{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_9841/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_9841","id":"gutenberg_9841","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9841","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Christianity","Table-talk"],"text":"This eBook was prepared by Les Bowler.\n\n                          [Picture: Book cover]\n\n                        CASSELL\u2019S NATIONAL LIBRARY\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\n\n                           SELECTIONS FROM THE\n                                TABLE TALK\n                                    OF\n                              MARTIN LUTHER.\n\n\n                              TRANSLATED BY\n                           CAPTAIN HENRY BELL.\n\n[Picture: Decorative graphic]\n\n                       CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED:\n                _LONDON_, _PARIS_, _NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_.\n                                  1886.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nMARTIN LUTHER died on the 18th of February, 1546, and the first\npublication of his \u201cTable Talk\u201d\u2014_Tischreden_\u2014by his friend, Johann\nGoldschmid (Aurifaber), was in 1566, in a substantial folio.  The talk of\nLuther was arranged, according to its topics, into eighty chapters, each\nwith a minute index of contents.  The whole work in a complete octavo\nedition, published at Stuttgart and Leipzig in 1836, occupies 1,390\nclosely printed pages, equivalent to 2,780 pages, or full fourteen\nvolumes, of this Library.\n\nThe nearest approach to a complete and ungarbled translation into English\nwas that of Captain Henry Bell, made in the reign of Charles the First,\nunder the circumstances set forth by himself; but even that was not\ncomplete.  Other English versions have subjected Luther\u2019s opinions to\nserious manipulation, nothing being added, but anything being taken away\nthat did not chance to agree with the editor\u2019s digestion.  Even the folio\nof Captain Bell\u2019s translation, from which these Selections have been\nprinted, has been prepared for reprint by some preceding editor, whose\npen has been busy in revision of the passages he did mean to reprint.  In\nthese Selections every paragraph stands unabridged, exactly as it was\ntranslated by Captain Bell; and there has been no other purpose governing\nthe choice of matter than a resolve to make it as true a presentment as\npossible of Luther\u2019s mind and character.  At least one other volume of\n_Selections from the Table-Talk of Martin Luther_ will be given in this\nLibrary.\n\nJohann Goldschmid, the Aurifaber, and thereby true worker in gold, who\nfirst gave Luther\u2019s Table-Talk to the world, was born in 1519.  He was a\ndisciple of Luther, thirty-six years younger than his master.  Luther was\nborn at Eisleben in 1483, and his father, a poor miner, presently settled\nat Mansfeld, the town in which Goldschmid afterwards was born.  Johann\nGoldschmid was sent by Count Albrecht of Mansfeld, in 1537, to the\nUniversity of Wittenberg, where Luther had been made, in 1508, Professor\nof Philosophy, and where, on the 31st of October, 1517, he had nailed his\nninety-five propositions against indulgences to the church door at the\ncastle.  Luther had completed his translation of the Bible three years\nbefore Johann Goldschmid went to Wittenberg.  In 1540 Goldschmid was\nrecalled from the University to act as tutor to Count Albrecht\u2019s\nchildren.  In 1544 Goldschmid was army chaplain with the troops from\nMansfeld in the French war; but in 1545 he was sent back to Wittenberg\nfor special study of theology.  It was then that he attached himself to\nLuther as his _famulus_ and house-companion during the closing months of\nLuther\u2019s life, began already to collect from surrounding friends passages\nof his vigorous \u201cTable Talk,\u201d and remained with Luther till the last,\nhaving been present at his death in Eisleben in 1546.  He then proceeded\nsteadily with the collection of Luther\u2019s sayings and opinions expressed\namong his friends.  He was army chaplain among the soldiers of Johann\nFriedrich, of Saxony; he spent half a year also in a Saxon prison.  He\nbecame, in 1551, court preacher at Weimar; but in 1562 was deprived of\nhis office, and then devoted himself to the forming of an Eisleben\nedition of those works of Luther, which had not already been collected.\nIn 1566 he was called to a pastorate at Erfurt, where he had many more\ntroubles before his death.  Aurifaber died on the 18th of November, 1575.\n\n                                                                     H. M.\n\n\n\n\nTHE TESTIMONY OF JO. AURIFABER, DOCTOR IN DIVINITY, CONCERNING LUTHER\u2019S\nDIVINE DISCOURSES.\n\n\nAND whereas hitherto I have caused certain tomes of the Books, Sermons,\nWritings, and Missives of Luther to be printed at Eisleben, so have I\nalso now finished this tome of his Discourses, and have ordered the same\nto be printed, which at the first were collected together out of the\nManuscripts of these Divine Discourses, which that Reverend Father\nAnthony Lauterbach himself noted and wrote out of the holy mouth of\nLuther, and afterwards the same by me were collected into sure and\ncertain Loci Communes, or Common-places, and distributed.\n\nAnd whereas I, Joannes Aurifaber, in the years 1545 and 1546, before the\ndeath of that most famous Divine, Luther, was much with and about him,\nand with all diligence writ and noted down many most excellent Histories\nand Acts, and other most necessary and useful things which he related: I\nhave therefore set in order and brought the same also into this tome.\n\nNow, forasmuch as very excellent declaration is made in this tome of all\nthe Articles and chief points of Christian Religion, Doctrine, and Faith;\nand also therein are found necessary Rules, Questions and Answers, many\nfair Histories, all sorts of Learnings, Comforts, Advices, Prophecies,\nWarnings, and Admonitions: I have therefore thought it a thing fitting to\ndedicate the same to your Highnesses, Graces, Honours and Worships, etc.,\nas special favourers, protectors, and defenders of the Doctrines which\nGod, through Luther, hath cleared again, to the end that by diligent\nreading therein, you may be president, and give good examples to others,\nto your subjects, citizens, etc., diligently to love, to read, to affect\nthe same, and to make good use thereof, as being fragments that fell from\nLuther\u2019s Table, and therewith may help to still, to slake, and to satisfy\nthe spiritual hunger and thirst of the soul.  For these most profitable\nDiscourses of Luther, containing such high spiritual things, we should in\nnowise suffer to be lost, but worthily esteem thereof, whereout all\nmanner of learning, joy, and comfort may be had and received.\n\n                                             DR. AURIFABER, in his Preface\n                                                              to the Book.\n\n_Given at Eisleben_, _July 7th_, _1569_.\n\n\n\n\nCAPTAIN HENRY BELL\u2019S NARRATIVE:\n\n\n                                   OR,\n\nRELATION OF THE MIRACULOUS PRESERVING OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER\u2019S BOOK,\nENTITLED \u201cCOLLOQUIA MENSALIA,\u201d OR, \u201cHIS DIVINE DISCOURSES AT HIS TABLE,\u201d\nHELD WITH DIVERS LEARNED MEN AND PIOUS DIVINES; SUCH AS WERE PHILIP\nMELANCTHON, CASPARUS CRUCIGER, JUSTUS JONAS, PAULUS EBERUS, VITUS\nDIETERICUS, JOANNES BUGENHAGEN, JOANNES FORSTERUS, AND OTHERS:\n\n                                CONTAINING\n\n_Divers Discourses touching Religion_, _and other Main Points of\nDoctrine_; _as also many notable Histories_, _and all sorts of Learning_,\n_Comforts_, _Advices_, _Prophecies_, _Admonitions_, _Directions_, _and\nInstructions_; _and how the same Book was_, _by God\u2019s Providence_,\n_discovered lying under the Ground_, _where it had lain hid Fifty-two\nYears_; _and was a few years since sent over to the said Captain Henry\nBell_, _and by him translated out of the High German into the English\nTongue_.\n\n\u201cI, CAPTAIN HENRY BELL, do hereby declare, both to the present age, and\nalso to posterity, that being employed beyond the seas in state affairs\ndivers years together, both by King James, and also by the late King\nCharles, in Germany, I did hear and understand, in all places, great\nbewailing and lamentation made, by reason of the destroying and burning\nof above fourscore thousand of Martin Luther\u2019s books, entitled _His Last\nDivine Discourses_.\n\n\u201cFor after such time as God stirred up the spirit of Martin Luther to\ndetect the corruptions and abuses of Popery, and to preach Christ, and\nclearly to set forth the simplicity of the Gospel, many Kings, Princes,\nand States, Imperial Cities, and Hans-Towns fell from the Popish\nReligion, and became Protestants, as their posterities still are, and\nremain to this very day.\n\n\u201cAnd for the further advancement of the great work of Reformation then\nbegun, the aforesaid Princes and the rest did then order that the said\nDivine Discourses of Luther should forthwith be printed; and that every\nparish should have and receive one of the aforesaid printed books into\nevery Church throughout all their principalities and dominions, to be\nchained up, for the common people to read therein.\n\n\u201cUpon which divine work, or Discourses, the Reformation, begun before in\nGermany, was wonderfully promoted and increased, and spread both here in\nEngland and other countries besides.\n\n\u201cBut afterwards it so fell out that the Pope then living, viz. Gregory\nXIII., understanding what great hurt and prejudice he and his Popish\nreligion had already received, by reason of the said Luther\u2019s Divine\nDiscourses, and also fearing that the same might bring further contempt\nand mischief upon himself and upon the Popish Church, he therefore, to\nprevent the same, did fiercely stir up and instigate the Emperor then in\nbeing, viz. Rudolphus II., to make an Edict throughout the whole Empire,\nthat all the aforesaid printed books should be burned; and also that it\nshould be death for any person to have or keep a copy thereof, but also\nto burn the same: which Edict was speedily put in execution accordingly,\ninsomuch that not one of all the said printed books, nor so much as any\none copy of the same, could be found out nor heard of in any place.\n\n\u201cYet it pleased God that, anno 1626, a German gentleman, named Casparus\nVan Sparr, with whom, in the time of my staying in Germany about King\nJames\u2019s business, I became very familiarly known and acquainted, having\noccasion to build upon the old foundation of a house, wherein his\ngrandfather dwelt at that time when the said Edict was published in\nGermany for the burning of the aforesaid books; and digging deep into the\nground, under the said old foundation, one of the said original books was\nthere happily found, lying in a deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a\nstrong linen cloth, which was waxed all over with beeswax, within and\nwithout; whereby the book was preserved fair, without any blemish.\n\n\u201cAnd at the same time Ferdinandus II. being Emperor in Germany, who was a\nsevere enemy and persecutor of the Protestant religion, the aforesaid\ngentleman and grandchild to him that had hidden the said books in that\nobscure hole, fearing that if the said Emperor should get knowledge that\none of the said books was yet forthcoming, and in his custody, whereby\nnot only himself might be brought into trouble, but also the book in\ndanger to be destroyed, as all the rest were so long before; and also\ncalling me to mind, and knowing that I had the High Dutch Tongue very\nperfect, did send the said original book over hither into England unto\nme; and therewith did write unto me a letter, wherein he related the\npassages of the preserving and finding out the said book.\n\n\u201cAnd also he earnestly moved me in his letter, that for the advancement\nof God\u2019s glory, and of Christ\u2019s Church, I would take the pains to\ntranslate the said book, to the end that that most excellent divine work\nof Luther might be brought again to light.\n\n\u201cWhereupon I took the said book before me, and many times began to\ntranslate the same, but always I was hindered therein, being called upon\nabout other business, insomuch that by no possible means I could remain\nby that work.  Then, about six weeks after I had received the said book,\nit fell out that I being in bed with my wife one night, between twelve\nand one of the clock, she being asleep, but myself yet awake, there\nappeared unto me an ancient man, standing at my bedside, arrayed all in\nwhite, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his\ngirdle-stead, who, taking me by my right ear, spake these words following\nunto me:\u2014\u2018Sirrah! will not you take time to translate that book which is\nsent unto you out of Germany?  I will shortly provide for you both place\nand time to do it;\u2019 and then he vanished away out of my sight.\n\n\u201cWhereupon, being much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat,\ninsomuch that my wife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked me\nwhat I ailed.  I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never did heed\nnor regard visions nor dreams; and so the same fell soon out of my mind.\n\n\u201cThen about a fortnight after I had seen that vision, on a Sunday, I went\nto Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended I returned to my\nlodging, which was then in King Street, at Westminster, and sitting down\nto dinner with my wife, two Messengers were sent from the whole\nCouncil-board, with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the Gatehouse,\nWestminster, there to be safely kept until further order from the Lords\nof the Council, which was done without showing me any cause {17} at all\nwherefore I was committed.  Upon which said warrant I was kept there ten\nwhole years close prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the\ntranslating of the said book; insomuch as I found the words very true\nwhich the old man, in the aforesaid vision, did say unto me: \u2018I will\nshortly provide for you both place and time to translate it.\u2019\n\n\u201cThen, after I had finished the said translation in the prison, the late\nArchbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Laud, understanding that I had translated\nsuch a book, called _Martin Luther\u2019s Divine Discourses_, sent unto me his\nchaplain, Dr. Bray, into the prison, with this Message following:\u2014\n\n    \u201c\u2018Captain BELL,\n\n       \u201c\u2018My Lord Grace of Canterbury hath sent me unto you, to tell you\n    that his Grace hath understood that you have translated a book of\n    Luther\u2019s, touching which book his Grace, many years before, did hear\n    of the burning of so many thousands in Germany by the then Emperor.\n    His Grace therefore doth desire you, that you would send unto him the\n    said original book in Dutch, and also your translation; which, after\n    his Grace hath perused, shall be returned safely unto you.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhereupon I told Dr. Bray that I had taken a great deal of pains in\ntranslating the said book, and was very loth to part with it out of my\nhands, and therefore I desired him to excuse me to his Grace, that I\ncould not part from it; with which answer he at that time returned again\nto his master.\n\n\u201cBut the next day after he sent him unto me again, and bade him tell me\nthat, upon his honour, the book should be as safe in his custody, if not\nsafer than in mine own; for he would lock it up in his own cabinet, to\nthe end no man might come unto it, but only himself.  Thereupon I,\nknowing it would be a thing bootless for me to refuse the sending of\nthem, by reason he was then of such great power that he would have them,\n_nolens volens_, I sent them both unto him.  Then, after he had kept them\nin his custody two months, and had daily read therein, he sent the said\nDoctor unto me, to tell me that I had performed a work worthy of eternal\nmemory, and that he had never read a more excellent divine work; yet\nsaying that some things therein were fitting to be left out; and desired\nme not to think long that he did not return them unto me so soon again.\nThe reason was because that the more he did read therein, the more desire\nhe had to go on therewith; and so, presenting me with ten livres in gold,\nhe returned back again.\n\n\u201cAfter which, when he had them in his custody one whole year, and that I\nunderstood he had perused it all over, then I sent unto his Grace, and\nhumbly desired that his Grace would be pleased to return me my books\nagain.  Whereupon he sent me word by the said Dr. Bray, that he had not\nas yet perused them so thoroughly over as he desired to do; then I stayed\nyet a year longer before I sent to him again.\n\n\u201cIn which time I heard for certain that it was concluded by the King and\nCouncil that a Parliament should forthwith be called; at which news I did\nmuch rejoice.  And then I sent unto his Grace an humble petition, and\ntherein desired the returning of my book again; otherwise I told him I\nshould be enforced to make it known, and to complain of him to the\nParliament, which was then coming on.  Whereupon he sent unto me again\nsafely both the said original book and my translation, and caused his\nChaplain, the said Doctor, to tell me that he would make it known unto\nhis Majesty what an excellent piece of work I had translated, and that he\nwould procure an order from his Majesty to have the said translation\nprinted, and to be dispersed throughout the whole kingdom, as it was in\nGermany, and as he had heard thereof; and thereupon he presented me again\nwith forty livres in gold.\n\n\u201cAnd presently after I was set at liberty by warrant from the whole House\nof Lords, according to his Majesty\u2019s direction in that behalf; but\nshortly afterwards the Archbishop fell into his troubles, and was by the\nParliament sent unto the Tower, and afterwards beheaded; insomuch that I\ncould never since hear anything touching the printing of my book.\n\n\u201cThe House of Commons having then notice that I had translated the\naforesaid book, they sent for me, and did appoint a Committee to see it\nand the translation, and diligently to make inquiry whether the\ntranslation did agree with the original or no; whereupon they desired me\nto bring the same before them, sitting then in the Treasury Chamber.  And\nSir Edward Dering, being Chairman, said unto me that he was acquainted\nwith a learned minister beneficed in Essex, who had lived long in\nEngland, but was born in High Germany, in the Palatinate, named Mr. Paul\nAmiraut, whom the Committee sending for, desired him to take both the\noriginal and my translation into his custody, and diligently to compare\nthem together, and to make report unto the said Committee whether he\nfound that I had rightly and truly translated it according to the\noriginal: which report he made accordingly, and they, being satisfied\ntherein, referred it to two of the Assembly, Mr. Charles Herle and Mr.\nEdward Corbet, desiring them diligently to peruse the same, and to make\nreport unto them if they thought it fitting to be printed and published.\n\n\u201cWhereupon they made report, dated the 10th of November, 1646, that they\nfound it to be an excellent Divine Work, worthy the light and publishing,\nespecially in regard that Luther, in the said Discourses, did revoke his\nopinion, which he formerly held, touching Consubstantiation in the\nSacrament.  Whereupon the House of Commons, the 24th of February, 1646,\ndid give order for the printing thereof.\n\n\u201cThus, having been lately desired to set down in writing the relation of\nthe passages above-said concerning the said book, as well for the\nsatisfaction of judicious and godly Christians, as for the conservation\nof the perpetual memory of God\u2019s extraordinary providence in the\nmiraculous preservation of the aforesaid Divine Discourses, and now\nbringing them again to light: I have done the same according to the plain\ntruth thereof, not doubting but they will prove a notable advantage of\nGod\u2019s glory, and the good and edification of the whole Church, and an\nunspeakable consolation of every particular member of the same.\n\n             \u201cGiven under my hand the 3rd day of July, 1650.\n\n                                                             \u201cHENRY BELL.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nA COPY OF THE ORDER FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.\n\n\n                                                _24th_ _February_, _1646_.\n\nWHEREAS Captain Henry Bell hath strangely discovered and found a Book of\nMartin Luther\u2019s, called his Divine Discourses, which was for a long time\nvery marvellously preserved in Germany: the which book the said Henry\nBell, at his great costs and pains, hath translated into the English out\nof the German Tongue, which Translation and substance thereof is approved\nby Reverend Divines of the Assembly, as appears by a Certificate under\ntheir hands:\n\nIt is Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in\nParliament, that the said Henry Bell shall have the sole disposal and\nbenefit of Printing the said Book translated into English by him as\naforesaid, for the space of fourteen years, to commence from the date\nhereof.  And that none do Print or Re-print the same but such as shall be\nlicensed by the said Captain by Authority under his hand.\n\n                                                             HENRY ELSYNG.\n\n(Vera Copia.)\n\n\n\n\nLUTHER\u2019S TABLE-TALK.\n\n\nOF GOD\u2019S WORD.\n\n\n_Of the Word of God_; _or the Holy Scriptures contained in the Bible_.\n\n\nTHE BIBLE, or Holy Scripture, said Luther, is like a fair and spacious\norchard, wherein all sorts of trees do grow, from which we may pluck\ndivers kinds of fruits; for in the Bible we have rich and precious\ncomforts, learnings, admonitions, warnings, promises, and threatenings,\netc.  There is not a tree in this orchard on which I have not knocked,\nand have shaken at least a couple of apples or pears from the same.\n\n\n_Proofs that the Bible is the Word of God_.\n\n\nThat the Bible is the Word of God, said Luther, the same I prove as\nfolloweth.  All things that have been and now are in the world, also how\nit now goeth and standeth in the world, the same was written altogether\nparticularly at the beginning, in the First Book of Moses concerning the\nCreation.  And even as God made and created it, even so it was, even so\nit is, and even so doth it stand to this present day.  And although King\nAlexander the Great, the kingdom of Egypt, the empire of Babel, the\nPersian, Grecian, and Roman Monarchs, the Emperors Julius and Augustus,\nmost fiercely did rage and swell against this Book, utterly to suppress\nand destroy the same, yet notwithstanding, they could prevail nothing;\nthey are all gone and vanished; but this Book, from time to time, hath\nremained, and will remain unremoved, in full and ample manner, as it was\nwritten at the first.  But who kept and preserved it from such great and\nraging power; or, Who defendeth it still?  Truly, said Luther, no human\ncreature, but only and alone God himself, who is the right Master\nthereof; and it is a great wonder that it hath been so long kept and\npreserved, for the devil and the world are great enemies unto it.  The\ndevil doubtless hath destroyed many good books in the Church, as he hath\nrooted out and slain many saints, concerning whom we have now no\nknowledge.  But, no thanks unto him, the Bible he was fain to leave\nunmeddled with.  In like manner Baptism, the Sacrament, and the Office of\nPreaching have remained among us against the power of many tyrants and\nheretics that have opposed the same.  These our Lord God hath kept and\nmaintained by his special strength.  Homer, Virgil, and suchlike are\nprofitable and ancient books; but, in comparison of the Bible, they are\nnothing to be regarded.\n\n\n_By whom and at what Times the Bible was translated_.\n\n\nTwo hundred and forty-one years before the humanity of Christ, the Five\nBooks of Moses, and the Prophets, were translated out of the Hebrew into\nthe Greek tongue by the Septuagint Interpreters, the seventy doctors or\nlearned men then at Jerusalem, in the time of Eleazar the High-priest, at\nthe request of Ptolemeus Philadelphus, King of Egypt, which King allowed\ngreat charges and expenses for the translating of the same.