F. Bente - Historical Introductions. Summary of Luther's Views

235. Summary of Luther's Views.

Luther distinguished between the hidden and the revealed or "proclaimed"

God, the secret and revealed will of God; the majestic God in whom we

live and move and have our being, and God manifest in Christ; God's

unsearchable judgments and ways past finding out, and His merciful

promises in the Gospel. Being truly God and not an idol, God, according

to Luther, is both actually omnipotent and omniscient. Nothing can exist

or occur without His power, and everything surely will occur as He has

foreseen it. This is true of the thoughts, volitions, and acts of all

His creatures. He would not be God if there were any power not derived

from, or supplied by Him, or if the actual course of events could annul

His decrees and stultify His knowledge. Also the devils and the wicked

are not beyond His control.

As for evil, though God does not will or cause it,--for, on the

contrary, He prohibits sin and truly deplores the death of a sinner--yet

sin and death could never have entered the world without His permission.

Also the will of fallen man receives its power to will from God, and its

every resolve and consequent act proceeds just as God has foreseen,

ordained, or permitted it. The evil quality of all such acts, however,

does not emanate from God, but from the corrupt will of man. Hence free

will, when defined as the power of man to nullify and subvert what God's

majesty has foreseen and decreed, is a nonent, a mere empty title. This,

however, does not involve that the human will is coerced or compelled to

do evil, nor does it exclude in fallen man the ability to choose in

matters temporal and subject to reason.

But while holding that we must not deny the majesty and the mysteries of

God, Luther did not regard these, but Christ crucified and justification

by faith in the promises of the Gospel, as the true objects of our

concern. Nor does he, as did Calvin, employ predestination as a

corrective and regulative norm for interpreting, limiting, invalidating,

annulling, or casting doubt upon, any of the blessed truths of the

Gospel. Luther does not modify the revealed will of God in order to

harmonize it with God's sovereignty. He does not place the hidden God in

opposition to the revealed God, nor does he reject the one in order to

maintain the other. He denies neither the revealed universality of God's

grace, of Christ's redemption, and of the efficaciousness of the Holy

Spirit in the means of grace, nor the unsearchable judgments and ways of

God's majesty. Even the Reformed theologian A. Schweizer admits as much

when he says in his _Zentraldogmen_ (1, 445): "In the Zwinglio-Calvinian

type of doctrine, predestination is a dogma important as such and

regulating the other doctrines, yea, as Martyr, Beza, and others say,

the chief part of Christian doctrine; while in the Lutheran type of

doctrine it is merely a dogma supporting other, more important central

doctrines." (Frank 4, 264.)

Moreover, Luther most earnestly warns against all speculations

concerning the hidden God as futile, foolish, presumptuous, and wicked.

The secret counsels, judgments, and ways of God cannot and must not be

investigated. God's majesty is unfathomable, His judgments are

unsearchable, His ways past finding out. Hence, there is not, and there

cannot be, any human knowledge, understanding, or faith whatever

concerning God in so far as He has not revealed Himself. For while the

fact that there are indeed such things as mysteries, unsearchable

judgments, and incomprehensible ways in God is plainly taught in the

Bible, their nature, their how, why, and wherefore, has not been

revealed to us and no amount of human ingenuity is able to supply the

deficiency. Hence, in as far as God is still hidden and veiled, He

cannot serve as a norm by which we are able to regulate our faith and

life. Particularly when considering the question how God is disposed

toward us individually, we must not take refuge in the secret counsels

of God, which reason cannot spy and pry into. According to Luther, all

human speculations concerning the hidden God are mere diabolical

inspirations, bound to lead away from the saving truth of the Gospel

into despair and destruction.

What God, therefore, would have men believe about His attitude toward

them, must according to Luther, be learned from the Gospel alone. The

Bible tells us how God is disposed toward poor sinners, and how He wants

to deal with them. Not His hidden majesty, but His only-begotten Son,

born in Bethlehem, is the divinely appointed object of human

investigation. Christ crucified is God manifest and visible to men.

Whoever has seen Christ has seen God. The Gospel is God's only

revelation to sinful human beings. The Bible, the ministry of the Word,

Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and absolution are the only means of knowing

how God is disposed toward us. To these alone God has directed us. With

these alone men should occupy and concern themselves.

And the Gospel being the Word of God, the knowledge furnished therein is

most reliable. Alarmed sinners may trust in its comforting promises with

firm assurance and unwavering confidence. In _De Servo Arbitrio_ Luther

earnestly warns men not to investigate the hidden God, but to look to

revelation for an answer to the question how God is minded toward them,

and how He intends to deal with them. In his _Commentary on Genesis_ he

refers to this admonition and repeats it, protesting that he is innocent

if any one is misled to take a different course. "I have added" [to the

statements in _De Servo Arbitrio_ concerning necessity and the hidden

God] Luther here declares, "that we must look upon the revealed God.

_Addidi, quod aspiciendus sit Deus revelatus_." (CONC. TRIGL. 898.)

This Bible-revelation, however, by which alone Luther would have men

guided in judging God, plainly teaches both, that grace is universal,

and that salvation is by grace alone. Luther always taught the

universality of God's love and mercy, as well as of Christ's redemption,

and the operation of the Holy Spirit in the means of grace. Also

according to _De Servo Arbitrio_, God wants all men to be saved, and

does not wish the death of sinners, but deplores and endeavors to remove

it. Luther fairly revels in such texts as Ezek. 18, 23 and 31, 11: "As I

live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,

but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye from your evil

ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" He calls the above a

"glorious passage" and "that sweetest Gospel voice--_illam vocem

dulcissimi Evangelii_." (E. v. a. 7, 218.)

Thus Luther rejoiced in universal grace, because it alone was able to

convince him that the Gospel promises embraced and included also him. In

like manner he considered the doctrine that salvation is by grace alone

to be most necessary and most comforting. Without this truth divine

assurance of salvation is impossible, with it, all doubts about the

final victory of faith are removed. Luther was convinced that, if he

were required to contribute anything to his own conversion,

preservation, and salvation, he could never attain these blessings.

Nothing can save but the grace which is grace alone. In _De Servo

Arbitrio_ everything is pressed into service to disprove and explode the

assertion of Erasmus that the human will is able to and does "work

something in matters pertaining to salvation," and to establish the

monergism or sole activity of grace in man's conversion. (St. L. 18,

1686, 1688.)

At the same time Luther maintained that man alone is at fault when he is

lost. In _De Servo Arbitrio_ he argues: Since it is God's will that all

men should be saved, it must be attributed to man's will if any one

perishes. The cause of damnation is unbelief, which thwarts the gracious

will of God so clearly revealed in the Gospel. The question, however,

why some are lost while others are saved, though their guilt is equal,

or why God does not save all men, since it is grace alone that saves,

and since grace is universal, Luther declines to answer. Moreover, he

demands that we both acknowledge and adore the unsearchable judgments of

God, and at the same time firmly adhere to the Gospel as revealed in the

Bible. All efforts to solve this mystery or to harmonize the hidden and

the revealed God, Luther denounces as folly and presumption.

Yet Luther maintains that the conflict is seeming rather than real.

Whatever may be true of the majestic God, it certainly cannot annul or

invalidate what He has made known of Himself in the Gospel. There are

and can be no contradictory wills in God. Despite appearances to the

contrary, therefore, Christians are firmly to believe that, in His

dealings with men, God, who saves so few and damns so many, is

nevertheless both truly merciful and just. And what we now believe we

shall see hereafter. When the veil will have been lifted and we shall

know God even as we are known by Him, then we shall see with our eyes no

other face of God than the most lovable one which our faith beheld in

Jesus. The light of glory will not correct but confirm, the truths of

the Bible, and reveal the fact that in all His ways God was always in

perfect harmony with Himself.

