that imagine evil things, but thy law do I +love,” and will show therewith that we ought diligently to regard the +strength of the Word of God, and not to contemn it, as the enthusiasts +do, for God will deal with us by such means, and by the same will also +work in us. Therefore the ancient Fathers say well touching this point, +namely, that we ought not to look to the person baptizing or ministering +the Sacrament, but we must look to God’s Word. + +Our Lord God electeth from hearts, to whom he revealeth his Word, and +therewithal he giveth them mouths to speak it; preserveth and maintaineth +it, not by sword, but through his Divine Power. + + +_That we ought to direct all our Actions and Lives according to God’s +Word_. + + +God, said Luther, hath his measuring-lines, and his canons, which are +called the Ten Commandments; they are written in our flesh and blood. +The contents of them is: “What thou wouldest have done to thyself, the +same thou oughtest also to do to another.” For God presseth upon that +point, and saith, “Such measure as thou metest, the same shall be +measured to thee again.” With this measuring-line, or measure, hath God +marked the whole world. They that live and do thereafter, well it is +with them, for God doth richly reward them in this life; and a Turk or a +Heathen may as well be partaker of such rewards as a Christian. + + +_Where God’s Word is loved_, _there dwelleth God_. + + +Upon these words of Christ, “If a man loveth me, he will keep my Word, +and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our +abode with him,” I say thus, said Luther: Heaven and earth, the castles +and palaces of all Emperors, Kings, and Princes, are no way sufficient to +make a dwelling-place for God; yet, in a silly human creature that +keepeth his Word he will dwell. Isaiah calleth heaven his “seat,” and +earth his “footstool,” but not his dwelling; therefore, when we long to +seek after God, we shall be sure to find him with them that hear and keep +his Word, as Christ saith, “He that keepeth my Word, I will come and +dwell with him.” + +A man could not speak more simply and childishly than Christ spake, and +yet he confounded therewith all the wisdom of the worldly-wise. To speak +in such a manner, said Luther, is not _in sublimi_, _sed humili genere_: +if I should teach a child, I would teach him in this sort: “He that loves +me, will keep my Word.” Here we see that Christ saith not, Abstain from +flesh, from marrying, from housekeeping, etc., as the Papists teach, for +that were even to invite the devil and all his fellows to a feast. + + +_That true and upright Christians are ready to suffer Death and all +manner of Torments for the Gospel’s sake_, _but Hypocrites do shun the +Cross_. + + +Not long since, said Luther, I invited to my table, at Wittemberg, an +Hungarian Divine, named Matthias de Vai, who told me that, as he came +first to be a Preacher in Hungary, he chanced to fall out with a +Papistical Priest. Now, he was complained of by that Priest to a Friar +that was brother to the Vaivoda, or Governor of Buda, and they were both +summoned to appear before him. The one much accusing the other, insomuch +that the Friar could not reconcile nor take up the controversy between +them, at last, and after long debate, the Friar said, “I know a way soon +to discover the truth of this cause,” and commanded that two barrels of +gunpowder should be set in the midst of the market-place at Buda, and +said unto the parties, “He that will maintain his Doctrine to be right, +and the true Word of God, let him sit upon one of these barrels, and I +will give fire unto it, and he that remaineth living and unburned, his +Doctrine is right.” Then Matthias de Vai leaped presently upon one of +the barrels and sat himself down thereon; but the Papist Priest would not +up to the other barrel, but slunk away. Then the Friar said, “Now I see +and know that the Faith and Doctrine of Matthias de Vai is the right, and +that our Papistical Religion is false.” And thereupon he punished and +fined the Papist, with his assistants, for wronging De Vai, in four +thousand Hungarian ducats, and compelled him for a certain time to +maintain one hundred soldiers at his own charge; but he licensed Matthias +de Vai openly to preach the Gospel. The Friar himself, recanting his +religion, was converted and became a Protestant; whereupon Luther said, +Never yet would any Papist burn for religion, but our people go with joy +to the fire, as heretofore hath been well seen on the holy Martyrs. + + +_By what God preserveth his Word_. + + +God will keep his Word, said Luther, through the writing-pen upon earth; +the Divines are the heads or quills of the pens, but the Lawyers are the +stumps. If, now, the world will not keep the heads and quills—that is, +if they will not hear the Divines—then they must keep the stumps—that is, +they must hear the Lawyers, who will teach them manners. + + +_That in Causes of Religion we must not judge according to human Wisdom_, +_but according to God’s Word_. + + +When the Pope and Emperor, said Luther, cited me to appear at Worms, Anno +Domini 1521, at the Imperial Assembly, they pressed and earnestly advised +me to refer the determining of my cause to his Imperial Majesty; but I +answered the three spiritual Electors, Maintz, Tryer, and Cologne, and +said, “I will rather surrender up to his Majesty his letters of +safe-conduct which he hath given me than to put this cause to the +determining of any human creature whatsoever.” Whereupon my master, the +Prince Elector of Saxony, said also unto them, “Truly no man could offer +more.” But as they still insisted and urged me touching that point, I +said, I did not dare to presume, without great danger of running myself +into God’s wrath, and of the loss of my soul’s health, to refer this +Cause, which is none of mine, but God’s Cause, to the censure of earthly +counsel; for the same, before all ages, hath been had in consultation, +hath been determined, censured, concluded, and confirmed by the great +Council in Heaven, to be and remain the infallible, most certain and true +Word of the High Majesty of God; and therefore altogether needless, yea, +most presumptuous now it were, either to receive or to deliver it to the +determination and censure of human and natural sense, wit, and wisdom, +which is subject to nothing more than to error, especially in and +concerning God’s Word and divine matters. And I told them flat and +plain, I would rather expose myself to endure all the torments that this +world, flesh, and the devil were able to devise and prepare than to give +my consent thereunto. + + +_That in former Times it was dangerous studying the Holy Scriptures_. + + +In times past, as also in part of our time, said Luther, it was dangerous +studying, when divinity and all good arts were contemned; and when fine, +expert, and prompt wits were plagued with sophistry. Aristotle, the +Heathen, was held in such repute and honour, that whoso undervalued or +contradicted him was held, at Cologne, for the greatest heretic; whereas +they themselves understood not Aristotle. The Sophists did much more +darken Aristotle than illustrate him; like as that Friar did, who wasted +two whole hours in a sermon about Christ’s Passion, and concerning this +question: _Utrùm quantitas realiter distincta sit à substantia_—whether +the quantity in itself were divided from the substance? He showed this +example, and said, “My head might well creep through, but the bigness of +my head could not;” insomuch that, like an idiot, he divided the head +from the bigness thereof. A silly grammarian might easily have solved +the same, and said, The bigness of the head, that is, the big or great +head. + +With such and the like fopperies were petty brains troubled, said Luther, +and were instructed neither in good arts nor in divinity. Antipho, +Chusa, Bovillus, and others were likewise miserably molested and plagued +about bringing a thing which was round into four square, and to compare a +straight line with a crooked. But we, God be praised, have now happy +times; and it were to be wished that the youth made good use thereof, and +spent their studying diligently in such arts as at this time are green, +and flourish. + + +_That the Jews have better Teachers and Writers of the Holy Scriptures +than the Gentiles_. + + +When I read in the Psalter, said Luther, I do much admire that David had +such a spirit. Oh, what high enlightened people were among the Jews! +This David was a married man; he was a king, a soldier, and a preacher; +he was busy in temporal affairs, yet nevertheless he wrote such an +excellent surpassing book. The New Testament was written also by men +that were Jews, and the Apostles themselves were Jews: God would signify +thereby that we should adore his Word, we should preciously esteem +thereof, reverence, and love the same. We Gentiles have no book that +ruleth in the Church, therefore we are not comparable to the Jews; from +hence it is that St. Paul maketh a very fine distinction or difference +between Sarah and Hagar, and the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Hagar was +also a wife, but nothing near like Sarah; therefore it is a great pride, +presumption, and wilfulness of the Pope, in that he, being but a human +creature, will presume, without Scripture, to set himself against the +Scripture, and will exalt himself above the same. + + +_Of Luther’s Complaint of the Multitude of Books_. + + +The multitude of books, said Luther, is much to be lamented; no measure +nor end is held in writing; every one will write books; some out of +ambition to purchase praise thereby, and to raise them names; others for +the sake of lucre and gain, and by that means further much evil. +Therefore the Bible, by so many comments and books, will be buried and +obscured, so that the Text will be nothing regarded. I could wish that +all my books were buried nine ells deep in the ground, for evil example’s +sake, in that every one will imitate me with writing many books, thereby +to purchase praise. But Christ died not for the sake of our ambition and +vain-glory, but he died only to the end that his name might be +sanctified. + + +_That God’s Word will not be truly understood without Trials and +Temptations_. + + +I, said Luther, did not learn my divinity at one only time, but I was +constrained to search deeper and deeper, to which my temptations brought +me; for no man, without trials and temptations, can attain to the true +understanding of the Holy Scriptures. St. Paul had a devil that beat him +with fists, and with temptations drove him diligently to study the Holy +Scripture. I, said Luther, had cleaving and hanging on my neck the Pope, +the Universities, all the deep-learned, and with them the devil himself; +these hunted me into the Bible, where I diligently read, and thereby, God +be praised, at length I attained to the true understanding of the same. +Without such a devil, we are but only speculators of divinity, and +according to our vain reasoning we dream that so-and-so it must be, as +the Monks and Friars in monasteries do. The Holy Scripture of itself is +certain and true enough; but God grant me the grace that I may catch hold +on the right use thereof; for when Satan disputeth with me in this sort, +namely, whether God be gracious unto me or no? then I must not meet him +with this text: “Whoso loveth God with all his heart, with all his soul, +and with all his strength, the same shall inherit the kingdom of God;” +for then the devil presently objecteth, and hitteth me in the teeth, and +saith, “Thou hast not loved God with all thy heart,” etc., which, indeed, +is true, and my own conscience therein witnesseth against me; but at such +a time I must arm myself and encounter him with this text, namely: “That +Jesus Christ died for me, and through him I have a gracious God and +Father; Christ hath made an atonement for me,” as St. Paul saith, “He is +of God given unto us for wisdom, for righteousness, for holiness, and for +redemption.” + +Tyrants, sectaries, seducers, and heretics do nothing else but drive us +into the Bible, to make us read more diligently therein, and with more +fervency to sharpen our prayers. + + +_Of the Advice of the Bishop of Salzburg_, _how to qualify the +Controversy between the Protestants and Papists_, _propounded to Luther +shortly before his Death_; _touching which_, _Luther discoursed as +followeth_: + + +At the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, in the year 1530, the Bishop of +Salzburg said unto me, “Four ways and means there are to make a +reconciliation or union between us and you Protestants. One is, that ye +yield unto us. To that you say you cannot. The second is, that we yield +unto you; but that we will not do. The third is, that the one party, by +force, should be compelled to yield to the other; but thereupon a great +combustion and tumult might be raised. Therefore the fourth way or means +were to be applauded and used, namely, that now being here assembled +together, the one party should strive to thrust out the other, and that +party which shall have the advantage, and be the stronger, the same +should put the other party into a bag and expel them.” Whereupon I, said +Luther, answered him and said, “This, indeed, were a very substantial +course to settle unity and peace, wonderful wisely considered of, found +out and expounded by such a holy and Christian-like Bishop as you are.” +And thereupon I took letters out of my pocket, which shortly before I had +received from Rome, and gave the same to the Bishop to read, which letter +related a pretty passage that fell out there five weeks before, between +some Cardinals and the Pope’s Fool, written as followeth:— + +The said Cardinals had been in serious consultation how, and by what +means, the Protestants in Germany might be convinced touching their +error, and suppressed; but they saw the difficulty of it, in that the +Protestants, in their books and writings, powerfully against the Papists, +cited the sacred Scripture, and especially they opposed and withstood +them with the doctrine of St. Paul, which were great blocks in the +Papists’ way, insomuch that they found it a business not so easily to be +accomplished. Then said the Fool unto the Cardinals, “I know how to give +you herein an advice, whereby you easily may be rid and quitted of St. +Paul, that his doctrines shall not be approved of; as thus: The Pope,” +said the Fool, “hath power to make Saints; therefore let St. Paul be +taken out of the number of the Apostles, and preferred to be a Saint, as +then his _dicta_, or sayings, which are against you, shall no more be +held for apostolical.” “This and your proposition,” said Luther to the +Bishop, “are of equal value.” + + + +OF GOD’S WORKS. + + +_That human Sense and Reason cannot comprehend nor understand God’s +Works_. + + +In all things, and in the least creatures, yea, also in their members, +God’s almighty power and great wonderful works do clearly shine. For +what man, how powerful, wise, and holy soever, can make out of one fig, a +fig-tree or another fig? or, out of one cherry-stone, can make a cherry +or a cherry-tree? or what man can know how God createth and preserveth +all things and maketh them grow? + +And truly we find and see printed the Holy Trinity in all good arts and +creatures, as the almighty power of God the Father, the wisdom of God the +Son, and the goodness of God the Holy Ghost. Neither can we conceive or +know how the apple of the eye doth see, or how understanding words are +spoken distinctly and plainly when only the tongue is moved and stirred +in the mouth, all which are natural things, as we daily see and act. How +then should we be able to comprehend or understand the secret counsel of +God’s Majesty, or search it out with our sense, wit, reason, or +understanding? + + +_That no Man understands God’s Works_. + + +No man, said Luther, is able to imagine, much less to understand, what +God hath done, and still doth without ceasing. Although we laboured and +sweated blood to write but only three lines in such manner as St. John +did write, yet were we never able to perform it. What, then, should we +any way admire or wonder at our wisdom? I, for my part, said Luther, +will be a fool, and will yield myself captive. + +When one asked where God was before Heaven was created, St. Austin made +answer thereunto and said, He was in himself. And as another, said +Luther, asked me the same question, I said, He was building Hell for such +idle, presumptuous, fluttering spirits and inquisitors. After he had +created all things, he was everywhere, and yet he was nowhere; for I +cannot fasten nor take hold of him without the Word. But he will be +found there where he hath bound himself to be. The Jews found him at +Jerusalem by the Throne of Grace (Exodus xxv.). We find him in the Word +and Faith, in Baptism and Sacraments; but in his Majesty he is nowhere to +be found. + +It was a special grace in the Old Testament, when God bound himself to a +certain place where he would be found, namely, in that place where the +Tabernacle was, towards which they prayed; as first in Shiloh and +Shechem, afterwards at Gibeon, and lastly at Jerusalem in the Temple. + +The Greeks and Heathens in after-times, said Luther, did imitate the +same, and did build temples for their idols in certain places, as at +Ephesus for Diana, at Delphos for Apollo, etc. For where God built a +church, there the devil would also build a chapel. They imitated the +Jews also in this, namely, that as the most holy was dark and had no +light, even so and after the same manner did they make their places dark +where the devil made answer, as at Delphos and elsewhere. In such sort +is the devil always God’s ape. + +But, said Luther, whereas the most holy must be dark, the same did +signify that the Kingdom of Christ no other way was to be taken hold of +and fastened, but only by the Word and by Faith. + + +_That the Superfluity of temporal Wealth doth hinder the Faith_. + + +God, said Luther, could be rich soon and easily if he would be more +provident, and would deny us the