\n\nThen, one hundred and twenty-four years after the birth of Christ, his\ndeath and passion, the Old Testament was translated out of Hebrew into\nGreek by a Jew, named Aquila (being converted to the Christian faith), in\nthe time of Hadrian the Emperor.\n\nFifty and three years after this Aquila, the Bible was also translated by\nTheodosius.\n\nIn the three-and-thirtieth year after Theodosius, it was translated by\nSymmachus, under the Emperor Severus.\n\nEight years after Symmachus, the Bible was also translated by one whose\nname is unknown, and the same is called the Fifth Translation.\n\nAfterwards the Bible was translated by Hieronymus (who first amended and\ncorrected the Seventy Interpreters) out of Hebrew into the Latin tongue,\nwhich translation we use to this day in the Church.  And truly, said\nLuther, he did enough for one man.  _Nulla enim privata persona tantum\nefficere potuisset_.  But he had not done amiss if he had taken one or\ntwo learned men to his translation besides himself, for then the Holy\nGhost would more powerfully have been discerned, according to Christ\u2019s\nsaying, \u201cWhere two or three be gathered together in my name, there will I\nbe in the midst of them.\u201d  And, indeed, said Luther, translators or\ninterpreters ought not to be alone, for good and apt words do not always\nfall to one single man.  And so long as the Bible was in the Church of\nthe Gentiles, it was never yet in such perfection, that it could have\nbeen read so exactly and significantly without stop, as we have prepared\nthe same here at Wittemberg, and, God be praised, have translated it out\nof Hebrew into the High German tongue.\n\n\n_Of the Differences between the Bible and other Books_.\n\n\nThe Holy Scripture, or the Bible, said Luther, is full of divine gifts\nand virtues.  The books of the Heathen taught nothing of Faith, Hope, and\nLove; nay, they knew nothing at all of the same; their books aimed only\nat that which was present, at that which, with natural wit and\nunderstanding, a human creature was able to comprehend and take hold of;\nbut to trust in God and hope in the Lord, nothing was written thereof in\ntheir books.  In the Psalms and in Job we may see and find how those two\nbooks do treat and handle of Faith, of Hope, of Patience, and Prayer.\n\nTo be short, the Holy Scripture, said Luther, is the best and highest\nbook of God, full of comfort in all manner of trials and temptations; for\nit teacheth of Faith, Hope, and Love far otherwise than by human reason\nand understanding can be comprehended.  And in times of troubles and\nvexations, it teacheth how these virtues should light and shine; it\nteacheth, also, that after this poor and miserable life there is another\nwhich is eternal and everlasting.\n\n\n_What we ought chiefly to seek for in the Bible_, _and how we ought to\nstudy and learn the Holy Scriptures_.\n\n\nThe chief lesson and study in Divinity, said Luther, is well and rightly\nto learn to know Christ, for he is therein very friendly and familiarly\npictured unto us.  From hence St. Peter saith, \u201cGrow up in the knowledge\nof Christ;\u201d and Christ himself also teacheth that we should learn to know\nhim only out of the Scriptures, where he saith, \u201cSearch the Scriptures,\nfor they do testify of me.\u201d\n\nWe ought not, said Luther, to measure, censure, and understand the\nScriptures according to our own natural sense and reason, but we ought\ndiligently by prayer to meditate therein, and to search after the same.\nThe devil and temptations also do give occasion unto us somewhat to learn\nand understand the Scriptures by experience and practice.  Without trials\nand temptations we should never understand anything thereof; no, not\nalthough we diligently read and heard the same.  The Holy Ghost must be\nthe only master and tutor to teach us therein, and let youth and scholars\nnot be ashamed to learn of this tutor.  When I find myself in temptation,\nthen I quickly lay hold and fasten on some text in the Bible which Christ\nJesus layeth before me, namely, _that he died for me_, from whence I have\nand receive comfort.\n\n\n_That we should diligently read the Texts of the Bible_, _and stay\nourselves upon it as the only true Foundation_.\n\n\nWhoso layeth a good foundation, and is a substantial Text-man, that is,\nhe that is well grounded in the Text, the same hath whereupon he surely\nmay keep footing, and runneth not lightly into error.  And truly, said\nLuther, the same is most necessary for a Divine; for with the texts and\ngrounds of the Holy Scriptures I dazzled, astonished, and overcame all my\nadversaries; for they approach dreamingly and lazily; they teach and\nwrite according to their natural sense, reason, and understanding, and\nthey think the Holy Scripture is a slight and a simple thing; like the\nPharisee, who thought a business soon done when our Saviour Christ said\nunto him, \u201cDo that, and thou shalt live.\u201d  The sectaries and seducing\nspirits understand nothing in the Scriptures; but with their fickle,\ninconstant, and uncertain books which they have devised, they run\nthemselves into error.\n\nWhoso is armed with the Text, the same is a right pastor; and my best\nadvice and counsel is, said Luther, that we draw water out of the true\nfountain, that is, diligently to read in the Bible.  He is a learned\nDivine that is well grounded in the Text; for one text and sentence out\nof the Bible is of far more esteem and value than many writings and\nglosses, which neither are strong, sound, nor armour of proof.  As when I\nhave that text before me of St. Paul, where he saith, \u201cAll the creatures\nof God are good, if they be received with thanksgiving.\u201d  This text\nshoweth that what God hath made is good.  Now, eating, drinking,\nmarrying, etc., are of God\u2019s making, therefore they are good.  But the\nglosses of the Primitive Fathers are against this text, for St. Bernard,\nBasil, Dominicus, Hieronymus, and others have written far otherwise of\nthe same.  But I prefer the Text before them all, and it is far more to\nbe esteemed of than all their glosses; yet, notwithstanding, in Popedom\nthe glosses of the Fathers were of higher regard than the bright and\nclear text of the Bible, through which great wrong oftentimes is done to\nthe Holy Scriptures; for the good Fathers, as Ambrose, Basil, and\nGregory, have ofttimes written very cold things touching the Divine word.\n\n\n_That the Bible is the Head of all Arts_.\n\n\nLet us not lose the Bible, said Luther, but with all diligence and in\nGod\u2019s fear read and preach the same; for if that remaineth, flourisheth,\nand be taught, then all is safe.  She is the head and empress of all\nfaculties and arts.  If Divinity falleth, then whatsoever remaineth\nbesides is nothing worth.\n\n\n_Of the Art of the School Divines in the Bible_.\n\n\nThe art of the School Divines, said Luther, with their speculations in\nthe Holy Scriptures, are merely vain and human reasonings, spun out of\ntheir own natural wit and understanding, of which I have read much in\nBonaventura, but he had almost made me deaf.  I fain would have learned\nand understood out of that book how God and my sinful soul had been\nreconciled together; but of that there was nothing to be found therein.\nThey talk much of the union of the will and understanding, but all is\nmere phantasy and folly.  The right and true speculation is this:\n\u201cBelieve in Christ; do what thou oughtest to do in thy vocation,\u201d etc.\nThis is the only practice in Divinity.  Also, _Mystica Theologia\nDionysii_ is a mere fable, and a lie, like to Plato\u2019s Fables.  _Omnia\nsunt non ens_, _et omnia sunt ens_\u2014All is something, and all is nothing;\nand so he leaveth all hanging in frivolous and idle sort.\n\nTrue and upright Divinity consisteth in the practice, use, and exercise;\nher foundation is Christ; she taketh hold by faith on his passion, death,\nand resurrection.  All those, said Luther, that concur not with us, and\nhave not this doctrine before their eyes, the same do feign unto\nthemselves but only a speculated Divinity, according to their carnal\nsense and reason, and according as they use to censure in temporal\ncauses; for no man can divert them from these opinions, namely, \u201cWhoso\ndoth good works, and liveth an honest and civil kind of life, the same is\nan upright Christian, and he is well and safe;\u201d but they are therein far\ndeceived; for this is the truth indeed, \u201cWhoso feareth God and trusteth\nin him, the same most surely will be well and safe at last.\u201d\n\nTherefore, said Luther, these speculating Divines belong directly to the\ndevil in hell.  They follow their own opinions, and what with their five\nsenses they are able to comprehend; and such is also Origen\u2019s divinity.\nBut David is of another mind; he acknowledgeth his sins, and saith,\n\u201c_Miserere mei Domini_,\u201d God be merciful to me a sinner.  At the hands of\nthese sophisticated Divines, God can scarcely obtain that he is God\nalone; much less can he find this favour of them, that they should allow\nonly him to be good and just; nay, very hardly will they yield that he is\nan immortal God.\n\n\n_The Depths of the Bible_.\n\n\nThe wise of the world, and the great ones, said Luther, understand not\nGod\u2019s Word; but God hath revealed it to the poor contemned simple people,\nas our Saviour Christ witnesseth, where he saith, \u201cI thank thee, O\nFather, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from\nthe wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes,\u201d etc.; from\nwhence St. Gregory says well and rightly, that the Holy Scripture is like\na water, wherein an \u201celephant swimmeth, but a little sheep goeth therein\nupon his feet.\u201d\n\nI remember a Fable, said Luther, which fitteth very well for these times,\nand for this purpose, discoursed of before.  A Lion, said he, making a\ngreat feast, invited all the beasts thereunto, and with them also he\ninvited swine.  Now, as all manner and sorts of dainties were brought and\nset before the guests, the swine demanded if Brewer\u2019s grains might be had\nfor them.  Even so, in these days it is with our Epicures; we Preachers\nbring and set before them in the Church the most dainty and costly\ndishes, as Everlasting Salvation, Remission of Sins, and God\u2019s Grace; but\nthey, like swine, cast up their snouts, and root after Dollars, Crowns,\nand Ducats; and, indeed, said Luther, \u201cwhat should a cow do with\nnutmegs?\u201d  She would rather content herself with oat-straw.\n\nWhen we have God\u2019s Word pure and clear, then we are secure, we are\nnegligent and regard it not, we think it will always so remain; we do not\nwatch and pray against the devil, who is ready to tear the Word out of\nour hearts.  It goeth with us as with travellers, who, so long as they\nare on the right way, are secure and careless; but when they go astray\ninto woods or by-ways, then they are careful which way to take, whether\nthis or that way be the right: even so are we secure by the pure doctrine\nof the Gospel; we are sleepy and negligent; we stand not in God\u2019s fear,\nnor defend ourselves with prayer against the devil.  But those that\nentertain errors are highly busied, yea, they are very careful and\ndiligent how to keep and maintain the same.\n\n\n_Of the future Want of upright and true Preachers of God\u2019s Word_.\n\n\nIn a short time, said Luther, will be such want of upright Preachers and\nMinisters, that people would be glad to scratch out of the earth these\ngood and godly Teachers now living, if they might but get them; then they\nwill see what they have done in molesting and contemning the Preachers\nand Ministers of God\u2019s Word.  Of Physicians and Lawyers there are enough,\nif not too many, to serve the world; but a country hath need of two\nhundred Ministers where one Lawyer is sufficient.  My most gracious Lord,\nsaid Luther, the Prince Elector of Saxony, hath enough of twenty Lawyers\nin all his territories, but he must have near six thousand Preachers and\nMinisters.\n\n\n_That People_, _out of mere Wilfulness_, _do set themselves against God\u2019s\nWord_.\n\n\nHad I known, said Luther, when I first began to write, what I now see and\nfind, namely, that people had been such enemies to God\u2019s Word, and so\nfiercely had set themselves against the same, truly I had held my peace;\nfor I never should have been so courageous as to have fallen upon the\nPope, and to have angered him, and almost the whole Christian world with\nhim.  I thought at first that people had sinned ignorantly, and out of\nhuman weakness, and not of set purpose and wittingly to endeavour to\nsuppress God\u2019s Word; but it pleased God to lead me on in the mouth of the\ncannon, like a bar-horse that hath his eyes blinded, and seeth not who\nrunneth upon him.  Even so was I, as it were, tugged by my hair to the\noffice of preaching; but had I then known what now I know, ten horses\nshould scarce have drawn me to it.  Moses and Jeremiah also complained\nthat they were deceived.\n\n\n_Of the Archbishop of Mentz_, _one of the Spiritual Princes Electors_,\n_his Censure of the Bible_.\n\n\nAnno 1530, at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of\nMentz, by chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the space of\nfour hours he continued reading therein; at last, one of his Council on a\nsudden came into his bed-chamber unto him, who, seeing the Bible in the\nBishop\u2019s hand, was much amazed thereat, and said unto him, \u201cwhat doth\nyour Highness with that book?\u201d  The Archbishop thereupon answered him,\nand said, \u201cI know not what this book is, but sure I am, all that is\nwritten therein is quite against us.\u201d\n\n\n_That the Bible is hated of the Worldly-wise and of the Sophists_.\n\n\nDoctor Ussinger, an Austin Friar, with me in the Monastery at Erfurt,\nsaid once unto me, as he saw that I diligently read and affected the\nBible, \u201cBrother Martin, what is the Bible?  Let us,\u201d said he, \u201cread the\nancient Teachers and Fathers, for they have sucked the juice and truth\nout of the Bible.  The Bible is the cause of all dissension and\nrebellion.\u201d\n\nThis, said Luther, is the censure of the world concerning God\u2019s Word;\ntherefore we must let them run on their course towards that place which\nis prepared for them.\n\n\n_Of the Errors which the Sectaries do hold concerning the Word of God_.\n\n\nBullinger said once in my hearing, said Luther, that he was earnest\nagainst the sectaries, as contemners of God\u2019s Word, and also against\nthose who attributed too much to the literal Word; for, said he, such do\nsin against God and his almighty power, as the Jews did in naming the ark\n\u201cGod.\u201d  But, said he, whoso holdeth a mean between both, the same is\ntaught what is the right use of the Word and Sacraments.\n\nWhereupon, said Luther, I answered him and said, \u201cBullinger, you err: you\nknow neither yourself nor what you hold; I mark well your tricks and\nfallacies.  Zuinglius and \u0152colampadius likewise proceeded too far in this\nyour ungodly meaning; but when Brentius withstood them, they then\nlessened their opinions, alleging they did not reject the literal Word,\nbut only condemned certain gross abuses.  By this your error,\u201d said\nLuther to Bullinger, \u201cyou cut in sunder and separate the Word and the\nSpirit; you separate those that preach and teach the Word from God who\nworketh the same; you also separate thereby the Ministers that baptize\nfrom God who commandeth it; and you think that the Holy Ghost is given\nand worketh without the Word; which Word, you say, is an external sign\nand mark that findeth the Spirit, which already and before possesseth the\nheart.  Insomuch, according to your falsities, that if the Word findeth\nnot the Spirit, but an ungodly person, then it is not God\u2019s Word; whereby\nyou define and hold the Word, not according to God who speaketh it, but\naccording as people do entertain and receive it.  You will only grant\nthat such is God\u2019s Word which purifieth and bringeth peace and life; but\nseeing it worketh not in the ungodly, therefore it is not God\u2019s Word.\nYou teach that the outward Word is like an object or a picture, which\nsignifieth and presenteth something; you measure the use thereof only\naccording to the matter, like as a human creature speaketh for himself;\nyou will not yield that God\u2019s Word is an instrument through which the\nHoly Ghost worketh and accomplisheth his work, and prepareth a beginning\nto righteousness or justification.  In these errors are you drowned, so\nthat you neither see nor understand yourselves.\n\n\u201cA man might vex himself to death against the devil, who, in the Papists,\nis such an enemy to God\u2019s Word.  The devil seeth and feeleth that the\nexternal Word and preaching in the Church doth him great prejudice,\ntherefore he rageth and worketh these errors against the same; but I hope\nGod ere long will look into it, and will strike down the devil with these\nseducers.\n\n\u201cA true Christian,\u201d said Luther, \u201cmust hold for certain, and must say,\nThat Word which is delivered and preached to the wicked, to the\ndissemblers, and to the ungodly, is even as well God\u2019s Word as that which\nis preached to the good and godly upright Christians.  As also, the true\nChristian Church is among sinners, where good and bad are mingled\ntogether.  And that Word, whether it produceth fruit or not, is\nnevertheless God\u2019s strength, which saveth all that believe thereon.  And\nagain, it will also judge the ungodly, as St. John saith in chap. v.,\notherwise they might plead a good excuse before God, that they neither\nought to be nor could be condemned; for then they might truly allege that\nthey have not had God\u2019s Word, and so consequently could not receive the\nsame.  But,\u201d said Luther, \u201cI say, teach and acknowledge that the\nPreacher\u2019s words, his absolutions, and the sacraments, are not his words\nnor works, but they are God\u2019s words, works, cleansing, absolving,\nbinding, etc.; we are but only the instruments, fellow-workers, or God\u2019s\nassistants, through whom God worketh and finisheth his work.  We,\u201d said\nLuther to Bullinger, \u201cwill not endure these your metaphysical and\nphilosophical distinctions and differences, which merely are spun and\nhammered out of human and natural sense and reason.  You say, It is a man\nthat preacheth, that reproveth, that absolveth, comforteth, etc., and\nthat the Holy Ghost worketh; you say, likewise, the Minister baptiseth,\nabsolveth, and administereth the sacraments, but it is God that cleanseth\nthe hearts, and forgiveth sins, etc.  Oh, no,\u201d said Luther, \u201cbut I\nconclude thus: God himself preacheth, threateneth, reproveth,\naffrighteth, comforteth, absolveth, administereth the sacraments, etc.\nAs our Saviour Christ saith, \u2018Whoso heareth you, heareth me; and what ye\nloose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,\u2019 etc.  Likewise, \u2018It is not you\nthat speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cI am sure and certain,\u201d said Luther, \u201cwhen I go up to the pulpit, or to\nthe cathedral, to preach or read, that it is not my word which I speak,\nbut my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, as the Psalmist saith.  God\nspeaketh in the Prophets and men of God, as St. Peter in his Epistle\nsaith: \u2018The holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.\u2019\nTherefore we must not separate nor part God and man according to our\nnatural reason and understanding.  In like manner, every hearer must\nconclude and say, I hear not St. Paul, St. Peter, or a man speak; but I\nhear God himself speak, baptize, absolve, excommunicate, and administer\nthe holy sacrament of the Lord\u2019s Supper, etc.\u201d\n\nBullinger, attentively hearkening to this discourse of that holy man,\nLuther, fell down flat on his face to the ground, and uttered these words\nfollowing: \u201cOh, happy be the time that brought me hither to hear the\ndivine discourse of this man of God\u201d (Martin Luther), \u201ca chosen vessel of\nthe Lord to declare his truth!  And now I abjure and utterly renounce\nthese my former errors, finding them convinced and beaten down through\nGod\u2019s infallible Word which out of his divine mouth\u201d (Martin Luther),\n\u201chath touched my heart, and won me to his glory.\u201d  After he had uttered\nthese words lying on the ground, he arose and clasped his arms about\nLuther\u2019s neck, both of them shedding joyful tears.\n\nAh, God! said Luther at that time, what an unspeakable comfort a poor,\nweak, and sorrowful conscience might have and receive, if it could but\nbelieve that such words and comforts were the words and comforts of God\nhimself, as in truth they are; therefore we conclude, short and round,\nthat God through the Word worketh, which is an instrument whereby we are\ninstructed to know him in heart, as by this present and happy example of\nthe conversion of this our loving brother, Bullinger, we apparently see\nand find.\n\nBut whereas, said Luther, the Word produceth not fruit everywhere alike,\nbut worketh severally, the same is God\u2019s judgment, and his secret will,\nwhich from us is hid; we ought not to desire to know it.  For \u201cthe wind\nbloweth where it listeth,\u201d as Christ saith; we must not grabble nor\nsearch after the same.\n\nIf, said Luther, I were addicted to God\u2019s Word at all times alike, and\nalways had such love and desire thereunto as sometimes I have, then\nshould I account myself the most blessed man on earth.  But the loving\nApostle St. Paul failed also thereof, as he complains with sighs of\nheart, saying, \u201cI see another law in my members, warring against the law\nof my mind,\u201d etc.  Should the Word be false because it bringeth not\nalways fruit?  Truly this art of determining and knowing the Word hath\nbeen in great danger from the beginning of the world, and hath endured\nmuch: few people there are that can hit it, except God, through his Holy\nSpirit, teacheth it them in their hearts.  The Sectaries understand not\nthe strength of God\u2019s Word.  I do wonder, said Luther, that they do write\nand teach so much of God\u2019s Word, seeing they so little regard the same.\n\nFerdinand, Prince Elector of Saxony, used to say he had well discerned\nthat nothing could be propounded by human reason and understanding, were\nit never so wise, cunning, or sharp, but that a man, even out of the\nselfsame proposition, might be able to confute and overthrow it; but\nGod\u2019s Word only stood fast and sure, like a mighty wall which neither can\nbe battered nor beaten down.\n\n\n_Which are the best Preachers and the best Hearers_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, esteem those to be the best Preachers which teach the\ncommon people and youth most plainly and simply, without subtlety,\nscrewed words, or enlargements.  Christ taught the people by plain and\nsimple parables.  In like manner, those are the best Hearers that\nwillingly do hear and believe God\u2019s Word simply and plainly, and although\nthey be weak in faith, yet so long as they doubt not of the doctrine they\nare to be holpen forward; for God can and will bear with weakness if it\nbe but acknowledged, and that we creep again to the Cross and pray to God\nfor grace, and amend ourselves.\n\nDavid saith, \u201cI hate them that imagine evil things, but thy law do I\nlove,\u201d and will show therewith that we ought diligently to regard the\nstrength of the Word of God, and not to contemn it, as the enthusiasts\ndo, for God will deal with us by such means, and by the same will also\nwork in us.  Therefore the ancient Fathers say well touching this point,\nnamely, that we ought not to look to the person baptizing or ministering\nthe Sacrament, but we must look to God\u2019s Word.\n\nOur Lord God electeth from hearts, to whom he revealeth his Word, and\ntherewithal he giveth them mouths to speak it; preserveth and maintaineth\nit, not by sword, but through his Divine Power.\n\n\n_That we ought to direct all our Actions and Lives according to God\u2019s\nWord_.\n\n\nGod, said Luther, hath his measuring-lines, and his canons, which are\ncalled the Ten Commandments; they are written in our flesh and blood.