Indeed, according to Luther, the truth concerning the majestic God, in

whom we live and move and have our being, and without whom nothing can

be or occur, in a way serves both repentance and faith. It serves

repentance and the Law inasmuch as it humbles man, causing him to

despair of himself and of the powers of his own unregenerate will. It

serves faith inasmuch as it guarantees God's merciful promises in the

Gospel. For if God is supreme, as He truly is, then there can be nothing

more reliable than the covenant of grace to which He has pledged Himself

by an oath. And if God, as He truly does, controls all contingencies,

then there remains no room for any fear whether He will be able to

fulfil His glorious promises, also the promise that nothing shall pluck

us out of the hands of Christ.--Such, essentially was the teaching set

forth by Luther in _De Servo Arbitrio_ and in his other publications.

236. Object of Luther's "De Servo Arbitrio."

The true scope of _De Servo Arbitrio_ is to prove that man is saved, not

by any ability or efforts of his own, but solely by grace. Luther says:

"We are not arguing the question what we can do when God works [moves

us], but what we can do ourselves, _viz_., whether, after being created

out of nothing, we can do or endeavor [to do] anything through that

general movement of omnipotence toward preparing ourselves for being a

new creation of His Spirit. This question should have been answered,

instead of turning aside to another." Luther continues: "We go on to

say: Man, before he is renewed to become a new creature of the kingdom

of the Spirit, does nothing, endeavors nothing, toward preparing himself

for renewal and the kingdom; and afterwards, when he has been created

anew, he does nothing, endeavors nothing, toward preserving himself in

that kingdom; but the Spirit alone does each of these things in us, both

creating us anew without our cooperation and preserving us when

recreated,--even as Jas. 1, 18 says: 'Of His own will begat He us by the

Word of Truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures,'

He is speaking here of the renewed creature." (E. v. a. 7, 317; St. L.

18, 1909; compare here and in the following quotations Vaughan's _Martin

Luther on the Bondage of the Will_, London, 1823.)

Man lacks also the ability to do what is good before God. Luther: "I

reply: The words of the Prophet [Ps. 14, 2: "The Lord looketh down from

heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did

understand and seek God. They are all gone aside," etc.] include both

act and power; and it is the same thing to say, 'Man does not seek after

God,' as it would be to say, 'Man cannot seek after God.'" (E. 330; St.

L. 1923.) Again: "Since, therefore, men are flesh, as God Himself

testifies, they cannot but be carnally minded (_nihil sapere possunt

nisi carnem_); hence free will has power only to sin. And since they

grow worse even when the Spirit of God calls and teaches them, what

would they do if left to themselves, without the Spirit of God?" (E.

290; St. L. 1876.) "In brief, you will observe in Scripture that

wherever flesh is treated in opposition to the Spirit, you may

understand by flesh about everything that is contrary to the Spirit, as

in the passage [John 6, 63]: 'The flesh profiteth nothing.'" (E. 291; St.

L. 1877.) "Thus also Holy Scripture, by way of emphasis (_per

epitasin_), calls man 'flesh,' as though he were carnality itself,

because his mind is occupied with nothing but carnal things. _Quod nimio

ac nihil aliud sapit quam ea, quae carnis sunt_." (E. 302; St. L. 1890.)

According to Luther there is no such thing as a neutral willing in man.

He says: "It is a mere logical fiction to say that there is in man a

neutral and pure volition (_medium et purum velle_); nor can those prove

it who assert it. It was born of ignorance of things and servile regard

to words, as if something must straightway be such in substance as we

state it to be in words, which sort of figments are numberless among the

Sophists [Scholastic theologians]. The truth of the matter is stated by

Christ when He says [Luke 11, 23]: 'He that is not with Me is against

Me,' He does not say, 'He that is neither with Me nor against Me, but in

the middle,' For if God be in us, Satan is absent, and only the will for

good is present with us. If God be absent, Satan is present, and there

is no will in us but towards evil. Neither God nor Satan allows a mere

and pure volition in us; but, as you have rightly said, having lost our

liberty, we are compelled to serve sin; that is sin and wickedness we

will, sin and wickedness we speak, sin and wickedness we act." (E. 199;

St. L. 1768.)

In support of his denial of man's ability in spiritual matters Luther

quotes numerous Bible-passages, and thoroughly refutes as fallacies _a

debito ad posse_, etc., the arguments drawn by Erasmus from mandatory

and conditional passages of Scripture. His own arguments he summarizes

as follows: "For if we believe it to be true that God foreknows and

preordains everything, also, that He can neither be deceived nor

hindered in His foreknowledge and predestination furthermore that

nothing occurs without His will (a truth which reason itself is

compelled to concede), then, according to the testimony of the selfsame

reason, there can be no free will in man or angel or any creature.

Likewise, if we believe Satan to be the prince of the world, who is

perpetually plotting and fighting against the kingdom of Christ with all

his might, so that he does not release captive men unless he be driven

out by the divine power of the Spirit, it is again manifest that there

can be no such thing as free will. Again, if we believe original sin to

have so ruined us that, by striving against what is good, it makes most

troublesome work even for those who are led by the Spirit, then it is

clear that in man devoid of the Spirit nothing is left which can turn

itself to good, but only [what turns itself] to evil. Again, if the

Jews, following after righteousness with all their might rushed forth

into unrighteousness, and the Gentiles, who were following after

unrighteousness, have freely and unexpectingly attained to

righteousness, it is likewise manifest, even by very deed and

experience, that man without grace can will nothing but evil. In brief,

if we believe Christ to have redeemed man by His blood, then we are

compelled to confess that the whole man was lost; else we shall make

Christ either superfluous, or the Redeemer only of the vilest part [of

man] which is blasphemous and sacrilegious." (E. 366; St. L. 1969.)

237. Relation of Man's Will toward God's Majesty.

According to Luther man has power over things beneath himself, but not

over God in His majesty. We read: "We know that man is constituted lord

of the things beneath him, over which he has power and free will, that

they may obey him and do what he wills and thinks. But the point of our

inquiry is whether he has a free will toward God, so that God obeys and

does what man wills; or, whether it is not rather God who has a free

will over man, so that the latter wills and does what God wills, and can

do nothing but what God has willed and does. Here the Baptist says that

man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven: wherefore

free will is nothing." (E. 359, St. L. 1957.)

God as revealed in the Word may, according to Luther, be opposed and

resisted by man, but not God in His majesty. We read: "Lest any one

should suppose this to be my own distinction, [let him know that] I

follow Paul, who writes to the Thessalonians concerning Antichrist (2

Thess. 2, 4) that he will exalt himself above every God that is

proclaimed and worshiped, plainly indicating that one may be exalted

above God, so far as He is proclaimed and worshiped, that is, above the

Word and worship by which God is known to us, and maintains intercourse

with us. Nothing, however, can be exalted above God as He is in His

nature and majesty (as not worshiped and proclaimed); rather, everything

is under His powerful hand." (E. 221; St. L. 1794.)

God in His majesty is supreme and man cannot resist His omnipotence, nor

thwart His decrees, nor foil His plans, nor render His omniscience

fallible. Luther: "For all men find this opinion written in their

hearts, and, when hearing this matter discussed, they, though against

their will, acknowledge and assent to it, first, that God is omnipotent,

not only as regards His power, but also, as stated His action; else He

would be a ridiculous God; secondly, that He knows and foreknows all

things, and can neither err nor be deceived. These two things, however,

being conceded by the hearts and senses of all men they are presently,

by an inevitable consequence, compelled to admit that, even as we are

not made by our own will, but by necessity, so likewise we do nothing

according to the right of free will, but just as God has foreknown and

acts by a counsel and an energy which is infallible and immutable. So,

then, we find it written in all hearts alike that free will [defined as

a power independent of God's power] is nothing, although this writing

[in the hearts of men] be obscured through so many contrary disputations

and the great authority of so many persons who during so many ages have

been teaching differently." (E. 268; St. L. 1851.)

The very idea of God and omnipotence involves that free will is not, and

cannot be, a power independent of God. Luther: "However, even natural

reason is obliged to confess that the living and true God must be such a

one who by His freedom imposes necessity upon us, for, evidently, He

would be a ridiculous God or, more properly, an idol, who would either

foresee future events in an uncertain way, or be deceived by the events,

as the Gentiles have asserted an inescapable fate also for their gods.