use of his creatures. If he would but +keep back the sun, that it should not shine, or lock up the air, detain +the water, or quench out the fire—ah! then would we willingly give all +our money and wealth to have the use of his creatures again. + +But seeing God so liberally heapeth his gifts upon us, we therefore will +claim them as by right, in despite of him, and let him deny them us if he +dare. Therefore the unspeakable multitude of his innumerable benefits do +hinder and darken the faith of the believers, much more of the ungodly. + + +_That God doth purchase nothing but Unthankfulness with his Benefits_. + + +God giveth sun and moon, said Luther, stars and elements, fire and water, +air and earth, and all creatures; body and soul, and all manner of +maintenance, of fruits, grain, corn, wine, and all that is profitable for +the preserving of this temporal life; and, moreover, he giveth unto us +his all-saving Word, yea, himself he giveth unto us. + +But, said Luther, what getteth God thereby? Truly nothing else than that +he is wickedly blasphemed; yea, that his only Son is pitifully scorned, +contemned, and hanged on the gallows; his servants plagued, banished, +persecuted and slain. This is the thanks that he hath for his Grace, for +creating, for redeeming, sanctifying, nourishing, and for preserving us: +such a seed, fruit, and godly child is the world. Oh, woe be to it! + + +_Of God’s Power in our Weakness_. + + +God, said Luther, placeth his highest office very wonderfully; he commits +it to preachers that are poor sinners and beggars, who do utter and teach +it, and very weakly do thereafter, or live according to the same. + +Thus goeth it always with God’s power in our weakness; for when he is +weakest in us, then is he strongest. + + +_Howsoever God dealeth with us_, _it is always unacceptable_. + + +How, said Luther, should God deal with us? Good days we cannot bear, +evil we cannot endure. Giveth he riches unto us? then are we proud, so +that no man can live by us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon hands +and shoulders, and will be adored as gods. Giveth he poverty unto us? +then are we dismayed, we are impatient, and murmur against him. +Therefore nothing were better for us than soon to be conveyed to the last +dance, and covered with shovels. + + +_Of the acknowledging of Nature_. + + +Adam had no need of books, said Luther, for he had the Book of Nature; +and all the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, do cite +much out of that book; as, touching the sorrows of women bearing +children, of the fellowship and community of the members of man’s body, +as St. Paul relateth such parables, and saith that one member cannot miss +another: if the eyes did not see, whither then would the feet go? how +would they stumble and fall? If the hands did not fasten and take hold, +how then should we eat? If the feet went not, where then would the hands +get anything? Only the maw, that lazy drone, lies in the midst of the +body, and is fatted like a swine. This parable, said Luther, teacheth us +that mankind should love one another; as also the Greeks’ pictures do +teach concerning two men, the one lame and the other blind, who showed +kindness the one to the other, as much as in them lay. The lame guided +the blind in the way, which else he neither knew nor saw, and the blind +carried the lame, that else could not go; so that they both were helped +and came forward. + + +_Of God’s Goodness_, _if we could but trust unto him_. + + +Once, towards evening, came flying into Luther’s garden two birds, and +made a nest therein, but they were oftentimes scared away by those that +passed by. Then said Luther, O ye loving pretty birds! fly not away; I +am heartily well contented with you, if ye could but trust unto me. Even +so it is with us: we neither can trust in God, who, notwithstanding, +showeth and wisheth us all goodness. + + +_That God made all Things for Mankind_. + + +God’s power is great, said Luther, who holdeth and nourisheth the whole +world, and maintaineth it; and it is a hard article where we say and +acknowledge, “I believe in God the Father.” He hath created all things +sufficiently for us. All the seas are our cellars, all woods are our +huntings; the earth is full of silver and gold, and of innumerable +fruits, which are created all for our sakes, and the earth is a +corn-house and a larder for us, etc. + + +_That God’s creatures are used_, _or rather abused_, _for the most part +by the Ungodly_. + + +The wicked and ungodly, said Luther, do enjoy and use the most part of +God’s creatures; for the tyrants have the greatest power, lands, and +people in the world; the usurers have the money; the farmers have eggs, +butter, corn, barley, oats, apples, pears, etc.; but good and godly +Christians must suffer, be persecuted, must sit in dungeons where they +can see neither sun nor moon, must be thrust out into poverty, must be +banished, and plagued, etc. But certainly it must be better one day; it +cannot always so remain; let us have but patience, and steadfastly remain +by the pure doctrine, and, notwithstanding all this misery, let us not +fall away from the same. + + +_That God_, _and not Money_, _preserves the World_. + + +God only, said Luther, and not money and wealth, maintains and preserves +the world; for riches and much money do make proud and lazy people: as at +Venice, where the richest people are, a horrible dearth fell among them +in our memory, so that they were driven to call upon the Turks for help, +who sent twenty-four galleys laden with corn, all which, as they almost +were arrived, went down into the sea and sank before their eyes. + +Therefore, said Luther, great wealth and money cannot still the hunger, +but rather occasioneth more dearth; for where rich people are, there it +is always dear, and things are at high rates. Moreover, money maketh no +man right merry, but much more pensive and full of sorrow; for they are +thorns which do prick people, as Christ calls riches; yet is the world so +mad that they will set thereupon all their joy and felicity. + + +_That God’s corporeal Gifts are but little regarded_. + + +One evening, Luther saw cattle going in the fields, in a pasture, and +said: Behold, there go our preachers, our milk-bearers, butter-bearers, +cheese and wool-bearers, which do daily preach unto us the faith towards +God, that we should trust in him, as in our loving Father; he careth for +us, and will maintain and nourish us. + + +_That God nourisheth all the Beasts_. + + +No man, said Luther, can account the great charges which God is at only +in maintaining the birds and such creatures, which in a manner are +nothing or little worth. I am persuaded, said he, that it costeth God +yearly more to maintain only the sparrows than the yearly revenue of the +French King amounteth unto. What then shall we say of all the rest of +his creatures? + + +_That God is skilful in all Manner of Trades_. + + +God, said Luther, is skilful in all occupations and trades, in a most +perfect and excellent manner; for, like a skilful tailor, he makes such a +coat for the stag, which he wears nine hundred years together, and of +itself it is not torn; also, like a good shoemaker, he gives him shoes on +his feet, that last longer than the stag himself, etc. + +God gives this world, with all his works, to those people who, as he +knows before, will anger, contemn, and blaspheme him. What, then, may we +think, will he give to those that through faith are justified, and do +know that they, so justified, shall live and remain with him +everlastingly? + + +_That God will be praised in all Languages_. + + +“All that hath breath, praise the Lord,” saith the Psalm; thence it +followeth that in all and every language, speeches, and tongues we should +preach and praise the Lord. Why then, said Luther, have the Pope and the +Emperor forbidden to sing and pray in the German tongue? + + +_That God is willing we should make use of his Creatures_. + + +Our loving Lord God is willing that we eat, drink, and be merry, and make +use of his creatures, for therefore he hath created them. He will not +have that we should complain, as if he had not given sufficient, or that +he could not maintain our poor carcases; only that we do acknowledge him +for our God, and thank him for his gifts. + + +_That God fills the Bellies of the Ungodly_, _but he gives the Kingdom of +Heaven to the Good and Godly_. + + +We believe, said Luther, that God will give to us no better things than +he giveth to the rich ungodly wretches in this world, to whom he gives an +overplus, and the fill of good wine, money, wealth, power, honour, and +all things that they would have or can desire. But the best wealth and +treasure, which they do not desire, he denies them, namely, himself. But +he that hath not God, let him have else what he will, so is he, +notwithstanding, more miserable than was Lazarus, that lay at the rich +man’s gate and was starved to death. But it will go even so with them as +it went with the glutton, that they everlastingly must hunger and want, +and shall not have in all their power so much as the least drop of water, +etc. + +If, then, said Luther, the almighty and liberal God in such wise doth +heap blessings upon his worst enemies and blasphemers, with all manner of +temporal goods and wealth, and gives to some also kingdoms, +principalities, etc., then may we, that are his children, easily conceive +what he will give unto us, who, for his sake must suffer—yea, what he +hath already given us. He hath given unto us his only-begotten Son, and +with him hath bestowed all things upon us, so that through him we are +God’s children, and also heirs of his celestial treasure, and are +co-heirs with Christ according to hope. + + +_Court Cards_. + + +God regards ungodly great Potentates, Kings, and Princes even as children +regard playing at cards. While they play, and have good cards, they hold +them in their hands; then, afterwards, when they have bad cards, they are +weary of them, and throw them under the bench. Just so doth God with +great Potentates. While they are in the government, and rule well, he +holds them for good; but so soon as they do exceed, and govern ill, then +he throws them down from their seat, as Mary sings, and there he lets +them lie. _Ut Regem Daniœ_. + +The Queen of Denmark, that was sister to the Emperor Charles and King +Ferdinand, died at that time when her husband, King Christian, was taken +prisoner, who was kept in prison twenty years. And his son, who was the +only heir of the kingdom, and was in the Court of the Emperor, died also +at the Imperial Diet held at Ratisbon the same year, 1541. God hath +taken up and gathered together a fine and glorious game at cards, all of +mighty Potentates, as Emperors, Kings, Princes, etc.; they scuffle and +fight one with another; touching which, said Luther, I could show many +examples done in our time, etc. + +“The Pope,” said Melancthon, “for the space of these certain hundred +years, hath been held for the principal Head of all Christendom. When he +did but wink or hold up one finger, so must the Emperors, Kings, and +Princes have humbled themselves and feared; insomuch that he was Lord of +all Lords, King of all Kings on earth; yea, he was an earthly god. But +now comes Almighty God, throws down the Pope, and wins that great king +with the ace (Luther), and there he lies. This is God’s government, as +Mary sings in her Magnificat: _Deposuit potentes_—He puts down the mighty +from their seat, etc. + +“If I were rich,” said Melancthon, “I would have artificially made me a +game at cards, and a chess-board all of gold and silver, in a remembrance +of God’s game at cards, which are all great and mighty Emperors, Kings, +and Princes, where he always thrusteth one out through another. N. is +the four of diamonds, the Pope is the six of diamonds, the Turk is the +eight of diamonds, the Emperor is the king in the game. + +“At last comes our Lord God, divides the game, beats the Pope with Luther +(he is the ace). But the Pope is not yet quite dead; Christ hath begun +to slay him with the spirit of his mouth, so that he is dead in the +hearts of believing Christians. I hope it is almost come so far that, in +less than two hundred years, God will quite make an end of him, and of +that antichristian idolatry, by his glorious coming.” + + +_Whoso from his Heart can humble himself before God_, _he hath gained_. + + +Whoso can earnestly humble himself from his heart before God, he hath +gained. For God can do nothing but to be merciful towards them that +humble themselves. For if God should always be stern and angry, so +should I, said Luther, be afraid of him as of the executioner. And +seeing that I must stand in fear of the Pope, of the Emperor, of the +Papistical Bishops, and of other tyrants, which are God’s enemies, to +whom then should I fly and take my refuge, if I should also be afraid of +God? + + +_That God preserves Nurture and Discipline_. + + +God’s works and actions will be where good nurture and discipline is +maintained, especially in wars, where a good government is settled; +otherwise it goeth strangely, dissolutely, and ill, as in this time we +see too well. + +When God will confound the wisdom of the wise, he makes them first mad +and furious in their proceedings, as he dealt with the Popish Princes and +Bishops at the Imperial Diet held at Augsburg. + +Let the adversaries rage and swell their fills, said Luther, and as long +as they can. God hath set the sea her bounds; he suffers the same to +beat and rage with her waves, as if they would over-run, cover, and drown +everything; yet, notwithstanding, they must not pass the shore and banks, +although God keeps the waters in their compass, not with iron, but with +weak walls of sand. This discourse Luther held at that time when letters +were written unto him from the Assembly at Frankfort, concerning the +Papists, with their practices and exploits, intending to fall upon the +Protestants in all parts. + +The second Psalm, said Luther, is one of the best Psalms. I love that +Psalm with my heart. It strikes and slashes valiantly amongst the Kings, +Princes, Counsellors, Judges, etc. If it be true what this Psalm saith, +then are the allegations of the Papists stark lies. If I were as our +Lord God, and had committed the government to my son, as he hath done to +his Son, and that these angry gentlemen were so disobedient as they now +are, I would, said Luther, throw the world into a lump. + +Mary, the poor child-maid of Nazareth, also combateth with these great +Kings, Princes, etc., as she sings, “He hath put down the mighty from +their seat,” etc. No doubt, said Luther, she had an excellent undaunted +voice. I, for my part, dare not sing so. The tyrants say, “Let us break +their bonds asunder.” What that is, said he, present experience teacheth +us; for we see how they drown, how they hang, burn, behead, strangle, +banish, and torture; and all this they do in despite of God. “But he +sits above in heaven, and laugheth them to scorn.” If, said Luther, God +would be pleased to give me a little time and space, that I might expound +a couple of small Psalms, I would bestir myself so boldly that, +Samson-like, I would take all the Papists away with me. + + +_By reason of our stiff-necked Hardness_, _God must be both harsh and +good too_. + + +I was, said Luther, very lately sharply reprimanded and taxed by a Popish +flattering Courtier, a Priest, because with such passion I had written, +and so vehemently had reproved the people. But I answered him and said, +“Our Lord God must first send a sharp pouring shower, with thunder and +lightning, and afterwards cause it mildly to rain, as then it wetteth +finely through. In like manner, a willow or a hazel wand I can easily +cut with my trencher-knife, but for a hard oak a man must have and use +axes, bills, and such-like, and all little enough to fell and to cleave +it.” + + +_What that is_, _God is nothing_, _and yet he is all Things_. + + +Plato, the Heathen, disputed of God, that God is nothing, and yet he is +all things; him followed Dr. Eck, and the Sophists, who understood +nothing thereof, as their words do show, which no man could understand. +But, said Luther, we must understand and speak of it in this manner: God +is incomprehensible and invisible, therefore what may be seen and +comprehended, that is not God. And thus a man may speak also in another +manner and wise: As God is either visible or invisible; visible he is in +his Word and Works, but where his Word and Works are not, there a man +should not desire to have him, for he will be found nowhere else than +where he hath revealed himself. But these and such-like will find and +take hold of him with their speculations, so that instead of God they +take hold of the devil, and find him, for he will be also a god. But I +do truly admonish and warn every one that they abstain from such +speculations, and not to flutter too high, but remain by the manger, and +by the swaddling-clothes wherein Christ doth lie (in the Holy +Scriptures), “in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” as +St. Paul saith (Col. ii.). There a man cannot fail of God, but finds and +hits upon him most certainly. I would willingly that this rule might be +observed after my death, namely: Human comfort and Divine comfort are of +two sorts: human comfort consisteth in external visible help, which a man +may see, hold, and feel; but Divine comfort consisteth only in words and +promises, where there is neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling. + + +_That Children are God’s special Blessings and Creatures_. + + +Dr. Jonas, inviting Luther to a dinner, had caused a bough, with ripe +cherries, to be hung up over the table where they dined, in remembrance +of the creation, thereby to put his guests in mind to praise the glorious +God in his blessing and creating such fruits, etc. But Luther asked him +why he did not rather remember the same by his children that were the +fruit of his body. For, said he, they surpass and are far more excelling +creatures of God than all the