\nThe contents of them is: \u201cWhat thou wouldest have done to thyself, the\nsame thou oughtest also to do to another.\u201d  For God presseth upon that\npoint, and saith, \u201cSuch measure as thou metest, the same shall be\nmeasured to thee again.\u201d  With this measuring-line, or measure, hath God\nmarked the whole world.  They that live and do thereafter, well it is\nwith them, for God doth richly reward them in this life; and a Turk or a\nHeathen may as well be partaker of such rewards as a Christian.\n\n\n_Where God\u2019s Word is loved_, _there dwelleth God_.\n\n\nUpon these words of Christ, \u201cIf a man loveth me, he will keep my Word,\nand my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our\nabode with him,\u201d I say thus, said Luther: Heaven and earth, the castles\nand palaces of all Emperors, Kings, and Princes, are no way sufficient to\nmake a dwelling-place for God; yet, in a silly human creature that\nkeepeth his Word he will dwell.  Isaiah calleth heaven his \u201cseat,\u201d and\nearth his \u201cfootstool,\u201d but not his dwelling; therefore, when we long to\nseek after God, we shall be sure to find him with them that hear and keep\nhis Word, as Christ saith, \u201cHe that keepeth my Word, I will come and\ndwell with him.\u201d\n\nA man could not speak more simply and childishly than Christ spake, and\nyet he confounded therewith all the wisdom of the worldly-wise.  To speak\nin such a manner, said Luther, is not _in sublimi_, _sed humili genere_:\nif I should teach a child, I would teach him in this sort: \u201cHe that loves\nme, will keep my Word.\u201d  Here we see that Christ saith not, Abstain from\nflesh, from marrying, from housekeeping, etc., as the Papists teach, for\nthat were even to invite the devil and all his fellows to a feast.\n\n\n_That true and upright Christians are ready to suffer Death and all\nmanner of Torments for the Gospel\u2019s sake_, _but Hypocrites do shun the\nCross_.\n\n\nNot long since, said Luther, I invited to my table, at Wittemberg, an\nHungarian Divine, named Matthias de Vai, who told me that, as he came\nfirst to be a Preacher in Hungary, he chanced to fall out with a\nPapistical Priest.  Now, he was complained of by that Priest to a Friar\nthat was brother to the Vaivoda, or Governor of Buda, and they were both\nsummoned to appear before him.  The one much accusing the other, insomuch\nthat the Friar could not reconcile nor take up the controversy between\nthem, at last, and after long debate, the Friar said, \u201cI know a way soon\nto discover the truth of this cause,\u201d and commanded that two barrels of\ngunpowder should be set in the midst of the market-place at Buda, and\nsaid unto the parties, \u201cHe that will maintain his Doctrine to be right,\nand the true Word of God, let him sit upon one of these barrels, and I\nwill give fire unto it, and he that remaineth living and unburned, his\nDoctrine is right.\u201d   Then Matthias de Vai leaped presently upon one of\nthe barrels and sat himself down thereon; but the Papist Priest would not\nup to the other barrel, but slunk away.  Then the Friar said, \u201cNow I see\nand know that the Faith and Doctrine of Matthias de Vai is the right, and\nthat our Papistical Religion is false.\u201d  And thereupon he punished and\nfined the Papist, with his assistants, for wronging De Vai, in four\nthousand Hungarian ducats, and compelled him for a certain time to\nmaintain one hundred soldiers at his own charge; but he licensed Matthias\nde Vai openly to preach the Gospel.  The Friar himself, recanting his\nreligion, was converted and became a Protestant; whereupon Luther said,\nNever yet would any Papist burn for religion, but our people go with joy\nto the fire, as heretofore hath been well seen on the holy Martyrs.\n\n\n_By what God preserveth his Word_.\n\n\nGod will keep his Word, said Luther, through the writing-pen upon earth;\nthe Divines are the heads or quills of the pens, but the Lawyers are the\nstumps.  If, now, the world will not keep the heads and quills\u2014that is,\nif they will not hear the Divines\u2014then they must keep the stumps\u2014that is,\nthey must hear the Lawyers, who will teach them manners.\n\n\n_That in Causes of Religion we must not judge according to human Wisdom_,\n_but according to God\u2019s Word_.\n\n\nWhen the Pope and Emperor, said Luther, cited me to appear at Worms, Anno\nDomini 1521, at the Imperial Assembly, they pressed and earnestly advised\nme to refer the determining of my cause to his Imperial Majesty; but I\nanswered the three spiritual Electors, Maintz, Tryer, and Cologne, and\nsaid, \u201cI will rather surrender up to his Majesty his letters of\nsafe-conduct which he hath given me than to put this cause to the\ndetermining of any human creature whatsoever.\u201d  Whereupon my master, the\nPrince Elector of Saxony, said also unto them, \u201cTruly no man could offer\nmore.\u201d  But as they still insisted and urged me touching that point, I\nsaid, I did not dare to presume, without great danger of running myself\ninto God\u2019s wrath, and of the loss of my soul\u2019s health, to refer this\nCause, which is none of mine, but God\u2019s Cause, to the censure of earthly\ncounsel; for the same, before all ages, hath been had in consultation,\nhath been determined, censured, concluded, and confirmed by the great\nCouncil in Heaven, to be and remain the infallible, most certain and true\nWord of the High Majesty of God; and therefore altogether needless, yea,\nmost presumptuous now it were, either to receive or to deliver it to the\ndetermination and censure of human and natural sense, wit, and wisdom,\nwhich is subject to nothing more than to error, especially in and\nconcerning God\u2019s Word and divine matters.  And I told them flat and\nplain, I would rather expose myself to endure all the torments that this\nworld, flesh, and the devil were able to devise and prepare than to give\nmy consent thereunto.\n\n\n_That in former Times it was dangerous studying the Holy Scriptures_.\n\n\nIn times past, as also in part of our time, said Luther, it was dangerous\nstudying, when divinity and all good arts were contemned; and when fine,\nexpert, and prompt wits were plagued with sophistry.  Aristotle, the\nHeathen, was held in such repute and honour, that whoso undervalued or\ncontradicted him was held, at Cologne, for the greatest heretic; whereas\nthey themselves understood not Aristotle.  The Sophists did much more\ndarken Aristotle than illustrate him; like as that Friar did, who wasted\ntwo whole hours in a sermon about Christ\u2019s Passion, and concerning this\nquestion: _Utr\u00f9m quantitas realiter distincta sit \u00e0 substantia_\u2014whether\nthe quantity in itself were divided from the substance?  He showed this\nexample, and said, \u201cMy head might well creep through, but the bigness of\nmy head could not;\u201d insomuch that, like an idiot, he divided the head\nfrom the bigness thereof.  A silly grammarian might easily have solved\nthe same, and said, The bigness of the head, that is, the big or great\nhead.\n\nWith such and the like fopperies were petty brains troubled, said Luther,\nand were instructed neither in good arts nor in divinity.  Antipho,\nChusa, Bovillus, and others were likewise miserably molested and plagued\nabout bringing a thing which was round into four square, and to compare a\nstraight line with a crooked.  But we, God be praised, have now happy\ntimes; and it were to be wished that the youth made good use thereof, and\nspent their studying diligently in such arts as at this time are green,\nand flourish.\n\n\n_That the Jews have better Teachers and Writers of the Holy Scriptures\nthan the Gentiles_.\n\n\nWhen I read in the Psalter, said Luther, I do much admire that David had\nsuch a spirit.  Oh, what high enlightened people were among the Jews!\nThis David was a married man; he was a king, a soldier, and a preacher;\nhe was busy in temporal affairs, yet nevertheless he wrote such an\nexcellent surpassing book.  The New Testament was written also by men\nthat were Jews, and the Apostles themselves were Jews: God would signify\nthereby that we should adore his Word, we should preciously esteem\nthereof, reverence, and love the same.  We Gentiles have no book that\nruleth in the Church, therefore we are not comparable to the Jews; from\nhence it is that St. Paul maketh a very fine distinction or difference\nbetween Sarah and Hagar, and the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael.  Hagar was\nalso a wife, but nothing near like Sarah; therefore it is a great pride,\npresumption, and wilfulness of the Pope, in that he, being but a human\ncreature, will presume, without Scripture, to set himself against the\nScripture, and will exalt himself above the same.\n\n\n_Of Luther\u2019s Complaint of the Multitude of Books_.\n\n\nThe multitude of books, said Luther, is much to be lamented; no measure\nnor end is held in writing; every one will write books; some out of\nambition to purchase praise thereby, and to raise them names; others for\nthe sake of lucre and gain, and by that means further much evil.\nTherefore the Bible, by so many comments and books, will be buried and\nobscured, so that the Text will be nothing regarded.  I could wish that\nall my books were buried nine ells deep in the ground, for evil example\u2019s\nsake, in that every one will imitate me with writing many books, thereby\nto purchase praise.  But Christ died not for the sake of our ambition and\nvain-glory, but he died only to the end that his name might be\nsanctified.\n\n\n_That God\u2019s Word will not be truly understood without Trials and\nTemptations_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, did not learn my divinity at one only time, but I was\nconstrained to search deeper and deeper, to which my temptations brought\nme; for no man, without trials and temptations, can attain to the true\nunderstanding of the Holy Scriptures.  St. Paul had a devil that beat him\nwith fists, and with temptations drove him diligently to study the Holy\nScripture.  I, said Luther, had cleaving and hanging on my neck the Pope,\nthe Universities, all the deep-learned, and with them the devil himself;\nthese hunted me into the Bible, where I diligently read, and thereby, God\nbe praised, at length I attained to the true understanding of the same.\nWithout such a devil, we are but only speculators of divinity, and\naccording to our vain reasoning we dream that so-and-so it must be, as\nthe Monks and Friars in monasteries do.  The Holy Scripture of itself is\ncertain and true enough; but God grant me the grace that I may catch hold\non the right use thereof; for when Satan disputeth with me in this sort,\nnamely, whether God be gracious unto me or no? then I must not meet him\nwith this text: \u201cWhoso loveth God with all his heart, with all his soul,\nand with all his strength, the same shall inherit the kingdom of God;\u201d\nfor then the devil presently objecteth, and hitteth me in the teeth, and\nsaith, \u201cThou hast not loved God with all thy heart,\u201d etc., which, indeed,\nis true, and my own conscience therein witnesseth against me; but at such\na time I must arm myself and encounter him with this text, namely: \u201cThat\nJesus Christ died for me, and through him I have a gracious God and\nFather; Christ hath made an atonement for me,\u201d as St. Paul saith, \u201cHe is\nof God given unto us for wisdom, for righteousness, for holiness, and for\nredemption.\u201d\n\nTyrants, sectaries, seducers, and heretics do nothing else but drive us\ninto the Bible, to make us read more diligently therein, and with more\nfervency to sharpen our prayers.\n\n\n_Of the Advice of the Bishop of Salzburg_, _how to qualify the\nControversy between the Protestants and Papists_, _propounded to Luther\nshortly before his Death_; _touching which_, _Luther discoursed as\nfolloweth_:\n\n\nAt the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, in the year 1530, the Bishop of\nSalzburg said unto me, \u201cFour ways and means there are to make a\nreconciliation or union between us and you Protestants.  One is, that ye\nyield unto us.  To that you say you cannot.  The second is, that we yield\nunto you; but that we will not do.  The third is, that the one party, by\nforce, should be compelled to yield to the other; but thereupon a great\ncombustion and tumult might be raised.  Therefore the fourth way or means\nwere to be applauded and used, namely, that now being here assembled\ntogether, the one party should strive to thrust out the other, and that\nparty which shall have the advantage, and be the stronger, the same\nshould put the other party into a bag and expel them.\u201d  Whereupon I, said\nLuther, answered him and said, \u201cThis, indeed, were a very substantial\ncourse to settle unity and peace, wonderful wisely considered of, found\nout and expounded by such a holy and Christian-like Bishop as you are.\u201d\nAnd thereupon I took letters out of my pocket, which shortly before I had\nreceived from Rome, and gave the same to the Bishop to read, which letter\nrelated a pretty passage that fell out there five weeks before, between\nsome Cardinals and the Pope\u2019s Fool, written as followeth:\u2014\n\nThe said Cardinals had been in serious consultation how, and by what\nmeans, the Protestants in Germany might be convinced touching their\nerror, and suppressed; but they saw the difficulty of it, in that the\nProtestants, in their books and writings, powerfully against the Papists,\ncited the sacred Scripture, and especially they opposed and withstood\nthem with the doctrine of St. Paul, which were great blocks in the\nPapists\u2019 way, insomuch that they found it a business not so easily to be\naccomplished.  Then said the Fool unto the Cardinals, \u201cI know how to give\nyou herein an advice, whereby you easily may be rid and quitted of St.\nPaul, that his doctrines shall not be approved of; as thus: The Pope,\u201d\nsaid the Fool, \u201chath power to make Saints; therefore let St. Paul be\ntaken out of the number of the Apostles, and preferred to be a Saint, as\nthen his _dicta_, or sayings, which are against you, shall no more be\nheld for apostolical.\u201d  \u201cThis and your proposition,\u201d said Luther to the\nBishop, \u201care of equal value.\u201d\n\n\n\nOF GOD\u2019S WORKS.\n\n\n_That human Sense and Reason cannot comprehend nor understand God\u2019s\nWorks_.\n\n\nIn all things, and in the least creatures, yea, also in their members,\nGod\u2019s almighty power and great wonderful works do clearly shine.  For\nwhat man, how powerful, wise, and holy soever, can make out of one fig, a\nfig-tree or another fig? or, out of one cherry-stone, can make a cherry\nor a cherry-tree? or what man can know how God createth and preserveth\nall things and maketh them grow?\n\nAnd truly we find and see printed the Holy Trinity in all good arts and\ncreatures, as the almighty power of God the Father, the wisdom of God the\nSon, and the goodness of God the Holy Ghost.  Neither can we conceive or\nknow how the apple of the eye doth see, or how understanding words are\nspoken distinctly and plainly when only the tongue is moved and stirred\nin the mouth, all which are natural things, as we daily see and act.  How\nthen should we be able to comprehend or understand the secret counsel of\nGod\u2019s Majesty, or search it out with our sense, wit, reason, or\nunderstanding?\n\n\n_That no Man understands God\u2019s Works_.\n\n\nNo man, said Luther, is able to imagine, much less to understand, what\nGod hath done, and still doth without ceasing.  Although we laboured and\nsweated blood to write but only three lines in such manner as St. John\ndid write, yet were we never able to perform it.  What, then, should we\nany way admire or wonder at our wisdom?  I, for my part, said Luther,\nwill be a fool, and will yield myself captive.\n\nWhen one asked where God was before Heaven was created, St. Austin made\nanswer thereunto and said, He was in himself.  And as another, said\nLuther, asked me the same question, I said, He was building Hell for such\nidle, presumptuous, fluttering spirits and inquisitors.  After he had\ncreated all things, he was everywhere, and yet he was nowhere; for I\ncannot fasten nor take hold of him without the Word.  But he will be\nfound there where he hath bound himself to be.  The Jews found him at\nJerusalem by the Throne of Grace (Exodus xxv.).  We find him in the Word\nand Faith, in Baptism and Sacraments; but in his Majesty he is nowhere to\nbe found.\n\nIt was a special grace in the Old Testament, when God bound himself to a\ncertain place where he would be found, namely, in that place where the\nTabernacle was, towards which they prayed; as first in Shiloh and\nShechem, afterwards at Gibeon, and lastly at Jerusalem in the Temple.\n\nThe Greeks and Heathens in after-times, said Luther, did imitate the\nsame, and did build temples for their idols in certain places, as at\nEphesus for Diana, at Delphos for Apollo, etc.  For where God built a\nchurch, there the devil would also build a chapel.  They imitated the\nJews also in this, namely, that as the most holy was dark and had no\nlight, even so and after the same manner did they make their places dark\nwhere the devil made answer, as at Delphos and elsewhere.  In such sort\nis the devil always God\u2019s ape.\n\nBut, said Luther, whereas the most holy must be dark, the same did\nsignify that the Kingdom of Christ no other way was to be taken hold of\nand fastened, but only by the Word and by Faith.\n\n\n_That the Superfluity of temporal Wealth doth hinder the Faith_.\n\n\nGod, said Luther, could be rich soon and easily if he would be more\nprovident, and would deny us the use of his creatures.  If he would but\nkeep back the sun, that it should not shine, or lock up the air, detain\nthe water, or quench out the fire\u2014ah! then would we willingly give all\nour money and wealth to have the use of his creatures again.\n\nBut seeing God so liberally heapeth his gifts upon us, we therefore will\nclaim them as by right, in despite of him, and let him deny them us if he\ndare.  Therefore the unspeakable multitude of his innumerable benefits do\nhinder and darken the faith of the believers, much more of the ungodly.\n\n\n_That God doth purchase nothing but Unthankfulness with his Benefits_.\n\n\nGod giveth sun and moon, said Luther, stars and elements, fire and water,\nair and earth, and all creatures; body and soul, and all manner of\nmaintenance, of fruits, grain, corn, wine, and all that is profitable for\nthe preserving of this temporal life; and, moreover, he giveth unto us\nhis all-saving Word, yea, himself he giveth unto us.\n\nBut, said Luther, what getteth God thereby?  Truly nothing else than that\nhe is wickedly blasphemed; yea, that his only Son is pitifully scorned,\ncontemned, and hanged on the gallows; his servants plagued, banished,\npersecuted and slain.  This is the thanks that he hath for his Grace, for\ncreating, for redeeming, sanctifying, nourishing, and for preserving us:\nsuch a seed, fruit, and godly child is the world.  Oh, woe be to it!\n\n\n_Of God\u2019s Power in our Weakness_.\n\n\nGod, said Luther, placeth his highest office very wonderfully; he commits\nit to preachers that are poor sinners and beggars, who do utter and teach\nit, and very weakly do thereafter, or live according to the same.\n\nThus goeth it always with God\u2019s power in our weakness; for when he is\nweakest in us, then is he strongest.\n\n\n_Howsoever God dealeth with us_, _it is always unacceptable_.\n\n\nHow, said Luther, should God deal with us?  Good days we cannot bear,\nevil we cannot endure.  Giveth he riches unto us? then are we proud, so\nthat no man can live by us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon hands\nand shoulders, and will be adored as gods.  Giveth he poverty unto us?\nthen are we dismayed, we are impatient, and murmur against him.\nTherefore nothing were better for us than soon to be conveyed to the last\ndance, and covered with shovels.\n\n\n_Of the acknowledging of Nature_.\n\n\nAdam had no need of books, said Luther, for he had the Book of Nature;\nand all the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, do cite\nmuch out of that book; as, touching the sorrows of women bearing\nchildren, of the fellowship and community of the members of man\u2019s body,\nas St. Paul relateth such parables, and saith that one member cannot miss\nanother: if the eyes did not see, whither then would the feet go? how\nwould they stumble and fall?  If the hands did not fasten and take hold,\nhow then should we eat?  If the feet went not, where then would the hands\nget anything?  Only the maw, that lazy drone, lies in the midst of the\nbody, and is fatted like a swine.  This parable, said Luther, teacheth us\nthat mankind should love one another; as also the Greeks\u2019 pictures do\nteach concerning two men, the one lame and the other blind, who showed\nkindness the one to the other, as much as in them lay.  The lame guided\nthe blind in the way, which else he neither knew nor saw, and the blind\ncarried the lame, that else could not go; so that they both were helped\nand came forward.\n\n\n_Of God\u2019s Goodness_, _if we could but trust unto him_.\n\n\nOnce, towards evening, came flying into Luther\u2019s garden two birds, and\nmade a nest therein, but they were oftentimes scared away by those that\npassed by.  Then said Luther, O ye loving pretty birds! fly not away; I\nam heartily well contented with you, if ye could but trust unto me.  Even\nso it is with us: we neither can trust in God, who, notwithstanding,\nshoweth and wisheth us all goodness.\n\n\n_That God made all Things for Mankind_.\n\n\nGod\u2019s power is great, said Luther, who holdeth and nourisheth the whole\nworld, and maintaineth it; and it is a hard article where we say and\nacknowledge, \u201cI believe in God the Father.\u201d  He hath created all things\nsufficiently for us.  All the seas are our cellars, all woods are our\nhuntings; the earth is full of silver and gold, and of innumerable\nfruits, which are created all for our sakes, and the earth is a\ncorn-house and a larder for us, etc.\n\n\n_That God\u2019s creatures are used_, _or rather abused_, _for the most part\nby the Ungodly_.\n\n\nThe wicked and ungodly, said Luther, do enjoy and use the most part of\nGod\u2019s creatures; for the tyrants have the greatest power, lands, and\npeople in the world; the usurers have the money; the farmers have eggs,\nbutter, corn, barley, oats, apples, pears, etc.; but good and godly\nChristians must suffer, be persecuted, must sit in dungeons where they\ncan see neither sun nor moon, must be thrust out into poverty, must be\nbanished, and plagued, etc.  But certainly it must be better one day; it\ncannot always so remain; let us have but patience, and steadfastly remain\nby the pure doctrine, and, notwithstanding all this misery, let us not\nfall away from the same.\n\n\n_That God_, _and not Money_, _preserves the World_.\n\n\nGod only, said Luther, and not money and wealth, maintains and preserves\nthe world; for riches and much money do make proud and lazy people: as at\nVenice, where the richest people are, a horrible dearth fell among them\nin our memory, so that they were driven to call upon the Turks for help,\nwho sent twenty-four galleys laden with corn, all which, as they almost\nwere arrived, went down into the sea and sank before their eyes.\n\nTherefore, said Luther, great wealth and money cannot still the hunger,\nbut rather occasioneth more dearth; for where rich people are, there it\nis always dear, and things are at high rates.  Moreover, money maketh no\nman right merry, but much more pensive and full of sorrow; for they are\nthorns which do prick people, as Christ calls riches; yet is the world so\nmad that they will set thereupon all their joy and felicity.\n\n\n_That God\u2019s corporeal Gifts are but little regarded_.\n\n\nOne evening, Luther saw cattle going in the fields, in a pasture, and\nsaid: Behold, there go our preachers, our milk-bearers, butter-bearers,\ncheese and wool-bearers, which do daily preach unto us the faith towards\nGod, that we should trust in him, as in our loving Father; he careth for\nus, and will maintain and nourish us.\n\n\n_That God nourisheth all the Beasts_.\n\n\nNo man, said Luther, can account the great charges which God is at only\nin maintaining the birds and such creatures, which in a manner are\nnothing or little worth.  