God would be equally ridiculous if He could not do or did not do all

things, or if anything occurred without Him. Now, if foreknowledge and

omnipotence are conceded, it naturally follows as an irrefutable

consequence that we have not been made by ourselves, nor that we live or

do anything by ourselves, but through His omnipotence. Since, therefore,

He foreknew that we should be such [as we actually are], and even now

makes, moves, and governs us as such, pray, what can be imagined that is

free in us so as to occur differently than He has foreknown or now

works? God's foreknowledge and omnipotence, therefore, conflict directly

with our free will [when defined as a power independent of God]. For

either God will be mistaken in foreknowing, err also in acting (which is

impossible), or we shall act, and be acted upon, according to His

foreknowledge and action. By the omnipotence of God, however, I do not

mean that power by which He can do many things which He does not do but

that active omnipotence by means of which He powerfully works all things

in all, in which manner Scripture calls Him omnipotent. This omnipotence

and prescience of God, I say, entirely abolish the dogma of free will.

Nor can the obscurity of Scripture or the difficulty of the matter be

made a pretext here. The words are most clear, known even to children;

the subject-matter is plain and easy, judged to be so even by the

natural reason common to all, so that ever so long a series of ages,

times, and persons writing and teaching otherwise will avail nothing."

(E. 267; St. L. 1849.)

According to Luther, therefore, nothing can or does occur independently

of God, or differently from what His omniscience has foreseen. Luther:

"Hence it follows irrefutably that all things which we do, and all

things which happen, although to us they seem to happen changeably and

contingently, do in reality happen necessarily and immutably, if one

views the will of God. For the will of God is efficacious and cannot be

thwarted since it is God's natural power itself. It is also wise, so

that it cannot be deceived. And since His will is not thwarted, the work

itself cannot be prevented, but must occur in the very place, time,

manner, and degree which He Himself both foresees and wills." (E. 134;

St. L. 1692.)

238. God Not the Cause of Sin.

Regarding God's relation to the sinful actions of men, Luther held that

God is not the cause of sin. True, His omnipotence impels also the

ungodly; but the resulting acts are evil because of man's evil nature.

He writes: "Since, therefore, God moves and works all in all, He

necessarily moves and acts also in Satan and in the wicked. But He acts

in them precisely according to what they are and what He finds them to

be (_agit in illis taliter, quales illi sunt, et quales invenit_). That

is to say, since they are turned away [from Him] and wicked, and [as

such] are impelled to action by divine omnipotence, they do only such

things as are averse [to God] and wicked, just as a horseman driving a

horse which has only three or two [sound] feet (_equum tripedem vel

bipedem_) will drive him in a manner corresponding to the condition of

the horse (_agit quidem taliter, qualis equus est_), _i.e._, the horse

goes at a sorry gait. But what can the horseman do? He drives such a

horse together with sound horses, so that it sadly limps along, while

the others take a good gait. He cannot do otherwise unless the horse is

cured. Here you see that when God works in the wicked and through the

wicked, the result indeed is evil (_mala quidem fieri_), but that

nevertheless God cannot act wickedly, although He works that which is

evil through the wicked; for He being good, cannot Himself act wickedly,

although He uses evil instruments, which cannot escape the impulse and

motion of His power. The fault, therefore, is in the instruments, which

God does not suffer to remain idle, so that evil occurs, God Himself

impelling them, but in no other manner than a carpenter who, using an ax

that is notched and toothed, would do poor work with it. Hence it is

that a wicked man cannot but err and sin continually, because, being

impelled by divine power, he is not allowed to remain idle, but wills,

desires, and acts according to what he is (_velit, cupiat, faciat

taliter, qualis ipse est_)." (E. 255; St. L. 1834.) "For although God

does not make sin, still He ceases not to form and to multiply a nature

which, the Spirit having been withdrawn is corrupted by sin, just as

when a carpenter makes statues of rotten wood. Thus men become what

their nature is, God creating and forming them of such nature." (E. 254;

St. L. 1833.)

Though God works all things in all things the wickedness of an action

flows from the sinful nature of the creature. Luther: "Whoever would

have any understanding of such matters, let him consider that God works

evil in us, _i.e._, through us, not by any fault of His, but through our

own fault. For since we are by nature evil, while God is good, and since

He impels us to action according to the nature of His omnipotence, He,

who Himself is good, cannot do otherwise than do evil with an evil

instrument, although, according to His wisdom, He causes this evil to

turn out unto His own glory and to our salvation." (E. 257; St. L.

1837.) "For this is what we assert and contend, that, when God works

without the grace of His Spirit [in His majesty, outside of Word and

Sacrament], He works all in all, even in the wicked; for He alone moves

all things, which He alone has created, and drives and impels all things

by virtue of His omnipotence, which they [the created things] cannot

escape or change, but necessarily follow and obey, according to the

power which God has given to each of them--such is the manner in which

all, even wicked, things cooperate with Him. Furthermore, when He acts

by the Spirit of Grace in those whom He has made righteous, _i.e._, in

His own kingdom, He in like manner impels and moves them; and, being new

creatures, they follow and cooperate with Him; or rather, as Paul says,

they are led by Him." (E. 317; St. L. 1908.) "For we say that, without

the grace of God, man still remains under the general omnipotence of

God, who does, moves, impels all things, so that they take their course

necessarily and without fail, but that what man, so impelled, does, is

nothing, _i.e._, avails nothing before God, and is accounted nothing but

sin." (E. 315; St. L. 1906.)

Though everything occurs as God has foreseen, this, according to Luther,

does not at all involve that man is coerced in his actions. Luther: "But

pray, are we disputing now concerning coercion and force? Have we not in

so many books testified that we speak of the necessity of immutability?

We know ... that Judas of his own volition betrayed Christ. But we

affirm that, if God foreknew it, this volition would certainly and

without fail occur in this very Judas.... We are not discussing the

point whether Judas became a traitor unwillingly or willingly, but

whether at the time foreappointed by God it infallibly had to happen

that Judas of his own volition betrayed Christ." (E. 270; St. L. 1853.)

Again: "What is it to me that free will is not coerced, but does what it

does willingly? It is enough for me to have you concede that it must

necessarily happen, that he [Judas] does what he does of his own

volition, and that he cannot conduct himself otherwise if God has so

foreknown it. If God foreknows that Judas will betray, or that he will

change his mind about it,--whichever of the two He shall have foreknown

will necessarily come to pass, else God would be mistaken in foreknowing

and foretelling,--which is impossible. Necessity of consequence effects

this: if God foreknows an event, it necessarily happens. In other words,

free will is nothing" [it is not a power independent of God or able to

nullify God's prescience]. (E. 272; St. L. 1855.)

To wish that God would abstain from impelling the wicked is, according

to Luther, tantamount to wishing that He cease to be God. Luther: "There

is still this question which some one may ask, 'Why does God not cease

to impel by His omnipotence, in consequence of which the will of the

wicked is moved to continue being wicked and even growing worse?' The

answer is: This is equivalent to desiring that God cease to be God for

the sake of the wicked, since one wishes His power and action to cease,

_i.e._, that He cease to be good, lest they become worse!" (E. 259; St.

L. 1839.)

239. Free Will a Mere Empty Title.

Luther considers free will (when defined as an ability in spiritual

matters or as a power independent of God) a mere word without anything

corresponding to it in reality (_figmentum in rebus seu titulus sine

re_, E.v.a. 5, 230), because natural will has powers only in matters

temporal and subject to reason, but none in spiritual things, and

because of itself and independently of God's omnipotence it has no power

whatever. We read: "Now it follows that free will is a title altogether

divine and cannot belong to any other being, save only divine majesty,

for He, as the Psalmist sings [Ps. 115, 3], can do and does all that He

wills in heaven and in earth. Now, when this title is ascribed to men,

it is so ascribed with no more right than if also divinity itself were

ascribed to them,--a sacrilege than which there is none greater.

