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The Table Talk of Martin Luther.  1566
Translated by Captain Henry Bell.  1886.


INTRODUCTION.


Martin Luther died on the 18th of February, 1546, and the first publication of
his "Table Talk"--Tischreden--by his friend, Johann Goldschmid (Aurifaber), was
in 1566, in a substantial folio.  The talk of Luther was arranged, according to
its topics, into eighty chapters, each with a minute index of contents.  The
whole work in a complete octavo edition, published at Stuttgart and Leipzig in
1836, occupies 1,390 closely printed pages, equivalent to 2,780 pages, or full
fourteen volumes, of this Library.

The nearest approach to a complete and ungarbled translation into English was
that of Captain Henry Bell, made in the reign of Charles the First, under the
circumstances set forth by himself; but even that was not complete.  Other
English versions have subjected Luther's opinions to serious manipulation,
nothing being added, but anything being taken away that did not chance to agree
with the editor's digestion.  Even the folio of Captain Bell's translation, from
which these Selections have been printed, has been prepared for reprint by some
preceding editor, whose pen has been busy in revision of the passages he did
mean to reprint.  In these Selections every paragraph stands unabridged, exactly
as it was translated by Captain Bell; and there has been no other purpose
governing the choice of matter than a resolve to make it as true a presentment
as possible of Luther's mind and character.  At least one other volume of
Selections from the Table-Talk of Martin Luther will be given in this Library.

Johann Goldschmid, the Aurifaber, and thereby true worker in gold, who first
gave Luther's Table-Talk to the world, was born in 1519.  He was a disciple of
Luther, thirty-six years younger than his master.  Luther was born at Eisleben
in 1483, and his father, a poor miner, presently settled at Mansfeld, the town
in which Goldschmid afterwards was born.  Johann Goldschmid was sent by Count
Albrecht of Mansfeld, in 1537, to the University of Wittenberg, where Luther had
been made, in 1508, Professor of Philosophy, and where, on the 31st of October,
1517, he had nailed his ninety-five propositions against indulgences to the
church door at the castle.  Luther had completed his translation of the Bible
three years before Johann Goldschmid went to Wittenberg.  In 1540 Goldschmid was
recalled from the University to act as tutor to Count Albrecht's children.  In
1544 Goldschmid was army chaplain with the troops from Mansfeld in the French
war; but in 1545 he was sent back to Wittenberg for special study of theology.
It was then that he attached himself to Luther as his famulus and
house-companion during the closing months of Luther's life, began already to
collect from surrounding friends passages of his vigorous "Table Talk," and
remained with Luther till the last, having been present at his death in Eisleben
in 1546.  He then proceeded steadily with the collection of Luther's sayings and
opinions expressed among his friends.  He was army chaplain among the soldiers
of Johann Friedrich, of Saxony; he spent half a year also in a Saxon prison.  He
became, in 1551, court preacher at Weimar; but in 1562 was deprived of his
office, and then devoted himself to the forming of an Eisleben edition of those
works of Luther, which had not already been collected.  In 1566 he was called to
a pastorate at Erfurt, where he had many more troubles before his death.
Aurifaber died on the 18th of November, 1575.

H. M.


THE TESTIMONY OF JO. AURIFABER, DOCTOR IN DIVINITY, CONCERNING LUTHER'S DIVINE
DISCOURSES.


And whereas hitherto I have caused certain tomes of the Books, Sermons,
Writings, and Missives of Luther to be printed at Eisleben, so have I also now
finished this tome of his Discourses, and have ordered the same to be printed,
which at the first were collected together out of the Manuscripts of these
Divine Discourses, which that Reverend Father Anthony Lauterbach himself noted
and wrote out of the holy mouth of Luther, and afterwards the same by me were
collected into sure and certain Loci Communes, or Common-places, and
distributed.

And whereas I, Joannes Aurifaber, in the years 1545 and 1546, before the death
of that most famous Divine, Luther, was much with and about him, and with all
diligence writ and noted down many most excellent Histories and Acts, and other
most necessary and useful things which he related: I have therefore set in order
and brought the same also into this tome.

Now, forasmuch as very excellent declaration is made in this tome of all the
Articles and chief points of Christian Religion, Doctrine, and Faith; and also
therein are found necessary Rules, Questions and Answers, many fair Histories,
all sorts of Learnings, Comforts, Advices, Prophecies, Warnings, and
Admonitions: I have therefore thought it a thing fitting to dedicate the same to
your Highnesses, Graces, Honours and Worships, etc., as special favourers,
protectors, and defenders of the Doctrines which God, through Luther, hath
cleared again, to the end that by diligent reading therein, you may be
president, and give good examples to others, to your subjects, citizens, etc.,
diligently to love, to read, to affect the same, and to make good use thereof,
as being fragments that fell from Luther's Table, and therewith may help to
still, to slake, and to satisfy the spiritual hunger and thirst of the soul.
For these most profitable Discourses of Luther, containing such high spiritual
things, we should in nowise suffer to be lost, but worthily esteem thereof,
whereout all manner of learning, joy, and comfort may be had and received.

Dr. Aurifaber, in his Preface

to the Book.

Given at Eisleben, July 7th, 1569.


CAPTAIN HENRY BELL'S NARRATIVE:
OR,

Relation of the Miraculous Preserving of Dr. Martin Luther's book, entitled
"Colloquia Mensalia," or, "His Divine Discourses at his Table," held with Divers
Learned Men and Pious Divines; such as were Philip Melancthon, Casparus
Cruciger, Justus Jonas, Paulus Eberus, Vitus Dietericus, Joannes Bugenhagen,
Joannes Forsterus, and others:

CONTAINING

Divers Discourses touching Religion, and other Main Points of Doctrine; as also
many notable Histories, and all sorts of Learning, Comforts, Advices,
Prophecies, Admonitions, Directions, and Instructions; and how the same Book
was, by God's Providence, discovered lying under the Ground, where it had lain
hid Fifty-two Years; and was a few years since sent over to the said Captain
Henry Bell, and by him translated out of the High German into the English
Tongue.

"I, Captain Henry Bell, do hereby declare, both to the present age, and also to
posterity, that being employed beyond the seas in state affairs divers years
together, both by King James, and also by the late King Charles, in Germany, I
did hear and understand, in all places, great bewailing and lamentation made, by
reason of the destroying and burning of above fourscore thousand of Martin
Luther's books, entitled His Last Divine Discourses.

"For after such time as God stirred up the spirit of Martin Luther to detect the
corruptions and abuses of Popery, and to preach Christ, and clearly to set forth
the simplicity of the Gospel, many Kings, Princes, and States, Imperial Cities,
and Hans-Towns fell from the Popish Religion, and became Protestants, as their
posterities still are, and remain to this very day.

"And for the further advancement of the great work of Reformation then begun,
the aforesaid Princes and the rest did then order that the said Divine
Discourses of Luther should forthwith be printed; and that every parish should
have and receive one of the aforesaid printed books into every Church throughout
all their principalities and dominions, to be chained up, for the common people
to read therein.

"Upon which divine work, or Discourses, the Reformation, begun before in
Germany, was wonderfully promoted and increased, and spread both here in England
and other countries besides.

"But afterwards it so fell out that the Pope then living, viz.  Gregory XIII.,
understanding what great hurt and prejudice he and his Popish religion had
already received, by reason of the said Luther's Divine Discourses, and also
fearing that the same might bring further contempt and mischief upon himself and
upon the Popish Church, he therefore, to prevent the same, did fiercely stir up
and instigate the Emperor then in being, viz.  Rudolphus II., to make an Edict
throughout the whole Empire, that all the aforesaid printed books should be
burned; and also that it should be death for any person to have or keep a copy
thereof, but also to burn the same: which Edict was speedily put in execution
accordingly, insomuch that not one of all the said printed books, nor so much as
any one copy of the same, could be found out nor heard of in any place.

"Yet it pleased God that, anno 1626, a German gentleman, named Casparus Van
Sparr, with whom, in the time of my staying in Germany about King James's
business, I became very familiarly known and acquainted, having occasion to
build upon the old foundation of a house, wherein his grandfather dwelt at that
time when the said Edict was published in Germany for the burning of the
aforesaid books; and digging deep into the ground, under the said old
foundation, one of the said original books was there happily found, lying in a
deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a strong linen cloth, which was waxed all
over with beeswax, within and without; whereby the book was preserved fair,
without any blemish.

"And at the same time Ferdinandus II. being Emperor in Germany, who was a severe
enemy and persecutor of the Protestant religion, the aforesaid gentleman and
grandchild to him that had hidden the said books in that obscure hole, fearing
that if the said Emperor should get knowledge that one of the said books was yet
forthcoming, and in his custody, whereby not only himself might be brought into
trouble, but also the book in danger to be destroyed, as all the rest were so
long before; and also calling me to mind, and knowing that I had the High Dutch
Tongue very perfect, did send the said original book over hither into England
unto me; and therewith did write unto me a letter, wherein he related the
passages of the preserving and finding out the said book.

"And also he earnestly moved me in his letter, that for the advancement of God's
glory, and of Christ's Church, I would take the pains to translate the said
book, to the end that that most excellent divine work of Luther might be brought
again to light.

"Whereupon I took the said book before me, and many times began to translate the
same, but always I was hindered therein, being called upon about other business,
insomuch that by no possible means I could remain by that work.  Then, about six
weeks after I had received the said book, it fell out that I being in bed with
my wife one night, between twelve and one of the clock, she being asleep, but
myself yet awake, there appeared unto me an ancient man, standing at my bedside,
arrayed all in white, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his
girdle-stead, who, taking me by my right ear, spake these words following unto
me:--'Sirrah!  will not you take time to translate that book which is sent unto
you out of Germany?  I will shortly provide for you both place and time to do
it;' and then he vanished away out of my sight.

"Whereupon, being much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat,
insomuch that my wife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked me what I
ailed.  I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never did heed nor regard
visions nor dreams; and so the same fell soon out of my mind.

"Then about a fortnight after I had seen that vision, on a Sunday, I went to
Whitehall to hear the sermon, after which ended I returned to my lodging, which
was then in King Street, at Westminster, and sitting down to dinner with my
wife, two Messengers were sent from the whole Council-board, with a warrant to
carry me to the keeper of the Gatehouse, Westminster, there to be safely kept
until further order from the Lords of the Council, which was done without
showing me any cause [17] at all wherefore I was committed.  Upon which said
warrant I was kept there ten whole years close prisoner, where I spent five
years thereof about the translating of the said book; insomuch as I found the
words very true which the old man, in the aforesaid vision, did say unto me: 'I
will shortly provide for you both place and time to translate it.'

"Then, after I had finished the said translation in the prison, the late
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Laud, understanding that I had translated such a
book, called Martin Luther's Divine Discourses, sent unto me his chaplain, Dr.
Bray, into the prison, with this Message following:--

"'Captain Bell,

"'My Lord Grace of Canterbury hath sent me unto you, to tell you that his Grace
hath understood that you have translated a book of Luther's, touching which book
his Grace, many years before, did hear of the burning of so many thousands in
Germany by the then Emperor.  His Grace therefore doth desire you, that you
would send unto him the said original book in Dutch, and also your translation;
which, after his Grace hath perused, shall be returned safely unto you.'


"Whereupon I told Dr. Bray that I had taken a great deal of pains in translating
the said book, and was very loth to part with it out of my hands, and therefore
I desired him to excuse me to his Grace, that I could not part from it; with
which answer he at that time returned again to his master.

"But the next day after he sent him unto me again, and bade him tell me that,
upon his honour, the book should be as safe in his custody, if not safer than in
mine own; for he would lock it up in his own cabinet, to the end no man might
come unto it, but only himself.  Thereupon I, knowing it would be a thing
bootless for me to refuse the sending of them, by reason he was then of such
great power that he would have them, nolens volens, I sent them both unto him.
Then, after he had kept them in his custody two months, and had daily read
therein, he sent the said Doctor unto me, to tell me that I had performed a work
worthy of eternal memory, and that he had never read a more excellent divine
work; yet saying that some things therein were fitting to be left out; and
desired me not to think long that he did not return them unto me so soon again.
The reason was because that the more he did read therein, the more desire he had
to go on therewith; and so, presenting me with ten livres in gold, he returned
back again.

"After which, when he had them in his custody one whole year, and that I
understood he had perused it all over, then I sent unto his Grace, and humbly
desired that his Grace would be pleased to return me my books again.  Whereupon
he sent me word by the said Dr. Bray, that he had not as yet perused them so
thoroughly over as he desired to do; then I stayed yet a year longer before I
sent to him again.

"In which time I heard for certain that it was concluded by the King and Council
that a Parliament should forthwith be called; at which news I did much rejoice.
And then I sent unto his Grace an humble petition, and therein desired the
returning of my book again; otherwise I told him I should be enforced to make it
known, and to complain of him to the Parliament, which was then coming on.
Whereupon he sent unto me again safely both the said original book and my
translation, and caused his Chaplain, the said Doctor, to tell me that he would
make it known unto his Majesty what an excellent piece of work I had translated,
and that he would procure an order from his Majesty to have the said translation
printed, and to be dispersed throughout the whole kingdom, as it was in Germany,
and as he had heard thereof; and thereupon he presented me again with forty
livres in gold.

"And presently after I was set at liberty by warrant from the whole House of
Lords, according to his Majesty's direction in that behalf; but shortly
afterwards the Archbishop fell into his troubles, and was by the Parliament sent
unto the Tower, and afterwards beheaded; insomuch that I could never since hear
anything touching the printing of my book.

"The House of Commons having then notice that I had translated the aforesaid
book, they sent for me, and did appoint a Committee to see it and the
translation, and diligently to make inquiry whether the translation did agree
with the original or no; whereupon they desired me to bring the same before
them, sitting then in the Treasury Chamber.  And Sir Edward Dering, being
Chairman, said unto me that he was acquainted with a learned minister beneficed
in Essex, who had lived long in England, but was born in High Germany, in the
Palatinate, named Mr. Paul Amiraut, whom the Committee sending for, desired him
to take both the original and my translation into his custody, and diligently to
compare them together, and to make report unto the said Committee whether he
found that I had rightly and truly translated it according to the original:
which report he made accordingly, and they, being satisfied therein, referred it
to two of the Assembly, Mr. Charles Herle and Mr. Edward Corbet, desiring them
diligently to peruse the same, and to make report unto them if they thought it
fitting to be printed and published.

"Whereupon they made report, dated the 10th of November, 1646, that they found
it to be an excellent Divine Work, worthy the light and publishing, especially
in regard that Luther, in the said Discourses, did revoke his opinion, which he
formerly held, touching Consubstantiation in the Sacrament.  Whereupon the House
of Commons, the 24th of February, 1646, did give order for the printing thereof.

"Thus, having been lately desired to set down in writing the relation of the
passages above-said concerning the said book, as well for the satisfaction of
judicious and godly Christians, as for the conservation of the perpetual memory
of God's extraordinary providence in the miraculous preservation of the
aforesaid Divine Discourses, and now bringing them again to light: I have done
the same according to the plain truth thereof, not doubting but they will prove
a notable advantage of God's glory, and the good and edification of the whole
Church, and an unspeakable consolation of every particular member of the same.

"Given under my hand the 3rd day of July, 1650.

"Henry Bell."


A COPY OF THE ORDER FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.


24th February, 1646.

Whereas Captain Henry Bell hath strangely discovered and found a Book of Martin
Luther's, called his Divine Discourses, which was for a long time very
marvellously preserved in Germany: the which book the said Henry Bell, at his
great costs and pains, hath translated into the English out of the German
Tongue, which Translation and substance thereof is approved by Reverend Divines
of the Assembly, as appears by a Certificate under their hands:

It is Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament,
that the said Henry Bell shall have the sole disposal and benefit of Printing
the said Book translated into English by him as aforesaid, for the space of
fourteen years, to commence from the date hereof.  And that none do Print or
Re-print the same but such as shall be licensed by the said Captain by Authority
under his hand.

Henry Elsyng.

(Vera Copia.)


Luther's Table-Talk.


OF GOD'S WORD.


Of the Word of God; or the Holy Scriptures contained in the Bible.


The Bible, or Holy Scripture, said Luther, is like a fair and spacious orchard,
wherein all sorts of trees do grow, from which we may pluck divers kinds of
fruits; for in the Bible we have rich and precious comforts, learnings,
admonitions, warnings, promises, and threatenings, etc.  There is not a tree in
this orchard on which I have not knocked, and have shaken at least a couple of
apples or pears from the same.


Proofs that the Bible is the Word of God.


That the Bible is the Word of God, said Luther, the same I prove as followeth.
All things that have been and now are in the world, also how it now goeth and
standeth in the world, the same was written altogether particularly at the
beginning, in the First Book of Moses concerning the Creation.  And even as God
made and created it, even so it was, even so it is, and even so doth it stand to
this present day.  And although King Alexander the Great, the kingdom of Egypt,
the empire of Babel, the Persian, Grecian, and Roman Monarchs, the Emperors
Julius and Augustus, most fiercely did rage and swell against this Book, utterly
to suppress and destroy the same, yet notwithstanding, they could prevail
nothing; they are all gone and vanished; but this Book, from time to time, hath
remained, and will remain unremoved, in full and ample manner, as it was written
at the first.  But who kept and preserved it from such great and raging power;
or, Who defendeth it still?  Truly, said Luther, no human creature, but only and
alone God himself, who is the right Master thereof; and it is a great wonder
that it hath been so long kept and preserved, for the devil and the world are
great enemies unto it.  The devil doubtless hath destroyed many good books in
the Church, as he hath rooted out and slain many saints, concerning whom we have
now no knowledge.  But, no thanks unto him, the Bible he was fain to leave
unmeddled with.  In like manner Baptism, the Sacrament, and the Office of
Preaching have remained among us against the power of many tyrants and heretics
that have opposed the same.  These our Lord God hath kept and maintained by his
special strength.  Homer, Virgil, and suchlike are profitable and ancient books;
but, in comparison of the Bible, they are nothing to be regarded.


By whom and at what Times the Bible was translated.


Two hundred and forty-one years before the humanity of Christ, the Five Books of
Moses, and the Prophets, were translated out of the Hebrew into the Greek tongue
by the Septuagint Interpreters, the seventy doctors or learned men then at
Jerusalem, in the time of Eleazar the High-priest, at the request of Ptolemeus
Philadelphus, King of Egypt, which King allowed great charges and expenses for
the translating of the same.

Then, one hundred and twenty-four years after the birth of Christ, his death and
passion, the Old Testament was translated out of Hebrew into Greek by a Jew,
named Aquila (being converted to the Christian faith), in the time of Hadrian
the Emperor.

Fifty and three years after this Aquila, the Bible was also translated by
Theodosius.

In the three-and-thirtieth year after Theodosius, it was translated by
Symmachus, under the Emperor Severus.

Eight years after Symmachus, the Bible was also translated by one whose name is
unknown, and the same is called the Fifth Translation.

Afterwards the Bible was translated by Hieronymus (who first amended and
corrected the Seventy Interpreters) out of Hebrew into the Latin tongue, which
translation we use to this day in the Church.  And truly, said Luther, he did
enough for one man.  Nulla enim privata persona tantum efficere potuisset.  But
he had not done amiss if he had taken one or two learned men to his translation
besides himself, for then the Holy Ghost would more powerfully have been
discerned, according to Christ's saying, "Where two or three be gathered
together in my name, there will I be in the midst of them." And, indeed, said
Luther, translators or interpreters ought not to be alone, for good and apt
words do not always fall to one single man.  And so long as the Bible was in the
Church of the Gentiles, it was never yet in such perfection, that it could have
been read so exactly and significantly without stop, as we have prepared the
same here at Wittemberg, and, God be praised, have translated it out of Hebrew
into the High German tongue.