I am persuaded, said he, that it costeth God\nyearly more to maintain only the sparrows than the yearly revenue of the\nFrench King amounteth unto.  What then shall we say of all the rest of\nhis creatures?\n\n\n_That God is skilful in all Manner of Trades_.\n\n\nGod, said Luther, is skilful in all occupations and trades, in a most\nperfect and excellent manner; for, like a skilful tailor, he makes such a\ncoat for the stag, which he wears nine hundred years together, and of\nitself it is not torn; also, like a good shoemaker, he gives him shoes on\nhis feet, that last longer than the stag himself, etc.\n\nGod gives this world, with all his works, to those people who, as he\nknows before, will anger, contemn, and blaspheme him.  What, then, may we\nthink, will he give to those that through faith are justified, and do\nknow that they, so justified, shall live and remain with him\neverlastingly?\n\n\n_That God will be praised in all Languages_.\n\n\n\u201cAll that hath breath, praise the Lord,\u201d saith the Psalm; thence it\nfolloweth that in all and every language, speeches, and tongues we should\npreach and praise the Lord.  Why then, said Luther, have the Pope and the\nEmperor forbidden to sing and pray in the German tongue?\n\n\n_That God is willing we should make use of his Creatures_.\n\n\nOur loving Lord God is willing that we eat, drink, and be merry, and make\nuse of his creatures, for therefore he hath created them.  He will not\nhave that we should complain, as if he had not given sufficient, or that\nhe could not maintain our poor carcases; only that we do acknowledge him\nfor our God, and thank him for his gifts.\n\n\n_That God fills the Bellies of the Ungodly_, _but he gives the Kingdom of\nHeaven to the Good and Godly_.\n\n\nWe believe, said Luther, that God will give to us no better things than\nhe giveth to the rich ungodly wretches in this world, to whom he gives an\noverplus, and the fill of good wine, money, wealth, power, honour, and\nall things that they would have or can desire.  But the best wealth and\ntreasure, which they do not desire, he denies them, namely, himself.  But\nhe that hath not God, let him have else what he will, so is he,\nnotwithstanding, more miserable than was Lazarus, that lay at the rich\nman\u2019s gate and was starved to death.  But it will go even so with them as\nit went with the glutton, that they everlastingly must hunger and want,\nand shall not have in all their power so much as the least drop of water,\netc.\n\nIf, then, said Luther, the almighty and liberal God in such wise doth\nheap blessings upon his worst enemies and blasphemers, with all manner of\ntemporal goods and wealth, and gives to some also kingdoms,\nprincipalities, etc., then may we, that are his children, easily conceive\nwhat he will give unto us, who, for his sake must suffer\u2014yea, what he\nhath already given us.  He hath given unto us his only-begotten Son, and\nwith him hath bestowed all things upon us, so that through him we are\nGod\u2019s children, and also heirs of his celestial treasure, and are\nco-heirs with Christ according to hope.\n\n\n_Court Cards_.\n\n\nGod regards ungodly great Potentates, Kings, and Princes even as children\nregard playing at cards.  While they play, and have good cards, they hold\nthem in their hands; then, afterwards, when they have bad cards, they are\nweary of them, and throw them under the bench.  Just so doth God with\ngreat Potentates.  While they are in the government, and rule well, he\nholds them for good; but so soon as they do exceed, and govern ill, then\nhe throws them down from their seat, as Mary sings, and there he lets\nthem lie.  _Ut Regem Dani\u0153_.\n\nThe Queen of Denmark, that was sister to the Emperor Charles and King\nFerdinand, died at that time when her husband, King Christian, was taken\nprisoner, who was kept in prison twenty years.  And his son, who was the\nonly heir of the kingdom, and was in the Court of the Emperor, died also\nat the Imperial Diet held at Ratisbon the same year, 1541.  God hath\ntaken up and gathered together a fine and glorious game at cards, all of\nmighty Potentates, as Emperors, Kings, Princes, etc.; they scuffle and\nfight one with another; touching which, said Luther, I could show many\nexamples done in our time, etc.\n\n\u201cThe Pope,\u201d said Melancthon, \u201cfor the space of these certain hundred\nyears, hath been held for the principal Head of all Christendom.  When he\ndid but wink or hold up one finger, so must the Emperors, Kings, and\nPrinces have humbled themselves and feared; insomuch that he was Lord of\nall Lords, King of all Kings on earth; yea, he was an earthly god.  But\nnow comes Almighty God, throws down the Pope, and wins that great king\nwith the ace (Luther), and there he lies.  This is God\u2019s government, as\nMary sings in her Magnificat: _Deposuit potentes_\u2014He puts down the mighty\nfrom their seat, etc.\n\n\u201cIf I were rich,\u201d said Melancthon, \u201cI would have artificially made me a\ngame at cards, and a chess-board all of gold and silver, in a remembrance\nof God\u2019s game at cards, which are all great and mighty Emperors, Kings,\nand Princes, where he always thrusteth one out through another.  N. is\nthe four of diamonds, the Pope is the six of diamonds, the Turk is the\neight of diamonds, the Emperor is the king in the game.\n\n\u201cAt last comes our Lord God, divides the game, beats the Pope with Luther\n(he is the ace).  But the Pope is not yet quite dead; Christ hath begun\nto slay him with the spirit of his mouth, so that he is dead in the\nhearts of believing Christians.  I hope it is almost come so far that, in\nless than two hundred years, God will quite make an end of him, and of\nthat antichristian idolatry, by his glorious coming.\u201d\n\n\n_Whoso from his Heart can humble himself before God_, _he hath gained_.\n\n\nWhoso can earnestly humble himself from his heart before God, he hath\ngained.  For God can do nothing but to be merciful towards them that\nhumble themselves.  For if God should always be stern and angry, so\nshould I, said Luther, be afraid of him as of the executioner.  And\nseeing that I must stand in fear of the Pope, of the Emperor, of the\nPapistical Bishops, and of other tyrants, which are God\u2019s enemies, to\nwhom then should I fly and take my refuge, if I should also be afraid of\nGod?\n\n\n_That God preserves Nurture and Discipline_.\n\n\nGod\u2019s works and actions will be where good nurture and discipline is\nmaintained, especially in wars, where a good government is settled;\notherwise it goeth strangely, dissolutely, and ill, as in this time we\nsee too well.\n\nWhen God will confound the wisdom of the wise, he makes them first mad\nand furious in their proceedings, as he dealt with the Popish Princes and\nBishops at the Imperial Diet held at Augsburg.\n\nLet the adversaries rage and swell their fills, said Luther, and as long\nas they can.  God hath set the sea her bounds; he suffers the same to\nbeat and rage with her waves, as if they would over-run, cover, and drown\neverything; yet, notwithstanding, they must not pass the shore and banks,\nalthough God keeps the waters in their compass, not with iron, but with\nweak walls of sand.  This discourse Luther held at that time when letters\nwere written unto him from the Assembly at Frankfort, concerning the\nPapists, with their practices and exploits, intending to fall upon the\nProtestants in all parts.\n\nThe second Psalm, said Luther, is one of the best Psalms.  I love that\nPsalm with my heart.  It strikes and slashes valiantly amongst the Kings,\nPrinces, Counsellors, Judges, etc.  If it be true what this Psalm saith,\nthen are the allegations of the Papists stark lies.  If I were as our\nLord God, and had committed the government to my son, as he hath done to\nhis Son, and that these angry gentlemen were so disobedient as they now\nare, I would, said Luther, throw the world into a lump.\n\nMary, the poor child-maid of Nazareth, also combateth with these great\nKings, Princes, etc., as she sings, \u201cHe hath put down the mighty from\ntheir seat,\u201d etc.  No doubt, said Luther, she had an excellent undaunted\nvoice.  I, for my part, dare not sing so.  The tyrants say, \u201cLet us break\ntheir bonds asunder.\u201d  What that is, said he, present experience teacheth\nus; for we see how they drown, how they hang, burn, behead, strangle,\nbanish, and torture; and all this they do in despite of God.  \u201cBut he\nsits above in heaven, and laugheth them to scorn.\u201d  If, said Luther, God\nwould be pleased to give me a little time and space, that I might expound\na couple of small Psalms, I would bestir myself so boldly that,\nSamson-like, I would take all the Papists away with me.\n\n\n_By reason of our stiff-necked Hardness_, _God must be both harsh and\ngood too_.\n\n\nI was, said Luther, very lately sharply reprimanded and taxed by a Popish\nflattering Courtier, a Priest, because with such passion I had written,\nand so vehemently had reproved the people.  But I answered him and said,\n\u201cOur Lord God must first send a sharp pouring shower, with thunder and\nlightning, and afterwards cause it mildly to rain, as then it wetteth\nfinely through.  In like manner, a willow or a hazel wand I can easily\ncut with my trencher-knife, but for a hard oak a man must have and use\naxes, bills, and such-like, and all little enough to fell and to cleave\nit.\u201d\n\n\n_What that is_, _God is nothing_, _and yet he is all Things_.\n\n\nPlato, the Heathen, disputed of God, that God is nothing, and yet he is\nall things; him followed Dr. Eck, and the Sophists, who understood\nnothing thereof, as their words do show, which no man could understand.\nBut, said Luther, we must understand and speak of it in this manner: God\nis incomprehensible and invisible, therefore what may be seen and\ncomprehended, that is not God.  And thus a man may speak also in another\nmanner and wise: As God is either visible or invisible; visible he is in\nhis Word and Works, but where his Word and Works are not, there a man\nshould not desire to have him, for he will be found nowhere else than\nwhere he hath revealed himself.  But these and such-like will find and\ntake hold of him with their speculations, so that instead of God they\ntake hold of the devil, and find him, for he will be also a god.  But I\ndo truly admonish and warn every one that they abstain from such\nspeculations, and not to flutter too high, but remain by the manger, and\nby the swaddling-clothes wherein Christ doth lie (in the Holy\nScriptures), \u201cin whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,\u201d as\nSt. Paul saith (Col. ii.).  There a man cannot fail of God, but finds and\nhits upon him most certainly.  I would willingly that this rule might be\nobserved after my death, namely: Human comfort and Divine comfort are of\ntwo sorts: human comfort consisteth in external visible help, which a man\nmay see, hold, and feel; but Divine comfort consisteth only in words and\npromises, where there is neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling.\n\n\n_That Children are God\u2019s special Blessings and Creatures_.\n\n\nDr. Jonas, inviting Luther to a dinner, had caused a bough, with ripe\ncherries, to be hung up over the table where they dined, in remembrance\nof the creation, thereby to put his guests in mind to praise the glorious\nGod in his blessing and creating such fruits, etc.  But Luther asked him\nwhy he did not rather remember the same by his children that were the\nfruit of his body.  For, said he, they surpass and are far more excelling\ncreatures of God than all the fruits of trees.  By them we see God\u2019s\nPower, Wisdom, and Art, who hath made them all out of nothing, hath given\nthem in one year life and all members, so exquisitely hath created and\nwill maintain and preserve them.  Yet, notwithstanding, we do not much\nregard it; nay, we are in such gifts of God blind and covetous, as\ncommonly it falleth out that people when they have got children grow\nworse and more covetous; they rake and rend all they can, to the end\nenough may be left for their children.  They do not know that before a\nchild comes to the world, and is born, it hath its lot; and already is\nordained and determined what and how much it shall have, and what shall\nbe thereout.  In the state of matrimony we learn and find that begetting\nand bearing of children stands and consists not in our wills and\npleasures, for the parents can neither see nor know whether they be\nfruitful or no, nor whether God will give them a son or a daughter.  All\nthis is done without our ordaining, thinking, or foreknowledge.  My\nfather and mother did not think that they should have brought a\nsuperintendent into the world; it is only God\u2019s Creation which we cannot\nrightly understand nor conceive.  I believe, said Luther, that in the\nlife to come we shall have nothing else to do than to meditate of our\nCreator, and of his celestial creatures, and wonder at the same.\n\n\n\nOF THE NATURE OF THE WORLD.\n\n\n_Of the World_, _and of the Manner thereof_.\n\n\nThe world, said Luther, will neither have nor hold God for God, nor the\ndevil for the devil.  And if a man were left to himself, and should be\nsuffered to do after his own kind and nature, then would he willingly\nthrow our Lord God out at the window; for the world regards God nothing\nat all, as the Psalm saith, _Dixit impius in corde suo_, _non est Deus_.\nOn the contrary, the god of the world is riches, pleasure, and pride,\nwherewith they abuse all the creatures and gifts of God.\n\nThe Monks and Friars, in times past, boasted much of their contemning of\nthe world, and they made use of that speech of St. Paul (Rom. xii.), \u201cBe\nnot conformed to this world;\u201d from whence they would touch no money, as\nif it were against God to make use of riches, money, and wealth; whereas\nSt. Paul and the whole Scriptures forbid but only the abuse of heart,\nwicked lust, desire, and inclination; as there is ambition, incontinency,\nrevenge, etc., which lusts do hang on the world; yea, they altogether\nflow and flourish.\n\n\n_Of the Manner of People in Eating_.\n\n\nWe have the nature and manner of all wild beasts in eating.  The wolves\neat sheep; we also.  The foxes eat hens, geese, etc.; we also.  The hawks\nand kites eat fowl and birds; we also.  Pikes do eat other fish; we also.\nWith oxen, horse, and kine, we also eat sallets, grass, etc.\n\n\n_The Unthankfulness of Husbandmen and Farmers_.\n\n\nThe husbandmen and rich farmers, said Luther, are not worthy of so many\nbenefits and fruits which the earth doth bear and bring unto them.  I\ngive more thanks to our Lord God for one tree or bush than all rich\nfarmers and husbandmen do for their large and fruitful grounds.  Yet,\nsaid he, we must except some husbandmen, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and\nIsaac, who went out to see their grounds, to the end they might remember\nGod\u2019s gifts in his creatures.  (Gen. xxiv.)\n\nThe world will have night owls, said Luther, that is, sectaries,\nseducers, and unbelievers, about whom the birds do fly; that is, the\nworld wonders at them, entertains them with great honour, and gives them\nmoney and wealth enough.\n\n\n_The Gospel discovereth the Wickedness of Mankind_.\n\n\nAs the cold, said Luther, is always greater and more piercing in winter\nwhen the days begin to lengthen, and when the sun draws near unto us, for\nthat maketh the cold thicker, and presseth it together: just so the\nwickedness of mankind is greater, that is, more visible, and breaks out\nwhen the Gospel is preached; for the Holy Ghost reproveth the world of\nsin, which the world neither can nor will endure.\n\n\n_The World\u2019s Unthankfulness towards the Servants of God_.\n\n\nHe must be of a high and great spirit that undertaketh to serve the\npeople both in body and soul, and nevertheless must suffer the utmost\ndanger and highest unthankfulness.  Therefore Christ said to Peter,\nSimon, etc., \u201cLovest thou me?\u201d and repeated it three times together.\nAfterwards he said, \u201cFeed my sheep,\u201d as if he would say, \u201cWilt thou be an\nupright Minister and a Shepherd? then love must only do it; thy love to\nme must do the deed, otherwise it is impossible.\u201d  For who can endure\nunthankfulness? to study away his wealth and health, and afterwards to\nlay himself open to the highest danger and unthankfulness of the wicked\nworld?  Therefore he saith, \u201cIt is very needful that thou lovest me.\u201d\n\nThe Pope and Turk, said Luther, have thoroughly revenged our cause, and\nhave done to the world a great deal of right, as by scourging experience\nthey have thoroughly been taught, for so the world will have it.  Upright\nand true servants of God they will not endure, nay, they murder them,\ntherefore they must have such fellows, yea, and moreover, they must\nmaintain and hold them in great honour and esteem, and yet nevertheless\nmust by them be cursed and deceived.\n\n\n_The World must have stern and fierce Rulers_.\n\n\nThe world, said Luther, cannot be without such stern Governors, by whom\nthey must be ruled.  King Ferdinand, with his Popish tyranny, is even a\nfine liquorish bit for the world; therefore said God, through the Prophet\nSamuel, to his people of Israel that prayed for a King, He would give\nthem a King, but this shall be his rule: \u201cHe will take your sons, and\nappoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and\nwill take your daughters to be cooks,\u201d etc.  As Ferdinand, the Prince\nElector of Saxony, returned home from the election of the Emperor Charles\nat Cologne, he asked me how I liked the news, that they had elected\nCharles, King of Spain, to be Roman Emperor.  I answered him and said,\n\u201cThe ravens must have a kite.\u201d\n\n\n_The World\u2019s highest Wisdom_.\n\n\nThe highest wisdom of the world is, said Luther, to trouble themselves\nwith temporal, earthly, and vanishing things; and as it happeneth and\nfalleth out with those things, they say, \u201c_Non put\u00e2ram_\u201d (I had not\nthought it).  For faith is a certain and a sure expectation of that which\na man hopeth for, and maketh no doubt of that which he seeth not, as the\nEpistle to the Hebrews saith: Faith looks to that which is to come, and\nnot to that which is already present.  Therefore a true Christian doth\nnot say, \u201c_Non put\u00e2ram_\u201d (I had not thought it); but he is most certain\nthat the beloved Cross is near at hand, and will surely come upon him;\ntherefore he is not afraid when it goeth evil with him, and he is\ntormented.  But the world, and those that live securely in the world,\ncannot brook misfortunes; they go on continually leaping and dancing in\npleasure and delight, like the rich Glutton in the Gospel.  He could not\nspare the scraps to poor Lazarus, but Lazarus belonged to Christ, and he\ntook his part.\n\n\n_The Language and Doings of the World_.\n\n\nAlbertus, Bishop of Mentz, had a physician attending on his person who\nwas a Protestant, and therefore the less in the Bishop\u2019s favour; the\nsame, being covetous and puffed up with ambition, recanted his religion\nand fell to Popery, uttering these words: \u201cI will, for awhile, set Christ\nbehind the door, until I be grown rich, and then I will take him to me\nagain.\u201d  Such and the like blasphemous words do deserve the highest\npunishments, as befell that wicked dissembling wretch, for the same night\nhe was found in his bed in a most fearful manner, with his tongue torn\nout of his mouth, as black as a coal, and his neck wrung in twain.\nMyself, said Luther, at that time coming from Frankfort to Mentz, was an\neye-witness of that just judgment of God.  If, said he, a man could bring\nto pass, and at his pleasure could set God behind the door, and take him\nagain when he listed, then was God his prisoner.  They were words of a\ndamned Epicure, and so accordingly he was rewarded.\n\n\n_Luther\u2019s Comparison of the World_.\n\n\nThe world seems to me like unto a decayed house.  David and the Prophets\nare the spars; Christ is the main pillar in the midst that supporteth\nall.\n\n\n_The World seeketh Immortality with their Pride_.\n\n\nWhereas all people do feel and acknowledge, yea, do see, that they must\ndie and vanish away, every one therefore seeketh here on earth\nimmortality, that he may be had in everlasting remembrance.  Sometimes\ngreat Princes and Kings sought it by causing great columns of marble\nstone and exceedingly high pyramids, buildings, and pillars four square\nto be erected, as at this time they do with building great churches,\ncostly and glorious palaces and castles, etc.  Soldiers do look and hunt\nafter great praise and honour by overcoming and obtaining famous\nvictories.  The learned seek an everlasting name in writing books, as in\nour time is to be seen.  With these and such-like, people do think to be\nimmortal.  But on the true, everlasting, and incorruptible honour and\neternity of God, no man thinketh nor looketh after the same.  Ah! we are\npoor, silly, and miserable people!\n\n\n_What is to be considered in the executing of Offices_.\n\n\nIf, said Luther, the great pains and labour which I take sprang not from\nlove and for the sake of him that died for me, the world could not give\nme money enough to write only one book, or to translate the Bible.  I\ndesire not to be rewarded and paid of the world for my book; the world is\ntoo poor and simple to give me satisfaction.  I have not desired the\nvalue of one penny of my master the Prince Elector of Saxony, so long as\nI have been in this place.  The whole world is nothing else but a\nturned-about _Decalogus_, or the Ten Commandments backwards, a wizard,\nand a picture of the devil.  All contemners of God, all blasphemers, all\ndisobedient; whoredom, pride, theft, murder, etc., are now almost ripe\nfor the slaughter; neither is the devil idle, with Turk and Pope,\nheresies and other erroneous sects.  Every man draws the Christian\nliberty only to carnal excess, as if now they had free liberty and power\nto do what they list; therefore the kingdom of the devil and Pope is the\nbest government for the world, for therewith they will be governed with\nstrict laws and rights, with superstition, unbelief, etc.\n\nThe world grows worse through the doctrine of God\u2019s Grace and preaching\nof the Gospel; for when they hear that after this life there is another,\nthey are well enough content with this life, and that God should keep the\nother to himself; if they may have here but only good days, honour, and\nwealth, that is all they care for or desire.\n\nAt the time of my being in Rome, said Luther, there died a Cardinal very\nrich, and left behind him great store of money; shortly before his death\nhe made his will, and laid it in a chest where the money was.  After his\ndeath the chest was opened, and therein, by the money, was found lying a\nbull, written on parchment, with these words:\n\n             _Dum potui_, _rapui_; _rapiatis_, _quando potestis_.\n\n    (I extorted and oppressed as long as I was able; while ye have power,\n                              get what you can.)\n\nOh! said Luther, how finely, think you, must this Cardinal have departed\nand died?\n\n\n_The World is full of Dissemblers and Blasphemers_: _How many Sorts there\nbe_.\n\n\nLuther discoursing, in the presence of the Prince Elector of Saxony and\nother Princes, of the many sorts and differences of wicked persons, said:\nColax, Sycophanta, Caco\u00ebthes; these sins and blasphemies are almost alike\nthe one to the other, only that they go one after another, as a man going\nup the stairs and steps ascends from one to another.\n\nColax, in my opinion, is he that in Terence they name Gnatho, an\near-scratcher, a dissembler, a trencher-licker, one that talketh for his\nbelly\u2019s sake, and is altogether a man-pleaser.  This is a sin of mankind,\nwhose intent is to get all they can though others are hurt thereby.\n\nSycophanta is such a dissembler, traitor, and backbiter that would earn a\ngrey coat.  This sin is nearer allied to the devil than to mankind.\nGnatho acts his part in the comedies, but Sycophanta in the tragedies.\nPhormio, in Terence, is a very honest person, nothing, or very little,\nstained with the other two vices.\n\nCaco\u00ebthes is a wicked villain, that wittingly and wilfully prepareth\nmischief.\n\n\n_Of the Wealth and Treasure of the World_.