Accordingly it was the duty of theologians to abstain from this word

when they intended to speak of human power, and to reserve it

exclusively for God, thereupon also to remove it from the mouth and

discourse of men, claiming it as a sacred and venerable title for their

God. And if they would at all ascribe some power to man, they should

have taught that it be called by some other name than 'free will,'

especially since we all know and see that the common people are

miserably deceived and led astray by this term, for by it they hear and

conceive something very far different from what theologians mean and

discuss. 'Free will' is too magnificent, extensive, and comprehensive a

term; by it common people understand (as also the import and nature of

the word require) a power which can freely turn to either side, and

neither yields nor is subject to any one," (E. 158; St. L. 1720.)

If the term "free will" be retained, it should, according to Luther, be

conceived of as a power, not in divine things, but only in matters

subject to human reason. We read: "So, then, according to Erasmus, free

will is the power of the will which is able of itself to will and not to

will the Word and work of God, whereby it is led to things which exceed

both its comprehension and perception. For if it is able to will and not

to will, it is able also to love and to hate. If it is able to love and

to hate, it is able also, in some small degree, to keep the Law and to

believe the Gospel. For if you will or do not will, a certain thing, it

is impossible that by that will you should not be able to do something

of the work, even though, when hindered by another, you cannot complete

it." (E. 191; St. L. 1759.) "If, then, we are not willing to abandon

this term altogether, which would be the safest and most pious course to

follow, let us at least teach men to use it in good faith (_bona fide_)

only in the sense that free will be conceded to man, with respect to

such matters only as are not superior, but inferior to himself, _i.e._,

man is to know that, with regard to his means and possessions, he has

the right of using, of doing, and of forbearing to do according to his

free will; although also even this is directed by the free will of God

alone whithersoever it pleases Him. But with respect to God, or in

things pertaining to salvation or damnation, he has no free will, but is

the captive, subject, and servant, either of the will of God or of the

will of Satan." (E. 160; St. L. 1722.) "Perhaps you might properly

attribute some will (_aliquod arbitrium_) to man, but to attribute free

will to him in divine things is too much, since in the judgment of all

who hear it the term 'free will' is properly applied to that which can

do and does with respect to God whatsoever it pleases, without being

hindered by any law or authority. You would not call a slave free who

acts under the authority of his master. With how much less propriety do

we call men or angels truly free, who, to say nothing of sin and death,

live under the most complete authority of God, unable to subsist for a

moment by their own power." (E. 189; St. L. 1756.)

Lost liberty, says Luther, is no liberty, just as lost health is no

health. We read: "When it has been conceded and settled that free will,

having lost its freedom, is compelled to serve sin, and has no power to

will anything good, I can conceive nothing else from these expressions

than that free will is an empty word, with the substance lost. My

grammar calls a lost liberty no liberty. But to attribute the title of

liberty to that which has no liberty is to attribute an empty name. If

here I go astray, let who can correct me; if my words are obscure and

ambiguous, let who can make them plain and definite. I cannot call

health that is lost health. If I should ascribe it to a sick man, I

believe to have ascribed to him nothing but an empty name. But away with

monstrous words! For who can tolerate that abuse of speech by which we

affirm that man has free will, and in the same breath assert that he,

having lost his liberty, is compelled to serve sin, and can will nothing

good? It conflicts with common sense, and utterly destroys the use of

speech. The _Diatribe_ is rather to be accused of blurting out its words

as if it were asleep, and giving no heed to those of others. It does not

consider, I say, what it means, and what it all includes, if I declare:

Man has lost his liberty, is compelled to serve sin, and has no power to

will anything good." (E. 200; St. L. 1769.)

Satan causes his captives to believe themselves free and happy. Luther:

"The Scriptures set before us a man who is not only bound, wretched,

captive, sick, dead, but who (through the operation of Satan, his

prince) adds this plague of blindness to his other plagues, that he

believes himself to be free, happy, unfettered, strong, healthy, alive.

For Satan knows that, if man were to realize his own misery, he would

not be able to retain any one in his kingdom, because God could not but

at once pity and help him who recognizes his misery and cries for

relief. For throughout all Scripture He is extolled and greatly praised

for being nigh unto the contrite in heart, as also Christ testifies,

Isaiah 61, 1. 2, that He has been sent to preach the Gospel to the poor

and to heal the broken-hearted. Accordingly, it is Satan's business to

keep his grip on men, lest they recognize their misery, but rather take

it for granted that they are able to do everything that is said." (E.

213; St. L. 1785.)

240. The Gospel to be Our Only Guide.

According to _De Servo Arbitrio_ God's majesty and His mysterious

judgments and ways must not be searched, nor should speculations

concerning them be made the guide of our faith and life. Luther says:

"Of God or of the will of God proclaimed and revealed, and offered to

us, and which we meditate upon, we must treat in a different way than of

God in so far as He is not proclaimed, not revealed, and not offered to

us, and is not the object of our meditations. For in so far as God hides

Himself, and desires not to be known of us, we have nothing to do with

Him. Here the saying truly applies, 'What is above us does not concern

us.'" (E. 221, St. L. 1794.) "We say, as we have done before, that one

must not discuss the secret will of [divine] majesty, and that man's

temerity, which, due to continual perverseness, disregards necessary

matters and always attacks and encounters this [secret will], should be

called away and withdrawn from occupying itself with scrutinizing those

secrets of divine majesty which it is impossible to approach; for it

dwells 'in the light which no man can approach unto,' as Paul testifies,

1 Tim. 6, 16." (E. 227; St. L. 1801.) This statement, that God's majesty

must not be investigated, says Luther, "is not our invention, but an

injunction confirmed by Holy Scripture. For Paul says Rom. 9, 19-21:

'Why doth God yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O

man, who art thou that repliest against God?... Hath not the potter

power,' etc.? And before him Isaiah, chapter 58, 2: 'Yet they seek Me

daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness,

and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the

ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God,' These

words, I take it, show abundantly that it is unlawful for men to

scrutinize the will of majesty." (E. 228; St. L. 1803.)

Instead of searching the Scriptures, as they are commanded to do, men

unlawfully crave to investigate the hidden judgments of God. We read:

"But we are nowhere more irreverent and rash than when we invade and

argue these very mysteries and judgments which are unsearchable.

Meanwhile we imagine that we are exercising incredible reverence in

searching the Holy Scriptures, which God has commanded us to search.

Here we do not search, but where He has forbidden us to search, there we

do nothing but search with perpetual temerity, not to say blasphemy. Or

is it not such a search when we rashly endeavor to make that wholly free

foreknowledge of God accord with our liberty, and are ready to detract

from the prescience of God, if it does not allow us liberty, or if it

induces necessity, to say with the murmurers and blasphemers, 'Why doth

He find fault? Who shall resist His will? What is become of the most

merciful God? What of Him who wills not the death of the sinner? Has He

made men that He might delight Himself with their torments?' and the

like, which will be howled out forever among the devils and the damned."

(E. 266, St. L. 1848.)

God's unknowable will is not and cannot be our guide. Luther: "The

_Diatribe_ beguiles herself through her ignorance, making no distinction

between the proclaimed and the hidden God, that is between the Word of

God and God Himself. God does many things which He has not shown us in

His Word. He also wills many things concerning which He has not shown us

in His Word that He wills them. For instance, He does not will the death

of a sinner namely, according to His Word, but He wills it according to

His inscrutable will. Now, our business is to look at His Word,

disregarding the inscrutable will; for we must be directed by the Word,

not by that inscrutable will (_nobis spectandum est Verbum

relinquendaque illa voluntas imperscrutabilis; Verbo enim nos dirigi,

non voluntate illa inscrutabili oportet_). Indeed, who could direct

himself by that inscrutable and unknowable will? It is enough merely to

know that there is such an inscrutable will in God; but what, why, and

how far it wills, that is altogether unlawful for us to inquire into, to

wish [to know], and to trouble or occupy ourselves with; on the

contrary, we should fear and adore it." (E. 222; St. L. 1795)

Instead of investigating the mysteries of divine majesty, men ought to

concern themselves with God's revelation in the Gospel. Luther: "But let

her [human temerity] occupy herself with the incarnate God or, as Paul

says, with Jesus Crucified, in whom are hidden all the treasures of

wisdom and knowledge. For through Him she has abundantly what she ought

to know and not to know. It is the incarnate God, then, who speaks here

[Matt. 23]: 'I would, and thou wouldest not.' The incarnate God, I say,

was sent for this purpose, that He might will, speak, do, suffer, and

offer to all men all things which are necessary to salvation, although

He offends very many who, being either abandoned or hardened by that

secret will of His majesty, do not receive Him who wills, speaks, works,

offers, even as John says: 'The light shineth in darkness, and the

darkness comprehendeth it not;' and again: 'He came unto His own and His

own received Him not.'" (E. 227f., St. L. 1802.)