fruits of trees. By them we see God’s +Power, Wisdom, and Art, who hath made them all out of nothing, hath given +them in one year life and all members, so exquisitely hath created and +will maintain and preserve them. Yet, notwithstanding, we do not much +regard it; nay, we are in such gifts of God blind and covetous, as +commonly it falleth out that people when they have got children grow +worse and more covetous; they rake and rend all they can, to the end +enough may be left for their children. They do not know that before a +child comes to the world, and is born, it hath its lot; and already is +ordained and determined what and how much it shall have, and what shall +be thereout. In the state of matrimony we learn and find that begetting +and bearing of children stands and consists not in our wills and +pleasures, for the parents can neither see nor know whether they be +fruitful or no, nor whether God will give them a son or a daughter. All +this is done without our ordaining, thinking, or foreknowledge. My +father and mother did not think that they should have brought a +superintendent into the world; it is only God’s Creation which we cannot +rightly understand nor conceive. I believe, said Luther, that in the +life to come we shall have nothing else to do than to meditate of our +Creator, and of his celestial creatures, and wonder at the same. + + + +OF THE NATURE OF THE WORLD. + + +_Of the World_, _and of the Manner thereof_. + + +The world, said Luther, will neither have nor hold God for God, nor the +devil for the devil. And if a man were left to himself, and should be +suffered to do after his own kind and nature, then would he willingly +throw our Lord God out at the window; for the world regards God nothing +at all, as the Psalm saith, _Dixit impius in corde suo_, _non est Deus_. +On the contrary, the god of the world is riches, pleasure, and pride, +wherewith they abuse all the creatures and gifts of God. + +The Monks and Friars, in times past, boasted much of their contemning of +the world, and they made use of that speech of St. Paul (Rom. xii.), “Be +not conformed to this world;” from whence they would touch no money, as +if it were against God to make use of riches, money, and wealth; whereas +St. Paul and the whole Scriptures forbid but only the abuse of heart, +wicked lust, desire, and inclination; as there is ambition, incontinency, +revenge, etc., which lusts do hang on the world; yea, they altogether +flow and flourish. + + +_Of the Manner of People in Eating_. + + +We have the nature and manner of all wild beasts in eating. The wolves +eat sheep; we also. The foxes eat hens, geese, etc.; we also. The hawks +and kites eat fowl and birds; we also. Pikes do eat other fish; we also. +With oxen, horse, and kine, we also eat sallets, grass, etc. + + +_The Unthankfulness of Husbandmen and Farmers_. + + +The husbandmen and rich farmers, said Luther, are not worthy of so many +benefits and fruits which the earth doth bear and bring unto them. I +give more thanks to our Lord God for one tree or bush than all rich +farmers and husbandmen do for their large and fruitful grounds. Yet, +said he, we must except some husbandmen, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and +Isaac, who went out to see their grounds, to the end they might remember +God’s gifts in his creatures. (Gen. xxiv.) + +The world will have night owls, said Luther, that is, sectaries, +seducers, and unbelievers, about whom the birds do fly; that is, the +world wonders at them, entertains them with great honour, and gives them +money and wealth enough. + + +_The Gospel discovereth the Wickedness of Mankind_. + + +As the cold, said Luther, is always greater and more piercing in winter +when the days begin to lengthen, and when the sun draws near unto us, for +that maketh the cold thicker, and presseth it together: just so the +wickedness of mankind is greater, that is, more visible, and breaks out +when the Gospel is preached; for the Holy Ghost reproveth the world of +sin, which the world neither can nor will endure. + + +_The World’s Unthankfulness towards the Servants of God_. + + +He must be of a high and great spirit that undertaketh to serve the +people both in body and soul, and nevertheless must suffer the utmost +danger and highest unthankfulness. Therefore Christ said to Peter, +Simon, etc., “Lovest thou me?” and repeated it three times together. +Afterwards he said, “Feed my sheep,” as if he would say, “Wilt thou be an +upright Minister and a Shepherd? then love must only do it; thy love to +me must do the deed, otherwise it is impossible.” For who can endure +unthankfulness? to study away his wealth and health, and afterwards to +lay himself open to the highest danger and unthankfulness of the wicked +world? Therefore he saith, “It is very needful that thou lovest me.” + +The Pope and Turk, said Luther, have thoroughly revenged our cause, and +have done to the world a great deal of right, as by scourging experience +they have thoroughly been taught, for so the world will have it. Upright +and true servants of God they will not endure, nay, they murder them, +therefore they must have such fellows, yea, and moreover, they must +maintain and hold them in great honour and esteem, and yet nevertheless +must by them be cursed and deceived. + + +_The World must have stern and fierce Rulers_. + + +The world, said Luther, cannot be without such stern Governors, by whom +they must be ruled. King Ferdinand, with his Popish tyranny, is even a +fine liquorish bit for the world; therefore said God, through the Prophet +Samuel, to his people of Israel that prayed for a King, He would give +them a King, but this shall be his rule: “He will take your sons, and +appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and +will take your daughters to be cooks,” etc. As Ferdinand, the Prince +Elector of Saxony, returned home from the election of the Emperor Charles +at Cologne, he asked me how I liked the news, that they had elected +Charles, King of Spain, to be Roman Emperor. I answered him and said, +“The ravens must have a kite.” + + +_The World’s highest Wisdom_. + + +The highest wisdom of the world is, said Luther, to trouble themselves +with temporal, earthly, and vanishing things; and as it happeneth and +falleth out with those things, they say, “_Non putâram_” (I had not +thought it). For faith is a certain and a sure expectation of that which +a man hopeth for, and maketh no doubt of that which he seeth not, as the +Epistle to the Hebrews saith: Faith looks to that which is to come, and +not to that which is already present. Therefore a true Christian doth +not say, “_Non putâram_” (I had not thought it); but he is most certain +that the beloved Cross is near at hand, and will surely come upon him; +therefore he is not afraid when it goeth evil with him, and he is +tormented. But the world, and those that live securely in the world, +cannot brook misfortunes; they go on continually leaping and dancing in +pleasure and delight, like the rich Glutton in the Gospel. He could not +spare the scraps to poor Lazarus, but Lazarus belonged to Christ, and he +took his part. + + +_The Language and Doings of the World_. + + +Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, had a physician attending on his person who +was a Protestant, and therefore the less in the Bishop’s favour; the +same, being covetous and puffed up with ambition, recanted his religion +and fell to Popery, uttering these words: “I will, for awhile, set Christ +behind the door, until I be grown rich, and then I will take him to me +again.” Such and the like blasphemous words do deserve the highest +punishments, as befell that wicked dissembling wretch, for the same night +he was found in his bed in a most fearful manner, with his tongue torn +out of his mouth, as black as a coal, and his neck wrung in twain. +Myself, said Luther, at that time coming from Frankfort to Mentz, was an +eye-witness of that just judgment of God. If, said he, a man could bring +to pass, and at his pleasure could set God behind the door, and take him +again when he listed, then was God his prisoner. They were words of a +damned Epicure, and so accordingly he was rewarded. + + +_Luther’s Comparison of the World_. + + +The world seems to me like unto a decayed house. David and the Prophets +are the spars; Christ is the main pillar in the midst that supporteth +all. + + +_The World seeketh Immortality with their Pride_. + + +Whereas all people do feel and acknowledge, yea, do see, that they must +die and vanish away, every one therefore seeketh here on earth +immortality, that he may be had in everlasting remembrance. Sometimes +great Princes and Kings sought it by causing great columns of marble +stone and exceedingly high pyramids, buildings, and pillars four square +to be erected, as at this time they do with building great churches, +costly and glorious palaces and castles, etc. Soldiers do look and hunt +after great praise and honour by overcoming and obtaining famous +victories. The learned seek an everlasting name in writing books, as in +our time is to be seen. With these and such-like, people do think to be +immortal. But on the true, everlasting, and incorruptible honour and +eternity of God, no man thinketh nor looketh after the same. Ah! we are +poor, silly, and miserable people! + + +_What is to be considered in the executing of Offices_. + + +If, said Luther, the great pains and labour which I take sprang not from +love and for the sake of him that died for me, the world could not give +me money enough to write only one book, or to translate the Bible. I +desire not to be rewarded and paid of the world for my book; the world is +too poor and simple to give me satisfaction. I have not desired the +value of one penny of my master the Prince Elector of Saxony, so long as +I have been in this place. The whole world is nothing else but a +turned-about _Decalogus_, or the Ten Commandments backwards, a wizard, +and a picture of the devil. All contemners of God, all blasphemers, all +disobedient; whoredom, pride, theft, murder, etc., are now almost ripe +for the slaughter; neither is the devil idle, with Turk and Pope, +heresies and other erroneous sects. Every man draws the Christian +liberty only to carnal excess, as if now they had free liberty and power +to do what they list; therefore the kingdom of the devil and Pope is the +best government for the world, for therewith they will be governed with +strict laws and rights, with superstition, unbelief, etc. + +The world grows worse through the doctrine of God’s Grace and preaching +of the Gospel; for when they hear that after this life there is another, +they are well enough content with this life, and that God should keep the +other to himself; if they may have here but only good days, honour, and +wealth, that is all they care for or desire. + +At the time of my being in Rome, said Luther, there died a Cardinal very +rich, and left behind him great store of money; shortly before his death +he made his will, and laid it in a chest where the money was. After his +death the chest was opened, and therein, by the money, was found lying a +bull, written on parchment, with these words: + + _Dum potui_, _rapui_; _rapiatis_, _quando potestis_. + + (I extorted and oppressed as long as I was able; while ye have power, + get what you can.) + +Oh! said Luther, how finely, think you, must this Cardinal have departed +and died? + + +_The World is full of Dissemblers and Blasphemers_: _How many Sorts there +be_. + + +Luther discoursing, in the presence of the Prince Elector of Saxony and +other Princes, of the many sorts and differences of wicked persons, said: +Colax, Sycophanta, Cacoëthes; these sins and blasphemies are almost alike +the one to the other, only that they go one after another, as a man going +up the stairs and steps ascends from one to another. + +Colax, in my opinion, is he that in Terence they name Gnatho, an +ear-scratcher, a dissembler, a trencher-licker, one that talketh for his +belly’s sake, and is altogether a man-pleaser. This is a sin of mankind, +whose intent is to get all they can though others are hurt thereby. + +Sycophanta is such a dissembler, traitor, and backbiter that would earn a +grey coat. This sin is nearer allied to the devil than to mankind. +Gnatho acts his part in the comedies, but Sycophanta in the tragedies. +Phormio, in Terence, is a very honest person, nothing, or very little, +stained with the other two vices. + +Cacoëthes is a wicked villain, that wittingly and wilfully prepareth +mischief. + + +_Of the Wealth and Treasure of the World_. + + +The Fuggars {97} of Augsburg, on a sudden, said Luther, are able to levy +one hundred tons of gold (one ton of gold is one hundred thousand rix +dollars, making, in English money, two-and-twenty thousand pounds +sterling, and more), which neither the Emperor nor King of Spain is able +to perform. One of the Fuggars, after his death, left eighty tons of +gold. The Fuggars and the money-changers in Augsburg lent the Emperor at +one time eight-and-twenty tons of gold for the maintaining of his wars +before Padua. + +The Cardinal of Brixen, who died at Rome very rich, left no great sum of +ready money behind him, but only there was found in his sleeve a little +note of a finger’s length. This note was brought to Pope Julius, who +presently imagined it was a note of money, and therefore sent for the +Fuggars’ factor that was then at Rome, and asked him if he knew that +writing. The factor said, “Yea, it was the debt which the Fuggars did +owe to that Cardinal, which was the sum of forty hundred thousand rix +dollars.” The Pope asked him how soon he could pay that sum of money. +He answered and said, “Every day, or, if need required, at an hour’s +warning.” Then the Pope called for the Ambassadors of France and +England, and asked them if either of their Kings, in one hour’s space, +were able to satisfy and pay forty tons of gold. They answered, “No.” +“Then,” said the Pope, “one citizen of Augsburg can do it.” And the Pope +got all that money. One of the Fuggars being warned by the Senate of +Augsburg to bring in and to pay his taxation, said, “I know not how much +I have, nor how rich I am, therefore I cannot be taxed;” for he had his +money out in the whole world—in Turkey, in Greece, at Alexandria, in +France, Portugal, England, Poland, and everywhere, yet he was willing to +pay his tax of that which he had in Augsburg. + + +_Covetousness is a Sign of Death_; _we must not rely on Money and +Wealth_. + + +Whoso hath money, said Luther, and depends thereon, as is usual, it +neither proceeds nor prospers well with that person. The richest +monarchs have had bad fortune, and lamentably have been destroyed and +slain in the wars; on the contrary, poor and unable people, that have had +but small store of money, have overcome and had great fortune and +victory. As Emperor Maximilian overcame the Venetians, and continued +wars ten years with them, who were exceedingly rich and powerful. +Therefore we ought not to trust in money and wealth, nor to depend +thereon. I hear, said Luther, that the Prince Elector, George, begins to +be covetous, which is a sign of his death very shortly. When I saw Dr. +Goad begin to count his puddings hanging in the chimney, I told him he +would not live long, which fell out accordingly; and when I begin to +trouble myself about brewing, malting, and cooking, etc., then shall not +I drive it long, but soon die. + + +_The Popes’ Covetousness_. + + +The covetousness of the Popes has exceeded all others’, therefore, said +Luther, the devil made choice of Rome to be his habitation; for which +cause the ancients have said, “Rome is a den of covetousness, a root of +all wickedness.” I have also read in a very old book this verse +following: + + +_ Versus Amor_, _Mundi Caput est_, _et Bestia Terræ_. + + +That is (when the word Amor is turned and read backward, then it is +Roma), Rome, the head of the world, a beast that sucketh out and +devoureth all lands. Truly at Rome is an abominable trading with +covetousness, for all is raked to their hands without preaching or +church-service, but only with superstition, idolatry, and with selling +their good works to the poor ignorant lay-people for money; therefore St. +Peter describeth such covetousness with express and clear words when he +saith, “They have an heart exercised with covetous practices.” I am +persuaded a man cannot acknowledge the disease of covetousness unless he +knoweth Rome; for the deceits and jugglings in other parts are nothing in +comparison of those at Rome; therefore, anno 1521, at the Imperial Diet +held at Worms, the State of the whole Empire made supplication against +such covetousness, and desired that his Imperial Majesty would be pleased +to suppress the same. + +At that time, said Luther, my book was presented to the German nobility, +which Dr. Wick showed unto me. Then the Gospel began to go on well, but +the Pope’s power, together with the Antinomians, gave it a great blow, +and yet, notwithstanding, through God’s Providence, it was thereby +furthered. + +The Pope’s power was above all Kings and Emperors, which power I opposed +with my little book; and therewith also I assaulted the Bull on the Pope, +and, by God’s assistance, overthrew it. I did not write that book on +purpose against the Pope, but only against the abuses of Popedom; yet +nevertheless it startled them quickly, for their consciences accused +them. + + +_Princes do draw and tear Spiritual Livings unto them_. + + +The proverb is, said Luther, “Priests’ livings are catching livings,” and +that “Priests’ goods never prosper.” This we know to be true by +experience, for such as have drawn spiritual livings unto them are grown +poor thereby, and become beggars, therefore this Fable I like very well: + +There was an Eagle that made amity and friendship with the Fox; they +agreed to dwell peaceably together. Now when the Fox expected from the +Eagle all manner of good offices and turns, he brought his young ones and +laid them under the tree on which the Eagle had his nest and young ones; +but the friendship between