Of the Differences between the Bible and other Books.


The Holy Scripture, or the Bible, said Luther, is full of divine gifts and
virtues.  The books of the Heathen taught nothing of Faith, Hope, and Love; nay,
they knew nothing at all of the same; their books aimed only at that which was
present, at that which, with natural wit and understanding, a human creature was
able to comprehend and take hold of; but to trust in God and hope in the Lord,
nothing was written thereof in their books.  In the Psalms and in Job we may see
and find how those two books do treat and handle of Faith, of Hope, of Patience,
and Prayer.

To be short, the Holy Scripture, said Luther, is the best and highest book of
God, full of comfort in all manner of trials and temptations; for it teacheth of
Faith, Hope, and Love far otherwise than by human reason and understanding can
be comprehended.  And in times of troubles and vexations, it teacheth how these
virtues should light and shine; it teacheth, also, that after this poor and
miserable life there is another which is eternal and everlasting.


What we ought chiefly to seek for in the Bible, and how we ought to study and
learn the Holy Scriptures.


The chief lesson and study in Divinity, said Luther, is well and rightly to
learn to know Christ, for he is therein very friendly and familiarly pictured
unto us.  From hence St. Peter saith, "Grow up in the knowledge of Christ;" and
Christ himself also teacheth that we should learn to know him only out of the
Scriptures, where he saith, "Search the Scriptures, for they do testify of me."

We ought not, said Luther, to measure, censure, and understand the Scriptures
according to our own natural sense and reason, but we ought diligently by prayer
to meditate therein, and to search after the same.  The devil and temptations
also do give occasion unto us somewhat to learn and understand the Scriptures by
experience and practice.  Without trials and temptations we should never
understand anything thereof; no, not although we diligently read and heard the
same.  The Holy Ghost must be the only master and tutor to teach us therein, and
let youth and scholars not be ashamed to learn of this tutor.  When I find
myself in temptation, then I quickly lay hold and fasten on some text in the
Bible which Christ Jesus layeth before me, namely, that he died for me, from
whence I have and receive comfort.


That we should diligently read the Texts of the Bible, and stay ourselves upon
it as the only true Foundation.


Whoso layeth a good foundation, and is a substantial Text-man, that is, he that
is well grounded in the Text, the same hath whereupon he surely may keep
footing, and runneth not lightly into error.  And truly, said Luther, the same
is most necessary for a Divine; for with the texts and grounds of the Holy
Scriptures I dazzled, astonished, and overcame all my adversaries; for they
approach dreamingly and lazily; they teach and write according to their natural
sense, reason, and understanding, and they think the Holy Scripture is a slight
and a simple thing; like the Pharisee, who thought a business soon done when our
Saviour Christ said unto him, "Do that, and thou shalt live." The sectaries and
seducing spirits understand nothing in the Scriptures; but with their fickle,
inconstant, and uncertain books which they have devised, they run themselves
into error.

Whoso is armed with the Text, the same is a right pastor; and my best advice and
counsel is, said Luther, that we draw water out of the true fountain, that is,
diligently to read in the Bible.  He is a learned Divine that is well grounded
in the Text; for one text and sentence out of the Bible is of far more esteem
and value than many writings and glosses, which neither are strong, sound, nor
armour of proof.  As when I have that text before me of St. Paul, where he
saith, "All the creatures of God are good, if they be received with
thanksgiving." This text showeth that what God hath made is good.  Now, eating,
drinking, marrying, etc., are of God's making, therefore they are good.  But the
glosses of the Primitive Fathers are against this text, for St. Bernard, Basil,
Dominicus, Hieronymus, and others have written far otherwise of the same.  But I
prefer the Text before them all, and it is far more to be esteemed of than all
their glosses; yet, notwithstanding, in Popedom the glosses of the Fathers were
of higher regard than the bright and clear text of the Bible, through which
great wrong oftentimes is done to the Holy Scriptures; for the good Fathers, as
Ambrose, Basil, and Gregory, have ofttimes written very cold things touching the
Divine word.


That the Bible is the Head of all Arts.


Let us not lose the Bible, said Luther, but with all diligence and in God's fear
read and preach the same; for if that remaineth, flourisheth, and be taught,
then all is safe.  She is the head and empress of all faculties and arts.  If
Divinity falleth, then whatsoever remaineth besides is nothing worth.


Of the Art of the School Divines in the Bible.


The art of the School Divines, said Luther, with their speculations in the Holy
Scriptures, are merely vain and human reasonings, spun out of their own natural
wit and understanding, of which I have read much in Bonaventura, but he had
almost made me deaf.  I fain would have learned and understood out of that book
how God and my sinful soul had been reconciled together; but of that there was
nothing to be found therein.  They talk much of the union of the will and
understanding, but all is mere phantasy and folly.  The right and true
speculation is this: "Believe in Christ; do what thou oughtest to do in thy
vocation," etc.  This is the only practice in Divinity.  Also, Mystica Theologia
Dionysii is a mere fable, and a lie, like to Plato's Fables.  Omnia sunt non
ens, et omnia sunt ens--All is something, and all is nothing; and so he leaveth
all hanging in frivolous and idle sort.

True and upright Divinity consisteth in the practice, use, and exercise; her
foundation is Christ; she taketh hold by faith on his passion, death, and
resurrection.  All those, said Luther, that concur not with us, and have not
this doctrine before their eyes, the same do feign unto themselves but only a
speculated Divinity, according to their carnal sense and reason, and according
as they use to censure in temporal causes; for no man can divert them from these
opinions, namely, "Whoso doth good works, and liveth an honest and civil kind of
life, the same is an upright Christian, and he is well and safe;" but they are
therein far deceived; for this is the truth indeed, "Whoso feareth God and
trusteth in him, the same most surely will be well and safe at last."

Therefore, said Luther, these speculating Divines belong directly to the devil
in hell.  They follow their own opinions, and what with their five senses they
are able to comprehend; and such is also Origen's divinity.  But David is of
another mind; he acknowledgeth his sins, and saith, "Miserere mei Domini," God
be merciful to me a sinner.  At the hands of these sophisticated Divines, God
can scarcely obtain that he is God alone; much less can he find this favour of
them, that they should allow only him to be good and just; nay, very hardly will
they yield that he is an immortal God.


The Depths of the Bible.


The wise of the world, and the great ones, said Luther, understand not God's
Word; but God hath revealed it to the poor contemned simple people, as our
Saviour Christ witnesseth, where he saith, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes," etc.; from whence St. Gregory says well and
rightly, that the Holy Scripture is like a water, wherein an "elephant swimmeth,
but a little sheep goeth therein upon his feet."

I remember a Fable, said Luther, which fitteth very well for these times, and
for this purpose, discoursed of before.  A Lion, said he, making a great feast,
invited all the beasts thereunto, and with them also he invited swine.  Now, as
all manner and sorts of dainties were brought and set before the guests, the
swine demanded if Brewer's grains might be had for them.  Even so, in these days
it is with our Epicures; we Preachers bring and set before them in the Church
the most dainty and costly dishes, as Everlasting Salvation, Remission of Sins,
and God's Grace; but they, like swine, cast up their snouts, and root after
Dollars, Crowns, and Ducats; and, indeed, said Luther, "what should a cow do
with nutmegs?" She would rather content herself with oat-straw.

When we have God's Word pure and clear, then we are secure, we are negligent and
regard it not, we think it will always so remain; we do not watch and pray
against the devil, who is ready to tear the Word out of our hearts.  It goeth
with us as with travellers, who, so long as they are on the right way, are
secure and careless; but when they go astray into woods or by-ways, then they
are careful which way to take, whether this or that way be the right: even so
are we secure by the pure doctrine of the Gospel; we are sleepy and negligent;
we stand not in God's fear, nor defend ourselves with prayer against the devil.
But those that entertain errors are highly busied, yea, they are very careful
and diligent how to keep and maintain the same.


Of the future Want of upright and true Preachers of God's Word.


In a short time, said Luther, will be such want of upright Preachers and
Ministers, that people would be glad to scratch out of the earth these good and
godly Teachers now living, if they might but get them; then they will see what
they have done in molesting and contemning the Preachers and Ministers of God's
Word.  Of Physicians and Lawyers there are enough, if not too many, to serve the
world; but a country hath need of two hundred Ministers where one Lawyer is
sufficient.  My most gracious Lord, said Luther, the Prince Elector of Saxony,
hath enough of twenty Lawyers in all his territories, but he must have near six
thousand Preachers and Ministers.


That People, out of mere Wilfulness, do set themselves against God's Word.


Had I known, said Luther, when I first began to write, what I now see and find,
namely, that people had been such enemies to God's Word, and so fiercely had set
themselves against the same, truly I had held my peace; for I never should have
been so courageous as to have fallen upon the Pope, and to have angered him, and
almost the whole Christian world with him.  I thought at first that people had
sinned ignorantly, and out of human weakness, and not of set purpose and
wittingly to endeavour to suppress God's Word; but it pleased God to lead me on
in the mouth of the cannon, like a bar-horse that hath his eyes blinded, and
seeth not who runneth upon him.  Even so was I, as it were, tugged by my hair to
the office of preaching; but had I then known what now I know, ten horses should
scarce have drawn me to it.  Moses and Jeremiah also complained that they were
deceived.


Of the Archbishop of Mentz, one of the Spiritual Princes Electors, his Censure
of the Bible.


Anno 1530, at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, by
chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the space of four hours he
continued reading therein; at last, one of his Council on a sudden came into his
bed-chamber unto him, who, seeing the Bible in the Bishop's hand, was much
amazed thereat, and said unto him, "what doth your Highness with that book?" The
Archbishop thereupon answered him, and said, "I know not what this book is, but
sure I am, all that is written therein is quite against us."


That the Bible is hated of the Worldly-wise and of the Sophists.


Doctor Ussinger, an Austin Friar, with me in the Monastery at Erfurt, said once
unto me, as he saw that I diligently read and affected the Bible, "Brother
Martin, what is the Bible?  Let us," said he, "read the ancient Teachers and
Fathers, for they have sucked the juice and truth out of the Bible.  The Bible
is the cause of all dissension and rebellion."

This, said Luther, is the censure of the world concerning God's Word; therefore
we must let them run on their course towards that place which is prepared for
them.


Of the Errors which the Sectaries do hold concerning the Word of God.


Bullinger said once in my hearing, said Luther, that he was earnest against the
sectaries, as contemners of God's Word, and also against those who attributed
too much to the literal Word; for, said he, such do sin against God and his
almighty power, as the Jews did in naming the ark "God." But, said he, whoso
holdeth a mean between both, the same is taught what is the right use of the
Word and Sacraments.

Whereupon, said Luther, I answered him and said, "Bullinger, you err: you know
neither yourself nor what you hold; I mark well your tricks and fallacies.
Zuinglius and OEcolampadius likewise proceeded too far in this your ungodly
meaning; but when Brentius withstood them, they then lessened their opinions,
alleging they did not reject the literal Word, but only condemned certain gross
abuses.  By this your error," said Luther to Bullinger, "you cut in sunder and
separate the Word and the Spirit; you separate those that preach and teach the
Word from God who worketh the same; you also separate thereby the Ministers that
baptize from God who commandeth it; and you think that the Holy Ghost is given
and worketh without the Word; which Word, you say, is an external sign and mark
that findeth the Spirit, which already and before possesseth the heart.
Insomuch, according to your falsities, that if the Word findeth not the Spirit,
but an ungodly person, then it is not God's Word; whereby you define and hold
the Word, not according to God who speaketh it, but according as people do
entertain and receive it.  You will only grant that such is God's Word which
purifieth and bringeth peace and life; but seeing it worketh not in the ungodly,
therefore it is not God's Word.  You teach that the outward Word is like an
object or a picture, which signifieth and presenteth something; you measure the
use thereof only according to the matter, like as a human creature speaketh for
himself; you will not yield that God's Word is an instrument through which the
Holy Ghost worketh and accomplisheth his work, and prepareth a beginning to
righteousness or justification.  In these errors are you drowned, so that you
neither see nor understand yourselves.

"A man might vex himself to death against the devil, who, in the Papists, is
such an enemy to God's Word.  The devil seeth and feeleth that the external Word
and preaching in the Church doth him great prejudice, therefore he rageth and
worketh these errors against the same; but I hope God ere long will look into
it, and will strike down the devil with these seducers.

"A true Christian," said Luther, "must hold for certain, and must say, That Word
which is delivered and preached to the wicked, to the dissemblers, and to the
ungodly, is even as well God's Word as that which is preached to the good and
godly upright Christians.  As also, the true Christian Church is among sinners,
where good and bad are mingled together.  And that Word, whether it produceth
fruit or not, is nevertheless God's strength, which saveth all that believe
thereon.  And again, it will also judge the ungodly, as St. John saith in chap.
v., otherwise they might plead a good excuse before God, that they neither ought
to be nor could be condemned; for then they might truly allege that they have
not had God's Word, and so consequently could not receive the same.  But," said
Luther, "I say, teach and acknowledge that the Preacher's words, his
absolutions, and the sacraments, are not his words nor works, but they are God's
words, works, cleansing, absolving, binding, etc.; we are but only the
instruments, fellow-workers, or God's assistants, through whom God worketh and
finisheth his work.  We," said Luther to Bullinger, "will not endure these your
metaphysical and philosophical distinctions and differences, which merely are
spun and hammered out of human and natural sense and reason.  You say, It is a
man that preacheth, that reproveth, that absolveth, comforteth, etc., and that
the Holy Ghost worketh; you say, likewise, the Minister baptiseth, absolveth,
and administereth the sacraments, but it is God that cleanseth the hearts, and
forgiveth sins, etc.  Oh, no," said Luther, "but I conclude thus: God himself
preacheth, threateneth, reproveth, affrighteth, comforteth, absolveth,
administereth the sacraments, etc.  As our Saviour Christ saith, 'Whoso heareth
you, heareth me; and what ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,' etc.
Likewise, 'It is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father which
speaketh in you.'"

"I am sure and certain," said Luther, "when I go up to the pulpit, or to the
cathedral, to preach or read, that it is not my word which I speak, but my
tongue is the pen of a ready writer, as the Psalmist saith.  God speaketh in the
Prophets and men of God, as St. Peter in his Epistle saith: 'The holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' Therefore we must not separate nor
part God and man according to our natural reason and understanding.  In like
manner, every hearer must conclude and say, I hear not St. Paul, St. Peter, or a
man speak; but I hear God himself speak, baptize, absolve, excommunicate, and
administer the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper, etc."

Bullinger, attentively hearkening to this discourse of that holy man, Luther,
fell down flat on his face to the ground, and uttered these words following:
"Oh, happy be the time that brought me hither to hear the divine discourse of
this man of God" (Martin Luther), "a chosen vessel of the Lord to declare his
truth!  And now I abjure and utterly renounce these my former errors, finding
them convinced and beaten down through God's infallible Word which out of his
divine mouth" (Martin Luther), "hath touched my heart, and won me to his glory."
After he had uttered these words lying on the ground, he arose and clasped his
arms about Luther's neck, both of them shedding joyful tears.

Ah, God!  said Luther at that time, what an unspeakable comfort a poor, weak,
and sorrowful conscience might have and receive, if it could but believe that
such words and comforts were the words and comforts of God himself, as in truth
they are; therefore we conclude, short and round, that God through the Word
worketh, which is an instrument whereby we are instructed to know him in heart,
as by this present and happy example of the conversion of this our loving
brother, Bullinger, we apparently see and find.

But whereas, said Luther, the Word produceth not fruit everywhere alike, but
worketh severally, the same is God's judgment, and his secret will, which from
us is hid; we ought not to desire to know it.  For "the wind bloweth where it
listeth," as Christ saith; we must not grabble nor search after the same.

If, said Luther, I were addicted to God's Word at all times alike, and always
had such love and desire thereunto as sometimes I have, then should I account
myself the most blessed man on earth.  But the loving Apostle St. Paul failed
also thereof, as he complains with sighs of heart, saying, "I see another law in
my members, warring against the law of my mind," etc.  Should the Word be false
because it bringeth not always fruit?  Truly this art of determining and knowing
the Word hath been in great danger from the beginning of the world, and hath
endured much: few people there are that can hit it, except God, through his Holy
Spirit, teacheth it them in their hearts.  The Sectaries understand not the
strength of God's Word.  I do wonder, said Luther, that they do write and teach
so much of God's Word, seeing they so little regard the same.

Ferdinand, Prince Elector of Saxony, used to say he had well discerned that
nothing could be propounded by human reason and understanding, were it never so
wise, cunning, or sharp, but that a man, even out of the selfsame proposition,
might be able to confute and overthrow it; but God's Word only stood fast and
sure, like a mighty wall which neither can be battered nor beaten down.


Which are the best Preachers and the best Hearers.


I, said Luther, esteem those to be the best Preachers which teach the common
people and youth most plainly and simply, without subtlety, screwed words, or
enlargements.  Christ taught the people by plain and simple parables.  In like
manner, those are the best Hearers that willingly do hear and believe God's Word
simply and plainly, and although they be weak in faith, yet so long as they
doubt not of the doctrine they are to be holpen forward; for God can and will
bear with weakness if it be but acknowledged, and that we creep again to the
Cross and pray to God for grace, and amend ourselves.

David saith, "I hate them that imagine evil things, but thy law do I love," and
will show therewith that we ought diligently to regard the strength of the Word
of God, and not to contemn it, as the enthusiasts do, for God will deal with us
by such means, and by the same will also work in us.  Therefore the ancient
Fathers say well touching this point, namely, that we ought not to look to the
person baptizing or ministering the Sacrament, but we must look to God's Word.

Our Lord God electeth from hearts, to whom he revealeth his Word, and
therewithal he giveth them mouths to speak it; preserveth and maintaineth it,
not by sword, but through his Divine Power.


That we ought to direct all our Actions and Lives according to God's Word.


God, said Luther, hath his measuring-lines, and his canons, which are called the
Ten Commandments; they are written in our flesh and blood.  The contents of them
is: "What thou wouldest have done to thyself, the same thou oughtest also to do
to another." For God presseth upon that point, and saith, "Such measure as thou
metest, the same shall be measured to thee again." With this measuring-line, or
measure, hath God marked the whole world.  They that live and do thereafter,
well it is with them, for God doth richly reward them in this life; and a Turk
or a Heathen may as well be partaker of such rewards as a Christian.


Where God's Word is loved, there dwelleth God.


Upon these words of Christ, "If a man loveth me, he will keep my Word, and my
Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him," I
say thus, said Luther: Heaven and earth, the castles and palaces of all
Emperors, Kings, and Princes, are no way sufficient to make a dwelling-place for
God; yet, in a silly human creature that keepeth his Word he will dwell.  Isaiah
calleth heaven his "seat," and earth his "footstool," but not his dwelling;
therefore, when we long to seek after God, we shall be sure to find him with
them that hear and keep his Word, as Christ saith, "He that keepeth my Word, I
will come and dwell with him."

A man could not speak more simply and childishly than Christ spake, and yet he
confounded therewith all the wisdom of the worldly-wise.  To speak in such a
manner, said Luther, is not in sublimi, sed humili genere: if I should teach a
child, I would teach him in this sort: "He that loves me, will keep my Word."
Here we see that Christ saith not, Abstain from flesh, from marrying, from
housekeeping, etc., as the Papists teach, for that were even to invite the devil
and all his fellows to a feast.