241. God's Grace Is Universal and Serious.

All men are in need of the saving Gospel, and it should be preached to

all. We read in _De Servo Arbitrio_: "Paul had said just before: 'The

Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first and also to the Greek,' These words are not obscure or

ambiguous: 'To the Jews and to the Greeks,' that is, to all men, the

Gospel of the power of God is necessary, in order that, believing, they

may be saved from the revealed wrath." (E. 322; St. L. 1915.) "He [God]

knows what, when, how, and to whom we ought to speak. Now, His

injunction is that His Gospel, which is necessary for all, should be

limited by neither place nor time, but be preached to all, at all times,

and in all places." (E. 149; St. L. 1709.)

The universal promises of the Gospel offer firm and sweet consolation to

poor sinners. Luther: "It is the voice of the Gospel and the sweetest

consolation to poor miserable sinners when Ezekiel says [18, 23. 32]: 'I

have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he be

converted and live,' Just so also the thirtieth Psalm [v. 5]: 'For His

anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life [His will rather is

life].' And the sixty-ninth [v.16]: 'For Thy loving-kindness is good

[How sweet is Thy mercy, Lord!]' Also: 'Because I am merciful,' And that

saying of Christ, Matt. 11, 28: 'Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are

heavy laden, and I will refresh you,' Also that of Exodus [20, 6], 'I

show mercy unto thousands of them that love Me,' Indeed, almost more

than half of Holy Scripture,--what is it but genuine promises of grace,

by which mercy, life, peace, and salvation are offered by God to men?

And what else do the words of promise sound forth than this: 'I have no

pleasure in the death of a sinner'? Is it not the same thing to say, 'I

am merciful,' as to say, 'I am not angry,' 'I do not wish to punish,'

'I do not wish you to die,' 'I desire to pardon,' 'I desire to spare'?

Now, if these divine promises did not stand [firm], so as to raise up

afflicted consciences terrified by the sense of sin and the fear of

death and judgment, what place would there be for pardon or for hope?

What sinner would not despair?" (E. 218; St. L. 1791.)

God, who would have all men to be saved deplores and endeavors to remove

death, so that man must blame himself if he is lost. Luther: "God in His

majesty and nature therefore must be left untouched [unsearched] for in

this respect we have nothing to do with Him, nor did He want us to deal

with Him in this respect; but we deal with Him in so far as He has

clothed Himself and come forth in His Word, by which He has offered

Himself to us. This [Word] is His glory and beauty with which the

Psalmist, 21, 6, celebrates Him as being clothed." Emphasizing the

seriousness of universal grace, Luther continues: "Therefore we affirm

that the holy God does not deplore the death of the people which He

works in them, but deplores the death which He finds in the people, and

endeavors to remove (_sed deplorat mortem, quam invenit in populo, et

amovere studet_). For this is the work of the proclaimed God to take

away sin and death, that we may be saved. For He has sent His Word and

healed them." (E. 222; St. L. 1795.) "Hence it is rightly said, If God

wills not death, it must be charged to our own will that we perish.

'Rightly,' I say, if you speak of the proclaimed God. For He would have

all men to be saved, coming, as He does, with His Word of salvation to

all men; and the fault is in the will, which does not admit Him, as He

says, Matt. 23, 37: 'How often would I have gathered thy children

together, and ye would not!'" (E. 222; St.L. 1795.)

242. Sola gratia Doctrine Engenders Assurance.

Luther rejoices in the doctrine of _sola gratia_ because it alone is

able to engender assurance of salvation. He writes: "As for myself, I

certainly confess that, if such a thing could somehow be, I should be

unwilling to have free will given me, or anything left in my own hand,

which might enable me to make an effort at salvation; not only because

in the midst of so many dangers and adversities and also of so many

assaulting devils I should not be strong enough to remain standing and

keep my hold of it (for one devil is mightier than all men put together,

and not a single man would be saved), but because, even if there were no

dangers and no adversities and no devils, I should still be compelled to

toil forever uncertainly, and to beat the air in my struggle. For though

I should live and work to eternity, my own conscience would never be

sure and at ease as to how much it ought to do in order to satisfy God.

No matter how perfect a work might be, there would be left a doubt

whether it pleased God, or whether He required anything more, as is

proved by the experience of all who endeavor to be saved by the Law

(_iustitiariorum_), and as I, to my own great misery, have learned

abundantly during so many years. But now, since God has taken my

salvation out of the hands of my will, and placed it into those of His

own and has promised to save me, not by my own work or running, but by

His grace and mercy, I feel perfectly secure, because He is faithful and

will not lie to me; moreover, He is powerful and great, so that neither

devils nor adversities can crush Him, or pluck me out of His hand. No

one, says He, shall pluck them out of My hand; for My Father, who gave

them unto Me, is greater than all. Thus it comes to pass that, though

not all are saved, at least some, nay, many are, whereas by the power of

free will absolutely none would be saved, but every one of us would be

lost. We are also certain and sure that we please God, not by the merit

of our own work, but by the favor of His mercy which He has promised us,

and that, if we have done less than we ought, or have done anything

amiss, He does not impute it to us, but, as a father, forgives and

amends it. Such is the boast of every saint in his God." (E. 362; St. L.

1961f.)

In the _Apology of the Augsburg Confession_ this thought of Luther's is

repeated as follows: "If the matter [our salvation] were to depend upon

our merits, the promise would be uncertain and useless, because we never

could determine when we would have sufficient merit. And this

experienced consciences can easily understand [and would not, for a

thousand worlds, have our salvation depend upon ourselves]." (CONC.

TRIGL. 145, 84; compare 1079, 45f.)

243. Truth of God's Majesty Serves God's Gracious Will.

Luther regarded the teaching that everything is subject to God's majesty

as being of service to His gracious will. We read: "Two things require

the preaching of these truths [concerning the infallibility of God's

foreknowledge, etc.]; the first is, the humbling of our pride and the

knowledge of the grace of God; the second, Christian faith itself.

First, God has certainly promised His grace to the humbled, _i.e._, to

those who deplore their sins and despair [of themselves]. But man cannot

be thoroughly humbled until he knows that his salvation is altogether

beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will, and works, and depends

altogether upon the decision, counsel, will, and work of another,

_i.e._, of God only. For as long as he is persuaded that he can do

anything toward gaining salvation, though it be ever so little, he

continues in self-confidence, and does not wholly despair of himself;

accordingly he is not humbled before God, but anticipates, or hopes for,

or at least wishes for, a place, a time, and some work by which he may

finally obtain salvation." (E. 153. 133; St. L. 1715. 1691.) "More than

once," says Luther, "I myself have been offended at it [the teaching

concerning God's majesty] to such an extent that I was at the brink of

despair, so that I even wished I had never been created a man,--until I

learned how salutary that despair was and how close to grace." (E. 268;

St. L. 1850.)