them lasted not long, for so soon as the Eagle +wanted meat for his young (the Fox being out of the way), he flew down +and took the young Foxes and carried them into his nest, and therewith +fed his young Eagles. When, therefore, the old Fox returned, and saw +that his young were taken away, he made his complaint to the great god +Jupiter, desiring that he would revenge and punish that injury of _Jus +violati hospitii_. Not long after, as the Eagle again wanted meat to +feed his young, he saw that on a place in the field they sacrificed to +Jupiter. The Eagle flew thither, and quickly snatched away a piece of +roast from the altar and brought the same to his young, and flew again to +fetch more; but it happened that a hot coal hung to one of the pieces; +the same, falling into the Eagle’s nest, set it on fire; the young +Eagles, not able to fly, were burned with the nest and fell to the +ground. Even so it usually fareth with those that rake and rend +spiritual livings unto them, which are given to the maintaining of God’s +honour and service; such at last must lose their nests, that is, they +must be left destitute of their temporal goods and livings, and besides, +must sustain hurt of body and soul. Spiritual livings have in them the +nature of Eagle’s feathers, for when they are laid to other feathers they +devour the same. Even so, when men will mingle spiritual livings (_per +fas aut nefas_) with other goods, so must the same likewise be consumed, +insomuch that at last nothing will be left. + +I have seen a pretty dog, at Lintz, in Austria that was taught to go with +a hand-basket to the butcher’s shambles for meat; now, when other dogs +came about him, and would take the meat out of the basket, he set it +down, bit and fought lustily with the other dogs; but when he saw they +would be too strong for him, then he himself would snatch out the first +piece of meat, lest he should lose all. Even so doth now our Emperor +Charles, who, after he hath a long time defended the spiritual livings, +and seeth that every Prince taketh and raketh the monasteries unto +himself, doth also now take possession of bishoprics, as newly he hath +snatched to himself the bishoprics of Utrich and Luttich, to the end he +may get also _partem de tunica Christi_. + + +_A fearful Example of Covetousness_. + + +A covetous farmer, well known at Erfurt, said Luther, carried his corn to +sell there in the market; but holding it at too dear a rate, no man would +buy of him nor give him his price; he being thereby moved to anger, said, +“I will not sell it cheaper, but will rather carry it home again and give +it to the mice.” As he came home therewith, an innumerable number of +mice and rats flocked about his house and devoured up all his corn. And +the next day following, going out to see his grounds, which were newly +sown, he found that all the seed was eaten up, and no hurt at all done +upon the grounds belonging to his neighbours. This certainly, said +Luther, was a just punishment from God, and a token of his wrath against +the unthankful world. + + +_Wealth is the least Gift of God_. + + +Riches, said Luther, is the smallest thing on earth, and the least gift +that God hath bestowed on mankind. What is it in comparison of God’s +Word? yea, what is it to be compared with corporeal gifts, as beauty, +health, etc.? nay, what is it to the gifts of the mind, as understanding, +art, wisdom, etc.? Yet are men so eager after it that no labour, travel, +nor danger is regarded in the getting of riches; there is in it neither +_Materialis_, _formalis_, _efficiens et finalis causa_, nor anything else +that is good; therefore our Lord God commonly giveth riches to such from +whom he withholds all Spiritual good. + + +_Giving to the Poor that truly stand in need of our Help_. + + +St. John saith, “He that hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother +have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how +dwelleth the love of God in him?” And Christ saith, “He that desireth of +thee, give to him;” that is, to him that hath need and is in want. He +saith not to every idle, lazy, and wasteful companion, which commonly are +the greatest beggars, to whom although one gave much and often, yet were +they nothing helped thereby. In this town, said Luther, no men are in +greater want than the students and scholars. The poverty here indeed is +great, but idleness and laziness are far greater. A man can scarcely get +a poor body to work for money, and yet they will all beg. There is, said +he, no good government. Though I were able, yet I would not give to +those idle beggars, for the more one helpeth and giveth them, the more +and oftener they come. I will not cut my bread away from my wife and +children, and give it to such; but when one is truly poor, to him I will +give with all my heart, according to my ability. And no man should +forget that Scripture which saith, “He that hath two coats, let him part +with one,” etc.; for the Holy Scripture, in naming a coat, meaneth all +manner of apparel that one hath need of, according to his state and +calling, as well for credit as for necessity. As, also, by “the daily +bread” is understood all maintenance necessary for the body, therefore “a +coat,” in Scripture, is signified to be all usual apparel. + + +_The World will always have new Things_. + + +Before I translated the New Testament out of the Greek, said Luther, +every one longed after it, to read therein, but when it was done their +longing lasted scarce four weeks. Then they desired the Books of Moses; +when I had translated those, they had enough thereof in a short time. +After that they would have the Psalter; of the same they were soon weary; +when it was translated, then they desired other books. + +In like manner, said he, will it be with the Book of Ecclesiasticus, +which they now long for, and about which I have taken great pains in the +translating thereof. All are acceptable, so long and until our giddy +brains be satisfied; afterwards they let them lie, and seek after new +things; therefore in the end there must come errors among us. + + + +OF THE LORD CHRIST. + + +_That Christ warreth with great Potentates_. + + +On the 18th of August, 1535, Luther, receiving letters from Frankfort +relating to the great preparations of the Emperor against the +Protestants, said: Our Saviour Christ will not wage wars with beggars, +but with great and powerful Kings and Princes, as it is written, “Kings +of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the +Lord, and against his anointed.” Well, on, said Luther, they will find +their counsels altogether vain and frivolous, for Christ shall win the +field. We see also how the Prophets contended and strove with Kings, as +the Kings of Babel and Assyria, etc. In like manner Daniel, one of the +chief Prophets, wrestled and strove with Kings, and they again resisted +the Prophets. All those Kings are gone, and lie in the ashes, but Christ +remaineth, still, and will remain a King for ever. + + +_That it doth not follow because Christ did this and that_, _therefore we +must also do the same_. + + +At this time, said Luther, there are those that allege Christ by force +drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple; therefore we also may use +the like power against the Popish bishops and enemies of God’s Word, as +Muntzer and other seducers, in the time of the common rebellion, anno +1525. Christ did many things which we neither may nor can do after him. +He went upon the water, he fasted forty days and forty nights, he raised +Lazarus from death after he had lain four days in the grave, etc. Such +and the like must we leave undone. Much less will Christ have that we by +force should set against the enemies of the truth, but he commanded the +contrary, “Love your enemies, pray for them that vex and persecute you,” +etc. But we ought to follow him in such works where he hath annexed an +open command, as, “Be merciful, as your Father is merciful;” likewise, +“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in +heart,” etc., also, “He that will follow me, let him deny himself, take +up his cross and follow me.” + + +_That the weak in Faith do also belong to the Kingdom of Christ_. + + +The weak in faith, said Luther, do also belong to the kingdom of Christ, +otherwise the Lord would not have said to Peter, “Strengthen thy +brethren,” Luke xxii.; and Rom. xiv., “Receive the weak in faith;” also 1 +Thess. v., “Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak.” If the weak in +faith should not belong to Christ, where then would the Apostles have +been, whom the Lord oftentimes (also after his resurrection, Mark xvi.) +reproved because of their unbelief? + + +_That Christ is the only Physician against Death_, _whom notwithstanding +very few do desire_. + + +A cup of water, said Luther, if a man can have no better, is good to +quench the thirst. A morsel of bread stilleth the hunger, and he that +hath need seeketh earnestly thereafter. So Christ is the best, surest, +and only physic against the most fearful enemy of mankind, the devil, but +they believe it not with their hearts. If they knew a physician who +lived above one hundred miles off, that could prevent or drive away +temporal death, oh, how diligently would he be sent for! No money nor +cost would be spared. Hence it appears how abominably human nature is +spoiled and blinded; yet, notwithstanding, the small and little heap do +stick fast to the true Physician, and by this art do learn that which the +holy old Simeon well knew, from whence he joyfully sang, “Lord, now +lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy +salvation,” etc., therefore death became his sleep; but from whence came +his great joy? Because that with spiritual and corporeal eyes he saw the +Saviour of the world—he saw the true Physician against sin and death. +Therefore it is a great trouble to behold how desirous a thirsty body is +of drink, or one that is hungry of food, whereas a cup of water, a morsel +of bread, can still hunger and thirst no longer than two or three hours, +but no man, or very few, are desirous, or do long after the most precious +Physician, although he lovingly calleth and allureth all to come unto +him, and saith, “He that is athirst, let him come to me and drink” (John +vii.); so, “He that believeth in me, from his body shall flow streams of +living water.” + + +_Of the Temple of all the Gods (except Christ)_, _at Rome_, _called +Pantheon_. + + +In the year 606, Emperor Phocas, the murderer of that good and godly +Emperor Mauritius, and the first erector of the Pope’s primacy, gave this +temple Pantheon to Pope Boniface the Third, to make thereof what he +pleased. He gave it another name, and instead of All-Idols he named it +the Church of All-Saints; he did not number Christ among them, from whom +all saints have their sanctity, but erected a new idolatry, the +Invocation of Saints. + +In my chronicle, said Luther, I expound the name of Bonifacius thus: +Bonifacius is a Popish name, that is, a good form, fashion, or show, for +under the colour of a good form and show he acted all manner of mischief +against God and man. + +As I was at Rome, said Luther, I saw this church; it had no windows, but +only a round hole on the top, which gave some light. It was vaulted +high, and had pillars of marble stone so thick that two of us could +scarcely fathom one about. Above, on the vault, were portrayed all the +gods of the heathen, Jupiter, Neptune, Mars, Venus, and how else they are +called. These gods were at a union, to the end they might fool and +deceive the whole world; but Christ they cannot endure, for he hath +whipped them out. Now are the Popes come, and have driven Christ away +again; but who knoweth how long it will continue? + + +_That the World knoweth not Christ_, _nor those that are his_. + + +Even as Christ is now invisible and unknown to the world, so are we +Christians also invisible and unknown therein. “Your life,” saith St. +Paul (Coloss. iii.), “is hid with Christ in God.” Therefore, said +Luther, the world knoweth us not, much less do they see Christ in us. +And John the Apostle saith, “Behold, what love the Father hath showed +unto us, that we shall be called God’s children” (1 John iii). Therefore +we and the world are easily parted; they care nothing for us, so we care +less for them; yea, through Christ the world is crucified unto us, and we +to the world. Let them go with their wealth, and leave us to our minds +and manners. + +When we have our sweet and loving Saviour Christ, then we are rich and +happy more than enough, we care nothing for their state, honour, and +wealth. But we often lose our Saviour Christ, and little think that he +is in us, and we in him; that he is ours, and we are his. And although +he hideth himself from us, as we think, in the time of need for a moment, +yet are we comforted in his promise, where he saith, “I am daily with you +to the world’s end;” the same is our best and richest treasure. + + +_Of the Name Jesus Christ_. + + +I know nothing of Jesus Christ, said Luther, but only his name; I neither +have heard nor seen him corporeally; yet notwithstanding I have, God be +praised, learned so much out of the Scriptures that I am well and +thoroughly satisfied; therefore, I desire neither to see nor to hear him +corporeally. And besides this, when I was left and forsaken of all men, +in my highest weakness, in trembling and in fear of death, when I was +persecuted of the wicked world, then I oftentimes felt most evidently the +divine power which this name (Christ Jesus) communicated unto me; this +name (Christ Jesus) oftentimes delivered me when I was in the midst of +death, and made me alive again. It comforted me in the greatest despair, +and particularly at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, anno 1530, when I +was forsaken of every man; insomuch that, by God’s grace, I will live and +die for that name. + +And rather than I will yield, or through silence endure that Erasmus +Roterodamus, or any other whosoever he be, should too nearly touch my +Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus with his ungodly false doctrine, how fairly +coloured soever it be trimmed or garnished, I say I will rather die; yea, +it should be more tolerable for me, with wife and children, to undergo +all plagues and torments, and at last to die the most shameful death, +than that I should give way thereunto. + + +_That Christ and the Pope are set on_, _the one against the other_. + + +I, said Luther, have set Christ and the Pope together by the ears, +therefore I trouble myself no further; and although I come between the +door and the hinges and be squeezed, it is no matter, though I go to the +ground; yet notwithstanding Christ will go through with it. + + +_Of the Pre-eminence of God’s Word_. + + +Christ once appeared visible here on earth, and showed his glory, and, +according to the divine counsel and purpose of God, he finished the work +of redemption and the deliverance of mankind. I do not desire that he +should come once more, neither would I that he should send an angel unto +me; and although an angel should come and appear before mine eyes from +heaven, yet would I not believe him; for I have of my Saviour Christ +Jesus bond and seal; that is, I have his Word and Spirit; thereon I do +depend, and desire no new revelations. And, said Luther, the more +steadfastly to confirm me in the same resolution, and to remain by God’s +Word, and not to give credit to any visions or revelations, I shall +relate the following circumstance:—I being on Good Friday last in my +inner chamber, in fervent prayer, contemplating with myself how Christ my +Saviour hung on the Cross, how he suffered and died for our sins, there +suddenly appeared upon the wall a bright shining vision, and a glorious +form of our Saviour Christ, with the five wounds, steadfastly looking +upon me, as if it had been Christ himself corporeally. Now, at the first +sight, I thought it had been some good Revelation: yet I recollected that +surely it must needs be the juggling of the devil, for Christ appeareth +unto us in his word, and in a meaner and more humble form; therefore I +spake to the vision in this manner: “Avoid, thou confounded devil; I know +no other Christ than he who was crucified, and who in his Word is +pictured unto me.” Whereupon the image vanished. + + +_That Christ is the Health and Wisdom of the Faithful_. + + +Alas! said Luther, what is our wit and wisdom? for before we understand +anything as we ought, we lie down and die; therefore the devil hath good +striving with us. When one is thirty years old, so hath he as yet +_Stultitias carnales_; yea, also _Stultitias spirituales_; yet it is much +to be admired that, in such our imbecility and weakness, we achieve and +accomplish so much and such great matters; but it is God that giveth it. +God gave to Alexander the Great, _Sapientiam et fortunam_, Wisdom and +good success; yet, notwithstanding, he calleth him, in the Prophet +Jeremiah, _Juvenem_, a youth, where he saith, “_Quis excitabit juvenem_” +(A young raw milksop boy shall perform it: he shall come and turn the +city Tyrus upside-down). But yet Alexander could not leave off his +foolishness, for oftentimes he swilled himself drunk, and in his +drunkenness he stabbed his best and worthiest friends; yea, afterwards he +drank himself to death at Babel. Neither was Solomon above twenty years +old when he was made King, but he was well instructed by Nathan, and +desired wisdom, which was pleasing to God, as the text saith. But now +chests full of money are desired. “Oh!” say we now, “if I had but money, +then I would do so-and-so.” + + + +OF SINS AND OF FREE-WILL. + + +_Of the Fall of the Ungodly_, _and how they are surprised in their +Ungodliness and False Doctrine_. + + +Our Lord God, said Luther, suffereth the ungodly to be surprised and +taken captive in very slight and small things, when they think not of it, +when they are most secure, and live in delight and pleasure, in springing +and leaping for joy. In such a manner was the Pope surprised by me, in +and about his