\n\n\nThe Fuggars {97} of Augsburg, on a sudden, said Luther, are able to levy\none hundred tons of gold (one ton of gold is one hundred thousand rix\ndollars, making, in English money, two-and-twenty thousand pounds\nsterling, and more), which neither the Emperor nor King of Spain is able\nto perform.  One of the Fuggars, after his death, left eighty tons of\ngold.  The Fuggars and the money-changers in Augsburg lent the Emperor at\none time eight-and-twenty tons of gold for the maintaining of his wars\nbefore Padua.\n\nThe Cardinal of Brixen, who died at Rome very rich, left no great sum of\nready money behind him, but only there was found in his sleeve a little\nnote of a finger\u2019s length.  This note was brought to Pope Julius, who\npresently imagined it was a note of money, and therefore sent for the\nFuggars\u2019 factor that was then at Rome, and asked him if he knew that\nwriting.  The factor said, \u201cYea, it was the debt which the Fuggars did\nowe to that Cardinal, which was the sum of forty hundred thousand rix\ndollars.\u201d  The Pope asked him how soon he could pay that sum of money.\nHe answered and said, \u201cEvery day, or, if need required, at an hour\u2019s\nwarning.\u201d  Then the Pope called for the Ambassadors of France and\nEngland, and asked them if either of their Kings, in one hour\u2019s space,\nwere able to satisfy and pay forty tons of gold.  They answered, \u201cNo.\u201d\n\u201cThen,\u201d said the Pope, \u201cone citizen of Augsburg can do it.\u201d  And the Pope\ngot all that money.  One of the Fuggars being warned by the Senate of\nAugsburg to bring in and to pay his taxation, said, \u201cI know not how much\nI have, nor how rich I am, therefore I cannot be taxed;\u201d for he had his\nmoney out in the whole world\u2014in Turkey, in Greece, at Alexandria, in\nFrance, Portugal, England, Poland, and everywhere, yet he was willing to\npay his tax of that which he had in Augsburg.\n\n\n_Covetousness is a Sign of Death_; _we must not rely on Money and\nWealth_.\n\n\nWhoso hath money, said Luther, and depends thereon, as is usual, it\nneither proceeds nor prospers well with that person.  The richest\nmonarchs have had bad fortune, and lamentably have been destroyed and\nslain in the wars; on the contrary, poor and unable people, that have had\nbut small store of money, have overcome and had great fortune and\nvictory.  As Emperor Maximilian overcame the Venetians, and continued\nwars ten years with them, who were exceedingly rich and powerful.\nTherefore we ought not to trust in money and wealth, nor to depend\nthereon.  I hear, said Luther, that the Prince Elector, George, begins to\nbe covetous, which is a sign of his death very shortly.  When I saw Dr.\nGoad begin to count his puddings hanging in the chimney, I told him he\nwould not live long, which fell out accordingly; and when I begin to\ntrouble myself about brewing, malting, and cooking, etc., then shall not\nI drive it long, but soon die.\n\n\n_The Popes\u2019 Covetousness_.\n\n\nThe covetousness of the Popes has exceeded all others\u2019, therefore, said\nLuther, the devil made choice of Rome to be his habitation; for which\ncause the ancients have said, \u201cRome is a den of covetousness, a root of\nall wickedness.\u201d  I have also read in a very old book this verse\nfollowing:\n\n\n_      Versus Amor_, _Mundi Caput est_, _et Bestia Terr\u00e6_.\n\n\nThat is (when the word Amor is turned and read backward, then it is\nRoma), Rome, the head of the world, a beast that sucketh out and\ndevoureth all lands.  Truly at Rome is an abominable trading with\ncovetousness, for all is raked to their hands without preaching or\nchurch-service, but only with superstition, idolatry, and with selling\ntheir good works to the poor ignorant lay-people for money; therefore St.\nPeter describeth such covetousness with express and clear words when he\nsaith, \u201cThey have an heart exercised with covetous practices.\u201d  I am\npersuaded a man cannot acknowledge the disease of covetousness unless he\nknoweth Rome; for the deceits and jugglings in other parts are nothing in\ncomparison of those at Rome; therefore, anno 1521, at the Imperial Diet\nheld at Worms, the State of the whole Empire made supplication against\nsuch covetousness, and desired that his Imperial Majesty would be pleased\nto suppress the same.\n\nAt that time, said Luther, my book was presented to the German nobility,\nwhich Dr. Wick showed unto me.  Then the Gospel began to go on well, but\nthe Pope\u2019s power, together with the Antinomians, gave it a great blow,\nand yet, notwithstanding, through God\u2019s Providence, it was thereby\nfurthered.\n\nThe Pope\u2019s power was above all Kings and Emperors, which power I opposed\nwith my little book; and therewith also I assaulted the Bull on the Pope,\nand, by God\u2019s assistance, overthrew it.  I did not write that book on\npurpose against the Pope, but only against the abuses of Popedom; yet\nnevertheless it startled them quickly, for their consciences accused\nthem.\n\n\n_Princes do draw and tear Spiritual Livings unto them_.\n\n\nThe proverb is, said Luther, \u201cPriests\u2019 livings are catching livings,\u201d and\nthat \u201cPriests\u2019 goods never prosper.\u201d  This we know to be true by\nexperience, for such as have drawn spiritual livings unto them are grown\npoor thereby, and become beggars, therefore this Fable I like very well:\n\nThere was an Eagle that made amity and friendship with the Fox; they\nagreed to dwell peaceably together.  Now when the Fox expected from the\nEagle all manner of good offices and turns, he brought his young ones and\nlaid them under the tree on which the Eagle had his nest and young ones;\nbut the friendship between them lasted not long, for so soon as the Eagle\nwanted meat for his young (the Fox being out of the way), he flew down\nand took the young Foxes and carried them into his nest, and therewith\nfed his young Eagles.  When, therefore, the old Fox returned, and saw\nthat his young were taken away, he made his complaint to the great god\nJupiter, desiring that he would revenge and punish that injury of _Jus\nviolati hospitii_.  Not long after, as the Eagle again wanted meat to\nfeed his young, he saw that on a place in the field they sacrificed to\nJupiter.  The Eagle flew thither, and quickly snatched away a piece of\nroast from the altar and brought the same to his young, and flew again to\nfetch more; but it happened that a hot coal hung to one of the pieces;\nthe same, falling into the Eagle\u2019s nest, set it on fire; the young\nEagles, not able to fly, were burned with the nest and fell to the\nground.  Even so it usually fareth with those that rake and rend\nspiritual livings unto them, which are given to the maintaining of God\u2019s\nhonour and service; such at last must lose their nests, that is, they\nmust be left destitute of their temporal goods and livings, and besides,\nmust sustain hurt of body and soul.  Spiritual livings have in them the\nnature of Eagle\u2019s feathers, for when they are laid to other feathers they\ndevour the same.  Even so, when men will mingle spiritual livings (_per\nfas aut nefas_) with other goods, so must the same likewise be consumed,\ninsomuch that at last nothing will be left.\n\nI have seen a pretty dog, at Lintz, in Austria that was taught to go with\na hand-basket to the butcher\u2019s shambles for meat; now, when other dogs\ncame about him, and would take the meat out of the basket, he set it\ndown, bit and fought lustily with the other dogs; but when he saw they\nwould be too strong for him, then he himself would snatch out the first\npiece of meat, lest he should lose all.  Even so doth now our Emperor\nCharles, who, after he hath a long time defended the spiritual livings,\nand seeth that every Prince taketh and raketh the monasteries unto\nhimself, doth also now take possession of bishoprics, as newly he hath\nsnatched to himself the bishoprics of Utrich and Luttich, to the end he\nmay get also _partem de tunica Christi_.\n\n\n_A fearful Example of Covetousness_.\n\n\nA covetous farmer, well known at Erfurt, said Luther, carried his corn to\nsell there in the market; but holding it at too dear a rate, no man would\nbuy of him nor give him his price; he being thereby moved to anger, said,\n\u201cI will not sell it cheaper, but will rather carry it home again and give\nit to the mice.\u201d  As he came home therewith, an innumerable number of\nmice and rats flocked about his house and devoured up all his corn.  And\nthe next day following, going out to see his grounds, which were newly\nsown, he found that all the seed was eaten up, and no hurt at all done\nupon the grounds belonging to his neighbours.  This certainly, said\nLuther, was a just punishment from God, and a token of his wrath against\nthe unthankful world.\n\n\n_Wealth is the least Gift of God_.\n\n\nRiches, said Luther, is the smallest thing on earth, and the least gift\nthat God hath bestowed on mankind.  What is it in comparison of God\u2019s\nWord? yea, what is it to be compared with corporeal gifts, as beauty,\nhealth, etc.? nay, what is it to the gifts of the mind, as understanding,\nart, wisdom, etc.?  Yet are men so eager after it that no labour, travel,\nnor danger is regarded in the getting of riches; there is in it neither\n_Materialis_, _formalis_, _efficiens et finalis causa_, nor anything else\nthat is good; therefore our Lord God commonly giveth riches to such from\nwhom he withholds all Spiritual good.\n\n\n_Giving to the Poor that truly stand in need of our Help_.\n\n\nSt. John saith, \u201cHe that hath this world\u2019s goods, and seeth his brother\nhave need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how\ndwelleth the love of God in him?\u201d  And Christ saith, \u201cHe that desireth of\nthee, give to him;\u201d that is, to him that hath need and is in want.  He\nsaith not to every idle, lazy, and wasteful companion, which commonly are\nthe greatest beggars, to whom although one gave much and often, yet were\nthey nothing helped thereby.  In this town, said Luther, no men are in\ngreater want than the students and scholars.  The poverty here indeed is\ngreat, but idleness and laziness are far greater.  A man can scarcely get\na poor body to work for money, and yet they will all beg.  There is, said\nhe, no good government.  Though I were able, yet I would not give to\nthose idle beggars, for the more one helpeth and giveth them, the more\nand oftener they come.  I will not cut my bread away from my wife and\nchildren, and give it to such; but when one is truly poor, to him I will\ngive with all my heart, according to my ability.  And no man should\nforget that Scripture which saith, \u201cHe that hath two coats, let him part\nwith one,\u201d etc.; for the Holy Scripture, in naming a coat, meaneth all\nmanner of apparel that one hath need of, according to his state and\ncalling, as well for credit as for necessity.  As, also, by \u201cthe daily\nbread\u201d is understood all maintenance necessary for the body, therefore \u201ca\ncoat,\u201d in Scripture, is signified to be all usual apparel.\n\n\n_The World will always have new Things_.\n\n\nBefore I translated the New Testament out of the Greek, said Luther,\nevery one longed after it, to read therein, but when it was done their\nlonging lasted scarce four weeks.  Then they desired the Books of Moses;\nwhen I had translated those, they had enough thereof in a short time.\nAfter that they would have the Psalter; of the same they were soon weary;\nwhen it was translated, then they desired other books.\n\nIn like manner, said he, will it be with the Book of Ecclesiasticus,\nwhich they now long for, and about which I have taken great pains in the\ntranslating thereof.  All are acceptable, so long and until our giddy\nbrains be satisfied; afterwards they let them lie, and seek after new\nthings; therefore in the end there must come errors among us.\n\n\n\nOF THE LORD CHRIST.\n\n\n_That Christ warreth with great Potentates_.\n\n\nOn the 18th of August, 1535, Luther, receiving letters from Frankfort\nrelating to the great preparations of the Emperor against the\nProtestants, said: Our Saviour Christ will not wage wars with beggars,\nbut with great and powerful Kings and Princes, as it is written, \u201cKings\nof the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the\nLord, and against his anointed.\u201d  Well, on, said Luther, they will find\ntheir counsels altogether vain and frivolous, for Christ shall win the\nfield.  We see also how the Prophets contended and strove with Kings, as\nthe Kings of Babel and Assyria, etc.  In like manner Daniel, one of the\nchief Prophets, wrestled and strove with Kings, and they again resisted\nthe Prophets.  All those Kings are gone, and lie in the ashes, but Christ\nremaineth, still, and will remain a King for ever.\n\n\n_That it doth not follow because Christ did this and that_, _therefore we\nmust also do the same_.\n\n\nAt this time, said Luther, there are those that allege Christ by force\ndrove the buyers and sellers out of the temple; therefore we also may use\nthe like power against the Popish bishops and enemies of God\u2019s Word, as\nMuntzer and other seducers, in the time of the common rebellion, anno\n1525.  Christ did many things which we neither may nor can do after him.\nHe went upon the water, he fasted forty days and forty nights, he raised\nLazarus from death after he had lain four days in the grave, etc.  Such\nand the like must we leave undone.  Much less will Christ have that we by\nforce should set against the enemies of the truth, but he commanded the\ncontrary, \u201cLove your enemies, pray for them that vex and persecute you,\u201d\netc.  But we ought to follow him in such works where he hath annexed an\nopen command, as, \u201cBe merciful, as your Father is merciful;\u201d likewise,\n\u201cTake my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in\nheart,\u201d etc., also, \u201cHe that will follow me, let him deny himself, take\nup his cross and follow me.\u201d\n\n\n_That the weak in Faith do also belong to the Kingdom of Christ_.\n\n\nThe weak in faith, said Luther, do also belong to the kingdom of Christ,\notherwise the Lord would not have said to Peter, \u201cStrengthen thy\nbrethren,\u201d Luke xxii.; and Rom. xiv., \u201cReceive the weak in faith;\u201d also 1\nThess. v., \u201cComfort the feeble-minded, support the weak.\u201d  If the weak in\nfaith should not belong to Christ, where then would the Apostles have\nbeen, whom the Lord oftentimes (also after his resurrection, Mark xvi.)\nreproved because of their unbelief?\n\n\n_That Christ is the only Physician against Death_, _whom notwithstanding\nvery few do desire_.\n\n\nA cup of water, said Luther, if a man can have no better, is good to\nquench the thirst.  A morsel of bread stilleth the hunger, and he that\nhath need seeketh earnestly thereafter.  So Christ is the best, surest,\nand only physic against the most fearful enemy of mankind, the devil, but\nthey believe it not with their hearts.  If they knew a physician who\nlived above one hundred miles off, that could prevent or drive away\ntemporal death, oh, how diligently would he be sent for!  No money nor\ncost would be spared.  Hence it appears how abominably human nature is\nspoiled and blinded; yet, notwithstanding, the small and little heap do\nstick fast to the true Physician, and by this art do learn that which the\nholy old Simeon well knew, from whence he joyfully sang, \u201cLord, now\nlettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy\nsalvation,\u201d etc., therefore death became his sleep; but from whence came\nhis great joy?  Because that with spiritual and corporeal eyes he saw the\nSaviour of the world\u2014he saw the true Physician against sin and death.\nTherefore it is a great trouble to behold how desirous a thirsty body is\nof drink, or one that is hungry of food, whereas a cup of water, a morsel\nof bread, can still hunger and thirst no longer than two or three hours,\nbut no man, or very few, are desirous, or do long after the most precious\nPhysician, although he lovingly calleth and allureth all to come unto\nhim, and saith, \u201cHe that is athirst, let him come to me and drink\u201d (John\nvii.); so, \u201cHe that believeth in me, from his body shall flow streams of\nliving water.\u201d\n\n\n_Of the Temple of all the Gods (except Christ)_, _at Rome_, _called\nPantheon_.\n\n\nIn the year 606, Emperor Phocas, the murderer of that good and godly\nEmperor Mauritius, and the first erector of the Pope\u2019s primacy, gave this\ntemple Pantheon to Pope Boniface the Third, to make thereof what he\npleased.  He gave it another name, and instead of All-Idols he named it\nthe Church of All-Saints; he did not number Christ among them, from whom\nall saints have their sanctity, but erected a new idolatry, the\nInvocation of Saints.\n\nIn my chronicle, said Luther, I expound the name of Bonifacius thus:\nBonifacius is a Popish name, that is, a good form, fashion, or show, for\nunder the colour of a good form and show he acted all manner of mischief\nagainst God and man.\n\nAs I was at Rome, said Luther, I saw this church; it had no windows, but\nonly a round hole on the top, which gave some light.  It was vaulted\nhigh, and had pillars of marble stone so thick that two of us could\nscarcely fathom one about.  Above, on the vault, were portrayed all the\ngods of the heathen, Jupiter, Neptune, Mars, Venus, and how else they are\ncalled.  These gods were at a union, to the end they might fool and\ndeceive the whole world; but Christ they cannot endure, for he hath\nwhipped them out.  Now are the Popes come, and have driven Christ away\nagain; but who knoweth how long it will continue?\n\n\n_That the World knoweth not Christ_, _nor those that are his_.\n\n\nEven as Christ is now invisible and unknown to the world, so are we\nChristians also invisible and unknown therein.  \u201cYour life,\u201d saith St.\nPaul (Coloss. iii.), \u201cis hid with Christ in God.\u201d  Therefore, said\nLuther, the world knoweth us not, much less do they see Christ in us.\nAnd John the Apostle saith, \u201cBehold, what love the Father hath showed\nunto us, that we shall be called God\u2019s children\u201d (1 John iii).  Therefore\nwe and the world are easily parted; they care nothing for us, so we care\nless for them; yea, through Christ the world is crucified unto us, and we\nto the world.  Let them go with their wealth, and leave us to our minds\nand manners.\n\nWhen we have our sweet and loving Saviour Christ, then we are rich and\nhappy more than enough, we care nothing for their state, honour, and\nwealth.  But we often lose our Saviour Christ, and little think that he\nis in us, and we in him; that he is ours, and we are his.  And although\nhe hideth himself from us, as we think, in the time of need for a moment,\nyet are we comforted in his promise, where he saith, \u201cI am daily with you\nto the world\u2019s end;\u201d the same is our best and richest treasure.\n\n\n_Of the Name Jesus Christ_.\n\n\nI know nothing of Jesus Christ, said Luther, but only his name; I neither\nhave heard nor seen him corporeally; yet notwithstanding I have, God be\npraised, learned so much out of the Scriptures that I am well and\nthoroughly satisfied; therefore, I desire neither to see nor to hear him\ncorporeally.  And besides this, when I was left and forsaken of all men,\nin my highest weakness, in trembling and in fear of death, when I was\npersecuted of the wicked world, then I oftentimes felt most evidently the\ndivine power which this name (Christ Jesus) communicated unto me; this\nname (Christ Jesus) oftentimes delivered me when I was in the midst of\ndeath, and made me alive again.  It comforted me in the greatest despair,\nand particularly at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, anno 1530, when I\nwas forsaken of every man; insomuch that, by God\u2019s grace, I will live and\ndie for that name.\n\nAnd rather than I will yield, or through silence endure that Erasmus\nRoterodamus, or any other whosoever he be, should too nearly touch my\nLord and Saviour Christ Jesus with his ungodly false doctrine, how fairly\ncoloured soever it be trimmed or garnished, I say I will rather die; yea,\nit should be more tolerable for me, with wife and children, to undergo\nall plagues and torments, and at last to die the most shameful death,\nthan that I should give way thereunto.\n\n\n_That Christ and the Pope are set on_, _the one against the other_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, have set Christ and the Pope together by the ears,\ntherefore I trouble myself no further; and although I come between the\ndoor and the hinges and be squeezed, it is no matter, though I go to the\nground; yet notwithstanding Christ will go through with it.\n\n\n_Of the Pre-eminence of God\u2019s Word_.\n\n\nChrist once appeared visible here on earth, and showed his glory, and,\naccording to the divine counsel and purpose of God, he finished the work\nof redemption and the deliverance of mankind.  I do not desire that he\nshould come once more, neither would I that he should send an angel unto\nme; and although an angel should come and appear before mine eyes from\nheaven, yet would I not believe him; for I have of my Saviour Christ\nJesus bond and seal; that is, I have his Word and Spirit; thereon I do\ndepend, and desire no new revelations.  And, said Luther, the more\nsteadfastly to confirm me in the same resolution, and to remain by God\u2019s\nWord, and not to give credit to any visions or revelations, I shall\nrelate the following circumstance:\u2014I being on Good Friday last in my\ninner chamber, in fervent prayer, contemplating with myself how Christ my\nSaviour hung on the Cross, how he suffered and died for our sins, there\nsuddenly appeared upon the wall a bright shining vision, and a glorious\nform of our Saviour Christ, with the five wounds, steadfastly looking\nupon me, as if it had been Christ himself corporeally.  Now, at the first\nsight, I thought it had been some good Revelation: yet I recollected that\nsurely it must needs be the juggling of the devil, for Christ appeareth\nunto us in his word, and in a meaner and more humble form; therefore I\nspake to the vision in this manner: \u201cAvoid, thou confounded devil; I know\nno other Christ than he who was crucified, and who in his Word is\npictured unto me.\u201d  Whereupon the image vanished.\n\n\n_That Christ is the Health and Wisdom of the Faithful_.\n\n\nAlas! said Luther, what is our wit and wisdom? for before we understand\nanything as we ought, we lie down and die; therefore the devil hath good\nstriving with us.  When one is thirty years old, so hath he as yet\n_Stultitias carnales_; yea, also _Stultitias spirituales_; yet it is much\nto be admired that, in such our imbecility and weakness, we achieve and\naccomplish so much and such great matters; but it is God that giveth it.\nGod gave to Alexander the Great, _Sapientiam et fortunam_, Wisdom and\ngood success; yet, notwithstanding, he calleth him, in the Prophet\nJeremiah, _Juvenem_, a youth, where he saith, \u201c_Quis excitabit juvenem_\u201d\n(A young raw milksop boy shall perform it: he shall come and turn the\ncity Tyrus upside-down).  But yet Alexander could not leave off his\nfoolishness, for oftentimes he swilled himself drunk, and in his\ndrunkenness he stabbed his best and worthiest friends; yea, afterwards he\ndrank himself to death at Babel.  Neither was Solomon above twenty years\nold when he was made King, but he was well instructed by Nathan, and\ndesired wisdom, which was pleasing to God, as the text saith.  But now\nchests full of money are desired.  \u201cOh!\u201d say we now, \u201cif I had but money,\nthen I would do so-and-so.\u201d\n\n\n\nOF SINS AND OF FREE-WILL.\n\n\n_Of the Fall of the Ungodly_, _and how they are surprised in their\nUngodliness and False Doctrine_.\n\n\nOur Lord God, said Luther, suffereth the ungodly to be surprised and\ntaken captive in very slight and small things, when they think not of it,\nwhen they are most secure, and live in delight and pleasure, in springing\nand leaping for joy.  In such a manner was the Pope surprised by me, in\nand about his indulgences and pardons, which was altogether a slight\nthing.  The Venetians, likewise, were taken napping by Emperor\nMaximilian.\n\nThat which falleth in Heaven is devilish, but that which stumbleth on\nearth is human.\n\n\n_Of the Acknowledgment of Sins_.