Of the manner in which, according to Luther, the truth concerning God's

majesty serves the Gospel, we read: "Moreover, I do not only wish to

speak of how true these things are,... but also how becoming to a

Christian, how pious, and how necessary it is to know them. For if these

things are not known, it is impossible for either faith or any worship

of God to be maintained. That would be ignorance of God indeed; and if

we do not know Him, we cannot obtain salvation, as is well known. For if

you doubt that God foreknows and wills all things, not contingently, but

necessarily and immutably, or if you scorn such knowledge, how will you

be able to believe His promises, and with full assurance trust and rely

upon them? When He promises, you ought to be sure that He knows what He

is promising, and is able and willing to accomplish it, else you will

account Him neither true nor faithful. That, however, is unbelief,

extreme impiety, and a denial of the most high God. But how will you be

confident and sure if you do not know that He certainly, infallibly,

unchangeably, and necessarily knows, and wills, and will perform what He

promises? Nor should we merely be certain that God necessarily and

immutably wills and will perform [what He has promised], but we should

even glory in this very thing, as Paul does, Rom. 3, 4: 'Let God be

true, but every man a liar.' And again, Rom. 9, 6; 4, 21; 1 Sam. 3, 19:

'Not that the Word of God hath taken none effect.' And in another place,

2 Tim. 2, 19: 'The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are His.' And in Titus 1, 2: 'Which God, that

cannot lie, hath promised before the world began.' And in Heb. 11, 6:

'He that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that He is a

rewarder of them that hope in Him.' So, then, Christian faith is

altogether extinguished, the promises of God and the entire Gospel fall

absolutely to the ground, if we are taught and believe that we have no

need of knowing the foreknowledge of God to be necessary and the

necessity of all things that must be done. For this is the only and

highest possible consolation of Christians in all adversities to know

that God does not lie, but does all things immutably, and that His will

can neither be resisted, nor altered, nor hindered." (E. 137. 264; St.

L. 1695. 1845.)

244. There Are No Real Contradictions in God.

Among the mysteries which we are unable to solve Luther enumerates the

questions: Why did God permit the fall of Adam? Why did He suffer us to

be infected with original sin? Why does God not change the evil will?

Why is it that some are converted while others are lost? We read: "But

why does He not at the same time change the evil will which He moves?

This pertains to the secrets of His majesty, where His judgments are

incomprehensible. Nor is it our business to investigate, but to adore

these mysteries. If, therefore, flesh and blood here take offense and

murmur, let them murmur; but they will effect nothing, God will not be

changed on that account. And if the ungodly are scandalized and leave in

ever so great numbers, the elect will nevertheless remain. The same

answer should be given to those who ask, 'Why did He allow Adam to fall,

and why does He create all of us infected with the same sin when He

could have preserved him [Adam], and created us from something else, or

after first having purged the seed?' He is God, for whose will there is

no cause or reason which might be prescribed for it as a standard and

rule of action; for it has no equal or superior, but is itself the rule

for everything. If it had any rule or standard, cause or reason, it

could no longer be the will of God. For what He wills is right, not

because He is or was in duty bound so to will, but, on the contrary,

because He wills so, therefore what occurs must be right. Cause and

reason are prescribed to a creature's will, but not to the will of the

Creator, unless you would set another Creator over Him." (E. 259; St. L.

1840.)

Regarding the question why some are converted while others are not, we

read: "But why this majesty does not remove this fault of our will, or

change it in all men (seeing that it is not in the power of man to do

so), or why He imputes this [fault of the will] to man when he cannot be

without it, it is not lawful to search, and although you search much,

you will never discover it, as Paul says, Rom. 9, 20: 'O man, who art

thou that repliest against God?'" (E. 223, St. L. 1796.) "But as to why

some are touched by the Law and others are not, so that the former

receive, and the latter despise, the grace offered, this is another

question, and one not treated by Ezekiel in this place, who speaks of

the preached and offered mercy of God, not of the secret and

to-be-feared will of God, who by His counsel ordains what and what kind

of persons He wills to be capable and partakers of His preached and

offered mercy. This will of God must not be searched, but reverently

adored, as being by far the most profound and sacred secret of divine

majesty, reserved for Himself alone, and prohibited to us much more

religiously than countless multitudes of Corycian Caves." (E. 221; St.

L. 1794.)

Christians firmly believe that in His dealings with men God is always

wise and just and good. Luther: "According to the judgment of reason it

remains absurd that this just and good God should demand things that are

impossible of fulfilment by free will, and, although it cannot will that

which is good but necessarily serves sin, should nevertheless charge

this to free will; and that, when He does not confer the Spirit, He

should not act a whit more kindly or more mercifully than when He

hardens or permits men to harden themselves. Reason will declare that

these are not the acts of a kind and merciful God. These things exceed

her understanding too far, nor can she take herself into captivity to

believe God to be good, who acts and judges thus; but setting faith

aside, she wants to feel and see and comprehend how He is just and not

cruel. She would indeed comprehend if it were said of God: 'He hardens

nobody, He damns nobody, rather pities everybody, saves everybody,' so

that, hell being destroyed and the fear of death removed, no future

punishment need be dreaded. This is the reason why she is so hot in

striving to excuse and defend God as just and good. _But faith and the

spirit judge differently, believing God to be good though he were to

destroy all men_." (E. 252; St. L. 1832.) "The reason why of the divine

will must not be investigated, but simply adored, and we must give the

glory to God that, being alone just and wise, _He does wrong to none,

nor can He do anything foolish or rash, though it may appear far

otherwise to us. Godly men are content with this answer_." (E. 153; St.

L. 1714.)

According to Luther, divine justice must be just as incomprehensible to

human reason as God's entire essence. We read: "But when we feel ill at

ease for the reason that it is difficult to vindicate the mercy and

equity of God because He damns the undeserving, _i.e._, such ungodly men

as are born in ungodliness, and hence cannot in any way prevent being

and remaining ungodly and damned, and are compelled by their nature to

sin and perish, as Paul says [Eph. 2, 3]: 'We were all the sons of wrath

even as others,' they being created such by God Himself out of the seed

which was corrupted through the sin of the one Adam,--then the most

merciful God is to be honored and revered in [His dealings with] those

whom He justifies and saves, although they are most unworthy, and at

least a little something ought to be credited to His divine wisdom by

believing Him to be just where to us He seems unjust. For if His justice

were such as could be declared just by human understanding, it would

clearly not be divine, differing nothing from human justice. But since

He is the one true God, and entirely incomprehensible and inaccessible

to human reason, it is proper, nay, necessary, that His justice also be

incomprehensible, even as Paul also exclaims, Rom. 11, 33, saying: 'O

the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How

unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!' Now,

they would not be incomprehensible if we were able, in everything He

does, to comprehend why they are just. What is man compared with God?

How much is our power capable of as compared with His? What is our

strength compared with His powers? What is our knowledge compared with

His wisdom? What is our substance compared with His substance? In short,

what is everything that is ours as compared with everything that is

His?" (E. 363; St. L. 1962.)

Christians embrace the opportunity offered by the mysterious ways of God

to exercise their faith. Luther: "This is the highest degree of faith,

to believe that He is merciful, who saves so few and condemns so many,

to believe Him just, who by His will [creating us out of sinful seed]

necessarily makes us damnable, thus, according to Erasmus, seeming to be

delighted with the torments of the wretched, and worthy of hatred rather

than of love. If, then, I could in any way comprehend how this God is

merciful and just who shows such great wrath and [seeming] injustice,

there would be no need of faith. But now, since this cannot be

comprehended there is to be an opportunity for the exercise of faith

when these things are preached and published, even as when God kills,

our faith in life is exercised in death." (E. 154; St. L. 1716.)

245. Seeming Contradictions Solved in Light of Glory.

Christians are fully satisfied that hereafter they will see and

understand what they here believed, _viz_., that in His dealings with

men God truly is and always was absolutely just. Luther: "If you are

pleased with God for crowning the unworthy, you ought not to be

displeased with Him for condemning the undeserving [who were not worse

or more guilty than those who are crowned]. If He is just in the former

case, why not in the latter? In the former case He scatters favor and

mercy upon the unworthy, in the latter He scatters wrath and severity

upon the undeserving [who are guilty in no higher degree than those who

are saved]. In both cases He is excessive and unrighteous before [in the

judgment of] men but just and true in His own mind. For how it is just

that He crowns the unworthy is incomprehensible to us now; _but we shall

understand it when we have come to that place where we shall no longer

believe, but behold with our face unveiled_. So, too, how it is just

that He condemns the undeserving we cannot comprehend now, yet we

believe it until the Son of Man shall be revealed." (E. 284; St. L.

1870.) "Of course, in all other things we concede divine majesty to God;

only in His judgment we are ready to deny it, and cannot even for a

little while believe that He is just, since He has promised us that,

_when he will reveal His glory, we all shall then both see and feel that

He has been, and is, just_." (E. 364; St. L. 1964.)