That true and upright Christians are ready to suffer Death and all manner of
Torments for the Gospel's sake, but Hypocrites do shun the Cross.


Not long since, said Luther, I invited to my table, at Wittemberg, an Hungarian
Divine, named Matthias de Vai, who told me that, as he came first to be a
Preacher in Hungary, he chanced to fall out with a Papistical Priest.  Now, he
was complained of by that Priest to a Friar that was brother to the Vaivoda, or
Governor of Buda, and they were both summoned to appear before him.  The one
much accusing the other, insomuch that the Friar could not reconcile nor take up
the controversy between them, at last, and after long debate, the Friar said, "I
know a way soon to discover the truth of this cause," and commanded that two
barrels of gunpowder should be set in the midst of the market-place at Buda, and
said unto the parties, "He that will maintain his Doctrine to be right, and the
true Word of God, let him sit upon one of these barrels, and I will give fire
unto it, and he that remaineth living and unburned, his Doctrine is right." Then
Matthias de Vai leaped presently upon one of the barrels and sat himself down
thereon; but the Papist Priest would not up to the other barrel, but slunk away.
Then the Friar said, "Now I see and know that the Faith and Doctrine of Matthias
de Vai is the right, and that our Papistical Religion is false." And thereupon
he punished and fined the Papist, with his assistants, for wronging De Vai, in
four thousand Hungarian ducats, and compelled him for a certain time to maintain
one hundred soldiers at his own charge; but he licensed Matthias de Vai openly
to preach the Gospel.  The Friar himself, recanting his religion, was converted
and became a Protestant; whereupon Luther said, Never yet would any Papist burn
for religion, but our people go with joy to the fire, as heretofore hath been
well seen on the holy Martyrs.


By what God preserveth his Word.


God will keep his Word, said Luther, through the writing-pen upon earth; the
Divines are the heads or quills of the pens, but the Lawyers are the stumps.
If, now, the world will not keep the heads and quills--that is, if they will not
hear the Divines--then they must keep the stumps--that is, they must hear the
Lawyers, who will teach them manners.


That in Causes of Religion we must not judge according to human Wisdom, but
according to God's Word.


When the Pope and Emperor, said Luther, cited me to appear at Worms, Anno Domini
1521, at the Imperial Assembly, they pressed and earnestly advised me to refer
the determining of my cause to his Imperial Majesty; but I answered the three
spiritual Electors, Maintz, Tryer, and Cologne, and said, "I will rather
surrender up to his Majesty his letters of safe-conduct which he hath given me
than to put this cause to the determining of any human creature whatsoever."
Whereupon my master, the Prince Elector of Saxony, said also unto them, "Truly
no man could offer more." But as they still insisted and urged me touching that
point, I said, I did not dare to presume, without great danger of running myself
into God's wrath, and of the loss of my soul's health, to refer this Cause,
which is none of mine, but God's Cause, to the censure of earthly counsel; for
the same, before all ages, hath been had in consultation, hath been determined,
censured, concluded, and confirmed by the great Council in Heaven, to be and
remain the infallible, most certain and true Word of the High Majesty of God;
and therefore altogether needless, yea, most presumptuous now it were, either to
receive or to deliver it to the determination and censure of human and natural
sense, wit, and wisdom, which is subject to nothing more than to error,
especially in and concerning God's Word and divine matters.  And I told them
flat and plain, I would rather expose myself to endure all the torments that
this world, flesh, and the devil were able to devise and prepare than to give my
consent thereunto.


That in former Times it was dangerous studying the Holy Scriptures.


In times past, as also in part of our time, said Luther, it was dangerous
studying, when divinity and all good arts were contemned; and when fine, expert,
and prompt wits were plagued with sophistry.  Aristotle, the Heathen, was held
in such repute and honour, that whoso undervalued or contradicted him was held,
at Cologne, for the greatest heretic; whereas they themselves understood not
Aristotle.  The Sophists did much more darken Aristotle than illustrate him;
like as that Friar did, who wasted two whole hours in a sermon about Christ's
Passion, and concerning this question: Utrum quantitas realiter distincta sit a
substantia--whether the quantity in itself were divided from the substance?  He
showed this example, and said, "My head might well creep through, but the
bigness of my head could not;" insomuch that, like an idiot, he divided the head
from the bigness thereof.  A silly grammarian might easily have solved the same,
and said, The bigness of the head, that is, the big or great head.

With such and the like fopperies were petty brains troubled, said Luther, and
were instructed neither in good arts nor in divinity.  Antipho, Chusa, Bovillus,
and others were likewise miserably molested and plagued about bringing a thing
which was round into four square, and to compare a straight line with a crooked.
But we, God be praised, have now happy times; and it were to be wished that the
youth made good use thereof, and spent their studying diligently in such arts as
at this time are green, and flourish.


That the Jews have better Teachers and Writers of the Holy Scriptures than the
Gentiles.


When I read in the Psalter, said Luther, I do much admire that David had such a
spirit.  Oh, what high enlightened people were among the Jews!  This David was a
married man; he was a king, a soldier, and a preacher; he was busy in temporal
affairs, yet nevertheless he wrote such an excellent surpassing book.  The New
Testament was written also by men that were Jews, and the Apostles themselves
were Jews: God would signify thereby that we should adore his Word, we should
preciously esteem thereof, reverence, and love the same.  We Gentiles have no
book that ruleth in the Church, therefore we are not comparable to the Jews;
from hence it is that St. Paul maketh a very fine distinction or difference
between Sarah and Hagar, and the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael.  Hagar was also a
wife, but nothing near like Sarah; therefore it is a great pride, presumption,
and wilfulness of the Pope, in that he, being but a human creature, will
presume, without Scripture, to set himself against the Scripture, and will exalt
himself above the same.


Of Luther's Complaint of the Multitude of Books.


The multitude of books, said Luther, is much to be lamented; no measure nor end
is held in writing; every one will write books; some out of ambition to purchase
praise thereby, and to raise them names; others for the sake of lucre and gain,
and by that means further much evil.  Therefore the Bible, by so many comments
and books, will be buried and obscured, so that the Text will be nothing
regarded.  I could wish that all my books were buried nine ells deep in the
ground, for evil example's sake, in that every one will imitate me with writing
many books, thereby to purchase praise.  But Christ died not for the sake of our
ambition and vain-glory, but he died only to the end that his name might be
sanctified.


That God's Word will not be truly understood without Trials and Temptations.


I, said Luther, did not learn my divinity at one only time, but I was
constrained to search deeper and deeper, to which my temptations brought me; for
no man, without trials and temptations, can attain to the true understanding of
the Holy Scriptures.  St. Paul had a devil that beat him with fists, and with
temptations drove him diligently to study the Holy Scripture.  I, said Luther,
had cleaving and hanging on my neck the Pope, the Universities, all the
deep-learned, and with them the devil himself; these hunted me into the Bible,
where I diligently read, and thereby, God be praised, at length I attained to
the true understanding of the same.  Without such a devil, we are but only
speculators of divinity, and according to our vain reasoning we dream that
so-and-so it must be, as the Monks and Friars in monasteries do.  The Holy
Scripture of itself is certain and true enough; but God grant me the grace that
I may catch hold on the right use thereof; for when Satan disputeth with me in
this sort, namely, whether God be gracious unto me or no?  then I must not meet
him with this text: "Whoso loveth God with all his heart, with all his soul, and
with all his strength, the same shall inherit the kingdom of God;" for then the
devil presently objecteth, and hitteth me in the teeth, and saith, "Thou hast
not loved God with all thy heart," etc., which, indeed, is true, and my own
conscience therein witnesseth against me; but at such a time I must arm myself
and encounter him with this text, namely: "That Jesus Christ died for me, and
through him I have a gracious God and Father; Christ hath made an atonement for
me," as St. Paul saith, "He is of God given unto us for wisdom, for
righteousness, for holiness, and for redemption."

Tyrants, sectaries, seducers, and heretics do nothing else but drive us into the
Bible, to make us read more diligently therein, and with more fervency to
sharpen our prayers.


Of the Advice of the Bishop of Salzburg, how to qualify the Controversy between
the Protestants and Papists, propounded to Luther shortly before his Death;
touching which, Luther discoursed as followeth:


At the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, in the year 1530, the Bishop of Salzburg
said unto me, "Four ways and means there are to make a reconciliation or union
between us and you Protestants.  One is, that ye yield unto us.  To that you say
you cannot.  The second is, that we yield unto you; but that we will not do.
The third is, that the one party, by force, should be compelled to yield to the
other; but thereupon a great combustion and tumult might be raised.  Therefore
the fourth way or means were to be applauded and used, namely, that now being
here assembled together, the one party should strive to thrust out the other,
and that party which shall have the advantage, and be the stronger, the same
should put the other party into a bag and expel them." Whereupon I, said Luther,
answered him and said, "This, indeed, were a very substantial course to settle
unity and peace, wonderful wisely considered of, found out and expounded by such
a holy and Christian-like Bishop as you are." And thereupon I took letters out
of my pocket, which shortly before I had received from Rome, and gave the same
to the Bishop to read, which letter related a pretty passage that fell out there
five weeks before, between some Cardinals and the Pope's Fool, written as
followeth:--

The said Cardinals had been in serious consultation how, and by what means, the
Protestants in Germany might be convinced touching their error, and suppressed;
but they saw the difficulty of it, in that the Protestants, in their books and
writings, powerfully against the Papists, cited the sacred Scripture, and
especially they opposed and withstood them with the doctrine of St. Paul, which
were great blocks in the Papists' way, insomuch that they found it a business
not so easily to be accomplished.  Then said the Fool unto the Cardinals, "I
know how to give you herein an advice, whereby you easily may be rid and quitted
of St. Paul, that his doctrines shall not be approved of; as thus: The Pope,"
said the Fool, "hath power to make Saints; therefore let St. Paul be taken out
of the number of the Apostles, and preferred to be a Saint, as then his dicta,
or sayings, which are against you, shall no more be held for apostolical." "This
and your proposition," said Luther to the Bishop, "are of equal value."


OF GOD'S WORKS.


That human Sense and Reason cannot comprehend nor understand God's Works.


In all things, and in the least creatures, yea, also in their members, God's
almighty power and great wonderful works do clearly shine.  For what man, how
powerful, wise, and holy soever, can make out of one fig, a fig-tree or another
fig?  or, out of one cherry-stone, can make a cherry or a cherry-tree?  or what
man can know how God createth and preserveth all things and maketh them grow?

And truly we find and see printed the Holy Trinity in all good arts and
creatures, as the almighty power of God the Father, the wisdom of God the Son,
and the goodness of God the Holy Ghost.  Neither can we conceive or know how the
apple of the eye doth see, or how understanding words are spoken distinctly and
plainly when only the tongue is moved and stirred in the mouth, all which are
natural things, as we daily see and act.  How then should we be able to
comprehend or understand the secret counsel of God's Majesty, or search it out
with our sense, wit, reason, or understanding?


That no Man understands God's Works.


No man, said Luther, is able to imagine, much less to understand, what God hath
done, and still doth without ceasing.  Although we laboured and sweated blood to
write but only three lines in such manner as St. John did write, yet were we
never able to perform it.  What, then, should we any way admire or wonder at our
wisdom?  I, for my part, said Luther, will be a fool, and will yield myself
captive.

When one asked where God was before Heaven was created, St. Austin made answer
thereunto and said, He was in himself.  And as another, said Luther, asked me
the same question, I said, He was building Hell for such idle, presumptuous,
fluttering spirits and inquisitors.  After he had created all things, he was
everywhere, and yet he was nowhere; for I cannot fasten nor take hold of him
without the Word.  But he will be found there where he hath bound himself to be.
The Jews found him at Jerusalem by the Throne of Grace (Exodus xxv.).  We find
him in the Word and Faith, in Baptism and Sacraments; but in his Majesty he is
nowhere to be found.

It was a special grace in the Old Testament, when God bound himself to a certain
place where he would be found, namely, in that place where the Tabernacle was,
towards which they prayed; as first in Shiloh and Shechem, afterwards at Gibeon,
and lastly at Jerusalem in the Temple.

The Greeks and Heathens in after-times, said Luther, did imitate the same, and
did build temples for their idols in certain places, as at Ephesus for Diana, at
Delphos for Apollo, etc.  For where God built a church, there the devil would
also build a chapel.  They imitated the Jews also in this, namely, that as the
most holy was dark and had no light, even so and after the same manner did they
make their places dark where the devil made answer, as at Delphos and elsewhere.
In such sort is the devil always God's ape.

But, said Luther, whereas the most holy must be dark, the same did signify that
the Kingdom of Christ no other way was to be taken hold of and fastened, but
only by the Word and by Faith.


That the Superfluity of temporal Wealth doth hinder the Faith.


God, said Luther, could be rich soon and easily if he would be more provident,
and would deny us the use of his creatures.  If he would but keep back the sun,
that it should not shine, or lock up the air, detain the water, or quench out
the fire--ah!  then would we willingly give all our money and wealth to have the
use of his creatures again.

But seeing God so liberally heapeth his gifts upon us, we therefore will claim
them as by right, in despite of him, and let him deny them us if he dare.
Therefore the unspeakable multitude of his innumerable benefits do hinder and
darken the faith of the believers, much more of the ungodly.


That God doth purchase nothing but Unthankfulness with his Benefits.


God giveth sun and moon, said Luther, stars and elements, fire and water, air
and earth, and all creatures; body and soul, and all manner of maintenance, of
fruits, grain, corn, wine, and all that is profitable for the preserving of this
temporal life; and, moreover, he giveth unto us his all-saving Word, yea,
himself he giveth unto us.

But, said Luther, what getteth God thereby?  Truly nothing else than that he is
wickedly blasphemed; yea, that his only Son is pitifully scorned, contemned, and
hanged on the gallows; his servants plagued, banished, persecuted and slain.
This is the thanks that he hath for his Grace, for creating, for redeeming,
sanctifying, nourishing, and for preserving us: such a seed, fruit, and godly
child is the world.  Oh, woe be to it!


Of God's Power in our Weakness.


God, said Luther, placeth his highest office very wonderfully; he commits it to
preachers that are poor sinners and beggars, who do utter and teach it, and very
weakly do thereafter, or live according to the same.

Thus goeth it always with God's power in our weakness; for when he is weakest in
us, then is he strongest.


Howsoever God dealeth with us, it is always unacceptable.


How, said Luther, should God deal with us?  Good days we cannot bear, evil we
cannot endure.  Giveth he riches unto us?  then are we proud, so that no man can
live by us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon hands and shoulders, and will
be adored as gods.  Giveth he poverty unto us?  then are we dismayed, we are
impatient, and murmur against him.  Therefore nothing were better for us than
soon to be conveyed to the last dance, and covered with shovels.


Of the acknowledging of Nature.


Adam had no need of books, said Luther, for he had the Book of Nature; and all
the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, do cite much out of that
book; as, touching the sorrows of women bearing children, of the fellowship and
community of the members of man's body, as St. Paul relateth such parables, and
saith that one member cannot miss another: if the eyes did not see, whither then
would the feet go?  how would they stumble and fall?  If the hands did not
fasten and take hold, how then should we eat?  If the feet went not, where then
would the hands get anything?  Only the maw, that lazy drone, lies in the midst
of the body, and is fatted like a swine.  This parable, said Luther, teacheth us
that mankind should love one another; as also the Greeks' pictures do teach
concerning two men, the one lame and the other blind, who showed kindness the
one to the other, as much as in them lay.  The lame guided the blind in the way,
which else he neither knew nor saw, and the blind carried the lame, that else
could not go; so that they both were helped and came forward.


Of God's Goodness, if we could but trust unto him.


Once, towards evening, came flying into Luther's garden two birds, and made a
nest therein, but they were oftentimes scared away by those that passed by.
Then said Luther, O ye loving pretty birds!  fly not away; I am heartily well
contented with you, if ye could but trust unto me.  Even so it is with us: we
neither can trust in God, who, notwithstanding, showeth and wisheth us all
goodness.


That God made all Things for Mankind.


God's power is great, said Luther, who holdeth and nourisheth the whole world,
and maintaineth it; and it is a hard article where we say and acknowledge, "I
believe in God the Father." He hath created all things sufficiently for us.  All
the seas are our cellars, all woods are our huntings; the earth is full of
silver and gold, and of innumerable fruits, which are created all for our sakes,
and the earth is a corn-house and a larder for us, etc.


That God's creatures are used, or rather abused, for the most part by the
Ungodly.


The wicked and ungodly, said Luther, do enjoy and use the most part of God's
creatures; for the tyrants have the greatest power, lands, and people in the
world; the usurers have the money; the farmers have eggs, butter, corn, barley,
oats, apples, pears, etc.; but good and godly Christians must suffer, be
persecuted, must sit in dungeons where they can see neither sun nor moon, must
be thrust out into poverty, must be banished, and plagued, etc.  But certainly
it must be better one day; it cannot always so remain; let us have but patience,
and steadfastly remain by the pure doctrine, and, notwithstanding all this
misery, let us not fall away from the same.


That God, and not Money, preserves the World.


God only, said Luther, and not money and wealth, maintains and preserves the
world; for riches and much money do make proud and lazy people: as at Venice,
where the richest people are, a horrible dearth fell among them in our memory,
so that they were driven to call upon the Turks for help, who sent twenty-four
galleys laden with corn, all which, as they almost were arrived, went down into
the sea and sank before their eyes.

Therefore, said Luther, great wealth and money cannot still the hunger, but
rather occasioneth more dearth; for where rich people are, there it is always
dear, and things are at high rates.  Moreover, money maketh no man right merry,
but much more pensive and full of sorrow; for they are thorns which do prick
people, as Christ calls riches; yet is the world so mad that they will set
thereupon all their joy and felicity.


That God's corporeal Gifts are but little regarded.


One evening, Luther saw cattle going in the fields, in a pasture, and said:
Behold, there go our preachers, our milk-bearers, butter-bearers, cheese and
wool-bearers, which do daily preach unto us the faith towards God, that we
should trust in him, as in our loving Father; he careth for us, and will
maintain and nourish us.


That God nourisheth all the Beasts.


No man, said Luther, can account the great charges which God is at only in
maintaining the birds and such creatures, which in a manner are nothing or
little worth.  I am persuaded, said he, that it costeth God yearly more to
maintain only the sparrows than the yearly revenue of the French King amounteth
unto.  What then shall we say of all the rest of his creatures?


That God is skilful in all Manner of Trades.


God, said Luther, is skilful in all occupations and trades, in a most perfect
and excellent manner; for, like a skilful tailor, he makes such a coat for the
stag, which he wears nine hundred years together, and of itself it is not torn;
also, like a good shoemaker, he gives him shoes on his feet, that last longer
than the stag himself, etc.

God gives this world, with all his works, to those people who, as he knows
before, will anger, contemn, and blaspheme him.  What, then, may we think, will
he give to those that through faith are justified, and do know that they, so
justified, shall live and remain with him everlastingly?


That God will be praised in all Languages.


"All that hath breath, praise the Lord," saith the Psalm; thence it followeth
that in all and every language, speeches, and tongues we should preach and
praise the Lord.  Why then, said Luther, have the Pope and the Emperor forbidden
to sing and pray in the German tongue?


That God is willing we should make use of his Creatures.


Our loving Lord God is willing that we eat, drink, and be merry, and make use of
his creatures, for therefore he hath created them.  He will not have that we
should complain, as if he had not given sufficient, or that he could not
maintain our poor carcases; only that we do acknowledge him for our God, and
thank him for his gifts.