\n\n\nIt can be hurtful to none, said Luther, to acknowledge and confess their\nsins.  Have we done this or that sin, what then?  Let us freely in God\u2019s\nname acknowledge the same, and not deny it; let us not be ashamed to\nconfess, but let us from our hearts say, \u201cO Lord God! I am such-and-such\na sinner,\u201d etc.\n\nAnd although thou hadst not committed this or that sin, yet nevertheless\nthou art an ungodly creature; and if thou hast not done that sin which\nanother hath done, so hath he not committed that sin which thou hast\ndone; therefore cry quittance one with another.  It is even as one said\nthat had young wolves to sell; he was asked which of them was the best.\nHe answered and said, \u201cIf one be good, then they are all good; they are\nlike one another.\u201d  If, said Luther, thou hast been a murderer, an\nadulterer, or a drunkard, etc., so have I been a blasphemer of God,\nbecause for the space of fifteen years together I was a Friar, and have\nblasphemed God with celebrating that abominable idol the Mass.  It had\nbeen better for me that I had been a partaker of other great wickednesses\ninstead of the same; but what is done cannot be undone; he that hath\nstolen, let him henceforward steal no more.\n\n\n_What our Free-will doth effect_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, oftentimes have been directly resolved to live uprightly,\nand to lead a true godly life, and to set everything aside that would let\nor hinder; but it was far from being put in execution, even as it was\nwith Peter, when he swore he would lay down his life for Christ.\n\nI will not lie nor dissemble before my God, but will freely confess I am\nnot able to effect that good which I do intend, but must expect the happy\nhour when God shall be pleased to meet me with his grace.\n\n\n\nOF THE CATECHISM.\n\n\n_Of the Virtues and Vices concerning the Ten Commandments_.\n\n\nThe _Decalogus_, that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a\nlooking-glass, and a brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we\nought to behave towards God and also towards our neighbour, that is,\ntowards all mankind.\n\nThere never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor\ncompendious book of virtues.\n\nThe duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and\nto trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life,\ncontemning of God, hatred, despair, etc.\n\nThe duty of the Third Commandment is to acknowledge and to preach the\ndoctrine of God\u2019s Word; the contrary is blaspheming of God, to be silent\nand not to confess the truth when need requireth.\n\nThe duty of the Fourth Commandment is the external service of God, as the\npreaching of God\u2019s Word, hearing, reading, and meditating on the same, to\nthe end we may make proof of our faith; the contrary is the despising of\nGod\u2019s Word and the outward service of God, as the Holy Sacraments.\n\nThe duty of the Fifth Commandment is obedience towards parents, tutors,\nand magistrates in those things which are not against God; the contrary\nis disobedience and rebellion.\n\nThe duty of the Sixth Commandment is meekness, not to be desirous of\nrevenge, not to bear malice; against this is tyranny, rage, hatred, envy,\netc.\n\nThe duty of the Seventh Commandment is continency and chastity; against\nthe same is lasciviousness, immodest behaviour, adultery, etc.\n\nThe duty of the Eighth Commandment is to do good, to give and lend\nwillingly, to be liberal; the contrary is covetousness, stealing, usury,\nfraud, and to wrong in trading and dealing.\n\nThe duty of the Ninth Commandment is to love the truth, not to backbite\nand slander, to speak well of all men; the contrary is lying, backbiting,\nand to speak evil of another.\n\nThe duty of the Tenth Commandment is righteousness, to let every one\npossess his own; the contrary is to be miserable and unjust.\n\nThe duty of this Commandment is to be without all covetous desires in the\nheart, to be content with that which one hath; against that are the\nlustings of the heart.  St. Paul saith the end of the Commandment is\ncharity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith\nunfeigned.\n\n\n\nBRIEF SENTENCES OF THE CATECHISM, ACCORDING AS LUTHER USED TO TEACH AND\nINSTRUCT HIS FAMILY AT HOME.\n\n\n_Of the Ten Commandments of God_.\n\n\nAs the Faith is, so is also God.\n\nGod stayeth not quite away, though he stayeth long.\n\nDespair maketh Priests and Friars.\n\nGod careth and provideth for us, but we must labour.\n\nGod will have the heart only and alone.\n\nIdolatry is the imagination of the heart.\n\nGod giveth by creatures.\n\nGod\u2019s Word placeth before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what\na fine spark it is.\n\nGod\u2019s Word is our sanctification, and maketh everything happy.\n\nWorks of obedience must highly be regarded.\n\nAll that govern are called Fathers.\n\nShepherds of Souls are worthy of double honour.\n\nMagistrates belong not to the fifth Commandment.\n\nWrath is forbidden in every man, except in the magistrates.\n\nAll occasions of death are forbidden.\n\nMatrimony proceedeth freely in every state and calling.\n\nMatrimony is necessary and commanded.\n\nMatrimony forbidden and disallowed is against God\u2019s command.\n\nMatrimony is a blessed state, and pleasing to God.\n\nTo steal is what one taketh unjustly.\n\nUnfaithfulness is also stealing.\n\nThieving is the most common trade in the world.\n\nGreat thieves go scot-free, as the Pope and his crew.\n\nFalseness and covetousness prosper not.\n\nBackbiting is meddling with God\u2019s judgment.\n\nCensuring, and to speak evil behind one\u2019s back, belongeth only to the\nmagistrates.\n\nWe must censure and reprove no man behind his back.\n\nWe must judge charitably in everything.\n\nThere are no good works without the Ten Commandments.\n\nTo fear God, and to trust in him, is the fulfilling of all the\nCommandments.\n\nThe first Commandment driveth on all the rest.\n\n\n_Of the Creed_.\n\n\nThe Creed teacheth to know God, and what a God we have.\n\nIn all cases we must make use of faith.\n\nGod giveth himself unto us with all creatures.\n\nWe must always drive on the article of Jesus Christ.\n\nThe Holy Ghost bringeth Christ home unto us; he must reveal him.\n\nWhere the Holy Ghost preacheth not, there is no Church.\n\nThe works of the Holy Ghost are wrought continually.\n\n\n_Of the Lord\u2019s Prayer_.\n\n\nTo pray is to call upon God in all need, which is made precious through\nGod\u2019s command, and necessity stirreth up earnest and devout prayers,\nwhich are our weapons against the devil.\n\nThe devil, the world, and our flesh is against God\u2019s Will.\n\nThe devil hindereth and destroyeth the daily bread and all the gifts of\nGod.\n\nGod careth for our bodies daily.\n\nNo man can live in the world without sin.\n\nNo man can bring his own righteousness before God.\n\nWe must forgive, as God forgiveth us.\n\nTo forgive our neighbour, assureth us fully that God hath forgiven us.\n\nWe are tempted three manner of ways\u2014of the devil, of the world, and of\nour flesh.\n\nTemptations serve against the secureness of our flesh.\n\nTemptations are not overcome through our own strength.\n\nThe devil would hinder all that we pray for.\n\nThe devil goeth about to bring us into all manner of need.\n\n\n_Of Baptism_.\n\n\nFaith is annexed to Baptism.\n\nFaith must have before it some external thing.\n\nFaith maketh the person worthy.\n\nBaptism is not our work, but God\u2019s.\n\nBaptism is right, although no man believeth.\n\nNo man must build upon his faith.\n\nUnbelief weakeneth not God\u2019s Word.\n\n\n_Of the Lord\u2019s Supper_.\n\n\nThe Sacrament of the Lord\u2019s Supper is of God\u2019s ordaining.\n\nThe Word maketh a Sacrament.\n\nChrist in the Sacrament is spiritual food for the soul.\n\nRemission of sins is obtained only through the Word.\n\nFaith receiveth the forgiveness of sins.\n\nThe Sacrament consisteth not in our worthiness.\n\nFaith and human understanding are one against another.\n\nFaith dependeth on the Word.\n\nAs we hold of Christ, even so we have him.\n\nFaith is a Christian\u2019s treasure.\n\nThe Gospel is the power of God.\n\n\n_Good Works_.\n\n\nGood works are nameless.\n\nA Christian\u2019s work standeth for the good of the neighbour.\n\nFaith in Christ destroyeth sin.\n\nThe Holy Scriptures only give comfort, they forbid not good works.\n\nChrist is a general good.\n\nChristians do pray for and desire the last Day of Judgment.\n\nThe Church heareth none but Christ.\n\nChrist is of a mean estate and small repute.\n\nIn adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good\nspirits.\n\nOur whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in\nhim.\n\nFaith maketh us Christ\u2019s heritage.\n\nWe should aim at celestial honour, and not regard the contemning of men.\n\nChrist spareth us out of mere grace through the Word.\n\nThe Gospel is altogether joyful.\n\nGrace condemneth all people\u2019s own righteousness.\n\nSalvation is purchased and given unto us without our deserts.\n\nRegeneration is the work only of the Holy Ghost.\n\nHuman reason cannot comprehend nor understand the goodness and benefits\nof God.\n\nGood works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must\nhave a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works.\n\nFaith hath regard to the Word, and not to the Preacher.\n\nThe Preacher and the Word are two Persons.\n\nThis natural life is a little piece of the life everlasting.\n\nOwn imaginations and conceits spoil all things.\n\nThe Gospel cometh of God, it showeth Christ, and requireth Faith.\n\nThe Gospel is a light in the world, which lighteneth mankind, and maketh\nchildren of God.\n\nFalse Preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.\n\nRighteousness is obtained through faith, and not through works.  Works\nmake faith strong.\n\nA Preacher is made good through temptations.\n\nA Prince is venison in heaven.\n\nA person must be good before his works can be good.\n\nWe must not be dejected, but believe and pray.\n\nNo State or Calling is of any value to make one good before God.\n\nFaith endureth no human traditions in the conscience.\n\nThe Saints oftentimes erred like men.\n\nWe must distinguish offices from the persons.\n\nWe hate punishment, but we love sin.\n\nGod preserveth the sanctified, yea, even in the midst of errors.\n\nNo great Saint lived without errors.\n\nA Christian\u2019s life consisteth of three points\u2014of faith, love, and the\ncross.\n\nWe command a Christian in nothing, he is only admonished.\n\nWe must curb ourselves in our own wills and minds.\n\nAll revenge among Christians is taken away; they must grow up and\nincrease in the fruits of the spirit, among which love is the greatest,\nfor she goeth about with the people.\n\nHuman reason comprehendeth not, nor understandeth that Christ is our\nbrother.\n\nChrist is given unto us that believe with all his benefits and works.\n\nChrist cometh unto us by preaching, so that he is in the midst of us.\n\nWithout the Cross we cannot attain to glory.\n\nThe Gospel cannot be truly preached without offence and tumult.\n\nThe Holy Ghost maketh one not instantly complete, but he must grow and\nincrease.\n\nWe lose nothing by the Gospel, therefore we should venture thereupon all\nwe have.\n\nTo believe the Gospel, delivereth from sins.\n\nWorks belong to the neighbour, faith to God.\n\nThose that censure and judge others, condemn themselves.\n\nSuch as is the Faith, such is also the benefit.\n\nTo doubt is sin and everlasting death.\n\nWe know Christ when he himself is a schoolmaster in our hearts, and\nbreaketh bread unto us.\n\nGod\u2019s Word kindleth Faith in the heart.\n\nFaith is to build certainly on God\u2019s mercy.\n\nChrist requireth no seeming godliness, no hypocrisy nor dissembling, but\nthe godliness of the heart.\n\nWe are saved merely by grace and mercy, if we trust thereupon, but God\nmust alter our hearts.\n\nThe Law is nothing but a looking-glass.\n\nChrist carrieth us upon his back before his Father.\n\nLove regardeth not unthankfulness.\n\n\n\nOF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.\n\n\n_That we ought to beware of Sophistry_.\n\n\nIf, said Luther, we diligently mark the world and the course thereof, we\nshall find that it is governed merely by weenings or conceits, _Mundus\nregitur opinionibus_.  Therefore sophistry, hypocrisy, and tyranny do\nrule and have the government in the world.\n\nThe upright, pure, and clear Divine Word must be their handmaid, and be\nby them controlled; this the world will have.  Therefore let us beware of\nsophistry, which consisteth not only in a double tongue, in doubtful and\nscrewed words, which may be construed any way, but also it blossometh,\nand flourisheth in all arts and vocations; it will likewise have room and\nplace in religion; it hath usurped and got a fine painted colour, under\nthe name of holy writ.\n\nNothing is more pernicious or hurtful than Sophistry; every one knoweth\nit not; moreover, we are by nature prone and willing to believe lies\nrather than the truth.  Few people do know what an evil sophistry is.\nPlato, the Heathen writer, made thereof a wonderful definition.  For my\npart, said Luther, I compare it with a lie, which is like to a snowball,\nthe longer it is rolled the greater it becomes.\n\nTherefore I do not approve of such persons as do pervert everything, do\nunder-value and find fault with other men\u2019s opinions, although they be\ngood and sound; I like not such brains which can dispute on both sides,\nand yet conclude nothing certain.  Such sophistications, said Luther, are\nnothing but crafty and subtle inventions and contrivances to cozen and\ndeceive people.\n\nBut I like and love an honest and a well-affected mind, that seeketh\nafter truth simply and plainly, not to go about with phantasies and\ncheating tricks.\n\n\n_Whether we should preach only of God\u2019s Grace and Mercy_, _or not_.\n\n\nPhilip Melancthon demanded of Luther whether the opinion of Calixtus were\nto be approved of, namely, that the Gospel of God\u2019s Grace ought to be\ncontinually preached.  For thereby, doubtless, said Melancthon, people\nwould grow worse and worse.  Luther answered him and said: We must preach\n_Gratiam_, notwithstanding, because Christ hath commanded it.  And\nalthough we long and often preach of grace, yet when people are at the\npoint of death they know but little thereof.  Nevertheless we must also\ndrive on with the Ten Commandments in due time and place.\n\nThe ungodly, said Luther, out of the Gospel do suck only a carnal\nfreedom, and become worse thereby; therefore not the Gospel, but the Law\nbelongeth to them.  Even as when my little son John offendeth: if then I\nshould not whip him, but call him to the table unto me, and give him\nsugar and plums, thereby, indeed, I should make him worse, yea, should\nquite spoil him.\n\nThe Gospel is like a fresh, mild, and cool air in the extreme heat of\nsummer, that is, a solace and comfort in the anguish of the conscience.\nBut as this heat proceedeth from the rays of the sun, so likewise the\nterrifying of the conscience must proceed from the preaching of the Law,\nto the end we may know that we have offended against the Laws of God.\n\nNow, said Luther, when the mind is refreshed and quickened again by the\ncool air of the Gospel, then we must not be idle, lie down and sleep;\nthat is, when our consciences are settled in peace, quieted and comforted\nthrough God\u2019s spirit, then we must show also and prove our faith by such\ngood works which God hath commanded.  But so long as we live in this vale\nof misery, we shall be plagued and vexed with flies, with beetles, and\nwith vermin, etc., that is, with the devil, with the world, and with our\nown flesh; yet we must press through, and not suffer ourselves to recoil.\n\n\n_Against the Opposers of the Law_.\n\n\nI do much condemn, said Luther, the Antinomians, who, void of all shame,\nreject the doctrine of the Law, whereas the same is both necessary and\nprofitable.  But they see not the effect, the need, and the fruit\nthereof.  St. Austin did picture the strength, the office and operation\nof the Law, by a very fit similitude, namely, that it discovereth our\nsins, and God\u2019s wrath against sin, and placeth them in our sight; for the\nLaw is not in fault, but our evil and wicked nature, even as a heap of\nlime is still and quiet until water be poured thereon, but then it\nbeginneth to smoke and to burn, not that it is the fault of the water,\nbut it is the nature and kind of the lime, which will not endure water;\nbut if oil be poured upon it, then it lieth still and burneth not.  Even\nso it is with the Law and Gospel.  It is an exceedingly fair similitude.\n\n\n_Of the Children\u2019s Faith_.\n\n\nThe little children, said Luther, do stand on the best terms with God\nAlmighty concerning their lives and faith.  We old doting fools do\ntorment ourselves and have sorrow of heart with our disputings, touching\nthe Word, whether it be true or not: \u201cHow can it be possible?\u201d etc.  But\nthe children with simple pure faith do hold the same to be certain and\ntrue, without all doubting.\n\nNow, if we intend to be saved, we must, according to their example, give\nourselves only to the Word.  But the wicked and crafty spirit, before we\nbe aware, can, master-like, draw the same away from us, by presenting new\ndealings and business to keep us in action.  Therefore best it were for\nus soon to die, and to be covered over with shovels.\n\nThe loving children do live innocently, they know of no sins, they are\nwithout malice, wrath, covetousness, and unbelief, etc.  Therefore they\nare merry and possess a good conscience; they fear no danger, whether\nwars, pestilence, or death.\n\nThey will take an apple rather than a crown; what they hear concerning\nChrist, of the life to come, etc., the same do they believe simply and\nplainly, and prattle joyfully thereof.  From whence Christ speaketh unto\nus old ones earnestly to follow their examples, where he saith,\n\u201cWhosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall\nin no wise enter therein.\u201d  For the children believe aright, and Christ\nloveth them with their childish sports.  On the contrary, he is an enemy\nto the wisdom of the world (Matt. xi.).\n\n\n_Of an Example of Faith in the Time of Dearth_.\n\n\nAt Eisleben, said Luther, I was well acquainted with a godly matron, who,\nin the time of the last dearth, with two children, had suffered extreme\nwant and need.  Now, when she had spent all her provision, and had\nnothing more to live upon, she trimmed herself with her children, and\nwent towards a well or fountain to drink.  In her going she prayed that\nGod would be pleased to preserve and keep her in that fierce time of\ndearth.  Upon the way a man met her, questioned and disputed with her\nwhether she thought to get something to eat at the fountain.  She said,\n\u201cYea, why not? for all things are possible to God and easy to be done; he\nthat fed the great multitude of the people of Israel forty years with\nmanna in the wilderness, he can also preserve me and mine with drinking\nof water.\u201d  Now, as she remained steadfast in that mind, the man said\nunto her, \u201cBehold! seeing thou art so confident in faith, go home, and\nthou shalt find three bushels of meal,\u201d etc.  And according to the man\u2019s\nword, so she found it.\n\n\n_That Faith is the only Rule in Divinity_.\n\n\nThere is but one only rule and article in divinity.  He that knoweth not\nwell the same is no divine: namely, upright faith and confidence in\nChrist.  Out of this article all the others do flow and issue forth, and\nwithout this article the others are nothing.  The devil, said Luther,\nhath opposed this article from the beginning of the world, and would long\nsince willingly have rooted it out, and instead thereof have laughed in\nhis fist.  Sorrowful, broken, tormented, and vexed hearts, said Luther,\ndo well relish this article, and they only understand the same.\n\n\n_Of the Consequences of Faith_.\n\n\nBelievest thou? then thou wilt speak boldly.  Speakest thou boldly? then\nthou must suffer.  Sufferest thou? then thou shalt be comforted.  For,\nsaid Luther, faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one\nafter another.\n\n\n_That the Enemies of the Gospel must bear Witness to the Doctrine of\nFaith_, _that thereby we only are justified before God_.\n\n\nJohn Frederick, Prince Elector of Saxony, told me himself, said Luther,\nthat as Prince John, the eldest son of Prince George, was near the time\nof his death, he desired to receive the communion under both kinds.  But\nwhen his father was informed thereof, he caused an Austin Friar to be\ncalled to his son, to give him good instructions for his soul\u2019s health,\nand to advise him to receive the Sacrament _sub una specie_, or under one\nkind, and that he should tell his son he was the same Friar who was\nprivately acquainted with Martin Luther, and was very conversant with\nhim; and, the better to make the Prince believe him, the Friar said that\nLuther himself lately had advised certain persons to receive the\ncommunion under one kind.  Now, when this good and godly Prince was thus\npitifully induced to give credit to the Friar\u2019s false information, he\nthen received the communion under one kind.\n\nBut when the Prince, his father, saw that his son drew near to his last\ngasp, and must needs die, then he comforted his son with the article of\njustification by faith in Christ, and put him in mind to have regard only\nto the Saviour of the world, and utterly to forget all his own works and\ndeserts, and also that he should banish out of his heart the invocating\nof the saints.\n\nNow, when the son in his conscience felt great solace and comfort by\nthese his father\u2019s admonitions, he asked his father why he did not cause\nthe same comfortable doctrine to be preached openly through all his\ncountries.  His father answered and said, \u201cLoving child, we must say thus\nonly to those that are dying, and not to the sound and healthful.\u201d\n\nWhereupon, said Luther, I told the Prince Elector that his Highness might\nperfectly discern how wilfully our adversaries do oppose the known truth.\nAlbert, Bishop of Mentz, and Prince George do know and confess that our\ndoctrine is according to God\u2019s Word, and yet, because it proceedeth not\nfrom the Pope, they refuse it; but their own consciences do strike them\ndown to the ground, therefore, said Luther, I fear them not.\n\n\n_Of the Love towards the Neighbour_.\n\n\nThe love towards the neighbour, said Luther, must be like a pure and\nchaste love between bride and bridegroom, where all faults are connived\nat, covered, and borne with, and only their virtues regarded.\n\nRespecting ceremonies and ordinances, the kingdom of love must have the\nprecedency and govern, and not tyranny.  It must be a willing love, and\nnot a halter love; it must altogether be directed and construed for the\ngood and profit of the neighbour; and the greater he be that doth govern,\nthe more, said Luther, he ought to serve according to love.\n\n\n_Of that Sentence_, _\u201cGive_, _and it shall be given unto you_._\u201d_\n\n\nThis is a true speech which maketh people poor and rich; it is that which\nmaintaineth my house.  I ought not to boast, said Luther, but I well know\nwhat I give in the year.  If my gracious lord and master, the Prince\nElector, should give a gentleman two thousand guilders, yet he should\nhardly maintain my housekeeping one year, and I have but three hundred\nguilders pension per annum; yet God giveth sufficient and blesseth it.\n\nThere is in Austria a monastery which in former time was very rich, and\nremained rich so long as it willingly gave to the poor; but when it\nceased in giving, then it became poor, and is so to this day.  It fell\nout that, not long since, a poor man came thither and desired alms, which\nwas denied.  The poor man demanded the cause why they refused to give for\nGod\u2019s sake.  The porter belonging to the monastery answered and said, \u201cWe\nare become poor;\u201d whereupon the poor man said, \u201cThe cause of your poverty\nis this: ye have had in this monastery two brethren; the one ye have\nthrust out, and the other is gone secretly away of himself.  For after\nthe one brother, \u2018Give\u2019 (_Date_), was put out and cashiered, so hath the\nother brother, \u2018So shall be given\u2019 (_Dabitur_), also lost himself.