indulgences and pardons, which was altogether a slight +thing. The Venetians, likewise, were taken napping by Emperor +Maximilian. + +That which falleth in Heaven is devilish, but that which stumbleth on +earth is human. + + +_Of the Acknowledgment of Sins_. + + +It can be hurtful to none, said Luther, to acknowledge and confess their +sins. Have we done this or that sin, what then? Let us freely in God’s +name acknowledge the same, and not deny it; let us not be ashamed to +confess, but let us from our hearts say, “O Lord God! I am such-and-such +a sinner,” etc. + +And although thou hadst not committed this or that sin, yet nevertheless +thou art an ungodly creature; and if thou hast not done that sin which +another hath done, so hath he not committed that sin which thou hast +done; therefore cry quittance one with another. It is even as one said +that had young wolves to sell; he was asked which of them was the best. +He answered and said, “If one be good, then they are all good; they are +like one another.” If, said Luther, thou hast been a murderer, an +adulterer, or a drunkard, etc., so have I been a blasphemer of God, +because for the space of fifteen years together I was a Friar, and have +blasphemed God with celebrating that abominable idol the Mass. It had +been better for me that I had been a partaker of other great wickednesses +instead of the same; but what is done cannot be undone; he that hath +stolen, let him henceforward steal no more. + + +_What our Free-will doth effect_. + + +I, said Luther, oftentimes have been directly resolved to live uprightly, +and to lead a true godly life, and to set everything aside that would let +or hinder; but it was far from being put in execution, even as it was +with Peter, when he swore he would lay down his life for Christ. + +I will not lie nor dissemble before my God, but will freely confess I am +not able to effect that good which I do intend, but must expect the happy +hour when God shall be pleased to meet me with his grace. + + + +OF THE CATECHISM. + + +_Of the Virtues and Vices concerning the Ten Commandments_. + + +The _Decalogus_, that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a +looking-glass, and a brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we +ought to behave towards God and also towards our neighbour, that is, +towards all mankind. + +There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor +compendious book of virtues. + +The duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and +to trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life, +contemning of God, hatred, despair, etc. + +The duty of the Third Commandment is to acknowledge and to preach the +doctrine of God’s Word; the contrary is blaspheming of God, to be silent +and not to confess the truth when need requireth. + +The duty of the Fourth Commandment is the external service of God, as the +preaching of God’s Word, hearing, reading, and meditating on the same, to +the end we may make proof of our faith; the contrary is the despising of +God’s Word and the outward service of God, as the Holy Sacraments. + +The duty of the Fifth Commandment is obedience towards parents, tutors, +and magistrates in those things which are not against God; the contrary +is disobedience and rebellion. + +The duty of the Sixth Commandment is meekness, not to be desirous of +revenge, not to bear malice; against this is tyranny, rage, hatred, envy, +etc. + +The duty of the Seventh Commandment is continency and chastity; against +the same is lasciviousness, immodest behaviour, adultery, etc. + +The duty of the Eighth Commandment is to do good, to give and lend +willingly, to be liberal; the contrary is covetousness, stealing, usury, +fraud, and to wrong in trading and dealing. + +The duty of the Ninth Commandment is to love the truth, not to backbite +and slander, to speak well of all men; the contrary is lying, backbiting, +and to speak evil of another. + +The duty of the Tenth Commandment is righteousness, to let every one +possess his own; the contrary is to be miserable and unjust. + +The duty of this Commandment is to be without all covetous desires in the +heart, to be content with that which one hath; against that are the +lustings of the heart. St. Paul saith the end of the Commandment is +charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith +unfeigned. + + + +BRIEF SENTENCES OF THE CATECHISM, ACCORDING AS LUTHER USED TO TEACH AND +INSTRUCT HIS FAMILY AT HOME. + + +_Of the Ten Commandments of God_. + + +As the Faith is, so is also God. + +God stayeth not quite away, though he stayeth long. + +Despair maketh Priests and Friars. + +God careth and provideth for us, but we must labour. + +God will have the heart only and alone. + +Idolatry is the imagination of the heart. + +God giveth by creatures. + +God’s Word placeth before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what +a fine spark it is. + +God’s Word is our sanctification, and maketh everything happy. + +Works of obedience must highly be regarded. + +All that govern are called Fathers. + +Shepherds of Souls are worthy of double honour. + +Magistrates belong not to the fifth Commandment. + +Wrath is forbidden in every man, except in the magistrates. + +All occasions of death are forbidden. + +Matrimony proceedeth freely in every state and calling. + +Matrimony is necessary and commanded. + +Matrimony forbidden and disallowed is against God’s command. + +Matrimony is a blessed state, and pleasing to God. + +To steal is what one taketh unjustly. + +Unfaithfulness is also stealing. + +Thieving is the most common trade in the world. + +Great thieves go scot-free, as the Pope and his crew. + +Falseness and covetousness prosper not. + +Backbiting is meddling with God’s judgment. + +Censuring, and to speak evil behind one’s back, belongeth only to the +magistrates. + +We must censure and reprove no man behind his back. + +We must judge charitably in everything. + +There are no good works without the Ten Commandments. + +To fear God, and to trust in him, is the fulfilling of all the +Commandments. + +The first Commandment driveth on all the rest. + + +_Of the Creed_. + + +The Creed teacheth to know God, and what a God we have. + +In all cases we must make use of faith. + +God giveth himself unto us with all creatures. + +We must always drive on the article of Jesus Christ. + +The Holy Ghost bringeth Christ home unto us; he must reveal him. + +Where the Holy Ghost preacheth not, there is no Church. + +The works of the Holy Ghost are wrought continually. + + +_Of the Lord’s Prayer_. + + +To pray is to call upon God in all need, which is made precious through +God’s command, and necessity stirreth up earnest and devout prayers, +which are our weapons against the devil. + +The devil, the world, and our flesh is against God’s Will. + +The devil hindereth and destroyeth the daily bread and all the gifts of +God. + +God careth for our bodies daily. + +No man can live in the world without sin. + +No man can bring his own righteousness before God. + +We must forgive, as God forgiveth us. + +To forgive our neighbour, assureth us fully that God hath forgiven us. + +We are tempted three manner of ways—of the devil, of the world, and of +our flesh. + +Temptations serve against the secureness of our flesh. + +Temptations are not overcome through our own strength. + +The devil would hinder all that we pray for. + +The devil goeth about to bring us into all manner of need. + + +_Of Baptism_. + + +Faith is annexed to Baptism. + +Faith must have before it some external thing. + +Faith maketh the person worthy. + +Baptism is not our work, but God’s. + +Baptism is right, although no man believeth. + +No man must build upon his faith. + +Unbelief weakeneth not God’s Word. + + +_Of the Lord’s Supper_. + + +The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is of God’s ordaining. + +The Word maketh a Sacrament. + +Christ in the Sacrament is spiritual food for the soul. + +Remission of sins is obtained only through the Word. + +Faith receiveth the forgiveness of sins. + +The Sacrament consisteth not in our worthiness. + +Faith and human understanding are one against another. + +Faith dependeth on the Word. + +As we hold of Christ, even so we have him. + +Faith is a Christian’s treasure. + +The Gospel is the power of God. + + +_Good Works_. + + +Good works are nameless. + +A Christian’s work standeth for the good of the neighbour. + +Faith in Christ destroyeth sin. + +The Holy Scriptures only give comfort, they forbid not good works. + +Christ is a general good. + +Christians do pray for and desire the last Day of Judgment. + +The Church heareth none but Christ. + +Christ is of a mean estate and small repute. + +In adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good +spirits. + +Our whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in +him. + +Faith maketh us Christ’s heritage. + +We should aim at celestial honour, and not regard the contemning of men. + +Christ spareth us out of mere grace through the Word. + +The Gospel is altogether joyful. + +Grace condemneth all people’s own righteousness. + +Salvation is purchased and given unto us without our deserts. + +Regeneration is the work only of the Holy Ghost. + +Human reason cannot comprehend nor understand the goodness and benefits +of God. + +Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must +have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works. + +Faith hath regard to the Word, and not to the Preacher. + +The Preacher and the Word are two Persons. + +This natural life is a little piece of the life everlasting. + +Own imaginations and conceits spoil all things. + +The Gospel cometh of God, it showeth Christ, and requireth Faith. + +The Gospel is a light in the world, which lighteneth mankind, and maketh +children of God. + +False Preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins. + +Righteousness is obtained through faith, and not through works. Works +make faith strong. + +A Preacher is made good through temptations. + +A Prince is venison in heaven. + +A person must be good before his works can be good. + +We must not be dejected, but believe and pray. + +No State or Calling is of any value to make one good before God. + +Faith endureth no human traditions in the conscience. + +The Saints oftentimes erred like men. + +We must distinguish offices from the persons. + +We hate punishment, but we love sin. + +God preserveth the sanctified, yea, even in the midst of errors. + +No great Saint lived without errors. + +A Christian’s life consisteth of three points—of faith, love, and the +cross. + +We command a Christian in nothing, he is only admonished. + +We must curb ourselves in our own wills and minds. + +All revenge among Christians is taken away; they must grow up and +increase in the fruits of the spirit, among which love is the greatest, +for she goeth about with the people. + +Human reason comprehendeth not, nor understandeth that Christ is our +brother. + +Christ is given unto us that believe with all his benefits and works. + +Christ cometh unto us by preaching, so that he is in the midst of us. + +Without the Cross we cannot attain to glory. + +The Gospel cannot be truly preached without offence and tumult. + +The Holy Ghost maketh one not instantly complete, but he must grow and +increase. + +We lose nothing by the Gospel, therefore we should venture thereupon all +we have. + +To believe the Gospel, delivereth from sins. + +Works belong to the neighbour, faith to God. + +Those that censure and judge others, condemn themselves. + +Such as is the Faith, such is also the benefit. + +To doubt is sin and everlasting death. + +We know Christ when he himself is a schoolmaster in our hearts, and +breaketh bread unto us. + +God’s Word kindleth Faith in the heart. + +Faith is to build certainly on God’s mercy. + +Christ requireth no seeming godliness, no hypocrisy nor dissembling, but +the godliness of the heart. + +We are saved merely by grace and mercy, if we trust thereupon, but God +must alter our hearts. + +The Law is nothing but a looking-glass. + +Christ carrieth us upon his back before his Father. + +Love regardeth not unthankfulness. + + + +OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. + + +_That we ought to beware of Sophistry_. + + +If, said Luther, we diligently mark the world and the course thereof, we +shall find that it is governed merely by weenings or conceits, _Mundus +regitur opinionibus_. Therefore sophistry, hypocrisy, and tyranny do +rule and have the government in the world. + +The upright, pure, and clear Divine Word must be their handmaid, and be +by them controlled; this the world will have. Therefore let us beware of +sophistry, which consisteth not only in a double tongue, in doubtful and +screwed words, which may be construed any way, but also it blossometh, +and flourisheth in all arts and vocations; it will likewise have room and +place in religion; it hath usurped and got a fine painted colour, under +the name of holy writ. + +Nothing is more pernicious or hurtful than Sophistry; every one knoweth +it not; moreover, we are by nature prone and willing to believe lies +rather than the truth. Few people do know what an evil sophistry is. +Plato, the Heathen writer, made thereof a wonderful definition. For my +part, said Luther, I compare it with a lie, which is like to a snowball, +the longer it is rolled the greater it becomes. + +Therefore I do not approve of such persons as do pervert everything, do +under-value and find fault with other men’s opinions, although they be +good and sound; I like not such brains which can dispute on both sides, +and yet conclude nothing certain. Such sophistications, said Luther, are +nothing but crafty and subtle inventions and contrivances to cozen and +deceive people. + +But I like and love an honest and a well-affected mind, that seeketh +after truth simply and plainly, not to go about with phantasies and +cheating tricks. + + +_Whether we should preach only of God’s Grace and Mercy_, _or not_. + + +Philip Melancthon demanded of Luther whether the opinion of Calixtus were +to be approved of, namely, that the Gospel of God’s Grace ought to be +continually preached. For thereby, doubtless, said Melancthon, people +would grow worse and worse. Luther answered him and said: We must preach +_Gratiam_, notwithstanding, because Christ hath commanded it. And +although we long and often preach of grace, yet when people are at the +point of death they know but little thereof. Nevertheless we must also +drive on with the Ten Commandments in due time and place. + +The ungodly, said Luther, out of the Gospel do suck only a carnal +freedom, and become worse thereby; therefore not the Gospel, but the Law +belongeth to them. Even as when my little son John offendeth: if then I +should not whip him, but call him to the table unto me, and give him +sugar and plums, thereby, indeed, I should make him worse, yea, should +quite spoil him. + +The Gospel is like a fresh, mild, and cool air in the extreme heat of +summer, that is, a solace and comfort in the anguish of the conscience. +But as this heat proceedeth from the rays of the sun, so likewise the +terrifying of the conscience must proceed from the preaching of the Law, +to the end we may know that we have offended against the Laws of God. + +Now, said Luther, when the mind is refreshed and quickened again by the +cool air of the Gospel, then we must not be idle, lie down and sleep; +that is, when our consciences are settled in peace, quieted and comforted +through God’s spirit, then we must show also and prove our faith by such +good works which God hath commanded. But so long as we live in this vale +of misery, we shall be plagued and vexed with flies, with beetles, and +with vermin, etc., that is, with the devil, with the world, and with our +own flesh; yet we must press through, and not suffer ourselves to recoil. + + +_Against the Opposers of the Law_. + + +I do much condemn, said Luther, the Antinomians, who, void of all shame, +reject the doctrine of the Law, whereas the same is both necessary and +profitable. But they see not the effect, the need, and the fruit +thereof. St. Austin did picture the strength, the office and operation +of the Law, by a very fit similitude, namely, that it discovereth our +sins, and God’s wrath against sin, and placeth them in our sight; for the +Law is not in fault, but our evil and wicked nature, even as a heap of +lime is still and quiet until water be poured thereon, but then it +beginneth to smoke and to burn, not that it is the fault of the water, +but it is the nature and kind of the lime, which will not endure water; +but if oil be poured upon it, then it lieth still and burneth not. Even +so it is with the Law and Gospel. It is an exceedingly fair similitude. + + +_Of the Children’s Faith_. + + +The little children, said Luther, do stand on the best terms with God +Almighty concerning their lives and faith. We old doting fools do +torment ourselves and have sorrow of heart with our disputings, touching +the Word, whether it be true or not: “How can it be possible?” etc. But +the children with simple pure faith do hold the same to be certain and +true, without all doubting. + +Now, if we intend to be saved, we must, according to their example, give +ourselves only to the Word. But the wicked and crafty spirit, before we +be aware, can, master-like, draw the same away from us, by presenting new +dealings and business to keep us in action. Therefore best it were for +us soon to die, and to be covered over with shovels. + +The loving children do live innocently, they know of no sins, they are +without malice, wrath, covetousness, and unbelief, etc. Therefore they +are merry and possess a good conscience; they fear no danger, whether +wars, pestilence, or death. + +They will take an apple rather than a crown; what they hear concerning +Christ, of the life to come, etc., the same do they believe simply and +plainly, and prattle joyfully thereof. From whence Christ speaketh unto +us old ones earnestly to follow their examples, where he saith, +“Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall +in no wise enter therein.” For the children believe aright, and Christ +loveth them with their childish sports. On the contrary, he is an enemy +to the wisdom of the world (Matt. xi.). + + +_Of an Example of Faith in the Time of Dearth_. + + +At Eisleben, said Luther, I was well acquainted with a godly matron, who, +in the time of the last dearth, with two children, had suffered extreme +want and need. Now, when she had spent all her provision, and had +nothing more to live upon, she trimmed herself with her children, and +went towards a well or fountain to drink. In her going she prayed that +God would be pleased to preserve and keep her in that fierce time of +dearth. Upon the way a man met her, questioned and disputed with her +whether she thought to get something to eat at the fountain. She said, +“Yea, why not? for all things are possible to God and easy to be done; he +that fed the great multitude of the people of Israel forty years with +manna in the wilderness, he can also preserve me and mine with drinking +of water.” Now, as she remained steadfast in that mind, the man said +unto her, “Behold! seeing thou art so confident in faith, go home, and +thou shalt find three bushels of meal,” etc. And according to the man’s +word, so she found it. + + +_That Faith is the only Rule in Divinity_. + + +There is but one only rule and article in divinity. He that knoweth not +well the same is no divine: namely, upright faith and confidence in +Christ. Out of this article all the others do flow and issue forth, and +without this article the others are nothing. The devil, said Luther, +hath opposed this article from the beginning of the world, and would long +since willingly have rooted it out, and instead thereof have laughed in +his fist. Sorrowful, broken, tormented, and vexed hearts, said Luther, +do well relish this article, and they only understand the same. + + +_Of the Consequences of Faith_. + + +Believest thou? then thou wilt speak boldly. Speakest thou boldly? then +thou must suffer. Sufferest thou? then thou shalt be comforted. For, +said Luther, faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one +after another. + + +_That the Enemies of the Gospel must bear Witness to the Doctrine of +Faith_, _that thereby we only are justified before God_. + + +John Frederick, Prince Elector of Saxony, told me himself, said Luther, +that as Prince John, the eldest son of Prince George, was near the time +of his death, he desired to receive the communion under both kinds. But +when his father was informed thereof, he caused an Austin Friar to be +called to his son, to give him good instructions for his soul’s health, +and to advise him to receive the Sacrament _sub una specie_, or under one +kind, and that he should tell his son he was the same Friar who was +privately acquainted with Martin Luther, and was very conversant with +him; and, the better to make the Prince believe him, the Friar said that +Luther himself lately had advised certain persons to receive the +communion under one kind. Now, when this good and godly Prince was thus +pitifully induced to give credit to the Friar’s false information, he +then received the communion under one kind. + +But when the Prince, his father, saw that his son drew near to his last +gasp, and must needs die, then he comforted his son with the article of +justification by faith in Christ, and put him in mind to have regard only +to the Saviour of the world, and utterly to forget all his own works and +deserts, and also that he should banish out of his heart the invocating +of the saints. + +Now, when the son in his conscience felt great solace and comfort by +these his father’s admonitions, he asked his father why he did not cause +the same comfortable doctrine to be preached openly through all his +countries. His father answered and said, “Loving child, we must say thus +only to those that are dying, and not to the sound and healthful.” + +Whereupon, said Luther, I told the Prince Elector that his Highness might +perfectly discern how wilfully our adversaries do oppose the known truth. +Albert, Bishop of Mentz, and Prince George do know and confess that our +doctrine is according to God’s Word, and yet, because it proceedeth not +from the Pope, they refuse it; but their own consciences do strike them +down to the ground, therefore, said Luther, I fear them not. + + +_Of the Love towards the Neighbour_. + + +The love towards the neighbour, said Luther, must be like a pure and +chaste love between bride and bridegroom, where all faults are connived +at, covered, and borne with, and only their virtues regarded. + +Respecting ceremonies and ordinances, the kingdom of love must have the +precedency and govern, and not tyranny. It must be a willing love, and +not a halter love; it must altogether be directed and construed for the +good and profit of the neighbour; and the greater he be that doth govern, +the more, said Luther, he ought to serve according to love. + + +_Of that Sentence_, _“Give_, _and it shall be given unto you_._”_ + + +This is a true speech which maketh people poor and rich; it is that which +maintaineth my house. I ought not to boast, said Luther, but I well know +what I give in the year. If my gracious lord and master, the Prince +Elector, should give a gentleman two thousand guilders, yet he should +hardly maintain my housekeeping one year, and I have but three hundred +guilders pension per annum; yet God giveth sufficient and blesseth it. + +There is in Austria a monastery which in former time was very rich, and +remained rich so long as it willingly gave to the poor; but when it +ceased in giving, then it became poor, and is so to this day. It fell +out that, not long since, a poor man came thither and desired alms, which +was denied. The poor man demanded the cause why they refused to give for +God’s sake. The porter belonging to the monastery answered and said, “We +are become poor;” whereupon the poor man said, “The cause of your poverty +is this: ye have had in this monastery two brethren; the one ye have +thrust out, and the other is gone secretly away of himself. For after +the one brother, ‘Give’ (_Date_), was put out and cashiered, so hath the +other brother, ‘So shall be given’ (_Dabitur_), also lost himself.” + +And indeed the world is bound to help the neighbour three manner of +ways—with giving, lending, and selling. But no man giveth, but robbeth, +scrapeth, and draweth all to himself; would willingly take and steal, but +give nothing; neither will any man lend but upon usury. No man selleth +but he over-reacheth his neigbbour, therefore _Dabitur_ is gone, and our +Lord God will bless no more so richly. Beloved, said Luther, he that +intendeth to have anything, the same must also give; a liberal hand was +never in want nor empty. + + +_That giving must be done with a free Heart_, _without expecting a +Requital_. + + +In an evening, Luther, walking abroad to take the air, gave alms to the +poor. Doctor Jonas, being with him, gave also something, and said, “Who +knoweth whether God will give it me again or no?” Whereat Luther, +smiling, answered him and said, “You speak as if God had not given you +this which you have now given to the poor. We must give freely and +willingly.” + + +_Of the expounding of the Prophet Isaiah’s Speech_: _“In Quietness and in +Confidence shall be your Strength_._”_ + + +This sentence was expounded by Luther in this way: If thou intendest to +vanquish the greatest, the most abominable and wickedest enemy, who is +able to do thee mischief both in body and soul, and against whom thou +preparest all sorts of weapons, but canst not overcome, then know that +there is a sweet and loving physical herb which serveth for the same, and +that herb is named _Patientia_. + +But thou wilt say, “How may I attain to this physic?” Answer—Take unto +thee faith, who saith; “No creature can do me mischief without the will +of God.” Now, in case thou receivest hurt and mischief by thine enemy, +the same is done by the sweet and gracious will of God, in such sort that +the enemy hurteth himself a thousand times more. From hence floweth unto +me, a Christian, the love which saith, “I will, instead of the evil which +mine enemy doth unto me, do him all the good I can; I will heap coals of +fire upon his head.” This, said Luther, is the Christian armour and +weapon, wherewith to beat and overcome those enemies that seem to be like +huge mountains. In a word, love teacheth to suffer and endure all +things. + + +_Of Comfort against Envy_. + + +A certain honest and God-fearing man at Wittemberg lately told me, said +Luther, he lived peaceably with every one, hurt no man, but was still and +quiet; yet notwithstanding, said he, many people were enemies unto him. +I comforted him in this manner, and said: Arm yourself with patience, and +give them no cause of envy. I pray, what cause do we give the devil? +What aileth him to be so great an enemy unto us? but only because he hath +not that which God hath. I know none other cause of his vehement hatred +towards us. Therefore when God giveth thee to eat, then eat; when he +causeth thee to fast, have patience; giveth he honour, take it; hurt or +shame, endure it; casteth he thee into prison, murmur not; will he make +thee a lord, follow him: casteth he thee down again, so care thou not for +it, nor regard it. + + +_That Patience is necessary in every Particular_. + + +I, said Luther, must have patience with the Pope; I must have patience +with heretics and seducers; I must have patience with the roaring +courtiers; I must have patience with my servants: I must have patience +with Kate my wife; to conclude, the patiences are so many, that my whole +life is nothing but patience. The Prophet Isaiah saith, “In being silent +and hoping consisteth our strength;” that is, have patience under +sufferings: hope, and despair not. + + + +OF PRAYER. + + +_What Power Prayer hath_. + + +No human creature can believe, said Luther, how powerful prayer is, and +what is it able to effect, but only those that have learned it by +experience. + +It is a great matter when in extreme need, as then one can take hold on +prayer. I know, as often as I have earnestly prayed, that I have been +richly heard, and have obtained more than I prayed for; indeed, God +sometimes deferred, but notwithstanding he came. + +Ecclesiasticus saith, “The prayer of a good and godly Christian availeth +more to health, than the physician’s physic.” + +O how great and upright and godly Christian’s prayer is! how powerful +with God; that a poor human creature should speak with God’s high majesty +in heaven, and not be affrighted, but, on the contrary, knoweth that God +smileth upon him for Christ’s sake, his dearly beloved Son. The heart +and conscience, in this act of praying, must not fly and recoil backwards +by reason of our sins and unworthiness, and must not stand in doubt, nor +be scared away. We must not do, said Luther, as the Bavarian did, who +with great devotion called upon St. Leonard, an idol, set up in a church +in Bavaria, behind which idol stood one who answered the Bavarian and +said, “Fie on thee, Bavarian”; and in that sort oftentimes was repulsed, +and could not be heard: at last, the Bavarian went away, and said, “Fie +on thee, Leonard.” + +But when we pray, we must not let it come to, fie upon thee; but must +certainly hold, conclude, and believe, that we are already heard in that +for which we pray with faith in Christ. Therefore the ancients finely +described prayer, namely, that it is, _Ascensus mentis ad Deum_, a +climbing up of the heart unto God, that is, lifteth itself up, crieth and +sigheth to God: neither I myself, said Luther, nor any other that I know, +have rightly understood the definition of this _Ascensus_. Indeed, we +have boasted and talked much of the climbing up of the heart; but we +failed in _Syntaxi_, we could not bring thereunto the word _Deum_; nay, +we flew from God, we were afraid to draw near unto him, and to pray +through Christ, in whom the strength of prayer wholly consisteth; we +always prayed in Popedom _conditionaliter_, conditionally, and therefore +uncertainly. + +But let us pray in heart, and also with our lips; for prayer, by our +loving God, supporteth the world; otherwise, without prayer, it would +stand in a far more lamentable state. + + +_Of the Power of Prayer_, _and of the Lord’s Prayer_. + + +Our Saviour Christ, said Luther, most excellently, and with very few +words, comprehended, in the Lord’s Prayer, all things both needful and +necessary; but without trouble, trials, and vexations, prayer cannot +rightly be made. Therefore God saith, “Call on me in the time of +trouble,” etc., without trouble it is only a cold prattling, and goeth +not from the heart; the common saying is “Need teacheth to pray.” And +although the Papists say that God well understandeth all the words of +those that pray, yet St. Bernard is far of another opinion, where he +saith, “God heareth not the words of one that prayeth, unless he that +prayeth heareth them first himself.” The Pope is a mere tormentor of the +conscience. The assembly of his greased and religious crew in praying +was altogether like the croaking of frogs, which edified nothing at all. +It was mere sophistry, and deceiving, fruitless, and unprofitable. + +Prayer is a strong wall, and a fort of the church; it is a godly +Christian’s weapon, which no man knoweth nor findeth, but only he who +hath the spirit of grace and of prayer. + +The three first petitions in our Lord’s prayer do comprehend such great +and celestial things, that no heart is able to search them out. The +fourth petition containeth the whole policy and economy, or the temporal +and house-government, and all things necessary for this life. The fifth +prayer striveth and fighteth against our own evil consciences, against +original and actual sins, which trouble the same, etc. Truly they were +penned by wisdom itself; none but God could have done the like. + +We cannot pray without faith in Christ the Mediator. The Turks, the +Jews, and the ungodly may rehearse and speak the words of prayer after +one, but they cannot pray. And although the Apostles were taught this +prayer by Christ, and prayed often, yet they prayed not as they should +have prayed: for Christ saith, “Hitherto ye have not prayed in my name;” +whereas, doubtless, they had prayed much, and spoken the words. But when +the Holy Ghost came, then they prayed aright in the name of Christ. If +praying and reading of prayer be but only a bare work, as the Papists +hold it to be, then the righteousness of the law is nothing worth. The +upright prayer of a godly Christian is a strong hedge, as God himself +saith, “And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, +and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy +it, but I found none,” etc. Therefore, said Luther, when others do +blaspheme, let us pray. David saith, “He doth the will of them that fear +Him, and heareth their prayers.” + + +_That we must daily go on in Praying_. + + +I, said Luther, have every day enough to do to pray. And when I lay me +down to rest, I pray the Lord’s Prayer, and afterwards take hold on two +or three sentences out of the Bible, and so betake myself to sleep, then +I am well satisfied. + + +_That Preachers ought to join their Prayers together_. + + +Dr. Aepinus, Superintendent of Hambrough, coming to Wittemberg to speak +with Luther, who, after his dispatch, and at his taking leave, said, I +commend myself and our church at Hambrough to your prayers. Luther +answered him, and said, Loving Aepine, the cause is not ours, but God’s: +let us join our prayers together, as then the cause will be holpen. I +will pray against the Pope and the Turk as long as I live: and I like it +well that you take such course at Hambrough, earnestly to pray against +Mahomet and the Pope. + + +_Of the Power of Prayer_. + + +God always giveth more than we pray for; when we truly pray for a piece +of bread, so giveth God a whole acre of land. When my wife, said Luther, +was sick, I prayed to God that she might live, so he not only granted +that request, but also therewith he hath given us a goodly farm at +Zolfdorf, and hath blessed us with a fruitful year. At that time my wife +said unto me, Sir! how is it, that in Popedom they pray so often with +great vehemence, but we are very cold and careless in praying? I +answered her, the devil driveth on his servants continually; they are +diligent, and take great pains in their false worshipping, but we, +indeed, are ice cold therein, and negligent. + + +_Of Luther’s Prayer for a gracious Rain_. + + +In the year 1532, throughout all Germany was a great drought, the corn in +the fields in a lamentable way began to wither. On the ninth of June the +same year, Luther called together the whole assembly into the church, and +directed his prayer, with deep sighs, to God in the manner following: “O +Lord, behold our prayers for thy promise sake; we have prayed, and our +hearts have sighed, but the covetousness of the rich farmers doth hinder +and hem in thy blessing; for seeing that through thy gospel they are +unbridled, they think it free for them to live and do what they please; +they now fear neither death nor hell, but say, ‘I believe, therefore I +shall be saved;’ they become haughty spiteful Mammonists, and accursed +covetous cut-throats, that suck out land and people. Moreover, also, the +usurers among the gentry in every place deal wickedly, insomuch, as it +seemeth, thou, O God, wilt now visit us, together with them, with the +rod; yet, nevertheless, thou hast still means whereby to maintain those +that are thine, although thou sufferest no rain to fall among the +ungodly.” + +After he had said thus, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and said, +“Lord God, thou hast through the mouth of thy servant David said, ‘The +Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him faithfully; he doth the will of +those that fear him, and heareth their prayers, and helpeth them in their +distress.’ How is it, Lord, that thou givest no rain, seeing we have +cried and prayed so long unto thee? ‘Thy will be done,’ O Lord! we know +that although thou givest not rain, yet, notwithstanding, thou wilt give +us something better, a still, a quiet, and a peaceable life. Now we +pray, O Lord, from the bottom of our hearts. If thou, O Lord, wilt not +be pleased to hear and give us rain, then the ungodly will say, Christ +thy only Son is a liar. For he saith, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, +Whatsoever ye pray the Father in my name, the same he will give unto +you,’ etc. Insomuch that they will give thy Son the lie. I know, O +Lord, that we do cry unto thee from our hearts, with yearning and +sighing, why then dost thou not hear us?” Now, even the same day, and +within the space of half an hour after the people went from church, it +began to rain so sweet and mildly, which continued for a whole fortnight, +so that the grounds thereby were changed and refreshed in a most +miraculous manner. This happened June 9, 1532. + + +_Of Papistical Prayer_. + + +The praying in Popedom, is a mere tormenting of the consciences, it is +only a prating and tongue threshing, no praying, but a work of obedience. +From thence proceeded a confused sea-full of _Horas Canonicas_, the +howling and babbling in cells and monasteries, where they read and sang +the psalms and collects without all spiritual devotion, insomuch that +they neither understood the words, sentences, nor the meaning. + +In what manner, and how I tormented myself, said Luther, with those +_Horis Canonicis_ before the Gospel came, which, by reason of many +businesses I often intermitted, I am not able to express. On the +Saturdays I used to lock myself up in my cell, and accomplish what the +whole week I had neglected. But at last I was troubled with so many +affairs, that I was fain oftentimes to omit also my Saturday’s devotions. +At length, when I saw that Amsdorff and others derided such manner of +devotion, then I quite left it off. + +It was a great torment, from which we are now delivered by the Gospel. +Although, said Luther, I had done no more but only freed people from that +torment, yet they might well give me thanks for it. Innumerable laws and +works were taught and imposed upon people without the spirit, as in the +book, _Rationale Divinorum_, many abominable things are written. + + +_To Pray for Peace_. + + +Luther receiving a letter written unto him, from the Imperial Assembly, +by Philip Melancthon, after the reading of it, he said, What Philip +Melancthon writeth hath hands and feet, hath authority and gravity, it is +of weight, contained in a few words, as always I have found by his +letters. But, I perceive, we must have wars; for the Papists would +willingly go on, but they want a good stomach, neither may we endure the +case to stand upon these terms. Let it therefore proceed _in nomine +Domini_; I will commit all things to God, and will be _Crito_ in the +play. I will pray that God would convert our adversaries. We have a +good cause on our side. Who would not fight and venture body and blood, +_pro Sacris_, for the Holidom, which is God’s Word? And, besides, the +temporal laws and statutes of policy do also concur and agree with our +proceedings; for we always have desired and called for peace, but our +Princes are provoked and drawn to defend themselves and their subjects, +and of necessity must resist their power; our adversaries will not suffer +us to live in peace. This letter, said Luther, was written ten days +since; by this time it is concluded what shall be done. The everlasting +merciful God give His grace thereunto! Let us watch and pray, for Satan +sleepeth not. + + +_Of Temporal Peace_. + + +Worldly and outward peace is one of the highest gifts of God; but we +abuse it too much; every one liveth after his own will and pleasure, +against God and the Magistrate. Oh, how soundly will our gentry and +farmers, in Germany, pay for this before one hundred and fifty years come +to an end, as already they have done in Hungary and in Austria; but +afterwards God will restore them again, and beat down Popedom. Let us +not cease to pray. + + +_Of Unity and Concord_. + + +Through concord small things and wealth do increase, as the Heathen said; +but dissension is dangerous and hurtful, especially in schools, in +professions, high arts, and in the professors thereof, wherein the one +ought to reach the hand to the other—should kiss and embrace each other. +But when we bite and devour one another, then let us take heed lest we be +swallowed up together. Therefore let us pray and strive; for the word of +faith, and the prayers of the just, are the most powerful weapons; +moreover, God himself sendeth his holy angels round about them that fear +him. We ought valiantly to fight, for we are under a Lord of Hosts, and +a Prince of War; therefore with one hand we must build, and in the other +hand take the sword—that is, we must both teach and resist. + +It is now time to watch, for we are the mark they shoot at; our +adversaries intend to make a confederacy with the Turk; they aim at us, +we must venture it; for Antichrist will war and get the victory against +the saints of God, as Daniel saith. We, said Luther, stand outwardly in +the greatest danger, by reason of treachery and treason; the Papists +endeavour with money to grease and corrupt our captains and officers. An +ass laden with money may do anything, as Cornelius Tacitus writeth of us +Germans; we have taught them to take money; there is neither fidelity nor +truth on earth. + + +_Of the Power of Prayer_. + + +The prayer of the heart, said Luther, and the sighs of the poor and +oppressed, do make such an alarum and cry in heaven, that God and all the +angels must hear the same. O, our Lord God hath a sharp listening ear. + + +_Of the Sighing of the Heart_. + + +When Moses, with the children of Israel, came to the Red Sea, then he +cried with trembling and quaking, yet he opened not his mouth, neither +was his voice heard on earth by the people: doubtless, said Luther, he +cried and sighed in his heart, and said, “Ah, Lord God! what course shall +I now take? Which way shall I now turn myself? How am I come to this +strait? No help nor counsel can save us: before us is the sea; behind us +are our enemies the Egyptians; on both sides high and huge mountains; I +am the cause that all this people shall now be destroyed,” etc. Then +answered God, and said, “Wherefore criest thou unto me?” As if God +should say, “What an alarum, a shrieking, and a loud crying dost thou +make, that the whole heavens must ring therewith!” etc. But, alas! said +Luther, we read such examples as dead letters; human reason is not able +to search this passage out. The way through the Red Sea is full as +broad, and wider far (if not further) than Wittenberg lieth from Coburg, +that is thirty Dutch miles, 120 English at least: doubtless the people +were constrained in the night season to rest, to bait and eat therein; +for six hundred thousand men, besides women and children, would require a +good time to pass through, although they went one hundred and fifty in +rank and file. + + +_God’s hearing Prayer_. + + +It is impossible that God should not hear the prayers which with faith +are made in Christ, although God giveth not according to the measure, +manner, and time which we dictate unto him; he will not be tied. In such +sort dealt God with the mother of St. Austin. She prayed to God that her +son Austin might be converted, but, as yet, it would not be; then she ran +to the learned, entreating them to persuade and advise him thereunto. At +last, she propounded unto him a marriage with a Christian virgin, that +thereby he might be drawn back, and brought to the Christian faith; but +all would not do as yet. But when our Lord God came thereto, he came to +purpose, and made of him such an Austin, that he became a great light to +the Church. St. James saith, “Pray one for another, for the prayer of +the righteous availeth much,” etc. Prayer, said Luther, is a powerful +thing; for God hath bound and tied himself thereunto. Christ taught the +Lord’s Prayer according to the manner of the Jews—that is, he directed it +only to the Father; whereas they that pray in the same manner, are heard +for the Son’s sake. This was done because Christ would not be praised +before his death. + + +_Of the Power of Prayer_. + + +As the King of Persia, said Luther, laid siege to the city Nasili, the +bishop that was therein saw that he was too weak (by man’s help) to +defend the city against so mighty a king; wherefore he went upon the +wall, lifted up his hands to Heaven, and prayed, in the sight of his +enemies. Whereupon immediately the eyes of the horses in the whole army +in such sort were pestered with an innumerable multitude of flies +stinging them, that with their riders they ran away, and so raised the +siege, whereby the city was preserved. In such a manner could God divert +the wicked enterprises of the Papists against us, if we would diligently +pray. + + +_That a True Christian Prayeth Always_. + + +The prayers of upright Christians are without ceasing; though they pray +not always with their mouth, yet their hearts do pray continually, +sleeping and waking; for the sigh of a true Christian is a prayer. As +the Psalm saith, “Because of the deep sighing of the poor, I will up, +saith the Lord,” etc. In like manner a true Christian always carrieth +the cross, though he feeleth it not always. + + +_Of the Strength of the Lord’s Prayer_. + + +The Lord’s Prayer, said Luther, bindeth the People together, and knitteth +them one to another, insomuch that one prayeth for another, and together +one with another; and it is so strong and powerful that it even driveth +away the fear of death. + + + +OF THE CONFESSION AND CONSTANCY OF THE DOCTRINE. + + +The word and article of justification (how we are justified and saved +before God) expelleth and overcometh all sorrow, all perplexities, +misfortunes, and adversities; and without this article there is neither +help nor advice. + +We read in the histories of the Church, said Luther, that Julian the +Emperor forced his servants and soldiers to deny Christ; but when many of +them refused to do the same, he caused them to be executed with the +sword, and they went joyfully to their deaths. Among them was a proper +youth, for whom earnest intercession was made, that he might be the first +to die. But Julian commanded to release him, in order to try whether he +would remain constant or no. Now, when he kneeled down and offered his +neck to the block, the executioner was charged not to strike, but to let +him rise again. Then the youth stood up, and said, “Ah, sweet Jesu! am I +not worthy to suffer for thy sake?” These were words of a great faith, +which overcometh the fear of death. + +When governors and rulers are enemies to God’s Word, then our duty is to +depart, to sell and forsake all we have, to fly from one place to +another, as Christ commandeth. We must make and prepare no uproars nor +tumults by reason of the Gospel, but we must suffer all things. + + +_What Christ Requireth of us_. + + +Christ requireth nothing more of us, than that we should confess him, and +speak freely and undauntedly of him. But here thou wilt say, “Yea, if I +do so, then I shall be struck on the lips.” Christ answereth thereunto, +and saith, “Call upon me in the time of trouble, so I will hear thee, and +thou shalt praise me.” And “He shall call upon me, and I will hear him, +yea, I am with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and bring him to +honour,” etc. + +There is no lighter nor more easy work on earth than the upright and true +service of God, to do what God commandeth in his Word; we should only +believe and speak, but then certain it is that we shall suffer and be +humbled with persecutions; but Christ hath promised to be with us, and to +help us. + + +_That every Christian is Bound to Confess Christ_. + + +Every Christian, especially those in offices, should always be ready +(when need requireth) boldly to stand up and confess his Saviour Christ, +to maintain his faith and always be armed against the world, the +sectaries, the devil, and what else he were able to produce. But no man +will do this, except he be so sure of his doctrine and religion, that, +although I myself should play the fool, and should recant and deny this +my doctrine and religion, which God forbid, he notwithstanding would not +yield, but say, if Luther, or an angel from heaven, should teach +otherwise, “Let him be accursed.” + + + +OF IMPERIAL DIETS. + + +_Of Imperial Diets and Assemblies in Causes of Religion_. + + +In the year 1518, the 9th of July, when I, said Luther, was cited and +summoned, I came and appeared: Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony having +appointed me a great and strong convoy and safe-conduct. I was warned in +any case not to have conversation with the Italians, nor to repose any +trust or confidence in them. I was three whole days in Augsburg without +the Emperor’s safe-conduct. In the mean time, an Italian came unto me, +and carried me to the Cardinal Cajetan; and by the way he earnestly +persuaded me to revoke and recant; I should, said he, need to speak but +only one word before the Cardinal, namely, _Revoco_, and then the +Cardinal would recommend me to the Pope’s favour so that with honour I +might return safely again to my master, the Prince Elector. After three +days the Bishop of Trier came, who, in the Emperor’s name, showed and +declared to the Cardinal my safe-conduct. Then I went unto him in all +humility, fell down first upon my knees; secondly, all along upon the +ground; thirdly, when I had remained awhile so lying, then the Cardinal +three times bade me arise; whereupon I stood up. This pleased him well, +hoping I would consider, and better bethink myself. + +The next day, when I came before him again, and would revoke nothing at +all, then he said unto me, “What? thinkest thou that the Pope careth for +Germany? or dost thou think that the Princes will raise arms and armies +to maintain and defend thee? Oh, no; where wilt thou remain in safety?” +I said, Under Heaven. After this the Pope humbled himself, and wrote to +our church, yea, he wrote even to the Prince Elector’s chaplain, and to +one of his counsellors, Spalatine and Pfeffinger, that they would +surrender me into his hands, and procure that his pleasure and command +might be put in execution. And the Pope wrote also to the Prince Elector +himself after the following manner: + +“Although, as touching my person, thou art to me unknown, yet I have seen +thy father, Prince Ernestus, at Rome, who was altogether an obedient son +to the Church; he visited and frequented our religion with great +devotion, and held the same in highest honour. I wish and would that thy +illustrious serenity would also tread in his footsteps,” etc. + +But the Prince Elector well marked the Pope’s unaccustomed humility, and +his evil conscience; he was also acquainted with the power and operation +of the Holy Scriptures. Therefore he remained where he was, and returned +thanks to the Pope for his affection towards him. + +My books, said Luther, in a short time went, yea, flew throughout Europe; +therefore the Prince Elector was confirmed and strengthened, insomuch +that he utterly refused to execute the Pope’s commands, but subjected +himself under the acknowledgment of the Scriptures. + +If the Cardinal had handled me with more discretion at Augsburg, and had +dealt kindly with me when I fell at his feet, then it had never come thus +far; for at that time I saw very few of the Pope’s errors which now I +see. Had he been silent, so had I lightly held my peace. The style and +custom of the Romish court in dark and confused cases, was this: that the +Pope said, We by papal power do take these causes unto us; we quench them +out and destroy them. I am persuaded that the Pope willingly would give +three Cardinals, on condition that it were still in that vessel wherein +it was before he began to meddle with me. + + +_Of Luther’s Journey and Proceedings at the Imperial Diet at Worms_, +_Anno 1520_. + + +On Tuesday in the Passion week, said Luther, I was cited by the herald to +appear at the Diet; he brought with him a safe-conduct from the Emperor, +and many other Princes, but the safe-conduct was soon broken, even the +next day (Wednesday), at Worms, where I was condemned, and my books +burned. Now, when I came to Erfurt, I received intelligence that I was +cast and condemned at Worms, yea, and that in all cities and places +thereabout it was published and spread abroad; insomuch that the herald +asked me, whether I meant to go to Worms, or no? + +Although I was somewhat astonished at the news, yet I answered the +herald, and said, although in Worms there were as many devils as there +are tiles on the houses, yet, God willing, I will go thither. + +When I came to Oppenheim, in the Palatinate, not far from Worms, Bucer +came unto me, and dissuaded me from entering into the town; for, said he, +Sglapian, the Emperor’s confessor, had been with him, and had entreated +him to warn me not to go thither, for I should be burned; but rather that +I should go to a gentleman there near at hand, Francis Von Sickingen, and +remain with him, who willingly would receive and entertain me. This plot +the wicked wretches, said Luther, had devised against me, to the end I +should not appear; for if I had contracted the time, and staid away three +days, then my safe-conduct had been expired, and then they would have +locked the town-gates, and without hearing, I should have been condemned +and made away. But I went on in all simplicity, and when I saw the city, +I wrote presently to Spalatine, and gave him notice of my coming, and +desired to know where I should be lodged. Then they all wondered at my +coming, which was so far from their expectation; for they verily thought +I would have stayed away, as scared through their threatenings. There +were two worthy gentlemen (John Von Hirschfeld, and St. John Schott), who +received me by the Prince Elector’s command, and brought me to their +lodging. + +No Prince came unto me, but only Earls and gentlemen, who