That God fills the Bellies of the Ungodly, but he gives the Kingdom of Heaven to
the Good and Godly.


We believe, said Luther, that God will give to us no better things than he
giveth to the rich ungodly wretches in this world, to whom he gives an overplus,
and the fill of good wine, money, wealth, power, honour, and all things that
they would have or can desire.  But the best wealth and treasure, which they do
not desire, he denies them, namely, himself.  But he that hath not God, let him
have else what he will, so is he, notwithstanding, more miserable than was
Lazarus, that lay at the rich man's gate and was starved to death.  But it will
go even so with them as it went with the glutton, that they everlastingly must
hunger and want, and shall not have in all their power so much as the least drop
of water, etc.

If, then, said Luther, the almighty and liberal God in such wise doth heap
blessings upon his worst enemies and blasphemers, with all manner of temporal
goods and wealth, and gives to some also kingdoms, principalities, etc., then
may we, that are his children, easily conceive what he will give unto us, who,
for his sake must suffer--yea, what he hath already given us.  He hath given
unto us his only-begotten Son, and with him hath bestowed all things upon us, so
that through him we are God's children, and also heirs of his celestial
treasure, and are co-heirs with Christ according to hope.


Court Cards.


God regards ungodly great Potentates, Kings, and Princes even as children regard
playing at cards.  While they play, and have good cards, they hold them in their
hands; then, afterwards, when they have bad cards, they are weary of them, and
throw them under the bench.  Just so doth God with great Potentates.  While they
are in the government, and rule well, he holds them for good; but so soon as
they do exceed, and govern ill, then he throws them down from their seat, as
Mary sings, and there he lets them lie.  Ut Regem Danioe.

The Queen of Denmark, that was sister to the Emperor Charles and King Ferdinand,
died at that time when her husband, King Christian, was taken prisoner, who was
kept in prison twenty years.  And his son, who was the only heir of the kingdom,
and was in the Court of the Emperor, died also at the Imperial Diet held at
Ratisbon the same year, 1541.  God hath taken up and gathered together a fine
and glorious game at cards, all of mighty Potentates, as Emperors, Kings,
Princes, etc.; they scuffle and fight one with another; touching which, said
Luther, I could show many examples done in our time, etc.

"The Pope," said Melancthon, "for the space of these certain hundred years, hath
been held for the principal Head of all Christendom.  When he did but wink or
hold up one finger, so must the Emperors, Kings, and Princes have humbled
themselves and feared; insomuch that he was Lord of all Lords, King of all Kings
on earth; yea, he was an earthly god.  But now comes Almighty God, throws down
the Pope, and wins that great king with the ace (Luther), and there he lies.
This is God's government, as Mary sings in her Magnificat: Deposuit potentes--He
puts down the mighty from their seat, etc.

"If I were rich," said Melancthon, "I would have artificially made me a game at
cards, and a chess-board all of gold and silver, in a remembrance of God's game
at cards, which are all great and mighty Emperors, Kings, and Princes, where he
always thrusteth one out through another.  N. is the four of diamonds, the Pope
is the six of diamonds, the Turk is the eight of diamonds, the Emperor is the
king in the game.

"At last comes our Lord God, divides the game, beats the Pope with Luther (he is
the ace).  But the Pope is not yet quite dead; Christ hath begun to slay him
with the spirit of his mouth, so that he is dead in the hearts of believing
Christians.  I hope it is almost come so far that, in less than two hundred
years, God will quite make an end of him, and of that antichristian idolatry, by
his glorious coming."


Whoso from his Heart can humble himself before God, he hath gained.


Whoso can earnestly humble himself from his heart before God, he hath gained.
For God can do nothing but to be merciful towards them that humble themselves.
For if God should always be stern and angry, so should I, said Luther, be afraid
of him as of the executioner.  And seeing that I must stand in fear of the Pope,
of the Emperor, of the Papistical Bishops, and of other tyrants, which are God's
enemies, to whom then should I fly and take my refuge, if I should also be
afraid of God?


That God preserves Nurture and Discipline.


God's works and actions will be where good nurture and discipline is maintained,
especially in wars, where a good government is settled; otherwise it goeth
strangely, dissolutely, and ill, as in this time we see too well.

When God will confound the wisdom of the wise, he makes them first mad and
furious in their proceedings, as he dealt with the Popish Princes and Bishops at
the Imperial Diet held at Augsburg.

Let the adversaries rage and swell their fills, said Luther, and as long as they
can.  God hath set the sea her bounds; he suffers the same to beat and rage with
her waves, as if they would over-run, cover, and drown everything; yet,
notwithstanding, they must not pass the shore and banks, although God keeps the
waters in their compass, not with iron, but with weak walls of sand.  This
discourse Luther held at that time when letters were written unto him from the
Assembly at Frankfort, concerning the Papists, with their practices and
exploits, intending to fall upon the Protestants in all parts.

The second Psalm, said Luther, is one of the best Psalms.  I love that Psalm
with my heart.  It strikes and slashes valiantly amongst the Kings, Princes,
Counsellors, Judges, etc.  If it be true what this Psalm saith, then are the
allegations of the Papists stark lies.  If I were as our Lord God, and had
committed the government to my son, as he hath done to his Son, and that these
angry gentlemen were so disobedient as they now are, I would, said Luther, throw
the world into a lump.

Mary, the poor child-maid of Nazareth, also combateth with these great Kings,
Princes, etc., as she sings, "He hath put down the mighty from their seat," etc.
No doubt, said Luther, she had an excellent undaunted voice.  I, for my part,
dare not sing so.  The tyrants say, "Let us break their bonds asunder." What
that is, said he, present experience teacheth us; for we see how they drown, how
they hang, burn, behead, strangle, banish, and torture; and all this they do in
despite of God.  "But he sits above in heaven, and laugheth them to scorn." If,
said Luther, God would be pleased to give me a little time and space, that I
might expound a couple of small Psalms, I would bestir myself so boldly that,
Samson-like, I would take all the Papists away with me.


By reason of our stiff-necked Hardness, God must be both harsh and good too.


I was, said Luther, very lately sharply reprimanded and taxed by a Popish
flattering Courtier, a Priest, because with such passion I had written, and so
vehemently had reproved the people.  But I answered him and said, "Our Lord God
must first send a sharp pouring shower, with thunder and lightning, and
afterwards cause it mildly to rain, as then it wetteth finely through.  In like
manner, a willow or a hazel wand I can easily cut with my trencher-knife, but
for a hard oak a man must have and use axes, bills, and such-like, and all
little enough to fell and to cleave it."


What that is, God is nothing, and yet he is all Things.


Plato, the Heathen, disputed of God, that God is nothing, and yet he is all
things; him followed Dr. Eck, and the Sophists, who understood nothing thereof,
as their words do show, which no man could understand.  But, said Luther, we
must understand and speak of it in this manner: God is incomprehensible and
invisible, therefore what may be seen and comprehended, that is not God.  And
thus a man may speak also in another manner and wise: As God is either visible
or invisible; visible he is in his Word and Works, but where his Word and Works
are not, there a man should not desire to have him, for he will be found nowhere
else than where he hath revealed himself.  But these and such-like will find and
take hold of him with their speculations, so that instead of God they take hold
of the devil, and find him, for he will be also a god.  But I do truly admonish
and warn every one that they abstain from such speculations, and not to flutter
too high, but remain by the manger, and by the swaddling-clothes wherein Christ
doth lie (in the Holy Scriptures), "in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily," as St. Paul saith (Col.  ii.).  There a man cannot fail of God,
but finds and hits upon him most certainly.  I would willingly that this rule
might be observed after my death, namely: Human comfort and Divine comfort are
of two sorts: human comfort consisteth in external visible help, which a man may
see, hold, and feel; but Divine comfort consisteth only in words and promises,
where there is neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling.


That Children are God's special Blessings and Creatures.


Dr. Jonas, inviting Luther to a dinner, had caused a bough, with ripe cherries,
to be hung up over the table where they dined, in remembrance of the creation,
thereby to put his guests in mind to praise the glorious God in his blessing and
creating such fruits, etc.  But Luther asked him why he did not rather remember
the same by his children that were the fruit of his body.  For, said he, they
surpass and are far more excelling creatures of God than all the fruits of
trees.  By them we see God's Power, Wisdom, and Art, who hath made them all out
of nothing, hath given them in one year life and all members, so exquisitely
hath created and will maintain and preserve them.  Yet, notwithstanding, we do
not much regard it; nay, we are in such gifts of God blind and covetous, as
commonly it falleth out that people when they have got children grow worse and
more covetous; they rake and rend all they can, to the end enough may be left
for their children.  They do not know that before a child comes to the world,
and is born, it hath its lot; and already is ordained and determined what and
how much it shall have, and what shall be thereout.  In the state of matrimony
we learn and find that begetting and bearing of children stands and consists not
in our wills and pleasures, for the parents can neither see nor know whether
they be fruitful or no, nor whether God will give them a son or a daughter.  All
this is done without our ordaining, thinking, or foreknowledge.  My father and
mother did not think that they should have brought a superintendent into the
world; it is only God's Creation which we cannot rightly understand nor
conceive.  I believe, said Luther, that in the life to come we shall have
nothing else to do than to meditate of our Creator, and of his celestial
creatures, and wonder at the same.


OF THE NATURE OF THE WORLD.


Of the World, and of the Manner thereof.


The world, said Luther, will neither have nor hold God for God, nor the devil
for the devil.  And if a man were left to himself, and should be suffered to do
after his own kind and nature, then would he willingly throw our Lord God out at
the window; for the world regards God nothing at all, as the Psalm saith, Dixit
impius in corde suo, non est Deus.  On the contrary, the god of the world is
riches, pleasure, and pride, wherewith they abuse all the creatures and gifts of
God.

The Monks and Friars, in times past, boasted much of their contemning of the
world, and they made use of that speech of St. Paul (Rom.  xii.), "Be not
conformed to this world;" from whence they would touch no money, as if it were
against God to make use of riches, money, and wealth; whereas St. Paul and the
whole Scriptures forbid but only the abuse of heart, wicked lust, desire, and
inclination; as there is ambition, incontinency, revenge, etc., which lusts do
hang on the world; yea, they altogether flow and flourish.


Of the Manner of People in Eating.


We have the nature and manner of all wild beasts in eating.  The wolves eat
sheep; we also.  The foxes eat hens, geese, etc.; we also.  The hawks and kites
eat fowl and birds; we also.  Pikes do eat other fish; we also.  With oxen,
horse, and kine, we also eat sallets, grass, etc.


The Unthankfulness of Husbandmen and Farmers.


The husbandmen and rich farmers, said Luther, are not worthy of so many benefits
and fruits which the earth doth bear and bring unto them.  I give more thanks to
our Lord God for one tree or bush than all rich farmers and husbandmen do for
their large and fruitful grounds.  Yet, said he, we must except some husbandmen,
as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Isaac, who went out to see their grounds, to the end
they might remember God's gifts in his creatures.  (Gen.  xxiv.)

The world will have night owls, said Luther, that is, sectaries, seducers, and
unbelievers, about whom the birds do fly; that is, the world wonders at them,
entertains them with great honour, and gives them money and wealth enough.


The Gospel discovereth the Wickedness of Mankind.


As the cold, said Luther, is always greater and more piercing in winter when the
days begin to lengthen, and when the sun draws near unto us, for that maketh the
cold thicker, and presseth it together: just so the wickedness of mankind is
greater, that is, more visible, and breaks out when the Gospel is preached; for
the Holy Ghost reproveth the world of sin, which the world neither can nor will
endure.


The World's Unthankfulness towards the Servants of God.


He must be of a high and great spirit that undertaketh to serve the people both
in body and soul, and nevertheless must suffer the utmost danger and highest
unthankfulness.  Therefore Christ said to Peter, Simon, etc., "Lovest thou me?"
and repeated it three times together.  Afterwards he said, "Feed my sheep," as
if he would say, "Wilt thou be an upright Minister and a Shepherd?  then love
must only do it; thy love to me must do the deed, otherwise it is impossible."
For who can endure unthankfulness?  to study away his wealth and health, and
afterwards to lay himself open to the highest danger and unthankfulness of the
wicked world?  Therefore he saith, "It is very needful that thou lovest me."

The Pope and Turk, said Luther, have thoroughly revenged our cause, and have
done to the world a great deal of right, as by scourging experience they have
thoroughly been taught, for so the world will have it.  Upright and true
servants of God they will not endure, nay, they murder them, therefore they must
have such fellows, yea, and moreover, they must maintain and hold them in great
honour and esteem, and yet nevertheless must by them be cursed and deceived.


The World must have stern and fierce Rulers.


The world, said Luther, cannot be without such stern Governors, by whom they
must be ruled.  King Ferdinand, with his Popish tyranny, is even a fine
liquorish bit for the world; therefore said God, through the Prophet Samuel, to
his people of Israel that prayed for a King, He would give them a King, but this
shall be his rule: "He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for
his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and will take your daughters to be cooks,"
etc.  As Ferdinand, the Prince Elector of Saxony, returned home from the
election of the Emperor Charles at Cologne, he asked me how I liked the news,
that they had elected Charles, King of Spain, to be Roman Emperor.  I answered
him and said, "The ravens must have a kite."


The World's highest Wisdom.


The highest wisdom of the world is, said Luther, to trouble themselves with
temporal, earthly, and vanishing things; and as it happeneth and falleth out
with those things, they say, "Non putaram" (I had not thought it).  For faith is
a certain and a sure expectation of that which a man hopeth for, and maketh no
doubt of that which he seeth not, as the Epistle to the Hebrews saith: Faith
looks to that which is to come, and not to that which is already present.
Therefore a true Christian doth not say, "Non putaram" (I had not thought it);
but he is most certain that the beloved Cross is near at hand, and will surely
come upon him; therefore he is not afraid when it goeth evil with him, and he is
tormented.  But the world, and those that live securely in the world, cannot
brook misfortunes; they go on continually leaping and dancing in pleasure and
delight, like the rich Glutton in the Gospel.  He could not spare the scraps to
poor Lazarus, but Lazarus belonged to Christ, and he took his part.


The Language and Doings of the World.


Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, had a physician attending on his person who was a
Protestant, and therefore the less in the Bishop's favour; the same, being
covetous and puffed up with ambition, recanted his religion and fell to Popery,
uttering these words: "I will, for awhile, set Christ behind the door, until I
be grown rich, and then I will take him to me again." Such and the like
blasphemous words do deserve the highest punishments, as befell that wicked
dissembling wretch, for the same night he was found in his bed in a most fearful
manner, with his tongue torn out of his mouth, as black as a coal, and his neck
wrung in twain.  Myself, said Luther, at that time coming from Frankfort to
Mentz, was an eye-witness of that just judgment of God.  If, said he, a man
could bring to pass, and at his pleasure could set God behind the door, and take
him again when he listed, then was God his prisoner.  They were words of a
damned Epicure, and so accordingly he was rewarded.


Luther's Comparison of the World.


The world seems to me like unto a decayed house.  David and the Prophets are the
spars; Christ is the main pillar in the midst that supporteth all.


The World seeketh Immortality with their Pride.


Whereas all people do feel and acknowledge, yea, do see, that they must die and
vanish away, every one therefore seeketh here on earth immortality, that he may
be had in everlasting remembrance.  Sometimes great Princes and Kings sought it
by causing great columns of marble stone and exceedingly high pyramids,
buildings, and pillars four square to be erected, as at this time they do with
building great churches, costly and glorious palaces and castles, etc.  Soldiers
do look and hunt after great praise and honour by overcoming and obtaining
famous victories.  The learned seek an everlasting name in writing books, as in
our time is to be seen.  With these and such-like, people do think to be
immortal.  But on the true, everlasting, and incorruptible honour and eternity
of God, no man thinketh nor looketh after the same.  Ah! we are poor, silly, and
miserable people!


What is to be considered in the executing of Offices.


If, said Luther, the great pains and labour which I take sprang not from love
and for the sake of him that died for me, the world could not give me money
enough to write only one book, or to translate the Bible.  I desire not to be
rewarded and paid of the world for my book; the world is too poor and simple to
give me satisfaction.  I have not desired the value of one penny of my master
the Prince Elector of Saxony, so long as I have been in this place.  The whole
world is nothing else but a turned-about Decalogus, or the Ten Commandments
backwards, a wizard, and a picture of the devil.  All contemners of God, all
blasphemers, all disobedient; whoredom, pride, theft, murder, etc., are now
almost ripe for the slaughter; neither is the devil idle, with Turk and Pope,
heresies and other erroneous sects.  Every man draws the Christian liberty only
to carnal excess, as if now they had free liberty and power to do what they
list; therefore the kingdom of the devil and Pope is the best government for the
world, for therewith they will be governed with strict laws and rights, with
superstition, unbelief, etc.

The world grows worse through the doctrine of God's Grace and preaching of the
Gospel; for when they hear that after this life there is another, they are well
enough content with this life, and that God should keep the other to himself; if
they may have here but only good days, honour, and wealth, that is all they care
for or desire.

At the time of my being in Rome, said Luther, there died a Cardinal very rich,
and left behind him great store of money; shortly before his death he made his
will, and laid it in a chest where the money was.  After his death the chest was
opened, and therein, by the money, was found lying a bull, written on parchment,
with these words:

Dum potui, rapui; rapiatis, quando potestis.

(I extorted and oppressed as long as I was able; while ye have power, get what
you can.)


Oh! said Luther, how finely, think you, must this Cardinal have departed and
died?


The World is full of Dissemblers and Blasphemers: How many Sorts there be.


Luther discoursing, in the presence of the Prince Elector of Saxony and other
Princes, of the many sorts and differences of wicked persons, said: Colax,
Sycophanta, Cacoethes; these sins and blasphemies are almost alike the one to
the other, only that they go one after another, as a man going up the stairs and
steps ascends from one to another.

Colax, in my opinion, is he that in Terence they name Gnatho, an ear-scratcher,
a dissembler, a trencher-licker, one that talketh for his belly's sake, and is
altogether a man-pleaser.  This is a sin of mankind, whose intent is to get all
they can though others are hurt thereby.

Sycophanta is such a dissembler, traitor, and backbiter that would earn a grey
coat.  This sin is nearer allied to the devil than to mankind.  Gnatho acts his
part in the comedies, but Sycophanta in the tragedies.  Phormio, in Terence, is
a very honest person, nothing, or very little, stained with the other two vices.

Cacoethes is a wicked villain, that wittingly and wilfully prepareth mischief.


Of the Wealth and Treasure of the World.


The Fuggars [97] of Augsburg, on a sudden, said Luther, are able to levy one
hundred tons of gold (one ton of gold is one hundred thousand rix dollars,
making, in English money, two-and-twenty thousand pounds sterling, and more),
which neither the Emperor nor King of Spain is able to perform.  One of the
Fuggars, after his death, left eighty tons of gold.  The Fuggars and the
money-changers in Augsburg lent the Emperor at one time eight-and-twenty tons of
gold for the maintaining of his wars before Padua.