\u201d\n\nAnd indeed the world is bound to help the neighbour three manner of\nways\u2014with giving, lending, and selling.  But no man giveth, but robbeth,\nscrapeth, and draweth all to himself; would willingly take and steal, but\ngive nothing; neither will any man lend but upon usury.  No man selleth\nbut he over-reacheth his neigbbour, therefore _Dabitur_ is gone, and our\nLord God will bless no more so richly.  Beloved, said Luther, he that\nintendeth to have anything, the same must also give; a liberal hand was\nnever in want nor empty.\n\n\n_That giving must be done with a free Heart_, _without expecting a\nRequital_.\n\n\nIn an evening, Luther, walking abroad to take the air, gave alms to the\npoor.  Doctor Jonas, being with him, gave also something, and said, \u201cWho\nknoweth whether God will give it me again or no?\u201d  Whereat Luther,\nsmiling, answered him and said, \u201cYou speak as if God had not given you\nthis which you have now given to the poor.  We must give freely and\nwillingly.\u201d\n\n\n_Of the expounding of the Prophet Isaiah\u2019s Speech_: _\u201cIn Quietness and in\nConfidence shall be your Strength_._\u201d_\n\n\nThis sentence was expounded by Luther in this way: If thou intendest to\nvanquish the greatest, the most abominable and wickedest enemy, who is\nable to do thee mischief both in body and soul, and against whom thou\npreparest all sorts of weapons, but canst not overcome, then know that\nthere is a sweet and loving physical herb which serveth for the same, and\nthat herb is named _Patientia_.\n\nBut thou wilt say, \u201cHow may I attain to this physic?\u201d  Answer\u2014Take unto\nthee faith, who saith; \u201cNo creature can do me mischief without the will\nof God.\u201d  Now, in case thou receivest hurt and mischief by thine enemy,\nthe same is done by the sweet and gracious will of God, in such sort that\nthe enemy hurteth himself a thousand times more.  From hence floweth unto\nme, a Christian, the love which saith, \u201cI will, instead of the evil which\nmine enemy doth unto me, do him all the good I can; I will heap coals of\nfire upon his head.\u201d  This, said Luther, is the Christian armour and\nweapon, wherewith to beat and overcome those enemies that seem to be like\nhuge mountains.  In a word, love teacheth to suffer and endure all\nthings.\n\n\n_Of Comfort against Envy_.\n\n\nA certain honest and God-fearing man at Wittemberg lately told me, said\nLuther, he lived peaceably with every one, hurt no man, but was still and\nquiet; yet notwithstanding, said he, many people were enemies unto him.\nI comforted him in this manner, and said: Arm yourself with patience, and\ngive them no cause of envy.  I pray, what cause do we give the devil?\nWhat aileth him to be so great an enemy unto us? but only because he hath\nnot that which God hath.  I know none other cause of his vehement hatred\ntowards us.  Therefore when God giveth thee to eat, then eat; when he\ncauseth thee to fast, have patience; giveth he honour, take it; hurt or\nshame, endure it; casteth he thee into prison, murmur not; will he make\nthee a lord, follow him: casteth he thee down again, so care thou not for\nit, nor regard it.\n\n\n_That Patience is necessary in every Particular_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, must have patience with the Pope; I must have patience\nwith heretics and seducers; I must have patience with the roaring\ncourtiers; I must have patience with my servants: I must have patience\nwith Kate my wife; to conclude, the patiences are so many, that my whole\nlife is nothing but patience.  The Prophet Isaiah saith, \u201cIn being silent\nand hoping consisteth our strength;\u201d that is, have patience under\nsufferings: hope, and despair not.\n\n\n\nOF PRAYER.\n\n\n_What Power Prayer hath_.\n\n\nNo human creature can believe, said Luther, how powerful prayer is, and\nwhat is it able to effect, but only those that have learned it by\nexperience.\n\nIt is a great matter when in extreme need, as then one can take hold on\nprayer.  I know, as often as I have earnestly prayed, that I have been\nrichly heard, and have obtained more than I prayed for; indeed, God\nsometimes deferred, but notwithstanding he came.\n\nEcclesiasticus saith, \u201cThe prayer of a good and godly Christian availeth\nmore to health, than the physician\u2019s physic.\u201d\n\nO how great and upright and godly Christian\u2019s prayer is! how powerful\nwith God; that a poor human creature should speak with God\u2019s high majesty\nin heaven, and not be affrighted, but, on the contrary, knoweth that God\nsmileth upon him for Christ\u2019s sake, his dearly beloved Son.  The heart\nand conscience, in this act of praying, must not fly and recoil backwards\nby reason of our sins and unworthiness, and must not stand in doubt, nor\nbe scared away.  We must not do, said Luther, as the Bavarian did, who\nwith great devotion called upon St. Leonard, an idol, set up in a church\nin Bavaria, behind which idol stood one who answered the Bavarian and\nsaid, \u201cFie on thee, Bavarian\u201d; and in that sort oftentimes was repulsed,\nand could not be heard: at last, the Bavarian went away, and said, \u201cFie\non thee, Leonard.\u201d\n\nBut when we pray, we must not let it come to, fie upon thee; but must\ncertainly hold, conclude, and believe, that we are already heard in that\nfor which we pray with faith in Christ.  Therefore the ancients finely\ndescribed prayer, namely, that it is, _Ascensus mentis ad Deum_, a\nclimbing up of the heart unto God, that is, lifteth itself up, crieth and\nsigheth to God: neither I myself, said Luther, nor any other that I know,\nhave rightly understood the definition of this _Ascensus_.  Indeed, we\nhave boasted and talked much of the climbing up of the heart; but we\nfailed in _Syntaxi_, we could not bring thereunto the word _Deum_; nay,\nwe flew from God, we were afraid to draw near unto him, and to pray\nthrough Christ, in whom the strength of prayer wholly consisteth; we\nalways prayed in Popedom _conditionaliter_, conditionally, and therefore\nuncertainly.\n\nBut let us pray in heart, and also with our lips; for prayer, by our\nloving God, supporteth the world; otherwise, without prayer, it would\nstand in a far more lamentable state.\n\n\n_Of the Power of Prayer_, _and of the Lord\u2019s Prayer_.\n\n\nOur Saviour Christ, said Luther, most excellently, and with very few\nwords, comprehended, in the Lord\u2019s Prayer, all things both needful and\nnecessary; but without trouble, trials, and vexations, prayer cannot\nrightly be made.  Therefore God saith, \u201cCall on me in the time of\ntrouble,\u201d etc., without trouble it is only a cold prattling, and goeth\nnot from the heart; the common saying is \u201cNeed teacheth to pray.\u201d  And\nalthough the Papists say that God well understandeth all the words of\nthose that pray, yet St. Bernard is far of another opinion, where he\nsaith, \u201cGod heareth not the words of one that prayeth, unless he that\nprayeth heareth them first himself.\u201d  The Pope is a mere tormentor of the\nconscience.  The assembly of his greased and religious crew in praying\nwas altogether like the croaking of frogs, which edified nothing at all.\nIt was mere sophistry, and deceiving, fruitless, and unprofitable.\n\nPrayer is a strong wall, and a fort of the church; it is a godly\nChristian\u2019s weapon, which no man knoweth nor findeth, but only he who\nhath the spirit of grace and of prayer.\n\nThe three first petitions in our Lord\u2019s prayer do comprehend such great\nand celestial things, that no heart is able to search them out.  The\nfourth petition containeth the whole policy and economy, or the temporal\nand house-government, and all things necessary for this life.  The fifth\nprayer striveth and fighteth against our own evil consciences, against\noriginal and actual sins, which trouble the same, etc.  Truly they were\npenned by wisdom itself; none but God could have done the like.\n\nWe cannot pray without faith in Christ the Mediator.  The Turks, the\nJews, and the ungodly may rehearse and speak the words of prayer after\none, but they cannot pray.  And although the Apostles were taught this\nprayer by Christ, and prayed often, yet they prayed not as they should\nhave prayed: for Christ saith, \u201cHitherto ye have not prayed in my name;\u201d\nwhereas, doubtless, they had prayed much, and spoken the words.  But when\nthe Holy Ghost came, then they prayed aright in the name of Christ.  If\npraying and reading of prayer be but only a bare work, as the Papists\nhold it to be, then the righteousness of the law is nothing worth.  The\nupright prayer of a godly Christian is a strong hedge, as God himself\nsaith, \u201cAnd I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge,\nand stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy\nit, but I found none,\u201d etc.  Therefore, said Luther, when others do\nblaspheme, let us pray.  David saith, \u201cHe doth the will of them that fear\nHim, and heareth their prayers.\u201d\n\n\n_That we must daily go on in Praying_.\n\n\nI, said Luther, have every day enough to do to pray.  And when I lay me\ndown to rest, I pray the Lord\u2019s Prayer, and afterwards take hold on two\nor three sentences out of the Bible, and so betake myself to sleep, then\nI am well satisfied.\n\n\n_That Preachers ought to join their Prayers together_.\n\n\nDr. Aepinus, Superintendent of Hambrough, coming to Wittemberg to speak\nwith Luther, who, after his dispatch, and at his taking leave, said, I\ncommend myself and our church at Hambrough to your prayers.  Luther\nanswered him, and said, Loving Aepine, the cause is not ours, but God\u2019s:\nlet us join our prayers together, as then the cause will be holpen.  I\nwill pray against the Pope and the Turk as long as I live: and I like it\nwell that you take such course at Hambrough, earnestly to pray against\nMahomet and the Pope.\n\n\n_Of the Power of Prayer_.\n\n\nGod always giveth more than we pray for; when we truly pray for a piece\nof bread, so giveth God a whole acre of land.  When my wife, said Luther,\nwas sick, I prayed to God that she might live, so he not only granted\nthat request, but also therewith he hath given us a goodly farm at\nZolfdorf, and hath blessed us with a fruitful year.  At that time my wife\nsaid unto me, Sir! how is it, that in Popedom they pray so often with\ngreat vehemence, but we are very cold and careless in praying?  I\nanswered her, the devil driveth on his servants continually; they are\ndiligent, and take great pains in their false worshipping, but we,\nindeed, are ice cold therein, and negligent.\n\n\n_Of Luther\u2019s Prayer for a gracious Rain_.\n\n\nIn the year 1532, throughout all Germany was a great drought, the corn in\nthe fields in a lamentable way began to wither.  On the ninth of June the\nsame year, Luther called together the whole assembly into the church, and\ndirected his prayer, with deep sighs, to God in the manner following: \u201cO\nLord, behold our prayers for thy promise sake; we have prayed, and our\nhearts have sighed, but the covetousness of the rich farmers doth hinder\nand hem in thy blessing; for seeing that through thy gospel they are\nunbridled, they think it free for them to live and do what they please;\nthey now fear neither death nor hell, but say, \u2018I believe, therefore I\nshall be saved;\u2019 they become haughty spiteful Mammonists, and accursed\ncovetous cut-throats, that suck out land and people.  Moreover, also, the\nusurers among the gentry in every place deal wickedly, insomuch, as it\nseemeth, thou, O God, wilt now visit us, together with them, with the\nrod; yet, nevertheless, thou hast still means whereby to maintain those\nthat are thine, although thou sufferest no rain to fall among the\nungodly.\u201d\n\nAfter he had said thus, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and said,\n\u201cLord God, thou hast through the mouth of thy servant David said, \u2018The\nLord is nigh unto all that call upon him faithfully; he doth the will of\nthose that fear him, and heareth their prayers, and helpeth them in their\ndistress.\u2019  How is it, Lord, that thou givest no rain, seeing we have\ncried and prayed so long unto thee?  \u2018Thy will be done,\u2019 O Lord! we know\nthat although thou givest not rain, yet, notwithstanding, thou wilt give\nus something better, a still, a quiet, and a peaceable life.  Now we\npray, O Lord, from the bottom of our hearts.  If thou, O Lord, wilt not\nbe pleased to hear and give us rain, then the ungodly will say, Christ\nthy only Son is a liar.  For he saith, \u2018Verily, verily, I say unto you,\nWhatsoever ye pray the Father in my name, the same he will give unto\nyou,\u2019 etc.  Insomuch that they will give thy Son the lie.  I know, O\nLord, that we do cry unto thee from our hearts, with yearning and\nsighing, why then dost thou not hear us?\u201d  Now, even the same day, and\nwithin the space of half an hour after the people went from church, it\nbegan to rain so sweet and mildly, which continued for a whole fortnight,\nso that the grounds thereby were changed and refreshed in a most\nmiraculous manner.  This happened June 9, 1532.\n\n\n_Of Papistical Prayer_.\n\n\nThe praying in Popedom, is a mere tormenting of the consciences, it is\nonly a prating and tongue threshing, no praying, but a work of obedience.\nFrom thence proceeded a confused sea-full of _Horas Canonicas_, the\nhowling and babbling in cells and monasteries, where they read and sang\nthe psalms and collects without all spiritual devotion, insomuch that\nthey neither understood the words, sentences, nor the meaning.\n\nIn what manner, and how I tormented myself, said Luther, with those\n_Horis Canonicis_ before the Gospel came, which, by reason of many\nbusinesses I often intermitted, I am not able to express.  On the\nSaturdays I used to lock myself up in my cell, and accomplish what the\nwhole week I had neglected.  But at last I was troubled with so many\naffairs, that I was fain oftentimes to omit also my Saturday\u2019s devotions.\nAt length, when I saw that Amsdorff and others derided such manner of\ndevotion, then I quite left it off.\n\nIt was a great torment, from which we are now delivered by the Gospel.\nAlthough, said Luther, I had done no more but only freed people from that\ntorment, yet they might well give me thanks for it.  Innumerable laws and\nworks were taught and imposed upon people without the spirit, as in the\nbook, _Rationale Divinorum_, many abominable things are written.\n\n\n_To Pray for Peace_.\n\n\nLuther receiving a letter written unto him, from the Imperial Assembly,\nby Philip Melancthon, after the reading of it, he said, What Philip\nMelancthon writeth hath hands and feet, hath authority and gravity, it is\nof weight, contained in a few words, as always I have found by his\nletters.  But, I perceive, we must have wars; for the Papists would\nwillingly go on, but they want a good stomach, neither may we endure the\ncase to stand upon these terms.  Let it therefore proceed _in nomine\nDomini_; I will commit all things to God, and will be _Crito_ in the\nplay.  I will pray that God would convert our adversaries.  We have a\ngood cause on our side.  Who would not fight and venture body and blood,\n_pro Sacris_, for the Holidom, which is God\u2019s Word?  And, besides, the\ntemporal laws and statutes of policy do also concur and agree with our\nproceedings; for we always have desired and called for peace, but our\nPrinces are provoked and drawn to defend themselves and their subjects,\nand of necessity must resist their power; our adversaries will not suffer\nus to live in peace.  This letter, said Luther, was written ten days\nsince; by this time it is concluded what shall be done.  The everlasting\nmerciful God give His grace thereunto!  Let us watch and pray, for Satan\nsleepeth not.\n\n\n_Of Temporal Peace_.\n\n\nWorldly and outward peace is one of the highest gifts of God; but we\nabuse it too much; every one liveth after his own will and pleasure,\nagainst God and the Magistrate.  Oh, how soundly will our gentry and\nfarmers, in Germany, pay for this before one hundred and fifty years come\nto an end, as already they have done in Hungary and in Austria; but\nafterwards God will restore them again, and beat down Popedom.  Let us\nnot cease to pray.\n\n\n_Of Unity and Concord_.\n\n\nThrough concord small things and wealth do increase, as the Heathen said;\nbut dissension is dangerous and hurtful, especially in schools, in\nprofessions, high arts, and in the professors thereof, wherein the one\nought to reach the hand to the other\u2014should kiss and embrace each other.\nBut when we bite and devour one another, then let us take heed lest we be\nswallowed up together.  Therefore let us pray and strive; for the word of\nfaith, and the prayers of the just, are the most powerful weapons;\nmoreover, God himself sendeth his holy angels round about them that fear\nhim.  We ought valiantly to fight, for we are under a Lord of Hosts, and\na Prince of War; therefore with one hand we must build, and in the other\nhand take the sword\u2014that is, we must both teach and resist.\n\nIt is now time to watch, for we are the mark they shoot at; our\nadversaries intend to make a confederacy with the Turk; they aim at us,\nwe must venture it; for Antichrist will war and get the victory against\nthe saints of God, as Daniel saith.  We, said Luther, stand outwardly in\nthe greatest danger, by reason of treachery and treason; the Papists\nendeavour with money to grease and corrupt our captains and officers.  An\nass laden with money may do anything, as Cornelius Tacitus writeth of us\nGermans; we have taught them to take money; there is neither fidelity nor\ntruth on earth.\n\n\n_Of the Power of Prayer_.\n\n\nThe prayer of the heart, said Luther, and the sighs of the poor and\noppressed, do make such an alarum and cry in heaven, that God and all the\nangels must hear the same.  O, our Lord God hath a sharp listening ear.\n\n\n_Of the Sighing of the Heart_.\n\n\nWhen Moses, with the children of Israel, came to the Red Sea, then he\ncried with trembling and quaking, yet he opened not his mouth, neither\nwas his voice heard on earth by the people: doubtless, said Luther, he\ncried and sighed in his heart, and said, \u201cAh, Lord God! what course shall\nI now take?  Which way shall I now turn myself?  How am I come to this\nstrait?  No help nor counsel can save us: before us is the sea; behind us\nare our enemies the Egyptians; on both sides high and huge mountains; I\nam the cause that all this people shall now be destroyed,\u201d etc.  Then\nanswered God, and said, \u201cWherefore criest thou unto me?\u201d  As if God\nshould say, \u201cWhat an alarum, a shrieking, and a loud crying dost thou\nmake, that the whole heavens must ring therewith!\u201d etc.  But, alas! said\nLuther, we read such examples as dead letters; human reason is not able\nto search this passage out.  The way through the Red Sea is full as\nbroad, and wider far (if not further) than Wittenberg lieth from Coburg,\nthat is thirty Dutch miles, 120 English at least: doubtless the people\nwere constrained in the night season to rest, to bait and eat therein;\nfor six hundred thousand men, besides women and children, would require a\ngood time to pass through, although they went one hundred and fifty in\nrank and file.\n\n\n_God\u2019s hearing Prayer_.\n\n\nIt is impossible that God should not hear the prayers which with faith\nare made in Christ, although God giveth not according to the measure,\nmanner, and time which we dictate unto him; he will not be tied.  In such\nsort dealt God with the mother of St. Austin.  She prayed to God that her\nson Austin might be converted, but, as yet, it would not be; then she ran\nto the learned, entreating them to persuade and advise him thereunto.  At\nlast, she propounded unto him a marriage with a Christian virgin, that\nthereby he might be drawn back, and brought to the Christian faith; but\nall would not do as yet.  But when our Lord God came thereto, he came to\npurpose, and made of him such an Austin, that he became a great light to\nthe Church.  St. James saith, \u201cPray one for another, for the prayer of\nthe righteous availeth much,\u201d etc.  Prayer, said Luther, is a powerful\nthing; for God hath bound and tied himself thereunto.  Christ taught the\nLord\u2019s Prayer according to the manner of the Jews\u2014that is, he directed it\nonly to the Father; whereas they that pray in the same manner, are heard\nfor the Son\u2019s sake.  This was done because Christ would not be praised\nbefore his death.\n\n\n_Of the Power of Prayer_.\n\n\nAs the King of Persia, said Luther, laid siege to the city Nasili, the\nbishop that was therein saw that he was too weak (by man\u2019s help) to\ndefend the city against so mighty a king; wherefore he went upon the\nwall, lifted up his hands to Heaven, and prayed, in the sight of his\nenemies.  Whereupon immediately the eyes of the horses in the whole army\nin such sort were pestered with an innumerable multitude of flies\nstinging them, that with their riders they ran away, and so raised the\nsiege, whereby the city was preserved.  In such a manner could God divert\nthe wicked enterprises of the Papists against us, if we would diligently\npray.\n\n\n_That a True Christian Prayeth Always_.\n\n\nThe prayers of upright Christians are without ceasing; though they pray\nnot always with their mouth, yet their hearts do pray continually,\nsleeping and waking; for the sigh of a true Christian is a prayer.  As\nthe Psalm saith, \u201cBecause of the deep sighing of the poor, I will up,\nsaith the Lord,\u201d etc.  In like manner a true Christian always carrieth\nthe cross, though he feeleth it not always.\n\n\n_Of the Strength of the Lord\u2019s Prayer_.\n\n\nThe Lord\u2019s Prayer, said Luther, bindeth the People together, and knitteth\nthem one to another, insomuch that one prayeth for another, and together\none with another; and it is so strong and powerful that it even driveth\naway the fear of death.\n\n\n\nOF THE CONFESSION AND CONSTANCY OF THE DOCTRINE.\n\n\nThe word and article of justification (how we are justified and saved\nbefore God) expelleth and overcometh all sorrow, all perplexities,\nmisfortunes, and adversities; and without this article there is neither\nhelp nor advice.\n\nWe read in the histories of the Church, said Luther, that Julian the\nEmperor forced his servants and soldiers to deny Christ; but when many of\nthem refused to do the same, he caused them to be executed with the\nsword, and they went joyfully to their deaths.  Among them was a proper\nyouth, for whom earnest intercession was made, that he might be the first\nto die.  But Julian commanded to release him, in order to try whether he\nwould remain constant or no.  Now, when he kneeled down and offered his\nneck to the block, the executioner was charged not to strike, but to let\nhim rise again.  Then the youth stood up, and said, \u201cAh, sweet Jesu! am I\nnot worthy to suffer for thy sake?\u201d  These were words of a great faith,\nwhich overcometh the fear of death.\n\nWhen governors and rulers are enemies to God\u2019s Word, then our duty is to\ndepart, to sell and forsake all we have, to fly from one place to\nanother, as Christ commandeth.  We must make and prepare no uproars nor\ntumults by reason of the Gospel, but we must suffer all things.\n\n\n_What Christ Requireth of us_.\n\n\nChrist requireth nothing more of us, than that we should confess him, and\nspeak freely and undauntedly of him.  But here thou wilt say, \u201cYea, if I\ndo so, then I shall be struck on the lips.\u201d  Christ answereth thereunto,\nand saith, \u201cCall upon me in the time of trouble, so I will hear thee, and\nthou shalt praise me.\u201d  And \u201cHe shall call upon me, and I will hear him,\nyea, I am with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and bring him to\nhonour,\u201d etc.\n\nThere is no lighter nor more easy work on earth than the upright and true\nservice of God, to do what God commandeth in his Word; we should only\nbelieve and speak, but then certain it is that we shall suffer and be\nhumbled with persecutions; but Christ hath promised to be with us, and to\nhelp us.\n\n\n_That every Christian is Bound to Confess Christ_.\n\n\nEvery Christian, especially those in offices, should always be ready\n(when need requireth) boldly to stand up and confess his Saviour Christ,\nto maintain his faith and always be armed against the world, the\nsectaries, the devil, and what else he were able to produce.  