earnestly +looked upon me, and who had exhibited four hundred articles to his +Imperial Majesty against those of the spirituality, and desired a redress +and a removing of those their grievances, otherwise they themselves +should be constrained to remedy the same; from all which grievances they +are now delivered through the Gospel, which I (God be praised) have +brought again to light. The Pope at that time wrote to the Emperor, that +he should not perform the safe-conduct; for which end all the Bishops +also pressed the Emperor; but the Princes and States of the Empire would +not consent thereunto: for they alleged that a great tumult thereupon +would arise. I received of them a great deal of courtesy, insomuch that +the Papists were more afraid of me than I was of them. + +For the Landgrave of Hesse (being then but a young Prince) desired that I +might be heard, and he said openly unto me, “Sir, is your cause just and +upright, then I beseech God to assist you.” Now being in Worms, I wrote +to Sglapian, and desired him to make a step unto me, but he would not. +Then being called, I appeared in the Senate House before the Council and +State of the whole Empire, where the Emperor, and the Princes Electors in +person were assembled. + +Then Dr. Eck (the Bishop of Trier’s fiscal) began, and said unto me, +“Martin, thou art called hither to give answer, whether thou +acknowledgest these writings to be thy books or no?” (The books lay on a +table which he showed unto me.) I answered and said, “I believe they be +mine.” But Hierome Schurfe presently thereupon said, “Let the titles of +them be read.” Now when the same were read, then I said, “Yea, they are +mine.” Then he said, “Will you revoke them?” I answered and said, “Most +gracious Lord and Emperor, some of my books are books of controversies, +wherein I touch my adversaries: some, on the contrary, are books of +doctrine; the same I neither can nor will revoke. But if in case I have +in my books of controversies been too violent against any man, then I am +content therein to be better directed, and for that end I desire respite +of time.” Then they gave me one day and one night. The next day I was +cited by the Bishops and others, who were appointed to deal with me +touching my revocation. Then I said, “God’s Word is not my word, +therefore I know not how to give it away; but in whatsoever is therein, +besides the same, I will show obedience.” Then Marquis Joachim said unto +me “Sir Martin, so far as I understand, you are content to be instructed, +excepting only what may concern the Holy Writ.” I said, “Yea;” then they +pressed me to refer the cause to His Imperial Majesty; I said, I durst +not presume so to do. Then they said, “Do you not think that we are also +Christians, who with all care and diligence would finish and end such +causes? You ought to put so much trust and confidence in us, that we +would conclude uprightly.” To that I answered and said, “I dare not +trust you so far, that you should conclude against yourselves, who even +now have cast and condemned me, being under safe-conduct; yet, +nevertheless, that ye may see what I will do, I will yield up into your +hands my safe-conduct, and do with me what ye please.” Then all the +Princes said, “Truly, he offereth enough, if not too much.” Afterwards +they said, “Yield unto us yet in some articles.” I said, “In God’s name, +such articles as concern not the Holy Scriptures I will not stand +against.” Presently hereupon, two Bishops went to the Emperor, and +showed him that I had revoked. Then the Emperor sent another Bishop unto +me, to know if I had referred the cause to him, and to the Empire. I +said, I had neither done it, nor intended so to do. In this sort, said +Luther, did I alone resist so many, insomuch that my Doctor, and divers +others of my friends, were much offended and vexed by reason of my +constancy; yea, some of them said, if I had referred the articles to +their consideration, they would have yielded, and given way to those +articles which in the council at Costnitz had been condemned. Then came +Cocleus upon me, and said, “Sir Martin, if you will yield up your +safe-conduct, then I will enter into dispute with you.” I, for my part, +said Luther, in my simplicity, would have accepted thereof. But +Hieronimus Schurfe earnestly entreated me not to do the same, and in +derision and scorn, answered Cocleus and said, “O brave offer, if a man +were so foolish as to entertain it!” + +Then came a Doctor unto me, belonging to the Marquis of Baden, essaying, +with a strain of high-carried words, to move me, admonished me, and said: +“Truly, Sir Martin, you are bound to do much, and to yield for the sake +of fraternal love, and to the end that peace and tranquillity among the +people may be preserved, lest tumults and insurrections should be +occasioned and raised. Besides, it were also greatly befitting you to +show obedience to the Imperial Majesty, and diligently to beware of +causing offences in the world; therefore I would advise you to revoke.” +Whereupon, said Luther, I said: “For the sake of brotherly love and amity +I could and would do much, so far as it were not against the faith and +honour of Christ.” When all these had made their vain assaults, then the +Chancellor of Trier said unto me, “Martin Luther, you are disobedient to +the Imperial Majesty; therefore you have leave and licence to depart +again with your safe-conduct.” In this sort I again departed from Worms +with a great deal of gentleness and courtesy, to the wondering of the +whole Christian world, insomuch that the Papists wished they had left me +at home. After my departure, that abominable edict of proscribing was +put in execution at Worms, which gave occasion to every man to revenge +himself upon his enemies, under the name and title of Protestant heresy. +But the tyrants, not long after, were constrained to recall the same +again. + + +_Of the Imperial Diet at Augsburg_, _Anno 1530_. + + +The Imperial Diet held at Augsburg, 1530, is worthy of all praise; for +then and from thence came the Gospel among the people in other countries, +contrary to the wills and expectations both of Emperor and Pope; +therefore, said Luther, what hath been spent there should be grievous to +no man. God appointed the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, to the end the +Gospel should be spread further abroad and planted. They over-climbed +themselves at Augsburg, for the Papists openly approved there of our +doctrine. Before that Diet was held, the Papists had made the Emperor +believe that our doctrine was altogether frivolous; and when he came to +the Diet, he should see that they would put us all to silence, insomuch +that none of us should be able to speak a word in defence of our +religion; but it fell out far otherwise; for we openly and freely +confessed the Gospel before the Emperor and the whole Empire. And at +that Diet we confounded our adversaries in the highest degree. The +Imperial Diet at Augsburg was invaluable, by reason of the Confession of +Faith, and of God’s Word, which on our part was there performed: for +there the adversaries were constrained to confess that our Confession was +upright and true. + + +_Of the Confession and Apology which at Augsburg was exhibited to the +emperor_. + + +The Emperor, said Luther, censured understandingly and discreetly, and +carried himself princely in this cause of religion; he found our +Confession to be far otherwise than the Papists had informed him—namely, +that we were most ungodly people, and led most wicked and detestable kind +of lives; and that we taught against the first and second tables of the +Ten Commandments of God. For this cause, the Emperor sent our Confession +and Apology to all the universities; his council also delivered their +opinions, and said: “In case their doctrine were against the holy +Christian faith, then they thought fitting that His Imperial Majesty +should seek to suppress it with all his power. But if it be only against +ceremonies and abuses (as now it appeareth to be) then to refer it to the +consideration and censure of learned people,” etc. This, said Luther, +was good and wise counsel. + +Dr. Eck confessed openly, and said: “The Protestants cannot be confuted +and opposed out of Holy Scriptures.” Therefore the Bishop of Mainz said +unto him, “Oh, how finely our learned Divines do defend us and our +doctrine!” “The Bishop of Mainz,” said Luther, “holdeth our doctrine to +be upright and true, but he only courteth the Pope, otherwise long before +this time he would have played strange pranks with his Holiness.” + + +_Of the Strength and Profit of the Confession and Apology of Augsburg_. + + +God’s Word is powerful; the more it is persecuted the more and further it +spreadeth itself abroad. Behold the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, which +doubtless is the last trumpet before the dreadful Day of Judgment. How +raged the world there against the Word! Oh, said Luther, how were we +there fain to pray the Pope and Papists, that they would be pleased to +permit and suffer Christ to live quietly in heaven! There our doctrine +broke through into the light in such sort, that by the Emperor’s strict +command the same was sent to all Kings, Princes, and Universities. This +our Doctrine forthwith enlightened many excellent people, dispersed here +and there in Princes’ courts, among whom some of God were chosen to take +hold on this our doctrine, like unto tinder, and afterwards kindled the +same also in others. + +Our Apology and Confession with great honour came to light; the Papists’ +confutations are kept in darkness, and do stink. Oh, said Luther, how +willingly would I that their confutations might appear to the world; then +I would set upon that old torn and tattered skin, and in such sort would +baste it, that the flitches thereof should fly about here and there; but +they shun the light. This time twelvemonths no man would have given a +farthing for the Protestants, so sure the ungodly Papists were of us. +For, said Luther, when my most gracious Lord and master, the Prince +Elector of Saxony, before other Princes came to the Diet, the Papists +marvelled much thereat, for they verily believed that he would not have +appeared, by reason (as they imagined) his cause was too bad and foul to +be brought before the light. But what fell out? Even this, that in +their greatest security they were overwhelmed with the greatest fear and +affrightments. Because the Prince Elector, like an upright Prince, +appeared so early at Augsburg, then the other Popish princes swiftly +posted away from Augsburg to Innsbruck, where they held serious counsel +with Prince George and the Marquis of Baden, all of them wondering what +the Prince Elector’s so early approach to the Diet should mean, insomuch +that the Emperor himself thereat was astonished, and doubted whether he +might come and go in safety or not. Whereupon the princes were +constrained to promise, that they would set up body, goods, and blood by +the Emperor, the one offering to maintain 6,000 horse, another so many +thousands of foot-soldiers, etc., to the end His Majesty might be the +better secured. There was a wonder among wonders to be seen, in that God +struck with fear and cowardliness the enemies of the truth. And although +at that time the Prince Elector of Saxony was alone, and but only the +hundredth sheep, while the others were ninety-and-nine, yet, +notwithstanding, it so fell out that they all trembled and were afraid. +Now when they came to the point, and began to take the business in hand, +then there appeared but a very small heap that stood by God’s Word. + +But, said Luther, we brought with us a strong and mighty King, a King +above all Emperors and Kings, namely, Christ Jesus, the powerful Word of +God. Then all the Papists cried out, and said, “Oh, it is insufferable +that so small and silly a heap should set themselves against the Imperial +power.” But, said Luther, the Lord of Hosts frustrateth the councils of +Princes. Pilate had power to put our blessed Saviour to death, but +willingly he would not; Annas and Caiaphas willingly would have done it, +but could not. + +The Emperor, for his own part, is good and honest; but the Popish Bishops +and Cardinals are undoubtedly knaves. And forasmuch as the Emperor now +refuseth to bathe his hands in innocent blood, therefore the frantic +Princes do bestir themselves, do scorn and contemn the good Emperor in +the highest degree. The Pope also for anger is ready to burst in pieces, +because the Diet, in this sort, without shedding of blood, should be +dissolved; therefore he sendeth the sword to the Duke of Bavaria, to +proceed therewith, and intendeth to take the crown from the Emperor’s +head, and to set it upon the head of Bavaria; but he shall not accomplish +it. In this manner ordered God the business, that Kings, Princes, yea, +and the Pope himself, fell from the Emperor, and that we joined with him, +which was a great wonder of God’s providence, in that he whom the devil +intended to use against us, even the same, God taketh, maketh and useth +for us. Oh, wonder, said Luther, above all wonders! + + +_Of the Assembly of the Princes at Brunswick_, _1531_. + + +When the Princes (professing the Augustinian Confession) held an assembly +at Brunswick, then Luther received three letters, wherein was shown that +the Prince Elector of Saxony journeyed five days through the Marquisate +of Brandenburg, whereas Prince Henry of Brunswick would neither give him +convoy nor permit him to go through his country. But the Prince Elector +of Brandenburg, in his country, gave him princely entertainment in every +place, and many went out of Brunswick to meet and to receive him. But +the Landgrave of Hessen went on the other side, through Goslar, without a +convoy. Christianus, King of Denmark, the second day of the assembly, +delivered up the Confession of his Faith, and was held and esteemed a +second David. Whereupon Luther said, God of his mercy assist him for the +sanctifying of his name. But, said he, the pride of the Duke of +Brunswick may easily redound to his own hurt and prejudice, who, contrary +to all law and equity, denied a safe convoy to one of his best and truest +friends. Moses likewise desired a safe convoy to the King of the +Amorites; but being denied, he thereby took occasion to raise war against +him. The Lord of Heaven grant us peace. The same day other letters came +to Luther from Brunswick, showing that the King of Denmark in person, the +Ambassadors of England and France, and of many Imperial cities, were +arrived there, among whom, some carried themselves very strangely towards +those of the Protestant League. Luther said, under the name and colour +of the Gospel, they seek their own particular advantages, but in the +least danger they are afraid. These politic and terrestrial leagues and +unions have no hand nor share in the Gospel: God alone preserveth and +defendeth the same in times of persecution. Let us put trust and +confidence in him, and with him; let us erect and establish an +everlasting league, for the world is the world, and will remain the +world. + + +_Of the Convention and Assembly of the Protestant State at +Frankfort-on-the-Main_, _1539_. + + +God, of his infinite mercy, said Luther, assist them at +Frankfort-on-the-Main, that they may Christian-like consult and conclude, +to the end that God’s honour, the good and profit of the commonwealth may +be furthered. Indeed, it is a very small assembly; it hath a strange +aspect to be held in an Imperial city; but forasmuch as they are +thereunto constrained by the adversaries, they must be content. + +The Papists, void of shame, do unwisely undertake to possess themselves +of the cities, and by fraud to draw thereunto their adherents; then they +make show of keeping peace, but in the meantime they contrive how to +separate and confuse the whole body, and of the members to make a +massacre; they secretly fall upon Hamburg, upon Minden, and Frankfort. +They might more wisely go to work, if by open wars they assailed us. At +Augsburg they openly condemned us; and if those of our party had not been +patient, it had presently gone on at that time. Anno 1539, the 16th of +February, Luther commanded public prayers to be made for the day at +Frankfort, that peace might be confirmed. For if the Landgrave be +incensed, then all resistance will be in vain. The Landgrave neither +provoketh nor giveth occasion to wars; but, on the contrary, when he is +provoked, he still seeketh peace; whereas, notwithstanding, he is better +furnished and provided for wars than his adversary is, by 2,000 horse, +for Hessen and Saxon are horsemen; when they are set in the saddle, they +are then not so easily hoisted out again. As for the high-country +horsemen, they, said Luther, are dancing gentlemen. God preserve the +Landgrave; for a valiant man and Prince is of great importance. Augustus +Cæsar was wont to say, “I would rather be in an army of stags, where a +lion is general, than to be in an army of lions where a stag is general.” + +The 25th of February, Luther prayed again with great devotion for peace, +and for the day at Frankfort, that through civil wars (which are most +hurtful), the religion, policy, and God’s Word might not be sophisticated +and torn in pieces. Wars are pleasing to those that have had no trial or +experience of them; God bless us from wars. + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + +{17} _Whatsoever was pretended_, _yet the true cause of the Captain’s +commitment was because he was urgent with the Lord Treasurer for his +Arrears_; _which_, _amounting to a great sum_, _he was not willing to +pay_; _and to be freed from his clamours he clapped him up into prison_. + +{97} _The name of a rich family_. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SELECTIONS FROM THE TABLE TALK OF +MARTIN LUTHER*** + + +******* This file should be named 9841-0.txt or 9841-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/9/8/4/9841 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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