The Cardinal of Brixen, who died at Rome very rich, left no great sum of ready
money behind him, but only there was found in his sleeve a little note of a
finger's length.  This note was brought to Pope Julius, who presently imagined
it was a note of money, and therefore sent for the Fuggars' factor that was then
at Rome, and asked him if he knew that writing.  The factor said, "Yea, it was
the debt which the Fuggars did owe to that Cardinal, which was the sum of forty
hundred thousand rix dollars." The Pope asked him how soon he could pay that sum
of money.  He answered and said, "Every day, or, if need required, at an hour's
warning." Then the Pope called for the Ambassadors of France and England, and
asked them if either of their Kings, in one hour's space, were able to satisfy
and pay forty tons of gold.  They answered, "No." "Then," said the Pope, "one
citizen of Augsburg can do it." And the Pope got all that money.  One of the
Fuggars being warned by the Senate of Augsburg to bring in and to pay his
taxation, said, "I know not how much I have, nor how rich I am, therefore I
cannot be taxed;" for he had his money out in the whole world--in Turkey, in
Greece, at Alexandria, in France, Portugal, England, Poland, and everywhere, yet
he was willing to pay his tax of that which he had in Augsburg.


Covetousness is a Sign of Death; we must not rely on Money and Wealth.


Whoso hath money, said Luther, and depends thereon, as is usual, it neither
proceeds nor prospers well with that person.  The richest monarchs have had bad
fortune, and lamentably have been destroyed and slain in the wars; on the
contrary, poor and unable people, that have had but small store of money, have
overcome and had great fortune and victory.  As Emperor Maximilian overcame the
Venetians, and continued wars ten years with them, who were exceedingly rich and
powerful.  Therefore we ought not to trust in money and wealth, nor to depend
thereon.  I hear, said Luther, that the Prince Elector, George, begins to be
covetous, which is a sign of his death very shortly.  When I saw Dr. Goad begin
to count his puddings hanging in the chimney, I told him he would not live long,
which fell out accordingly; and when I begin to trouble myself about brewing,
malting, and cooking, etc., then shall not I drive it long, but soon die.


The Popes' Covetousness.


The covetousness of the Popes has exceeded all others', therefore, said Luther,
the devil made choice of Rome to be his habitation; for which cause the ancients
have said, "Rome is a den of covetousness, a root of all wickedness." I have
also read in a very old book this verse following:


Versus Amor, Mundi Caput est, et Bestia Terrae.


That is (when the word Amor is turned and read backward, then it is Roma), Rome,
the head of the world, a beast that sucketh out and devoureth all lands.  Truly
at Rome is an abominable trading with covetousness, for all is raked to their
hands without preaching or church-service, but only with superstition, idolatry,
and with selling their good works to the poor ignorant lay-people for money;
therefore St. Peter describeth such covetousness with express and clear words
when he saith, "They have an heart exercised with covetous practices." I am
persuaded a man cannot acknowledge the disease of covetousness unless he knoweth
Rome; for the deceits and jugglings in other parts are nothing in comparison of
those at Rome; therefore, anno 1521, at the Imperial Diet held at Worms, the
State of the whole Empire made supplication against such covetousness, and
desired that his Imperial Majesty would be pleased to suppress the same.

At that time, said Luther, my book was presented to the German nobility, which
Dr. Wick showed unto me.  Then the Gospel began to go on well, but the Pope's
power, together with the Antinomians, gave it a great blow, and yet,
notwithstanding, through God's Providence, it was thereby furthered.

The Pope's power was above all Kings and Emperors, which power I opposed with my
little book; and therewith also I assaulted the Bull on the Pope, and, by God's
assistance, overthrew it.  I did not write that book on purpose against the
Pope, but only against the abuses of Popedom; yet nevertheless it startled them
quickly, for their consciences accused them.


Princes do draw and tear Spiritual Livings unto them.


The proverb is, said Luther, "Priests' livings are catching livings," and that
"Priests' goods never prosper." This we know to be true by experience, for such
as have drawn spiritual livings unto them are grown poor thereby, and become
beggars, therefore this Fable I like very well:

There was an Eagle that made amity and friendship with the Fox; they agreed to
dwell peaceably together.  Now when the Fox expected from the Eagle all manner
of good offices and turns, he brought his young ones and laid them under the
tree on which the Eagle had his nest and young ones; but the friendship between
them lasted not long, for so soon as the Eagle wanted meat for his young (the
Fox being out of the way), he flew down and took the young Foxes and carried
them into his nest, and therewith fed his young Eagles.  When, therefore, the
old Fox returned, and saw that his young were taken away, he made his complaint
to the great god Jupiter, desiring that he would revenge and punish that injury
of Jus violati hospitii.  Not long after, as the Eagle again wanted meat to feed
his young, he saw that on a place in the field they sacrificed to Jupiter.  The
Eagle flew thither, and quickly snatched away a piece of roast from the altar
and brought the same to his young, and flew again to fetch more; but it happened
that a hot coal hung to one of the pieces; the same, falling into the Eagle's
nest, set it on fire; the young Eagles, not able to fly, were burned with the
nest and fell to the ground.  Even so it usually fareth with those that rake and
rend spiritual livings unto them, which are given to the maintaining of God's
honour and service; such at last must lose their nests, that is, they must be
left destitute of their temporal goods and livings, and besides, must sustain
hurt of body and soul.  Spiritual livings have in them the nature of Eagle's
feathers, for when they are laid to other feathers they devour the same.  Even
so, when men will mingle spiritual livings (per fas aut nefas) with other goods,
so must the same likewise be consumed, insomuch that at last nothing will be
left.

I have seen a pretty dog, at Lintz, in Austria that was taught to go with a
hand-basket to the butcher's shambles for meat; now, when other dogs came about
him, and would take the meat out of the basket, he set it down, bit and fought
lustily with the other dogs; but when he saw they would be too strong for him,
then he himself would snatch out the first piece of meat, lest he should lose
all.  Even so doth now our Emperor Charles, who, after he hath a long time
defended the spiritual livings, and seeth that every Prince taketh and raketh
the monasteries unto himself, doth also now take possession of bishoprics, as
newly he hath snatched to himself the bishoprics of Utrich and Luttich, to the
end he may get also partem de tunica Christi.


A fearful Example of Covetousness.


A covetous farmer, well known at Erfurt, said Luther, carried his corn to sell
there in the market; but holding it at too dear a rate, no man would buy of him
nor give him his price; he being thereby moved to anger, said, "I will not sell
it cheaper, but will rather carry it home again and give it to the mice." As he
came home therewith, an innumerable number of mice and rats flocked about his
house and devoured up all his corn.  And the next day following, going out to
see his grounds, which were newly sown, he found that all the seed was eaten up,
and no hurt at all done upon the grounds belonging to his neighbours.  This
certainly, said Luther, was a just punishment from God, and a token of his wrath
against the unthankful world.


Wealth is the least Gift of God.


Riches, said Luther, is the smallest thing on earth, and the least gift that God
hath bestowed on mankind.  What is it in comparison of God's Word?  yea, what is
it to be compared with corporeal gifts, as beauty, health, etc.?  nay, what is
it to the gifts of the mind, as understanding, art, wisdom, etc.?  Yet are men
so eager after it that no labour, travel, nor danger is regarded in the getting
of riches; there is in it neither Materialis, formalis, efficiens et finalis
causa, nor anything else that is good; therefore our Lord God commonly giveth
riches to such from whom he withholds all Spiritual good.


Giving to the Poor that truly stand in need of our Help.


St. John saith, "He that hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love
of God in him?" And Christ saith, "He that desireth of thee, give to him;" that
is, to him that hath need and is in want.  He saith not to every idle, lazy, and
wasteful companion, which commonly are the greatest beggars, to whom although
one gave much and often, yet were they nothing helped thereby.  In this town,
said Luther, no men are in greater want than the students and scholars.  The
poverty here indeed is great, but idleness and laziness are far greater.  A man
can scarcely get a poor body to work for money, and yet they will all beg.
There is, said he, no good government.  Though I were able, yet I would not give
to those idle beggars, for the more one helpeth and giveth them, the more and
oftener they come.  I will not cut my bread away from my wife and children, and
give it to such; but when one is truly poor, to him I will give with all my
heart, according to my ability.  And no man should forget that Scripture which
saith, "He that hath two coats, let him part with one," etc.; for the Holy
Scripture, in naming a coat, meaneth all manner of apparel that one hath need
of, according to his state and calling, as well for credit as for necessity.
As, also, by "the daily bread" is understood all maintenance necessary for the
body, therefore "a coat," in Scripture, is signified to be all usual apparel.


The World will always have new Things.


Before I translated the New Testament out of the Greek, said Luther, every one
longed after it, to read therein, but when it was done their longing lasted
scarce four weeks.  Then they desired the Books of Moses; when I had translated
those, they had enough thereof in a short time.  After that they would have the
Psalter; of the same they were soon weary; when it was translated, then they
desired other books.

In like manner, said he, will it be with the Book of Ecclesiasticus, which they
now long for, and about which I have taken great pains in the translating
thereof.  All are acceptable, so long and until our giddy brains be satisfied;
afterwards they let them lie, and seek after new things; therefore in the end
there must come errors among us.


OF THE LORD CHRIST.


That Christ warreth with great Potentates.


On the 18th of August, 1535, Luther, receiving letters from Frankfort relating
to the great preparations of the Emperor against the Protestants, said: Our
Saviour Christ will not wage wars with beggars, but with great and powerful
Kings and Princes, as it is written, "Kings of the earth stand up, and the
rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed." Well,
on, said Luther, they will find their counsels altogether vain and frivolous,
for Christ shall win the field.  We see also how the Prophets contended and
strove with Kings, as the Kings of Babel and Assyria, etc.  In like manner
Daniel, one of the chief Prophets, wrestled and strove with Kings, and they
again resisted the Prophets.  All those Kings are gone, and lie in the ashes,
but Christ remaineth, still, and will remain a King for ever.


That it doth not follow because Christ did this and that, therefore we must also
do the same.


At this time, said Luther, there are those that allege Christ by force drove the
buyers and sellers out of the temple; therefore we also may use the like power
against the Popish bishops and enemies of God's Word, as Muntzer and other
seducers, in the time of the common rebellion, anno 1525.  Christ did many
things which we neither may nor can do after him.  He went upon the water, he
fasted forty days and forty nights, he raised Lazarus from death after he had
lain four days in the grave, etc.  Such and the like must we leave undone.  Much
less will Christ have that we by force should set against the enemies of the
truth, but he commanded the contrary, "Love your enemies, pray for them that vex
and persecute you," etc.  But we ought to follow him in such works where he hath
annexed an open command, as, "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful;"
likewise, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in
heart," etc., also, "He that will follow me, let him deny himself, take up his
cross and follow me."


That the weak in Faith do also belong to the Kingdom of Christ.


The weak in faith, said Luther, do also belong to the kingdom of Christ,
otherwise the Lord would not have said to Peter, "Strengthen thy brethren," Luke
xxii.; and Rom.  xiv., "Receive the weak in faith;" also 1 Thess.  v., "Comfort
the feeble-minded, support the weak." If the weak in faith should not belong to
Christ, where then would the Apostles have been, whom the Lord oftentimes (also
after his resurrection, Mark xvi.) reproved because of their unbelief?


That Christ is the only Physician against Death, whom notwithstanding very few
do desire.


A cup of water, said Luther, if a man can have no better, is good to quench the
thirst.  A morsel of bread stilleth the hunger, and he that hath need seeketh
earnestly thereafter.  So Christ is the best, surest, and only physic against
the most fearful enemy of mankind, the devil, but they believe it not with their
hearts.  If they knew a physician who lived above one hundred miles off, that
could prevent or drive away temporal death, oh, how diligently would he be sent
for!  No money nor cost would be spared.  Hence it appears how abominably human
nature is spoiled and blinded; yet, notwithstanding, the small and little heap
do stick fast to the true Physician, and by this art do learn that which the
holy old Simeon well knew, from whence he joyfully sang, "Lord, now lettest thou
thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation," etc.,
therefore death became his sleep; but from whence came his great joy?  Because
that with spiritual and corporeal eyes he saw the Saviour of the world--he saw
the true Physician against sin and death.  Therefore it is a great trouble to
behold how desirous a thirsty body is of drink, or one that is hungry of food,
whereas a cup of water, a morsel of bread, can still hunger and thirst no longer
than two or three hours, but no man, or very few, are desirous, or do long after
the most precious Physician, although he lovingly calleth and allureth all to
come unto him, and saith, "He that is athirst, let him come to me and drink"
(John vii.); so, "He that believeth in me, from his body shall flow streams of
living water."


Of the Temple of all the Gods (except Christ), at Rome, called Pantheon.


In the year 606, Emperor Phocas, the murderer of that good and godly Emperor
Mauritius, and the first erector of the Pope's primacy, gave this temple
Pantheon to Pope Boniface the Third, to make thereof what he pleased.  He gave
it another name, and instead of All-Idols he named it the Church of All-Saints;
he did not number Christ among them, from whom all saints have their sanctity,
but erected a new idolatry, the Invocation of Saints.

In my chronicle, said Luther, I expound the name of Bonifacius thus: Bonifacius
is a Popish name, that is, a good form, fashion, or show, for under the colour
of a good form and show he acted all manner of mischief against God and man.

As I was at Rome, said Luther, I saw this church; it had no windows, but only a
round hole on the top, which gave some light.  It was vaulted high, and had
pillars of marble stone so thick that two of us could scarcely fathom one about.
Above, on the vault, were portrayed all the gods of the heathen, Jupiter,
Neptune, Mars, Venus, and how else they are called.  These gods were at a union,
to the end they might fool and deceive the whole world; but Christ they cannot
endure, for he hath whipped them out.  Now are the Popes come, and have driven
Christ away again; but who knoweth how long it will continue?


That the World knoweth not Christ, nor those that are his.


Even as Christ is now invisible and unknown to the world, so are we Christians
also invisible and unknown therein.  "Your life," saith St. Paul (Coloss.
iii.), "is hid with Christ in God." Therefore, said Luther, the world knoweth us
not, much less do they see Christ in us.  And John the Apostle saith, "Behold,
what love the Father hath showed unto us, that we shall be called God's
children" (1 John iii).  Therefore we and the world are easily parted; they care
nothing for us, so we care less for them; yea, through Christ the world is
crucified unto us, and we to the world.  Let them go with their wealth, and
leave us to our minds and manners.

When we have our sweet and loving Saviour Christ, then we are rich and happy
more than enough, we care nothing for their state, honour, and wealth.  But we
often lose our Saviour Christ, and little think that he is in us, and we in him;
that he is ours, and we are his.  And although he hideth himself from us, as we
think, in the time of need for a moment, yet are we comforted in his promise,
where he saith, "I am daily with you to the world's end;" the same is our best
and richest treasure.


Of the Name Jesus Christ.


I know nothing of Jesus Christ, said Luther, but only his name; I neither have
heard nor seen him corporeally; yet notwithstanding I have, God be praised,
learned so much out of the Scriptures that I am well and thoroughly satisfied;
therefore, I desire neither to see nor to hear him corporeally.  And besides
this, when I was left and forsaken of all men, in my highest weakness, in
trembling and in fear of death, when I was persecuted of the wicked world, then
I oftentimes felt most evidently the divine power which this name (Christ Jesus)
communicated unto me; this name (Christ Jesus) oftentimes delivered me when I
was in the midst of death, and made me alive again.  It comforted me in the
greatest despair, and particularly at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, anno
1530, when I was forsaken of every man; insomuch that, by God's grace, I will
live and die for that name.

And rather than I will yield, or through silence endure that Erasmus
Roterodamus, or any other whosoever he be, should too nearly touch my Lord and
Saviour Christ Jesus with his ungodly false doctrine, how fairly coloured soever
it be trimmed or garnished, I say I will rather die; yea, it should be more
tolerable for me, with wife and children, to undergo all plagues and torments,
and at last to die the most shameful death, than that I should give way
thereunto.


That Christ and the Pope are set on, the one against the other.


I, said Luther, have set Christ and the Pope together by the ears, therefore I
trouble myself no further; and although I come between the door and the hinges
and be squeezed, it is no matter, though I go to the ground; yet notwithstanding
Christ will go through with it.


Of the Pre-eminence of God's Word.


Christ once appeared visible here on earth, and showed his glory, and, according
to the divine counsel and purpose of God, he finished the work of redemption and
the deliverance of mankind.  I do not desire that he should come once more,
neither would I that he should send an angel unto me; and although an angel
should come and appear before mine eyes from heaven, yet would I not believe
him; for I have of my Saviour Christ Jesus bond and seal; that is, I have his
Word and Spirit; thereon I do depend, and desire no new revelations.  And, said
Luther, the more steadfastly to confirm me in the same resolution, and to remain
by God's Word, and not to give credit to any visions or revelations, I shall
relate the following circumstance:--I being on Good Friday last in my inner
chamber, in fervent prayer, contemplating with myself how Christ my Saviour hung
on the Cross, how he suffered and died for our sins, there suddenly appeared
upon the wall a bright shining vision, and a glorious form of our Saviour
Christ, with the five wounds, steadfastly looking upon me, as if it had been
Christ himself corporeally.  Now, at the first sight, I thought it had been some
good Revelation: yet I recollected that surely it must needs be the juggling of
the devil, for Christ appeareth unto us in his word, and in a meaner and more
humble form; therefore I spake to the vision in this manner: "Avoid, thou
confounded devil; I know no other Christ than he who was crucified, and who in
his Word is pictured unto me." Whereupon the image vanished.


That Christ is the Health and Wisdom of the Faithful.


Alas!  said Luther, what is our wit and wisdom?  for before we understand
anything as we ought, we lie down and die; therefore the devil hath good
striving with us.  When one is thirty years old, so hath he as yet Stultitias
carnales; yea, also Stultitias spirituales; yet it is much to be admired that,
in such our imbecility and weakness, we achieve and accomplish so much and such
great matters; but it is God that giveth it.  God gave to Alexander the Great,
Sapientiam et fortunam, Wisdom and good success; yet, notwithstanding, he
calleth him, in the Prophet Jeremiah, Juvenem, a youth, where he saith, "Quis
excitabit juvenem" (A young raw milksop boy shall perform it: he shall come and
turn the city Tyrus upside-down).  But yet Alexander could not leave off his
foolishness, for oftentimes he swilled himself drunk, and in his drunkenness he
stabbed his best and worthiest friends; yea, afterwards he drank himself to
death at Babel.  Neither was Solomon above twenty years old when he was made
King, but he was well instructed by Nathan, and desired wisdom, which was
pleasing to God, as the text saith.  But now chests full of money are desired.
"Oh!" say we now, "if I had but money, then I would do so-and-so."


OF SINS AND OF FREE-WILL.


Of the Fall of the Ungodly, and how they are surprised in their Ungodliness and
False Doctrine.


Our Lord God, said Luther, suffereth the ungodly to be surprised and taken
captive in very slight and small things, when they think not of it, when they
are most secure, and live in delight and pleasure, in springing and leaping for
joy.  In such a manner was the Pope surprised by me, in and about his
indulgences and pardons, which was altogether a slight thing.  The Venetians,
likewise, were taken napping by Emperor Maximilian.

That which falleth in Heaven is devilish, but that which stumbleth on earth is
human.


Of the Acknowledgment of Sins.


It can be hurtful to none, said Luther, to acknowledge and confess their sins.
Have we done this or that sin, what then?  Let us freely in God's name
acknowledge the same, and not deny it; let us not be ashamed to confess, but let
us from our hearts say, "O Lord God!  I am such-and-such a sinner," etc.

