Part 2 (1/2)
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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d's Word; but it pleased G.o.d 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 a.s.sembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, by chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the s.p.a.ce 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d.
Bullinger said once in my hearing, said Luther, that he was earnest against the sectaries, as contemners of G.o.d's Word, and also against those who attributed too much to the literal Word; for, said he, such do sin against G.o.d and his almighty power, as the Jews did in naming the ark ”G.o.d.” 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 OEcolampadius likewise proceeded too far in this your unG.o.dly 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 G.o.d who worketh the same; you also separate thereby the Ministers that baptize from G.o.d 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 unG.o.dly person, then it is not G.o.d's Word; whereby you define and hold the Word, not according to G.o.d who speaketh it, but according as people do entertain and receive it.
You will only grant that such is G.o.d's Word which purifieth and bringeth peace and life; but seeing it worketh not in the unG.o.dly, therefore it is not G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d 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 unG.o.dly, is even as well G.o.d's Word as that which is preached to the good and G.o.dly 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 G.o.d's strength, which saveth all that believe thereon. And again, it will also judge the unG.o.dly, as St. John saith in chap. v., otherwise they might plead a good excuse before G.o.d, that they neither ought to be nor could be condemned; for then they might truly allege that they have not had G.o.d'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 G.o.d's words, works, cleansing, absolving, binding, etc.; we are but only the instruments, fellow-workers, or G.o.d's a.s.sistants, through whom G.o.d 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 G.o.d that cleanseth the hearts, and forgiveth sins, etc. Oh, no,”
said Luther, ”but I conclude thus: G.o.d 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. G.o.d speaketh in the Prophets and men of G.o.d, as St. Peter in his Epistle saith: 'The holy men of G.o.d spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' Therefore we must not separate nor part G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d” (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 G.o.d'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, G.o.d! 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 G.o.d himself, as in truth they are; therefore we conclude, short and round, that G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d, through his Holy Spirit, teacheth it them in their hearts. The Sectaries understand not the strength of G.o.d's Word. I do wonder, said Luther, that they do write and teach so much of G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d can and will bear with weakness if it be but acknowledged, and that we creep again to the Cross and pray to G.o.d 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 G.o.d, and not to contemn it, as the enthusiasts do, for G.o.d 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 G.o.d's Word.
Our Lord G.o.d 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.