Again: "Do you not think that since the light of grace has so readily

solved a question which could not be solved by the light of nature, the

light of glory will be able to solve with the greatest ease the question

which in the light of the Word or of grace is unsolvable? In accordance

with the common and good distinction let it be conceded that there are

three lights--the light of nature, the light of grace, and the light of

glory. In the light of nature it is unsolvable that it should be just

that the good are afflicted while the wicked prosper. The light of

grace, however, solves this [mystery]. In the light of grace it is

unsolvable how God may condemn him who cannot by any power of his own do

otherwise than sin and be guilty. There the light of nature as well as

the light of grace declares that the fault is not in wretched man, but

in the unjust God. For they cannot judge otherwise of God, who crowns a

wicked man gratuitously without any merits, and does not crown another,

but condemns him, who perhaps is less, or at least not more wicked [than

the one who is crowned]. _But the light of glory pronounces a different

verdict_, and when it arrives, it will show God, whose judgment is now

that of incomprehensible justice, to be a Being of most just and

manifest justice, which meanwhile we are to believe, admonished and

confirmed by the example of the light of grace, which accomplishes a

like miracle with respect to the light of nature." (E. 365; St. L.

1965.)

246. Statements Made by Luther before Publication of "De Servo

Arbitrio."

Wherever Luther touches on predestination both before and after 1525,

essentially the same thoughts are found, though not developed as

extensively as in _De Servo Arbitrio_. He consistently maintains that

God's majesty must be neither denied nor searched, and that Christians

should be admonished to look and rely solely upon the revealed universal

promises of the Gospel. In his _Church Postil_ of 1521 we read: "The

third class of men who also approve this [the words of Paul, Rom. 11,

34. 35: 'For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His

counselor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed

unto Him again?'] are those who indeed hear the Word of Revelation. For

I am not now speaking of such as deliberately persecute the Word (they

belong to the first class, who do not at all inquire about God) but of

those who disregard the revelation and led by the devil, go beyond and

beside it, seeking to grasp the ways and judgments of God which He has

not revealed. Now, if they were Christians, they would be satisfied and

thank God for giving His Word, in which He shows what is pleasing to

Him, and how we are to be saved. But they suffer the devil to lead them,

insist on seeking other revelations, ponder what God may be in His

invisible majesty, how He secretly governs the world, and what He has in

particular decreed for each one in the future. For nature and human

reason cannot desist; they will meddle in His judgment with their

wisdom, sit in His most secret council, instruct Him and master Him.

This is the pride of the foul fiend, who was cast into the abyss of hell

for trying to meddle in [matters of] divine majesty, and who in the same

way eagerly seeks to bring man to fall, and to cast him down with

himself, as he did in Paradise in the beginning, tempting also the

saints and even Christ with the same thing, when he set Him on the

pinnacle of the Temple, etc. Against such in particular St. Paul here

introduces these words [Rom. 11, 34. 35] to the inquisitive questions of

wise reason: Why did God thus punish and reject the Jews while He

permitted the condemned heathen to come to the Gospel? Again, Why does

He govern on this wise, that wicked and evil men are exalted while the

pious are allowed to undergo misfortune and be suppressed? Why does He

call Judas to be an apostle and later on reject him while He accepts the

murderer and malefactor? By them [his words, Rom. 11] Paul would order

such to cease climbing up to the secret Majesty, and to adhere to the

revelation which God has given us. For such searching and climbing is

not only in vain, but also harmful. Though you search in all eternity,

you will never attain anything, but only break your neck."

"But if you desire to proceed in the right way, you can do no better

than busying yourself with His Word and works, in which He has revealed

Himself and permits Himself to be heard and apprehended, to wit, how He

sets before you His Son Christ upon the cross. That is the work of your

redemption. There you can certainly apprehend God, and see that He does

not wish to condemn you on account of your sins if you believe, but to

give you eternal life, as Christ says: 'God so loved the world that He

gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not

perish, but have everlasting life,' (John 3, 16.) In this Christ, says

Paul, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2, 3.)

And that will be more than enough for you to learn, study, and consider.

This lofty revelation of God will also make you marvel and will engender

a desire and love for God. It is a work which in this life you will

never finish studying; a work of which, as Peter says, even the angels

cannot see enough, but which they contemplate unceasingly with joy and

delight. (1 Pet. 1, 12.)"

"This I say that we may know how to instruct and direct those (if such

we should meet with) who are being afflicted and tormented by such

thoughts of the devil to tempt God, when he entices them to search the

devious ways of God outside of revelation, and to grope about trying to

fathom what God plans for them--whereby they are led into such doubt and

despair that they know not how they will survive. Such people must be

reminded of these words [Rom. 11], and be rebuked with them (as St. Paul

rebukes his Jews and wiseacres) for seeking to apprehend God with their

wisdom and to school Him, as His advisers and masters, and for dealing

with Him by themselves without means, and for giving Him so much that He

must requite them again. For nothing will come of it; He has carefully

built so high that you will not thus scale Him by your climbing. His

wisdom, counsel, and riches are so great that you will never be able to

fathom or to exhaust them. Therefore be glad that He permits you to know

and receive these things somewhat by revelation." (E. 9, 15 sqq.; St. L.

12, 641 sqq.)

In a sermon on 2 Pet. 1, 10, delivered in 1523 and published in 1524,

Luther said: "Here a limit [beyond which we may not go] has been set for

us how to treat of predestination. Many frivolous spirits, who have not

felt much of faith, tumble in, strike at the top, concerning themselves

first of all with this matter, and seek to determine by means of their

reason whether they are elected in order to be certain of their

standing. From this you must desist, it is not the hilt of the matter.

If you would be certain, you must attain to this goal by taking the way

which Peter here proposes. Take another, and you have already gone

astray; your own experience must teach you. If faith is well exercised

and stressed, you will finally become sure of the matter, so that you

will not fail." (E. 52, 224, St. L. 9, 1353.)

After a discussion at Wittenberg with a fanatic from Antwerp, in 1525,

Luther wrote a letter of warning to the Christians of Antwerp, in which

he speaks of God's will with respect to sin in an illuminating manner as

follows: "Most of all he [the fanatic] fiercely contended that God's

command was good, and that God did not desire sin, which is true without

a doubt; and the fact that we also confessed this did not do us any

good. But he would not admit that, although God does not desire sin, He

nevertheless permits (_verhaengt_) it to happen, and such permission

certainly does not come to pass without His will. For who compels Him to

permit it? Aye, how could He permit it if it was not His will to permit

it? Here he exalted his reason, and sought to comprehend how God could

not desire sin, and still, by permitting sin, will it, imagining that he

could exhaust the abyss of divine majesty: how these two wills may exist

side by side.... Nor do I doubt that he will quote me to you as saying

that God desires sin. To this I would herewith reply that he wrongs me,

and as he is otherwise full of lies, so also he does not speak the truth

in this matter. I say that God has forbidden sin, and does not desire

it. This will has been revealed to us, and it is necessary for us to

know it. But in what manner God permits or wills sin, this we are not to

know; for He has not revealed it. St. Paul himself would not and could

not know it, saying, Rom. 9, 20: 'O man, who art thou that repliest

against God?' Therefore I beseech you in case this spirit should trouble

you much with the lofty question regarding the secret will of God, to

depart from him and to speak thus: 'Is it too little that God instructs

us in His public [proclaimed] will, which He has revealed to us? Why,

then, do you gull us seeking to lead us into that which we are forbidden

to know, are unable to know, and which you do not know yourself? Let the

manner in which that comes to pass be commended to God; it suffices us

to know that He desires no sin. In what way, however, He permits or

wills sin, this we shall leave unanswered (_sollen wir gehen lassen_).