And although thou hadst not committed this or that sin, yet nevertheless thou
art an ungodly creature; and if thou hast not done that sin which another hath
done, so hath he not committed that sin which thou hast done; therefore cry
quittance one with another.  It is even as one said that had young wolves to
sell; he was asked which of them was the best.  He answered and said, "If one be
good, then they are all good; they are like one another." If, said Luther, thou
hast been a murderer, an adulterer, or a drunkard, etc., so have I been a
blasphemer of God, because for the space of fifteen years together I was a
Friar, and have blasphemed God with celebrating that abominable idol the Mass.
It had been better for me that I had been a partaker of other great wickednesses
instead of the same; but what is done cannot be undone; he that hath stolen, let
him henceforward steal no more.


What our Free-will doth effect.


I, said Luther, oftentimes have been directly resolved to live uprightly, and to
lead a true godly life, and to set everything aside that would let or hinder;
but it was far from being put in execution, even as it was with Peter, when he
swore he would lay down his life for Christ.

I will not lie nor dissemble before my God, but will freely confess I am not
able to effect that good which I do intend, but must expect the happy hour when
God shall be pleased to meet me with his grace.


OF THE CATECHISM.


Of the Virtues and Vices concerning the Ten Commandments.


The Decalogus, that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a looking-glass, and a
brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we ought to behave towards God
and also towards our neighbour, that is, towards all mankind.

There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor compendious
book of virtues.

The duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and to
trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life, contemning of God,
hatred, despair, etc.

The duty of the Third Commandment is to acknowledge and to preach the doctrine
of God's Word; the contrary is blaspheming of God, to be silent and not to
confess the truth when need requireth.

The duty of the Fourth Commandment is the external service of God, as the
preaching of God's Word, hearing, reading, and meditating on the same, to the
end we may make proof of our faith; the contrary is the despising of God's Word
and the outward service of God, as the Holy Sacraments.

The duty of the Fifth Commandment is obedience towards parents, tutors, and
magistrates in those things which are not against God; the contrary is
disobedience and rebellion.

The duty of the Sixth Commandment is meekness, not to be desirous of revenge,
not to bear malice; against this is tyranny, rage, hatred, envy, etc.

The duty of the Seventh Commandment is continency and chastity; against the same
is lasciviousness, immodest behaviour, adultery, etc.

The duty of the Eighth Commandment is to do good, to give and lend willingly, to
be liberal; the contrary is covetousness, stealing, usury, fraud, and to wrong
in trading and dealing.

The duty of the Ninth Commandment is to love the truth, not to backbite and
slander, to speak well of all men; the contrary is lying, backbiting, and to
speak evil of another.

The duty of the Tenth Commandment is righteousness, to let every one possess his
own; the contrary is to be miserable and unjust.

The duty of this Commandment is to be without all covetous desires in the heart,
to be content with that which one hath; against that are the lustings of the
heart.  St. Paul saith the end of the Commandment is charity, out of a pure
heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.


BRIEF SENTENCES OF THE CATECHISM, ACCORDING AS LUTHER USED TO TEACH AND INSTRUCT
HIS FAMILY AT HOME.


Of the Ten Commandments of God.


As the Faith is, so is also God.

God stayeth not quite away, though he stayeth long.

Despair maketh Priests and Friars.

God careth and provideth for us, but we must labour.

God will have the heart only and alone.

Idolatry is the imagination of the heart.

God giveth by creatures.

God's Word placeth before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what a fine
spark it is.

God's Word is our sanctification, and maketh everything happy.

Works of obedience must highly be regarded.

All that govern are called Fathers.

Shepherds of Souls are worthy of double honour.

Magistrates belong not to the fifth Commandment.

Wrath is forbidden in every man, except in the magistrates.

All occasions of death are forbidden.

Matrimony proceedeth freely in every state and calling.

Matrimony is necessary and commanded.

Matrimony forbidden and disallowed is against God's command.

Matrimony is a blessed state, and pleasing to God.

To steal is what one taketh unjustly.

Unfaithfulness is also stealing.

Thieving is the most common trade in the world.

Great thieves go scot-free, as the Pope and his crew.

Falseness and covetousness prosper not.

Backbiting is meddling with God's judgment.

Censuring, and to speak evil behind one's back, belongeth only to the
magistrates.

We must censure and reprove no man behind his back.

We must judge charitably in everything.

There are no good works without the Ten Commandments.

To fear God, and to trust in him, is the fulfilling of all the Commandments.

The first Commandment driveth on all the rest.


Of the Creed.


The Creed teacheth to know God, and what a God we have.

In all cases we must make use of faith.

God giveth himself unto us with all creatures.

We must always drive on the article of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Ghost bringeth Christ home unto us; he must reveal him.

Where the Holy Ghost preacheth not, there is no Church.

The works of the Holy Ghost are wrought continually.


Of the Lord's Prayer.


To pray is to call upon God in all need, which is made precious through God's
command, and necessity stirreth up earnest and devout prayers, which are our
weapons against the devil.

The devil, the world, and our flesh is against God's Will.

The devil hindereth and destroyeth the daily bread and all the gifts of God.

God careth for our bodies daily.

No man can live in the world without sin.

No man can bring his own righteousness before God.

We must forgive, as God forgiveth us.

To forgive our neighbour, assureth us fully that God hath forgiven us.

We are tempted three manner of ways--of the devil, of the world, and of our
flesh.

Temptations serve against the secureness of our flesh.

Temptations are not overcome through our own strength.

The devil would hinder all that we pray for.

The devil goeth about to bring us into all manner of need.


Of Baptism.


Faith is annexed to Baptism.

Faith must have before it some external thing.

Faith maketh the person worthy.

Baptism is not our work, but God's.

Baptism is right, although no man believeth.

No man must build upon his faith.

Unbelief weakeneth not God's Word.


Of the Lord's Supper.


The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is of God's ordaining.

The Word maketh a Sacrament.

Christ in the Sacrament is spiritual food for the soul.

Remission of sins is obtained only through the Word.

Faith receiveth the forgiveness of sins.

The Sacrament consisteth not in our worthiness.

Faith and human understanding are one against another.

Faith dependeth on the Word.

As we hold of Christ, even so we have him.

Faith is a Christian's treasure.

The Gospel is the power of God.


Good Works.


Good works are nameless.

A Christian's work standeth for the good of the neighbour.

Faith in Christ destroyeth sin.

The Holy Scriptures only give comfort, they forbid not good works.

Christ is a general good.

Christians do pray for and desire the last Day of Judgment.

The Church heareth none but Christ.

Christ is of a mean estate and small repute.

In adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good spirits.

Our whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in him.

Faith maketh us Christ's heritage.

We should aim at celestial honour, and not regard the contemning of men.

Christ spareth us out of mere grace through the Word.

The Gospel is altogether joyful.

Grace condemneth all people's own righteousness.

Salvation is purchased and given unto us without our deserts.

Regeneration is the work only of the Holy Ghost.

Human reason cannot comprehend nor understand the goodness and benefits of God.

Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must have a
seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works.

Faith hath regard to the Word, and not to the Preacher.

The Preacher and the Word are two Persons.

This natural life is a little piece of the life everlasting.

Own imaginations and conceits spoil all things.

The Gospel cometh of God, it showeth Christ, and requireth Faith.

The Gospel is a light in the world, which lighteneth mankind, and maketh
children of God.

False Preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.

Righteousness is obtained through faith, and not through works.  Works make
faith strong.

A Preacher is made good through temptations.

A Prince is venison in heaven.

A person must be good before his works can be good.

We must not be dejected, but believe and pray.

No State or Calling is of any value to make one good before God.

Faith endureth no human traditions in the conscience.

The Saints oftentimes erred like men.

We must distinguish offices from the persons.

We hate punishment, but we love sin.

God preserveth the sanctified, yea, even in the midst of errors.

No great Saint lived without errors.

A Christian's life consisteth of three points--of faith, love, and the cross.

We command a Christian in nothing, he is only admonished.

We must curb ourselves in our own wills and minds.

All revenge among Christians is taken away; they must grow up and increase in
the fruits of the spirit, among which love is the greatest, for she goeth about
with the people.

Human reason comprehendeth not, nor understandeth that Christ is our brother.

Christ is given unto us that believe with all his benefits and works.

Christ cometh unto us by preaching, so that he is in the midst of us.

Without the Cross we cannot attain to glory.

The Gospel cannot be truly preached without offence and tumult.

The Holy Ghost maketh one not instantly complete, but he must grow and increase.

We lose nothing by the Gospel, therefore we should venture thereupon all we
have.

To believe the Gospel, delivereth from sins.

Works belong to the neighbour, faith to God.

Those that censure and judge others, condemn themselves.

Such as is the Faith, such is also the benefit.

To doubt is sin and everlasting death.

We know Christ when he himself is a schoolmaster in our hearts, and breaketh
bread unto us.

God's Word kindleth Faith in the heart.

Faith is to build certainly on God's mercy.

Christ requireth no seeming godliness, no hypocrisy nor dissembling, but the
godliness of the heart.

We are saved merely by grace and mercy, if we trust thereupon, but God must
alter our hearts.

The Law is nothing but a looking-glass.

Christ carrieth us upon his back before his Father.

Love regardeth not unthankfulness.


OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.


That we ought to beware of Sophistry.


If, said Luther, we diligently mark the world and the course thereof, we shall
find that it is governed merely by weenings or conceits, Mundus regitur
opinionibus.  Therefore sophistry, hypocrisy, and tyranny do rule and have the
government in the world.

The upright, pure, and clear Divine Word must be their handmaid, and be by them
controlled; this the world will have.  Therefore let us beware of sophistry,
which consisteth not only in a double tongue, in doubtful and screwed words,
which may be construed any way, but also it blossometh, and flourisheth in all
arts and vocations; it will likewise have room and place in religion; it hath
usurped and got a fine painted colour, under the name of holy writ.

Nothing is more pernicious or hurtful than Sophistry; every one knoweth it not;
moreover, we are by nature prone and willing to believe lies rather than the
truth.  Few people do know what an evil sophistry is.  Plato, the Heathen
writer, made thereof a wonderful definition.  For my part, said Luther, I
compare it with a lie, which is like to a snowball, the longer it is rolled the
greater it becomes.

Therefore I do not approve of such persons as do pervert everything, do
under-value and find fault with other men's opinions, although they be good and
sound; I like not such brains which can dispute on both sides, and yet conclude
nothing certain.  Such sophistications, said Luther, are nothing but crafty and
subtle inventions and contrivances to cozen and deceive people.

But I like and love an honest and a well-affected mind, that seeketh after truth
simply and plainly, not to go about with phantasies and cheating tricks.


Whether we should preach only of God's Grace and Mercy, or not.


Philip Melancthon demanded of Luther whether the opinion of Calixtus were to be
approved of, namely, that the Gospel of God's Grace ought to be continually
preached.  For thereby, doubtless, said Melancthon, people would grow worse and
worse.  Luther answered him and said: We must preach Gratiam, notwithstanding,
because Christ hath commanded it.  And although we long and often preach of
grace, yet when people are at the point of death they know but little thereof.
Nevertheless we must also drive on with the Ten Commandments in due time and
place.

The ungodly, said Luther, out of the Gospel do suck only a carnal freedom, and
become worse thereby; therefore not the Gospel, but the Law belongeth to them.
Even as when my little son John offendeth: if then I should not whip him, but
call him to the table unto me, and give him sugar and plums, thereby, indeed, I
should make him worse, yea, should quite spoil him.

The Gospel is like a fresh, mild, and cool air in the extreme heat of summer,
that is, a solace and comfort in the anguish of the conscience.  But as this
heat proceedeth from the rays of the sun, so likewise the terrifying of the
conscience must proceed from the preaching of the Law, to the end we may know
that we have offended against the Laws of God.

Now, said Luther, when the mind is refreshed and quickened again by the cool air
of the Gospel, then we must not be idle, lie down and sleep; that is, when our
consciences are settled in peace, quieted and comforted through God's spirit,
then we must show also and prove our faith by such good works which God hath
commanded.  But so long as we live in this vale of misery, we shall be plagued
and vexed with flies, with beetles, and with vermin, etc., that is, with the
devil, with the world, and with our own flesh; yet we must press through, and
not suffer ourselves to recoil.


Against the Opposers of the Law.


I do much condemn, said Luther, the Antinomians, who, void of all shame, reject
the doctrine of the Law, whereas the same is both necessary and profitable.  But
they see not the effect, the need, and the fruit thereof.  St. Austin did
picture the strength, the office and operation of the Law, by a very fit
similitude, namely, that it discovereth our sins, and God's wrath against sin,
and placeth them in our sight; for the Law is not in fault, but our evil and
wicked nature, even as a heap of lime is still and quiet until water be poured
thereon, but then it beginneth to smoke and to burn, not that it is the fault of
the water, but it is the nature and kind of the lime, which will not endure
water; but if oil be poured upon it, then it lieth still and burneth not.  Even
so it is with the Law and Gospel.  It is an exceedingly fair similitude.


Of the Children's Faith.


The little children, said Luther, do stand on the best terms with God Almighty
concerning their lives and faith.  We old doting fools do torment ourselves and
have sorrow of heart with our disputings, touching the Word, whether it be true
or not: "How can it be possible?" etc.  But the children with simple pure faith
do hold the same to be certain and true, without all doubting.

Now, if we intend to be saved, we must, according to their example, give
ourselves only to the Word.  But the wicked and crafty spirit, before we be
aware, can, master-like, draw the same away from us, by presenting new dealings
and business to keep us in action.  Therefore best it were for us soon to die,
and to be covered over with shovels.

The loving children do live innocently, they know of no sins, they are without
malice, wrath, covetousness, and unbelief, etc.  Therefore they are merry and
possess a good conscience; they fear no danger, whether wars, pestilence, or
death.

They will take an apple rather than a crown; what they hear concerning Christ,
of the life to come, etc., the same do they believe simply and plainly, and
prattle joyfully thereof.  From whence Christ speaketh unto us old ones
earnestly to follow their examples, where he saith, "Whosoever shall not receive
the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." For the
children believe aright, and Christ loveth them with their childish sports.  On
the contrary, he is an enemy to the wisdom of the world (Matt.  xi.).


Of an Example of Faith in the Time of Dearth.


At Eisleben, said Luther, I was well acquainted with a godly matron, who, in the
time of the last dearth, with two children, had suffered extreme want and need.
Now, when she had spent all her provision, and had nothing more to live upon,
she trimmed herself with her children, and went towards a well or fountain to
drink.  In her going she prayed that God would be pleased to preserve and keep
her in that fierce time of dearth.  Upon the way a man met her, questioned and
disputed with her whether she thought to get something to eat at the fountain.
She said, "Yea, why not?  for all things are possible to God and easy to be
done; he that fed the great multitude of the people of Israel forty years with
manna in the wilderness, he can also preserve me and mine with drinking of
water." Now, as she remained steadfast in that mind, the man said unto her,
"Behold!  seeing thou art so confident in faith, go home, and thou shalt find
three bushels of meal," etc.  And according to the man's word, so she found it.


That Faith is the only Rule in Divinity.


There is but one only rule and article in divinity.  He that knoweth not well
the same is no divine: namely, upright faith and confidence in Christ.  Out of
this article all the others do flow and issue forth, and without this article
the others are nothing.  The devil, said Luther, hath opposed this article from
the beginning of the world, and would long since willingly have rooted it out,
and instead thereof have laughed in his fist.  Sorrowful, broken, tormented, and
vexed hearts, said Luther, do well relish this article, and they only understand
the same.


Of the Consequences of Faith.


Believest thou?  then thou wilt speak boldly.  Speakest thou boldly?  then thou
must suffer.  Sufferest thou?  then thou shalt be comforted.  For, said Luther,
faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one after another.


That the Enemies of the Gospel must bear Witness to the Doctrine of Faith, that
thereby we only are justified before God.


John Frederick, Prince Elector of Saxony, told me himself, said Luther, that as
Prince John, the eldest son of Prince George, was near the time of his death, he
desired to receive the communion under both kinds.  But when his father was
informed thereof, he caused an Austin Friar to be called to his son, to give him
good instructions for his soul's health, and to advise him to receive the
Sacrament sub una specie, or under one kind, and that he should tell his son he
was the same Friar who was privately acquainted with Martin Luther, and was very
conversant with him; and, the better to make the Prince believe him, the Friar
said that Luther himself lately had advised certain persons to receive the
communion under one kind.  Now, when this good and godly Prince was thus
pitifully induced to give credit to the Friar's false information, he then
received the communion under one kind.

But when the Prince, his father, saw that his son drew near to his last gasp,
and must needs die, then he comforted his son with the article of justification
by faith in Christ, and put him in mind to have regard only to the Saviour of
the world, and utterly to forget all his own works and deserts, and also that he
should banish out of his heart the invocating of the saints.

Now, when the son in his conscience felt great solace and comfort by these his
father's admonitions, he asked his father why he did not cause the same
comfortable doctrine to be preached openly through all his countries.  His
father answered and said, "Loving child, we must say thus only to those that are
dying, and not to the sound and healthful."

Whereupon, said Luther, I told the Prince Elector that his Highness might
perfectly discern how wilfully our adversaries do oppose the known truth.
Albert, Bishop of Mentz, and Prince George do know and confess that our doctrine
is according to God's Word, and yet, because it proceedeth not from the Pope,
they refuse it; but their own consciences do strike them down to the ground,
therefore, said Luther, I fear them not.


Of the Love towards the Neighbour.


The love towards the neighbour, said Luther, must be like a pure and chaste love
between bride and bridegroom, where all faults are connived at, covered, and
borne with, and only their virtues regarded.

Respecting ceremonies and ordinances, the kingdom of love must have the
precedency and govern, and not tyranny.  It must be a willing love, and not a
halter love; it must altogether be directed and construed for the good and
profit of the neighbour; and the greater he be that doth govern, the more, said
Luther, he ought to serve according to love.


Of that Sentence, "Give, and it shall be given unto you."


This is a true speech which maketh people poor and rich; it is that which
maintaineth my house.  I ought not to boast, said Luther, but I well know what I
give in the year.  If my gracious lord and master, the Prince Elector, should
give a gentleman two thousand guilders, yet he should hardly maintain my
housekeeping one year, and I have but three hundred guilders pension per annum;
yet God giveth sufficient and blesseth it.

There is in Austria a monastery which in former time was very rich, and remained
rich so long as it willingly gave to the poor; but when it ceased in giving,
then it became poor, and is so to this day.  It fell out that, not long since, a
poor man came thither and desired alms, which was denied.  The poor man demanded
the cause why they refused to give for God's sake.  The porter belonging to the
monastery answered and said, "We are become poor;" whereupon the poor man said,
"The cause of your poverty is this: ye have had in this monastery two brethren;
the one ye have thrust out, and the other is gone secretly away of himself.  For
after the one brother, 'Give' (Date), was put out and cashiered, so hath the
other brother, 'So shall be given' (Dabitur), also lost himself."

And indeed the world is bound to help the neighbour three manner of ways--with
giving, lending, and selling.  But no man giveth, but robbeth, scrapeth, and
draweth all to himself; would willingly take and steal, but give nothing;
neither will any man lend but upon usury.  No man selleth but he over-reacheth
his neigbbour, therefore Dabitur is gone, and our Lord God will bless no more so
richly.  Beloved, said Luther, he that intendeth to have anything, the same must
also give; a liberal hand was never in want nor empty.


That giving must be done with a free Heart, without expecting a Requital.


In an evening, Luther, walking abroad to take the air, gave alms to the poor.
Doctor Jonas, being with him, gave also something, and said, "Who knoweth
whether God will give it me again or no?" Whereat Luther, smiling, answered him
and said, "You speak as if God had not given you this which you have now given
to the poor.  We must give freely and willingly."