But no man\nwill do this, except he be so sure of his doctrine and religion, that,\nalthough I myself should play the fool, and should recant and deny this\nmy doctrine and religion, which God forbid, he notwithstanding would not\nyield, but say, if Luther, or an angel from heaven, should teach\notherwise, \u201cLet him be accursed.\u201d\n\n\n\nOF IMPERIAL DIETS.\n\n\n_Of Imperial Diets and Assemblies in Causes of Religion_.\n\n\nIn the year 1518, the 9th of July, when I, said Luther, was cited and\nsummoned, I came and appeared: Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony having\nappointed me a great and strong convoy and safe-conduct.  I was warned in\nany case not to have conversation with the Italians, nor to repose any\ntrust or confidence in them.  I was three whole days in Augsburg without\nthe Emperor\u2019s safe-conduct.  In the mean time, an Italian came unto me,\nand carried me to the Cardinal Cajetan; and by the way he earnestly\npersuaded me to revoke and recant; I should, said he, need to speak but\nonly one word before the Cardinal, namely, _Revoco_, and then the\nCardinal would recommend me to the Pope\u2019s favour so that with honour I\nmight return safely again to my master, the Prince Elector.  After three\ndays the Bishop of Trier came, who, in the Emperor\u2019s name, showed and\ndeclared to the Cardinal my safe-conduct.  Then I went unto him in all\nhumility, fell down first upon my knees; secondly, all along upon the\nground; thirdly, when I had remained awhile so lying, then the Cardinal\nthree times bade me arise; whereupon I stood up.  This pleased him well,\nhoping I would consider, and better bethink myself.\n\nThe next day, when I came before him again, and would revoke nothing at\nall, then he said unto me, \u201cWhat? thinkest thou that the Pope careth for\nGermany? or dost thou think that the Princes will raise arms and armies\nto maintain and defend thee?  Oh, no; where wilt thou remain in safety?\u201d\nI said, Under Heaven.  After this the Pope humbled himself, and wrote to\nour church, yea, he wrote even to the Prince Elector\u2019s chaplain, and to\none of his counsellors, Spalatine and Pfeffinger, that they would\nsurrender me into his hands, and procure that his pleasure and command\nmight be put in execution.  And the Pope wrote also to the Prince Elector\nhimself after the following manner:\n\n\u201cAlthough, as touching my person, thou art to me unknown, yet I have seen\nthy father, Prince Ernestus, at Rome, who was altogether an obedient son\nto the Church; he visited and frequented our religion with great\ndevotion, and held the same in highest honour.  I wish and would that thy\nillustrious serenity would also tread in his footsteps,\u201d etc.\n\nBut the Prince Elector well marked the Pope\u2019s unaccustomed humility, and\nhis evil conscience; he was also acquainted with the power and operation\nof the Holy Scriptures.  Therefore he remained where he was, and returned\nthanks to the Pope for his affection towards him.\n\nMy books, said Luther, in a short time went, yea, flew throughout Europe;\ntherefore the Prince Elector was confirmed and strengthened, insomuch\nthat he utterly refused to execute the Pope\u2019s commands, but subjected\nhimself under the acknowledgment of the Scriptures.\n\nIf the Cardinal had handled me with more discretion at Augsburg, and had\ndealt kindly with me when I fell at his feet, then it had never come thus\nfar; for at that time I saw very few of the Pope\u2019s errors which now I\nsee.  Had he been silent, so had I lightly held my peace.  The style and\ncustom of the Romish court in dark and confused cases, was this: that the\nPope said, We by papal power do take these causes unto us; we quench them\nout and destroy them.  I am persuaded that the Pope willingly would give\nthree Cardinals, on condition that it were still in that vessel wherein\nit was before he began to meddle with me.\n\n\n_Of Luther\u2019s Journey and Proceedings at the Imperial Diet at Worms_,\n_Anno 1520_.\n\n\nOn Tuesday in the Passion week, said Luther, I was cited by the herald to\nappear at the Diet; he brought with him a safe-conduct from the Emperor,\nand many other Princes, but the safe-conduct was soon broken, even the\nnext day (Wednesday), at Worms, where I was condemned, and my books\nburned.  Now, when I came to Erfurt, I received intelligence that I was\ncast and condemned at Worms, yea, and that in all cities and places\nthereabout it was published and spread abroad; insomuch that the herald\nasked me, whether I meant to go to Worms, or no?\n\nAlthough I was somewhat astonished at the news, yet I answered the\nherald, and said, although in Worms there were as many devils as there\nare tiles on the houses, yet, God willing, I will go thither.\n\nWhen I came to Oppenheim, in the Palatinate, not far from Worms, Bucer\ncame unto me, and dissuaded me from entering into the town; for, said he,\nSglapian, the Emperor\u2019s confessor, had been with him, and had entreated\nhim to warn me not to go thither, for I should be burned; but rather that\nI should go to a gentleman there near at hand, Francis Von Sickingen, and\nremain with him, who willingly would receive and entertain me.  This plot\nthe wicked wretches, said Luther, had devised against me, to the end I\nshould not appear; for if I had contracted the time, and staid away three\ndays, then my safe-conduct had been expired, and then they would have\nlocked the town-gates, and without hearing, I should have been condemned\nand made away.  But I went on in all simplicity, and when I saw the city,\nI wrote presently to Spalatine, and gave him notice of my coming, and\ndesired to know where I should be lodged.  Then they all wondered at my\ncoming, which was so far from their expectation; for they verily thought\nI would have stayed away, as scared through their threatenings.  There\nwere two worthy gentlemen (John Von Hirschfeld, and St. John Schott), who\nreceived me by the Prince Elector\u2019s command, and brought me to their\nlodging.\n\nNo Prince came unto me, but only Earls and gentlemen, who earnestly\nlooked upon me, and who had exhibited four hundred articles to his\nImperial Majesty against those of the spirituality, and desired a redress\nand a removing of those their grievances, otherwise they themselves\nshould be constrained to remedy the same; from all which grievances they\nare now delivered through the Gospel, which I (God be praised) have\nbrought again to light.  The Pope at that time wrote to the Emperor, that\nhe should not perform the safe-conduct; for which end all the Bishops\nalso pressed the Emperor; but the Princes and States of the Empire would\nnot consent thereunto: for they alleged that a great tumult thereupon\nwould arise.  I received of them a great deal of courtesy, insomuch that\nthe Papists were more afraid of me than I was of them.\n\nFor the Landgrave of Hesse (being then but a young Prince) desired that I\nmight be heard, and he said openly unto me, \u201cSir, is your cause just and\nupright, then I beseech God to assist you.\u201d  Now being in Worms, I wrote\nto Sglapian, and desired him to make a step unto me, but he would not.\nThen being called, I appeared in the Senate House before the Council and\nState of the whole Empire, where the Emperor, and the Princes Electors in\nperson were assembled.\n\nThen Dr. Eck (the Bishop of Trier\u2019s fiscal) began, and said unto me,\n\u201cMartin, thou art called hither to give answer, whether thou\nacknowledgest these writings to be thy books or no?\u201d  (The books lay on a\ntable which he showed unto me.)  I answered and said, \u201cI believe they be\nmine.\u201d  But Hierome Schurfe presently thereupon said, \u201cLet the titles of\nthem be read.\u201d  Now when the same were read, then I said, \u201cYea, they are\nmine.\u201d  Then he said, \u201cWill you revoke them?\u201d  I answered and said, \u201cMost\ngracious Lord and Emperor, some of my books are books of controversies,\nwherein I touch my adversaries: some, on the contrary, are books of\ndoctrine; the same I neither can nor will revoke.  But if in case I have\nin my books of controversies been too violent against any man, then I am\ncontent therein to be better directed, and for that end I desire respite\nof time.\u201d  Then they gave me one day and one night.  The next day I was\ncited by the Bishops and others, who were appointed to deal with me\ntouching my revocation.  Then I said, \u201cGod\u2019s Word is not my word,\ntherefore I know not how to give it away; but in whatsoever is therein,\nbesides the same, I will show obedience.\u201d  Then Marquis Joachim said unto\nme \u201cSir Martin, so far as I understand, you are content to be instructed,\nexcepting only what may concern the Holy Writ.\u201d  I said, \u201cYea;\u201d then they\npressed me to refer the cause to His Imperial Majesty; I said, I durst\nnot presume so to do.  Then they said, \u201cDo you not think that we are also\nChristians, who with all care and diligence would finish and end such\ncauses?  You ought to put so much trust and confidence in us, that we\nwould conclude uprightly.\u201d  To that I answered and said, \u201cI dare not\ntrust you so far, that you should conclude against yourselves, who even\nnow have cast and condemned me, being under safe-conduct; yet,\nnevertheless, that ye may see what I will do, I will yield up into your\nhands my safe-conduct, and do with me what ye please.\u201d  Then all the\nPrinces said, \u201cTruly, he offereth enough, if not too much.\u201d  Afterwards\nthey said, \u201cYield unto us yet in some articles.\u201d  I said, \u201cIn God\u2019s name,\nsuch articles as concern not the Holy Scriptures I will not stand\nagainst.\u201d  Presently hereupon, two Bishops went to the Emperor, and\nshowed him that I had revoked.  Then the Emperor sent another Bishop unto\nme, to know if I had referred the cause to him, and to the Empire.  I\nsaid, I had neither done it, nor intended so to do.  In this sort, said\nLuther, did I alone resist so many, insomuch that my Doctor, and divers\nothers of my friends, were much offended and vexed by reason of my\nconstancy; yea, some of them said, if I had referred the articles to\ntheir consideration, they would have yielded, and given way to those\narticles which in the council at Costnitz had been condemned.  Then came\nCocleus upon me, and said, \u201cSir Martin, if you will yield up your\nsafe-conduct, then I will enter into dispute with you.\u201d  I, for my part,\nsaid Luther, in my simplicity, would have accepted thereof.  But\nHieronimus Schurfe earnestly entreated me not to do the same, and in\nderision and scorn, answered Cocleus and said, \u201cO brave offer, if a man\nwere so foolish as to entertain it!\u201d\n\nThen came a Doctor unto me, belonging to the Marquis of Baden, essaying,\nwith a strain of high-carried words, to move me, admonished me, and said:\n\u201cTruly, Sir Martin, you are bound to do much, and to yield for the sake\nof fraternal love, and to the end that peace and tranquillity among the\npeople may be preserved, lest tumults and insurrections should be\noccasioned and raised.  Besides, it were also greatly befitting you to\nshow obedience to the Imperial Majesty, and diligently to beware of\ncausing offences in the world; therefore I would advise you to revoke.\u201d\nWhereupon, said Luther, I said: \u201cFor the sake of brotherly love and amity\nI could and would do much, so far as it were not against the faith and\nhonour of Christ.\u201d  When all these had made their vain assaults, then the\nChancellor of Trier said unto me, \u201cMartin Luther, you are disobedient to\nthe Imperial Majesty; therefore you have leave and licence to depart\nagain with your safe-conduct.\u201d  In this sort I again departed from Worms\nwith a great deal of gentleness and courtesy, to the wondering of the\nwhole Christian world, insomuch that the Papists wished they had left me\nat home.  After my departure, that abominable edict of proscribing was\nput in execution at Worms, which gave occasion to every man to revenge\nhimself upon his enemies, under the name and title of Protestant heresy.\nBut the tyrants, not long after, were constrained to recall the same\nagain.\n\n\n_Of the Imperial Diet at Augsburg_, _Anno 1530_.\n\n\nThe Imperial Diet held at Augsburg, 1530, is worthy of all praise; for\nthen and from thence came the Gospel among the people in other countries,\ncontrary to the wills and expectations both of Emperor and Pope;\ntherefore, said Luther, what hath been spent there should be grievous to\nno man.  God appointed the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, to the end the\nGospel should be spread further abroad and planted.  They over-climbed\nthemselves at Augsburg, for the Papists openly approved there of our\ndoctrine.  Before that Diet was held, the Papists had made the Emperor\nbelieve that our doctrine was altogether frivolous; and when he came to\nthe Diet, he should see that they would put us all to silence, insomuch\nthat none of us should be able to speak a word in defence of our\nreligion; but it fell out far otherwise; for we openly and freely\nconfessed the Gospel before the Emperor and the whole Empire.  And at\nthat Diet we confounded our adversaries in the highest degree.  The\nImperial Diet at Augsburg was invaluable, by reason of the Confession of\nFaith, and of God\u2019s Word, which on our part was there performed: for\nthere the adversaries were constrained to confess that our Confession was\nupright and true.\n\n\n_Of the Confession and Apology which at Augsburg was exhibited to the\nemperor_.\n\n\nThe Emperor, said Luther, censured understandingly and discreetly, and\ncarried himself princely in this cause of religion; he found our\nConfession to be far otherwise than the Papists had informed him\u2014namely,\nthat we were most ungodly people, and led most wicked and detestable kind\nof lives; and that we taught against the first and second tables of the\nTen Commandments of God.  For this cause, the Emperor sent our Confession\nand Apology to all the universities; his council also delivered their\nopinions, and said: \u201cIn case their doctrine were against the holy\nChristian faith, then they thought fitting that His Imperial Majesty\nshould seek to suppress it with all his power.  But if it be only against\nceremonies and abuses (as now it appeareth to be) then to refer it to the\nconsideration and censure of learned people,\u201d etc.  This, said Luther,\nwas good and wise counsel.\n\nDr. Eck confessed openly, and said: \u201cThe Protestants cannot be confuted\nand opposed out of Holy Scriptures.\u201d  Therefore the Bishop of Mainz said\nunto him, \u201cOh, how finely our learned Divines do defend us and our\ndoctrine!\u201d  \u201cThe Bishop of Mainz,\u201d said Luther, \u201choldeth our doctrine to\nbe upright and true, but he only courteth the Pope, otherwise long before\nthis time he would have played strange pranks with his Holiness.\u201d\n\n\n_Of the Strength and Profit of the Confession and Apology of Augsburg_.\n\n\nGod\u2019s Word is powerful; the more it is persecuted the more and further it\nspreadeth itself abroad.  Behold the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, which\ndoubtless is the last trumpet before the dreadful Day of Judgment.  How\nraged the world there against the Word!  Oh, said Luther, how were we\nthere fain to pray the Pope and Papists, that they would be pleased to\npermit and suffer Christ to live quietly in heaven!  There our doctrine\nbroke through into the light in such sort, that by the Emperor\u2019s strict\ncommand the same was sent to all Kings, Princes, and Universities.  This\nour Doctrine forthwith enlightened many excellent people, dispersed here\nand there in Princes\u2019 courts, among whom some of God were chosen to take\nhold on this our doctrine, like unto tinder, and afterwards kindled the\nsame also in others.\n\nOur Apology and Confession with great honour came to light; the Papists\u2019\nconfutations are kept in darkness, and do stink.  Oh, said Luther, how\nwillingly would I that their confutations might appear to the world; then\nI would set upon that old torn and tattered skin, and in such sort would\nbaste it, that the flitches thereof should fly about here and there; but\nthey shun the light.  This time twelvemonths no man would have given a\nfarthing for the Protestants, so sure the ungodly Papists were of us.\nFor, said Luther, when my most gracious Lord and master, the Prince\nElector of Saxony, before other Princes came to the Diet, the Papists\nmarvelled much thereat, for they verily believed that he would not have\nappeared, by reason (as they imagined) his cause was too bad and foul to\nbe brought before the light.  But what fell out?  Even this, that in\ntheir greatest security they were overwhelmed with the greatest fear and\naffrightments.  Because the Prince Elector, like an upright Prince,\nappeared so early at Augsburg, then the other Popish princes swiftly\nposted away from Augsburg to Innsbruck, where they held serious counsel\nwith Prince George and the Marquis of Baden, all of them wondering what\nthe Prince Elector\u2019s so early approach to the Diet should mean, insomuch\nthat the Emperor himself thereat was astonished, and doubted whether he\nmight come and go in safety or not.  Whereupon the princes were\nconstrained to promise, that they would set up body, goods, and blood by\nthe Emperor, the one offering to maintain 6,000 horse, another so many\nthousands of foot-soldiers, etc., to the end His Majesty might be the\nbetter secured.  There was a wonder among wonders to be seen, in that God\nstruck with fear and cowardliness the enemies of the truth.  And although\nat that time the Prince Elector of Saxony was alone, and but only the\nhundredth sheep, while the others were ninety-and-nine, yet,\nnotwithstanding, it so fell out that they all trembled and were afraid.\nNow when they came to the point, and began to take the business in hand,\nthen there appeared but a very small heap that stood by God\u2019s Word.\n\nBut, said Luther, we brought with us a strong and mighty King, a King\nabove all Emperors and Kings, namely, Christ Jesus, the powerful Word of\nGod.  Then all the Papists cried out, and said, \u201cOh, it is insufferable\nthat so small and silly a heap should set themselves against the Imperial\npower.\u201d  But, said Luther, the Lord of Hosts frustrateth the councils of\nPrinces.  Pilate had power to put our blessed Saviour to death, but\nwillingly he would not; Annas and Caiaphas willingly would have done it,\nbut could not.\n\nThe Emperor, for his own part, is good and honest; but the Popish Bishops\nand Cardinals are undoubtedly knaves.  And forasmuch as the Emperor now\nrefuseth to bathe his hands in innocent blood, therefore the frantic\nPrinces do bestir themselves, do scorn and contemn the good Emperor in\nthe highest degree.  The Pope also for anger is ready to burst in pieces,\nbecause the Diet, in this sort, without shedding of blood, should be\ndissolved; therefore he sendeth the sword to the Duke of Bavaria, to\nproceed therewith, and intendeth to take the crown from the Emperor\u2019s\nhead, and to set it upon the head of Bavaria; but he shall not accomplish\nit.  In this manner ordered God the business, that Kings, Princes, yea,\nand the Pope himself, fell from the Emperor, and that we joined with him,\nwhich was a great wonder of God\u2019s providence, in that he whom the devil\nintended to use against us, even the same, God taketh, maketh and useth\nfor us.  Oh, wonder, said Luther, above all wonders!\n\n\n_Of the Assembly of the Princes at Brunswick_, _1531_.\n\n\nWhen the Princes (professing the Augustinian Confession) held an assembly\nat Brunswick, then Luther received three letters, wherein was shown that\nthe Prince Elector of Saxony journeyed five days through the Marquisate\nof Brandenburg, whereas Prince Henry of Brunswick would neither give him\nconvoy nor permit him to go through his country.  But the Prince Elector\nof Brandenburg, in his country, gave him princely entertainment in every\nplace, and many went out of Brunswick to meet and to receive him.  But\nthe Landgrave of Hessen went on the other side, through Goslar, without a\nconvoy.  Christianus, King of Denmark, the second day of the assembly,\ndelivered up the Confession of his Faith, and was held and esteemed a\nsecond David.  Whereupon Luther said, God of his mercy assist him for the\nsanctifying of his name.  But, said he, the pride of the Duke of\nBrunswick may easily redound to his own hurt and prejudice, who, contrary\nto all law and equity, denied a safe convoy to one of his best and truest\nfriends.  Moses likewise desired a safe convoy to the King of the\nAmorites; but being denied, he thereby took occasion to raise war against\nhim.  The Lord of Heaven grant us peace.  The same day other letters came\nto Luther from Brunswick, showing that the King of Denmark in person, the\nAmbassadors of England and France, and of many Imperial cities, were\narrived there, among whom, some carried themselves very strangely towards\nthose of the Protestant League.  Luther said, under the name and colour\nof the Gospel, they seek their own particular advantages, but in the\nleast danger they are afraid.  These politic and terrestrial leagues and\nunions have no hand nor share in the Gospel: God alone preserveth and\ndefendeth the same in times of persecution.  Let us put trust and\nconfidence in him, and with him; let us erect and establish an\neverlasting league, for the world is the world, and will remain the\nworld.\n\n\n_Of the Convention and Assembly of the Protestant State at\nFrankfort-on-the-Main_, _1539_.\n\n\nGod, of his infinite mercy, said Luther, assist them at\nFrankfort-on-the-Main, that they may Christian-like consult and conclude,\nto the end that God\u2019s honour, the good and profit of the commonwealth may\nbe furthered.  Indeed, it is a very small assembly; it hath a strange\naspect to be held in an Imperial city; but forasmuch as they are\nthereunto constrained by the adversaries, they must be content.\n\nThe Papists, void of shame, do unwisely undertake to possess themselves\nof the cities, and by fraud to draw thereunto their adherents; then they\nmake show of keeping peace, but in the meantime they contrive how to\nseparate and confuse the whole body, and of the members to make a\nmassacre; they secretly fall upon Hamburg, upon Minden, and Frankfort.\nThey might more wisely go to work, if by open wars they assailed us.  At\nAugsburg they openly condemned us; and if those of our party had not been\npatient, it had presently gone on at that time.  Anno 1539, the 16th of\nFebruary, Luther commanded public prayers to be made for the day at\nFrankfort, that peace might be confirmed.  For if the Landgrave be\nincensed, then all resistance will be in vain.  The Landgrave neither\nprovoketh nor giveth occasion to wars; but, on the contrary, when he is\nprovoked, he still seeketh peace; whereas, notwithstanding, he is better\nfurnished and provided for wars than his adversary is, by 2,000 horse,\nfor Hessen and Saxon are horsemen; when they are set in the saddle, they\nare then not so easily hoisted out again.  As for the high-country\nhorsemen, they, said Luther, are dancing gentlemen.  God preserve the\nLandgrave; for a valiant man and Prince is of great importance.  Augustus\nC\u00e6sar was wont to say, \u201cI would rather be in an army of stags, where a\nlion is general, than to be in an army of lions where a stag is general.\u201d\n\nThe 25th of February, Luther prayed again with great devotion for peace,\nand for the day at Frankfort, that through civil wars (which are most\nhurtful), the religion, policy, and God\u2019s Word might not be sophisticated\nand torn in pieces.  Wars are pleasing to those that have had no trial or\nexperience of them; God bless us from wars.\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES\n\n\n{17}  _Whatsoever was pretended_, _yet the true cause of the Captain\u2019s\ncommitment was because he was urgent with the Lord Treasurer for his\nArrears_; _which_, _amounting to a great sum_, _he was not willing to\npay_; _and to be freed from his clamours he clapped him up into prison_.\n\n{97}  _The name of a rich family_.","title":"Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":33372}