Of the expounding of the Prophet Isaiah's Speech: "In Quietness and in
Confidence shall be your Strength."


This sentence was expounded by Luther in this way: If thou intendest to vanquish
the greatest, the most abominable and wickedest enemy, who is able to do thee
mischief both in body and soul, and against whom thou preparest all sorts of
weapons, but canst not overcome, then know that there is a sweet and loving
physical herb which serveth for the same, and that herb is named Patientia.

But thou wilt say, "How may I attain to this physic?" Answer--Take unto thee
faith, who saith; "No creature can do me mischief without the will of God." Now,
in case thou receivest hurt and mischief by thine enemy, the same is done by the
sweet and gracious will of God, in such sort that the enemy hurteth himself a
thousand times more.  From hence floweth unto me, a Christian, the love which
saith, "I will, instead of the evil which mine enemy doth unto me, do him all
the good I can; I will heap coals of fire upon his head." This, said Luther, is
the Christian armour and weapon, wherewith to beat and overcome those enemies
that seem to be like huge mountains.  In a word, love teacheth to suffer and
endure all things.


Of Comfort against Envy.


A certain honest and God-fearing man at Wittemberg lately told me, said Luther,
he lived peaceably with every one, hurt no man, but was still and quiet; yet
notwithstanding, said he, many people were enemies unto him.  I comforted him in
this manner, and said: Arm yourself with patience, and give them no cause of
envy.  I pray, what cause do we give the devil?  What aileth him to be so great
an enemy unto us?  but only because he hath not that which God hath.  I know
none other cause of his vehement hatred towards us.  Therefore when God giveth
thee to eat, then eat; when he causeth thee to fast, have patience; giveth he
honour, take it; hurt or shame, endure it; casteth he thee into prison, murmur
not; will he make thee a lord, follow him: casteth he thee down again, so care
thou not for it, nor regard it.


That Patience is necessary in every Particular.


I, said Luther, must have patience with the Pope; I must have patience with
heretics and seducers; I must have patience with the roaring courtiers; I must
have patience with my servants: I must have patience with Kate my wife; to
conclude, the patiences are so many, that my whole life is nothing but patience.
The Prophet Isaiah saith, "In being silent and hoping consisteth our strength;"
that is, have patience under sufferings: hope, and despair not.


OF PRAYER.


What Power Prayer hath.


No human creature can believe, said Luther, how powerful prayer is, and what is
it able to effect, but only those that have learned it by experience.

It is a great matter when in extreme need, as then one can take hold on prayer.
I know, as often as I have earnestly prayed, that I have been richly heard, and
have obtained more than I prayed for; indeed, God sometimes deferred, but
notwithstanding he came.

Ecclesiasticus saith, "The prayer of a good and godly Christian availeth more to
health, than the physician's physic."

O how great and upright and godly Christian's prayer is!  how powerful with God;
that a poor human creature should speak with God's high majesty in heaven, and
not be affrighted, but, on the contrary, knoweth that God smileth upon him for
Christ's sake, his dearly beloved Son.  The heart and conscience, in this act of
praying, must not fly and recoil backwards by reason of our sins and
unworthiness, and must not stand in doubt, nor be scared away.  We must not do,
said Luther, as the Bavarian did, who with great devotion called upon St.
Leonard, an idol, set up in a church in Bavaria, behind which idol stood one who
answered the Bavarian and said, "Fie on thee, Bavarian"; and in that sort
oftentimes was repulsed, and could not be heard: at last, the Bavarian went
away, and said, "Fie on thee, Leonard."

But when we pray, we must not let it come to, fie upon thee; but must certainly
hold, conclude, and believe, that we are already heard in that for which we pray
with faith in Christ.  Therefore the ancients finely described prayer, namely,
that it is, Ascensus mentis ad Deum, a climbing up of the heart unto God, that
is, lifteth itself up, crieth and sigheth to God: neither I myself, said Luther,
nor any other that I know, have rightly understood the definition of this
Ascensus.  Indeed, we have boasted and talked much of the climbing up of the
heart; but we failed in Syntaxi, we could not bring thereunto the word Deum;
nay, we flew from God, we were afraid to draw near unto him, and to pray through
Christ, in whom the strength of prayer wholly consisteth; we always prayed in
Popedom conditionaliter, conditionally, and therefore uncertainly.

But let us pray in heart, and also with our lips; for prayer, by our loving God,
supporteth the world; otherwise, without prayer, it would stand in a far more
lamentable state.


Of the Power of Prayer, and of the Lord's Prayer.


Our Saviour Christ, said Luther, most excellently, and with very few words,
comprehended, in the Lord's Prayer, all things both needful and necessary; but
without trouble, trials, and vexations, prayer cannot rightly be made.
Therefore God saith, "Call on me in the time of trouble," etc., without trouble
it is only a cold prattling, and goeth not from the heart; the common saying is
"Need teacheth to pray." And although the Papists say that God well
understandeth all the words of those that pray, yet St. Bernard is far of
another opinion, where he saith, "God heareth not the words of one that prayeth,
unless he that prayeth heareth them first himself." The Pope is a mere tormentor
of the conscience.  The assembly of his greased and religious crew in praying
was altogether like the croaking of frogs, which edified nothing at all.  It was
mere sophistry, and deceiving, fruitless, and unprofitable.

Prayer is a strong wall, and a fort of the church; it is a godly Christian's
weapon, which no man knoweth nor findeth, but only he who hath the spirit of
grace and of prayer.

The three first petitions in our Lord's prayer do comprehend such great and
celestial things, that no heart is able to search them out.  The fourth petition
containeth the whole policy and economy, or the temporal and house-government,
and all things necessary for this life.  The fifth prayer striveth and fighteth
against our own evil consciences, against original and actual sins, which
trouble the same, etc.  Truly they were penned by wisdom itself; none but God
could have done the like.

We cannot pray without faith in Christ the Mediator.  The Turks, the Jews, and
the ungodly may rehearse and speak the words of prayer after one, but they
cannot pray.  And although the Apostles were taught this prayer by Christ, and
prayed often, yet they prayed not as they should have prayed: for Christ saith,
"Hitherto ye have not prayed in my name;" whereas, doubtless, they had prayed
much, and spoken the words.  But when the Holy Ghost came, then they prayed
aright in the name of Christ.  If praying and reading of prayer be but only a
bare work, as the Papists hold it to be, then the righteousness of the law is
nothing worth.  The upright prayer of a godly Christian is a strong hedge, as
God himself saith, "And I sought for a man among them that should make up the
hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy
it, but I found none," etc.  Therefore, said Luther, when others do blaspheme,
let us pray.  David saith, "He doth the will of them that fear Him, and heareth
their prayers."


That we must daily go on in Praying.


I, said Luther, have every day enough to do to pray.  And when I lay me down to
rest, I pray the Lord's Prayer, and afterwards take hold on two or three
sentences out of the Bible, and so betake myself to sleep, then I am well
satisfied.


That Preachers ought to join their Prayers together.


Dr. Aepinus, Superintendent of Hambrough, coming to Wittemberg to speak with
Luther, who, after his dispatch, and at his taking leave, said, I commend myself
and our church at Hambrough to your prayers.  Luther answered him, and said,
Loving Aepine, the cause is not ours, but God's: let us join our prayers
together, as then the cause will be holpen.  I will pray against the Pope and
the Turk as long as I live: and I like it well that you take such course at
Hambrough, earnestly to pray against Mahomet and the Pope.


Of the Power of Prayer.


God always giveth more than we pray for; when we truly pray for a piece of
bread, so giveth God a whole acre of land.  When my wife, said Luther, was sick,
I prayed to God that she might live, so he not only granted that request, but
also therewith he hath given us a goodly farm at Zolfdorf, and hath blessed us
with a fruitful year.  At that time my wife said unto me, Sir!  how is it, that
in Popedom they pray so often with great vehemence, but we are very cold and
careless in praying?  I answered her, the devil driveth on his servants
continually; they are diligent, and take great pains in their false worshipping,
but we, indeed, are ice cold therein, and negligent.


Of Luther's Prayer for a gracious Rain.


In the year 1532, throughout all Germany was a great drought, the corn in the
fields in a lamentable way began to wither.  On the ninth of June the same year,
Luther called together the whole assembly into the church, and directed his
prayer, with deep sighs, to God in the manner following: "O Lord, behold our
prayers for thy promise sake; we have prayed, and our hearts have sighed, but
the covetousness of the rich farmers doth hinder and hem in thy blessing; for
seeing that through thy gospel they are unbridled, they think it free for them
to live and do what they please; they now fear neither death nor hell, but say,
'I believe, therefore I shall be saved;' they become haughty spiteful
Mammonists, and accursed covetous cut-throats, that suck out land and people.
Moreover, also, the usurers among the gentry in every place deal wickedly,
insomuch, as it seemeth, thou, O God, wilt now visit us, together with them,
with the rod; yet, nevertheless, thou hast still means whereby to maintain those
that are thine, although thou sufferest no rain to fall among the ungodly."

After he had said thus, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and said, "Lord
God, thou hast through the mouth of thy servant David said, 'The Lord is nigh
unto all that call upon him faithfully; he doth the will of those that fear him,
and heareth their prayers, and helpeth them in their distress.' How is it, Lord,
that thou givest no rain, seeing we have cried and prayed so long unto thee?
'Thy will be done,' O Lord!  we know that although thou givest not rain, yet,
notwithstanding, thou wilt give us something better, a still, a quiet, and a
peaceable life.  Now we pray, O Lord, from the bottom of our hearts.  If thou, O
Lord, wilt not be pleased to hear and give us rain, then the ungodly will say,
Christ thy only Son is a liar.  For he saith, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye pray the Father in my name, the same he will give unto you,' etc.
Insomuch that they will give thy Son the lie.  I know, O Lord, that we do cry
unto thee from our hearts, with yearning and sighing, why then dost thou not
hear us?" Now, even the same day, and within the space of half an hour after the
people went from church, it began to rain so sweet and mildly, which continued
for a whole fortnight, so that the grounds thereby were changed and refreshed in
a most miraculous manner.  This happened June 9, 1532.


Of Papistical Prayer.


The praying in Popedom, is a mere tormenting of the consciences, it is only a
prating and tongue threshing, no praying, but a work of obedience.  From thence
proceeded a confused sea-full of Horas Canonicas, the howling and babbling in
cells and monasteries, where they read and sang the psalms and collects without
all spiritual devotion, insomuch that they neither understood the words,
sentences, nor the meaning.

In what manner, and how I tormented myself, said Luther, with those Horis
Canonicis before the Gospel came, which, by reason of many businesses I often
intermitted, I am not able to express.  On the Saturdays I used to lock myself
up in my cell, and accomplish what the whole week I had neglected.  But at last
I was troubled with so many affairs, that I was fain oftentimes to omit also my
Saturday's devotions.  At length, when I saw that Amsdorff and others derided
such manner of devotion, then I quite left it off.

It was a great torment, from which we are now delivered by the Gospel.
Although, said Luther, I had done no more but only freed people from that
torment, yet they might well give me thanks for it.  Innumerable laws and works
were taught and imposed upon people without the spirit, as in the book,
Rationale Divinorum, many abominable things are written.


To Pray for Peace.


Luther receiving a letter written unto him, from the Imperial Assembly, by
Philip Melancthon, after the reading of it, he said, What Philip Melancthon
writeth hath hands and feet, hath authority and gravity, it is of weight,
contained in a few words, as always I have found by his letters.  But, I
perceive, we must have wars; for the Papists would willingly go on, but they
want a good stomach, neither may we endure the case to stand upon these terms.
Let it therefore proceed in nomine Domini; I will commit all things to God, and
will be Crito in the play.  I will pray that God would convert our adversaries.
We have a good cause on our side.  Who would not fight and venture body and
blood, pro Sacris, for the Holidom, which is God's Word?  And, besides, the
temporal laws and statutes of policy do also concur and agree with our
proceedings; for we always have desired and called for peace, but our Princes
are provoked and drawn to defend themselves and their subjects, and of necessity
must resist their power; our adversaries will not suffer us to live in peace.
This letter, said Luther, was written ten days since; by this time it is
concluded what shall be done.  The everlasting merciful God give His grace
thereunto!  Let us watch and pray, for Satan sleepeth not.


Of Temporal Peace.


Worldly and outward peace is one of the highest gifts of God; but we abuse it
too much; every one liveth after his own will and pleasure, against God and the
Magistrate.  Oh, how soundly will our gentry and farmers, in Germany, pay for
this before one hundred and fifty years come to an end, as already they have
done in Hungary and in Austria; but afterwards God will restore them again, and
beat down Popedom.  Let us not cease to pray.


Of Unity and Concord.


Through concord small things and wealth do increase, as the Heathen said; but
dissension is dangerous and hurtful, especially in schools, in professions, high
arts, and in the professors thereof, wherein the one ought to reach the hand to
the other--should kiss and embrace each other.  But when we bite and devour one
another, then let us take heed lest we be swallowed up together.  Therefore let
us pray and strive; for the word of faith, and the prayers of the just, are the
most powerful weapons; moreover, God himself sendeth his holy angels round about
them that fear him.  We ought valiantly to fight, for we are under a Lord of
Hosts, and a Prince of War; therefore with one hand we must build, and in the
other hand take the sword--that is, we must both teach and resist.

It is now time to watch, for we are the mark they shoot at; our adversaries
intend to make a confederacy with the Turk; they aim at us, we must venture it;
for Antichrist will war and get the victory against the saints of God, as Daniel
saith.  We, said Luther, stand outwardly in the greatest danger, by reason of
treachery and treason; the Papists endeavour with money to grease and corrupt
our captains and officers.  An ass laden with money may do anything, as
Cornelius Tacitus writeth of us Germans; we have taught them to take money;
there is neither fidelity nor truth on earth.


Of the Power of Prayer.


The prayer of the heart, said Luther, and the sighs of the poor and oppressed,
do make such an alarum and cry in heaven, that God and all the angels must hear
the same.  O, our Lord God hath a sharp listening ear.


Of the Sighing of the Heart.


When Moses, with the children of Israel, came to the Red Sea, then he cried with
trembling and quaking, yet he opened not his mouth, neither was his voice heard
on earth by the people: doubtless, said Luther, he cried and sighed in his
heart, and said, "Ah, Lord God!  what course shall I now take?  Which way shall
I now turn myself?  How am I come to this strait?  No help nor counsel can save
us: before us is the sea; behind us are our enemies the Egyptians; on both sides
high and huge mountains; I am the cause that all this people shall now be
destroyed," etc.  Then answered God, and said, "Wherefore criest thou unto me?"
As if God should say, "What an alarum, a shrieking, and a loud crying dost thou
make, that the whole heavens must ring therewith!" etc.  But, alas!  said
Luther, we read such examples as dead letters; human reason is not able to
search this passage out.  The way through the Red Sea is full as broad, and
wider far (if not further) than Wittenberg lieth from Coburg, that is thirty
Dutch miles, 120 English at least: doubtless the people were constrained in the
night season to rest, to bait and eat therein; for six hundred thousand men,
besides women and children, would require a good time to pass through, although
they went one hundred and fifty in rank and file.


God's hearing Prayer.


It is impossible that God should not hear the prayers which with faith are made
in Christ, although God giveth not according to the measure, manner, and time
which we dictate unto him; he will not be tied.  In such sort dealt God with the
mother of St. Austin.  She prayed to God that her son Austin might be converted,
but, as yet, it would not be; then she ran to the learned, entreating them to
persuade and advise him thereunto.  At last, she propounded unto him a marriage
with a Christian virgin, that thereby he might be drawn back, and brought to the
Christian faith; but all would not do as yet.  But when our Lord God came
thereto, he came to purpose, and made of him such an Austin, that he became a
great light to the Church.  St. James saith, "Pray one for another, for the
prayer of the righteous availeth much," etc.  Prayer, said Luther, is a powerful
thing; for God hath bound and tied himself thereunto.  Christ taught the Lord's
Prayer according to the manner of the Jews--that is, he directed it only to the
Father; whereas they that pray in the same manner, are heard for the Son's sake.
This was done because Christ would not be praised before his death.


Of the Power of Prayer.


As the King of Persia, said Luther, laid siege to the city Nasili, the bishop
that was therein saw that he was too weak (by man's help) to defend the city
against so mighty a king; wherefore he went upon the wall, lifted up his hands
to Heaven, and prayed, in the sight of his enemies.  Whereupon immediately the
eyes of the horses in the whole army in such sort were pestered with an
innumerable multitude of flies stinging them, that with their riders they ran
away, and so raised the siege, whereby the city was preserved.  In such a manner
could God divert the wicked enterprises of the Papists against us, if we would
diligently pray.


That a True Christian Prayeth Always.


The prayers of upright Christians are without ceasing; though they pray not
always with their mouth, yet their hearts do pray continually, sleeping and
waking; for the sigh of a true Christian is a prayer.  As the Psalm saith,
"Because of the deep sighing of the poor, I will up, saith the Lord," etc.  In
like manner a true Christian always carrieth the cross, though he feeleth it not
always.


Of the Strength of the Lord's Prayer.


The Lord's Prayer, said Luther, bindeth the People together, and knitteth them
one to another, insomuch that one prayeth for another, and together one with
another; and it is so strong and powerful that it even driveth away the fear of
death.


OF THE CONFESSION AND CONSTANCY OF THE DOCTRINE.


The word and article of justification (how we are justified and saved before
God) expelleth and overcometh all sorrow, all perplexities, misfortunes, and
adversities; and without this article there is neither help nor advice.

We read in the histories of the Church, said Luther, that Julian the Emperor
forced his servants and soldiers to deny Christ; but when many of them refused
to do the same, he caused them to be executed with the sword, and they went
joyfully to their deaths.  Among them was a proper youth, for whom earnest
intercession was made, that he might be the first to die.  But Julian commanded
to release him, in order to try whether he would remain constant or no.  Now,
when he kneeled down and offered his neck to the block, the executioner was
charged not to strike, but to let him rise again.  Then the youth stood up, and
said, "Ah, sweet Jesu!  am I not worthy to suffer for thy sake?" These were
words of a great faith, which overcometh the fear of death.

When governors and rulers are enemies to God's Word, then our duty is to depart,
to sell and forsake all we have, to fly from one place to another, as Christ
commandeth.  We must make and prepare no uproars nor tumults by reason of the
Gospel, but we must suffer all things.


What Christ Requireth of us.


Christ requireth nothing more of us, than that we should confess him, and speak
freely and undauntedly of him.  But here thou wilt say, "Yea, if I do so, then I
shall be struck on the lips." Christ answereth thereunto, and saith, "Call upon
me in the time of trouble, so I will hear thee, and thou shalt praise me." And
"He shall call upon me, and I will hear him, yea, I am with him in trouble, I
will deliver him, and bring him to honour," etc.

There is no lighter nor more easy work on earth than the upright and true
service of God, to do what God commandeth in his Word; we should only believe
and speak, but then certain it is that we shall suffer and be humbled with
persecutions; but Christ hath promised to be with us, and to help us.


That every Christian is Bound to Confess Christ.


Every Christian, especially those in offices, should always be ready (when need
requireth) boldly to stand up and confess his Saviour Christ, to maintain his
faith and always be armed against the world, the sectaries, the devil, and what
else he were able to produce.  But no man will do this, except he be so sure of
his doctrine and religion, that, although I myself should play the fool, and
should recant and deny this my doctrine and religion, which God forbid, he
notwithstanding would not yield, but say, if Luther, or an angel from heaven,
should teach otherwise, "Let him be accursed."


OF IMPERIAL DIETS.


Of Imperial Diets and Assemblies in Causes of Religion.


In the year 1518, the 9th of July, when I, said Luther, was cited and summoned,
I came and appeared: Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony having appointed me a
great and strong convoy and safe-conduct.  I was warned in any case not to have
conversation with the Italians, nor to repose any trust or confidence in them.
I was three whole days in Augsburg without the Emperor's safe-conduct.  In the
mean time, an Italian came unto me, and carried me to the Cardinal Cajetan; and
by the way he earnestly persuaded me to revoke and recant; I should, said he,
need to speak but only one word before the Cardinal, namely, Revoco, and then
the Cardinal would recommend me to the Pope's favour so that with honour I might
return safely again to my master, the Prince Elector.  After three days the
Bishop of Trier came, who, in the Emperor's name, showed and declared to the
Cardinal my safe-conduct.  Then I went unto him in all humility, fell down first
upon my knees; secondly, all along upon the ground; thirdly, when I had remained
awhile so lying, then the Cardinal three times bade me arise; whereupon I stood
up.  This pleased him well, hoping I would consider, and better bethink myself.

The next day, when I came before him again, and would revoke nothing at all,
then he said unto me, "What?  thinkest thou that the Pope careth for Germany?
or dost thou think that the Princes will raise arms and armies to maintain and
defend thee?  Oh, no; where wilt thou remain in safety?" I said, Under Heaven.
After this the Pope humbled himself, and wrote to our church, yea, he wrote even
to the Prince Elector's chaplain, and to one of his counsellors, Spalatine and
Pfeffinger, that they would surrender me into his hands, and procure that his
pleasure and command might be put in execution.  And the Pope wrote also to the
Prince Elector himself after the following manner:

"Although, as touching my person, thou art to me unknown, yet I have seen thy
father, Prince Ernestus, at Rome, who was altogether an obedient son to the
Church; he visited and frequented our religion with great devotion, and held the
same in highest honour.  I wish and would that thy illustrious serenity would
also tread in his footsteps," etc.

But the Prince Elector well marked the Pope's unaccustomed humility, and his
evil conscience; he was also acquainted with the power and operation of the Holy
Scriptures.  Therefore he remained where he was, and returned thanks to the Pope
for his affection towards him.

My books, said Luther, in a short time went, yea, flew throughout Europe;
therefore the Prince Elector was confirmed and strengthened, insomuch that he
utterly refused to execute the Pope's commands, but subjected himself under the
acknowledgment of the Scriptures.

If the Cardinal had handled me with more discretion at Augsburg, and had dealt
kindly with me when I fell at his feet, then it had never come thus far; for at
that time I saw very few of the Pope's errors which now I see.  Had he been
silent, so had I lightly held my peace.  The style and custom of the Romish
court in dark and confused cases, was this: that the Pope said, We by papal
power do take these causes unto us; we quench them out and destroy them.  I am
persuaded that the Pope willingly would give three Cardinals, on condition that
it were still in that vessel wherein it was before he began to meddle with me.


Of Luther's Journey and Proceedings at the Imperial Diet at Worms, Anno 1520.


On Tuesday in the Passion week, said Luther, I was cited by the herald to appear
at the Diet; he brought with him a safe-conduct from the Emperor, and many other
Princes, but the safe-conduct was soon broken, even the next day (Wednesday), at
Worms, where I was condemned, and my books burned.  Now, when I came to Erfurt,
I received intelligence that I was cast and condemned at Worms, yea, and that in
all cities and places thereabout it was published and spread abroad; insomuch
that the herald asked me, whether I meant to go to Worms, or no?

Although I was somewhat astonished at the news, yet I answered the herald, and
said, although in Worms there were as many devils as there are tiles on the
houses, yet, God willing, I will go thither.

When I came to Oppenheim, in the Palatinate, not far from Worms, Bucer came unto
me, and dissuaded me from entering into the town; for, said he, Sglapian, the
Emperor's confessor, had been with him, and had entreated him to warn me not to
go thither, for I should be burned; but rather that I should go to a gentleman
there near at hand, Francis Von Sickingen, and remain with him, who willingly
would receive and entertain me.  This plot the wicked wretches, said Luther, had
devised against me, to the end I should not appear; for if I had contracted the
time, and staid away three days, then my safe-conduct had been expired, and then
they would have locked the town-gates, and without hearing, I should have been
condemned and made away.  But I went on in all simplicity, and when I saw the
city, I wrote presently to Spalatine, and gave him notice of my coming, and
desired to know where I should be lodged.  Then they all wondered at my coming,
which was so far from their expectation; for they verily thought I would have
stayed away, as scared through their threatenings.  There were two worthy
gentlemen (John Von Hirschfeld, and St. John Schott), who received me by the
Prince Elector's command, and brought me to their lodging.

No Prince came unto me, but only Earls and gentlemen, who earnestly looked upon
me, and who had exhibited four hundred articles to his Imperial Majesty against
those of the spirituality, and desired a redress and a removing of those their
grievances, otherwise they themselves should be constrained to remedy the same;
from all which grievances they are now delivered through the Gospel, which I
(God be praised) have brought again to light.  The Pope at that time wrote to
the Emperor, that he should not perform the safe-conduct; for which end all the
Bishops also pressed the Emperor; but the Princes and States of the Empire would
not consent thereunto: for they alleged that a great tumult thereupon would
arise.  I received of them a great deal of courtesy, insomuch that the Papists
were more afraid of me than I was of them.

For the Landgrave of Hesse (being then but a young Prince) desired that I might
be heard, and he said openly unto me, "Sir, is your cause just and upright, then
I beseech God to assist you." Now being in Worms, I wrote to Sglapian, and
desired him to make a step unto me, but he would not.  Then being called, I
appeared in the Senate House before the Council and State of the whole Empire,
where the Emperor, and the Princes Electors in person were assembled.

Then Dr. Eck (the Bishop of Trier's fiscal) began, and said unto me, "Martin,
thou art called hither to give answer, whether thou acknowledgest these writings
to be thy books or no?" (The books lay on a table which he showed unto me.) I
answered and said, "I believe they be mine." But Hierome Schurfe presently
thereupon said, "Let the titles of them be read." Now when the same were read,
then I said, "Yea, they are mine." Then he said, "Will you revoke them?" I
answered and said, "Most gracious Lord and Emperor, some of my books are books
of controversies, wherein I touch my adversaries: some, on the contrary, are
books of doctrine; the same I neither can nor will revoke.  But if in case I
have in my books of controversies been too violent against any man, then I am
content therein to be better directed, and for that end I desire respite of
time." Then they gave me one day and one night.  The next day I was cited by the
Bishops and others, who were appointed to deal with me touching my revocation.
Then I said, "God's Word is not my word, therefore I know not how to give it
away; but in whatsoever is therein, besides the same, I will show obedience."
Then Marquis Joachim said unto me "Sir Martin, so far as I understand, you are
content to be instructed, excepting only what may concern the Holy Writ." I
said, "Yea;" then they pressed me to refer the cause to His Imperial Majesty; I
said, I durst not presume so to do.  Then they said, "Do you not think that we
are also Christians, who with all care and diligence would finish and end such
causes?  You ought to put so much trust and confidence in us, that we would
conclude uprightly." To that I answered and said, "I dare not trust you so far,
that you should conclude against yourselves, who even now have cast and
condemned me, being under safe-conduct; yet, nevertheless, that ye may see what
I will do, I will yield up into your hands my safe-conduct, and do with me what
ye please." Then all the Princes said, "Truly, he offereth enough, if not too
much." Afterwards they said, "Yield unto us yet in some articles." I said, "In
God's name, such articles as concern not the Holy Scriptures I will not stand
against." Presently hereupon, two Bishops went to the Emperor, and showed him
that I had revoked.  Then the Emperor sent another Bishop unto me, to know if I
had referred the cause to him, and to the Empire.  I said, I had neither done
it, nor intended so to do.  In this sort, said Luther, did I alone resist so
many, insomuch that my Doctor, and divers others of my friends, were much
offended and vexed by reason of my constancy; yea, some of them said, if I had
referred the articles to their consideration, they would have yielded, and given
way to those articles which in the council at Costnitz had been condemned.  Then
came Cocleus upon me, and said, "Sir Martin, if you will yield up your
safe-conduct, then I will enter into dispute with you." I, for my part, said
Luther, in my simplicity, would have accepted thereof.  But Hieronimus Schurfe
earnestly entreated me not to do the same, and in derision and scorn, answered
Cocleus and said, "O brave offer, if a man were so foolish as to entertain it!"

Then came a Doctor unto me, belonging to the Marquis of Baden, essaying, with a
strain of high-carried words, to move me, admonished me, and said: "Truly, Sir
Martin, you are bound to do much, and to yield for the sake of fraternal love,
and to the end that peace and tranquillity among the people may be preserved,
lest tumults and insurrections should be occasioned and raised.  Besides, it
were also greatly befitting you to show obedience to the Imperial Majesty, and
diligently to beware of causing offences in the world; therefore I would advise
you to revoke." Whereupon, said Luther, I said: "For the sake of brotherly love
and amity I could and would do much, so far as it were not against the faith and
honour of Christ." When all these had made their vain assaults, then the
Chancellor of Trier said unto me, "Martin Luther, you are disobedient to the
Imperial Majesty; therefore you have leave and licence to depart again with your
safe-conduct." In this sort I again departed from Worms with a great deal of
gentleness and courtesy, to the wondering of the whole Christian world, insomuch
that the Papists wished they had left me at home.  After my departure, that
abominable edict of proscribing was put in execution at Worms, which gave
occasion to every man to revenge himself upon his enemies, under the name and
title of Protestant heresy.  But the tyrants, not long after, were constrained
to recall the same again.


Of the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, Anno 1530.


The Imperial Diet held at Augsburg, 1530, is worthy of all praise; for then and
from thence came the Gospel among the people in other countries, contrary to the
wills and expectations both of Emperor and Pope; therefore, said Luther, what
hath been spent there should be grievous to no man.  God appointed the Imperial
Diet at Augsburg, to the end the Gospel should be spread further abroad and
planted.  They over-climbed themselves at Augsburg, for the Papists openly
approved there of our doctrine.  Before that Diet was held, the Papists had made
the Emperor believe that our doctrine was altogether frivolous; and when he came
to the Diet, he should see that they would put us all to silence, insomuch that
none of us should be able to speak a word in defence of our religion; but it
fell out far otherwise; for we openly and freely confessed the Gospel before the
Emperor and the whole Empire.  And at that Diet we confounded our adversaries in
the highest degree.  The Imperial Diet at Augsburg was invaluable, by reason of
the Confession of Faith, and of God's Word, which on our part was there
performed: for there the adversaries were constrained to confess that our
Confession was upright and true.


Of the Confession and Apology which at Augsburg was exhibited to the emperor.


The Emperor, said Luther, censured understandingly and discreetly, and carried
himself princely in this cause of religion; he found our Confession to be far
otherwise than the Papists had informed him--namely, that we were most ungodly
people, and led most wicked and detestable kind of lives; and that we taught
against the first and second tables of the Ten Commandments of God.  For this
cause, the Emperor sent our Confession and Apology to all the universities; his
council also delivered their opinions, and said: "In case their doctrine were
against the holy Christian faith, then they thought fitting that His Imperial
Majesty should seek to suppress it with all his power.  But if it be only
against ceremonies and abuses (as now it appeareth to be) then to refer it to
the consideration and censure of learned people," etc.  This, said Luther, was
good and wise counsel.

Dr. Eck confessed openly, and said: "The Protestants cannot be confuted and
opposed out of Holy Scriptures." Therefore the Bishop of Mainz said unto him,
"Oh, how finely our learned Divines do defend us and our doctrine!" "The Bishop
of Mainz," said Luther, "holdeth our doctrine to be upright and true, but he
only courteth the Pope, otherwise long before this time he would have played
strange pranks with his Holiness."


Of the Strength and Profit of the Confession and Apology of Augsburg.


God's Word is powerful; the more it is persecuted the more and further it
spreadeth itself abroad.  Behold the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, which doubtless
is the last trumpet before the dreadful Day of Judgment.  How raged the world
there against the Word!  Oh, said Luther, how were we there fain to pray the
Pope and Papists, that they would be pleased to permit and suffer Christ to live
quietly in heaven!  There our doctrine broke through into the light in such
sort, that by the Emperor's strict command the same was sent to all Kings,
Princes, and Universities.  This our Doctrine forthwith enlightened many
excellent people, dispersed here and there in Princes' courts, among whom some
of God were chosen to take hold on this our doctrine, like unto tinder, and
afterwards kindled the same also in others.

Our Apology and Confession with great honour came to light; the Papists'
confutations are kept in darkness, and do stink.  Oh, said Luther, how willingly
would I that their confutations might appear to the world; then I would set upon
that old torn and tattered skin, and in such sort would baste it, that the
flitches thereof should fly about here and there; but they shun the light.  This
time twelvemonths no man would have given a farthing for the Protestants, so
sure the ungodly Papists were of us.  For, said Luther, when my most gracious
Lord and master, the Prince Elector of Saxony, before other Princes came to the
Diet, the Papists marvelled much thereat, for they verily believed that he would
not have appeared, by reason (as they imagined) his cause was too bad and foul
to be brought before the light.  But what fell out?  Even this, that in their
greatest security they were overwhelmed with the greatest fear and
affrightments.  Because the Prince Elector, like an upright Prince, appeared so
early at Augsburg, then the other Popish princes swiftly posted away from
Augsburg to Innsbruck, where they held serious counsel with Prince George and
the Marquis of Baden, all of them wondering what the Prince Elector's so early
approach to the Diet should mean, insomuch that the Emperor himself thereat was
astonished, and doubted whether he might come and go in safety or not.
Whereupon the princes were constrained to promise, that they would set up body,
goods, and blood by the Emperor, the one offering to maintain 6,000 horse,
another so many thousands of foot-soldiers, etc., to the end His Majesty might
be the better secured.  There was a wonder among wonders to be seen, in that God
struck with fear and cowardliness the enemies of the truth.  And although at
that time the Prince Elector of Saxony was alone, and but only the hundredth
sheep, while the others were ninety-and-nine, yet, notwithstanding, it so fell
out that they all trembled and were afraid.  Now when they came to the point,
and began to take the business in hand, then there appeared but a very small
heap that stood by God's Word.

But, said Luther, we brought with us a strong and mighty King, a King above all
Emperors and Kings, namely, Christ Jesus, the powerful Word of God.  Then all
the Papists cried out, and said, "Oh, it is insufferable that so small and silly
a heap should set themselves against the Imperial power." But, said Luther, the
Lord of Hosts frustrateth the councils of Princes.  Pilate had power to put our
blessed Saviour to death, but willingly he would not; Annas and Caiaphas
willingly would have done it, but could not.

The Emperor, for his own part, is good and honest; but the Popish Bishops and
Cardinals are undoubtedly knaves.  And forasmuch as the Emperor now refuseth to
bathe his hands in innocent blood, therefore the frantic Princes do bestir
themselves, do scorn and contemn the good Emperor in the highest degree.  The
Pope also for anger is ready to burst in pieces, because the Diet, in this sort,
without shedding of blood, should be dissolved; therefore he sendeth the sword
to the Duke of Bavaria, to proceed therewith, and intendeth to take the crown
from the Emperor's head, and to set it upon the head of Bavaria; but he shall
not accomplish it.  In this manner ordered God the business, that Kings,
Princes, yea, and the Pope himself, fell from the Emperor, and that we joined
with him, which was a great wonder of God's providence, in that he whom the
devil intended to use against us, even the same, God taketh, maketh and useth
for us.  Oh, wonder, said Luther, above all wonders!


Of the Assembly of the Princes at Brunswick, 1531.


When the Princes (professing the Augustinian Confession) held an assembly at
Brunswick, then Luther received three letters, wherein was shown that the Prince
Elector of Saxony journeyed five days through the Marquisate of Brandenburg,
whereas Prince Henry of Brunswick would neither give him convoy nor permit him
to go through his country.  But the Prince Elector of Brandenburg, in his
country, gave him princely entertainment in every place, and many went out of
Brunswick to meet and to receive him.  But the Landgrave of Hessen went on the
other side, through Goslar, without a convoy.  Christianus, King of Denmark, the
second day of the assembly, delivered up the Confession of his Faith, and was
held and esteemed a second David.  Whereupon Luther said, God of his mercy
assist him for the sanctifying of his name.  But, said he, the pride of the Duke
of Brunswick may easily redound to his own hurt and prejudice, who, contrary to
all law and equity, denied a safe convoy to one of his best and truest friends.
Moses likewise desired a safe convoy to the King of the Amorites; but being
denied, he thereby took occasion to raise war against him.  The Lord of Heaven
grant us peace.  The same day other letters came to Luther from Brunswick,
showing that the King of Denmark in person, the Ambassadors of England and
France, and of many Imperial cities, were arrived there, among whom, some
carried themselves very strangely towards those of the Protestant League.
Luther said, under the name and colour of the Gospel, they seek their own
particular advantages, but in the least danger they are afraid.  These politic
and terrestrial leagues and unions have no hand nor share in the Gospel: God
alone preserveth and defendeth the same in times of persecution.  Let us put
trust and confidence in him, and with him; let us erect and establish an
everlasting league, for the world is the world, and will remain the world.


Of the Convention and Assembly of the Protestant State at Frankfort-on-the-Main,
1539.


God, of his infinite mercy, said Luther, assist them at Frankfort-on-the-Main,
that they may Christian-like consult and conclude, to the end that God's honour,
the good and profit of the commonwealth may be furthered.  Indeed, it is a very
small assembly; it hath a strange aspect to be held in an Imperial city; but
forasmuch as they are thereunto constrained by the adversaries, they must be
content.

The Papists, void of shame, do unwisely undertake to possess themselves of the
cities, and by fraud to draw thereunto their adherents; then they make show of
keeping peace, but in the meantime they contrive how to separate and confuse the
whole body, and of the members to make a massacre; they secretly fall upon
Hamburg, upon Minden, and Frankfort.  They might more wisely go to work, if by
open wars they assailed us.  At Augsburg they openly condemned us; and if those
of our party had not been patient, it had presently gone on at that time.  Anno
1539, the 16th of February, Luther commanded public prayers to be made for the
day at Frankfort, that peace might be confirmed.  For if the Landgrave be
incensed, then all resistance will be in vain.  The Landgrave neither provoketh
nor giveth occasion to wars; but, on the contrary, when he is provoked, he still
seeketh peace; whereas, notwithstanding, he is better furnished and provided for
wars than his adversary is, by 2,000 horse, for Hessen and Saxon are horsemen;
when they are set in the saddle, they are then not so easily hoisted out again.
As for the high-country horsemen, they, said Luther, are dancing gentlemen.  God
preserve the Landgrave; for a valiant man and Prince is of great importance.
Augustus Caesar was wont to say, "I would rather be in an army of stags, where a
lion is general, than to be in an army of lions where a stag is general."

The 25th of February, Luther prayed again with great devotion for peace, and for
the day at Frankfort, that through civil wars (which are most hurtful), the
religion, policy, and God's Word might not be sophisticated and torn in pieces.
Wars are pleasing to those that have had no trial or experience of them; God
bless us from wars.


FOOTNOTES


[17] Whatsoever was pretended, yet the true cause of the Captain's commitment
was because he was urgent with the Lord Treasurer for his Arrears; which,
amounting to a great sum, he was not willing to pay; and to be freed from his
clamours he clapped him up into prison.

[97] The name of a rich family.