The servant is not to know his master's secrets but what his master

enjoins upon him, much less is a poor creature to explore and desire to

know the secrets of the majesty of its God,'--Behold, my dear friends,

here you may perceive that the devil always makes a practise of

presenting unnecessary, vain, and impossible things in order thereby to

tempt the frivolous to forsake the right path. Therefore take heed that

you abide by that which is needful, and which God has commanded us to

know, as the wise man says: 'Do not inquire for that which is too high

for you, but always remain with that which God has commanded you,' We

all have work enough to learn all our lifetime God's command and His Son

Christ." (E. 53, 345; St. L. 10, 1531; Weimar 18, 549f.)

247. Statements Made by Luther in 1528.

In a letter of comfort written July 20, 1528, Luther says: "A few days

ago my dear brother Caspar Cruciger, Doctor of Divinity, informed me

with grief that on his various visitations he learned from your friends

that you are afflicted with abnormal and strange thoughts pertaining to

God's predestination, and are completely confused by them; also that you

grow dull and distracted on account of them, and that finally it must be

feared that you might commit suicide,--from which Almighty God may

preserve you!... Your proposition and complaints are: God Almighty knows

from eternity who are to be and who will be saved, be they dead, living

or still to live in days to come,--which is true, and shall and must be

conceded; for He knows all things, and there is nothing hidden from Him,

since He has counted and knows exactly the drops in the sea, the stars

in the heavens, the roots, branches, twigs, leaves of all trees, also

all the hair of men. From this you finally conclude that, do what you

will, good or evil, God still knows whether you shall be saved or not

(which is indeed true) yet, at the same time, you think more of

damnation than of salvation and on that account you are faint-hearted,

nor do you know how God is minded toward you; hence you grow dispirited

and altogether doubtful."

"Against this I, as a servant of my dear Lord Jesus Christ, give you

this advice and comfort, that you may know how God Almighty is disposed

toward you, whether you are elected unto salvation or damnation.

Although God Almighty knows all things, and all works and thoughts in

all creatures must come to pass according to His will (_iuxta decretum

voluntatis suae_), it is nevertheless His earnest will and purpose, aye,

His command, decreed from eternity, to save all men and make them

partakers of eternal joy, as is clearly stated Ezek. 18, 23, where He

says: God does not desire the death of the wicked but that the wicked

turn and live. Now, if He desires to save and to have saved the sinners

who live and move under the wide and high heaven, then you must not

separate yourself from the grace of God by your foolish thoughts,

inspired by the devil. For God's grace extends and stretches from east

to west from south to north, overshadowing all who turn, truly repent,

and make themselves partakers of His mercy and desire help. For He is

'rich unto all that call upon Him,' Rom. 10, 12. This, however requires

true and genuine faith, which expels such faint-heartedness and despair

and is our righteousness, as it is written Rom. 3, 22: 'the

righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon

all.' Mark these words, _in omnes, super omnes_ (unto all, upon all),

whether you also belong to them, and are one of those who lie and grovel

under the banner of the sinners." "Think also as constantly and

earnestly of salvation as you [now] do of damnation, and comfort

yourself with God's Word, which is true and everlasting, then such ill

winds will cease and pass entirely."

"Thus we are to comfort our hearts and consciences, silence and resist

the evil thoughts by and with the divine Scriptures. For one must not

speculate about God's Word, but be still, drop reason and, holding the

Word to be true, believe it, and not cast it to the winds, nor give the

Evil Spirit so much power as to suffer ourselves to be overcome, and

thus to sink and perish. For the Word, by which all things and creatures

in all the wide world, no matter what they are called, have been created

and made and by which all that lives and moves is still richly

preserved, is true and eternal; and it must be accounted and held to be

greater and more important, mightier and more powerful than the

fluttering, empty, and vain thoughts which the devil inspires in men.

For the Word is true, but the thoughts of men are useless and vain. One

must also think thus: God Almighty has not created, predestinated, and

elected us to perdition, but to salvation, as Paul asserts, Eph. 1, 4;

nor should we begin to dispute about God's predestination from the Law

or reason, but from the grace of God and the Gospel, which is proclaimed

to all men." "Hence these and similar thoughts about God's

predestination must be judged and decided from the Word of God's grace

and mercy. When this is done, there remains no room or occasion for a

man thus to pester and torment himself,--which neither avails anything

even if he should draw the marrow out of his bones, leaving only skin

and hair." (E. 54, 21ff.)

248. Statements Made by Luther in 1531 and 1533.

In a letter of comfort, dated April 30, 1531, Luther refers to the fact

that he, too, had passed through temptation concerning predestination.

"For," says he, "I am well acquainted with this malady, having lain in

this hospital sick unto eternal death. Now, in addition to my prayer I

would gladly advise and comfort you, though writing is weak in such an

affair. However, I shall not omit what I am able to do (perhaps God will

bless it), and show you how God helped me out of this affliction, and by

what art I still daily maintain myself against it. In the first place,

you must be firmly assured in your heart that such thoughts are without

doubt the inspiration and the fiery darts of the foul fiend.... Hence it

is certain that they do not proceed from God, but from the devil, who

therewith plagues a heart that man may become an enemy of God and

despair,--all of which God has strictly forbidden in the First

Commandment, bidding men to trust, love, and praise Him--whereby we

live. Secondly: When such thoughts come to you, you must learn to ask

yourself, 'Friend, in what commandment is it written that I must think

or treat of this?'... Fourthly: The chief of all the commandments of God

is that we picture before our eyes His dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is to be the daily and the chief mirror of our heart, in which we see

how dear we are to God, and how much He has cared for us as a good God,

so that He even gave His dear Son for us."

"Here, here, I say, and nowhere else, a man can learn the true art of

predestination. Then it will come to pass that you believe on Christ.

And if you believe, then you are called; if you are called, then you are

also surely predestinated. Do not suffer this mirror and throne of grace

to be plucked from the eyes of your heart. On the contrary when such

thoughts come and bite like fiery serpents, then under no circumstances

look at the thoughts or the fiery serpents, but turn your eyes away from

them and look upon the brazen serpent, _i.e._, Christ delivered for us.

Then, by the grace of God, matters will mend." (St. L. 10, 1744 sq.; E.

54, 228.)

In Luther's _House Postil_ of 1533 we read: "From the last passage:

'Many are called, but few are chosen,' wiseacres draw various false and

ungodly conclusions. They argue: He whom God has elected is saved

without means; but as for him who is not elected, may he do what he

will, be as pious and believing as he will, it is nevertheless ordained

that he must fall and cannot be saved; hence I will let matters take

what course they will. If I am to be saved, it is accomplished without

my assistance; if not, all I may do and undertake is nevertheless in

vain. Now every one may readily see for himself what sort of wicked,

secure people develop from such thoughts. However, in treating of the

passage from the Prophet Micah on the day of Epiphany, we have

sufficiently shown that one must guard against such thoughts as against

the devil, undertake another manner of studying and thinking of God's

will, and let God in His majesty and with respect to election untouched

[unsearched]; for there He is incomprehensible. Nor is it possible that

a man should not be offended by such thoughts, and either fall into

despair or become altogether wicked and reckless."

"But whoever would know God and His will aright must walk the right way.

Then he will not be offended, but be made better. The right way,

however, is the Lord Jesus Christ, as He says: 'No one cometh unto the

Father but by Me,' Whoever knows the Father aright and would come unto

Him must first come to Christ and learn to know Him, _viz_., as follows:

Christ is God's Son, and is almighty, eternal God. What does the Son of

God now do? He becomes man for our sakes, is made under the Law to

redeem us from the Law, and was Himself crucified in order to pay for

our sins. He rises again from the dead, in order by His resurrection to

pave the way to eternal life for us, and to aid us against eternal

death. He sits at the right hand of God in order to represent us, to

give us the Holy Spirit, to govern and lead us by Him, and to protect

His believers against all tribulations and insinuations of Satan. That

means knowing Christ rightly."

"Now when this knowledge has been clearly and firmly established in your

heart, then begin to ascend into heaven and make this conclusion: Since

the Son of God has done this for the sake of men, how, then, must God's

heart be disposed to us, seeing that His Son did it by the Father's will

and command? Is it not true that your own reason will compel you to say:

Since God has thus delivered His only-begotten Son for us, and has not

spared Him for our sakes, He surely cannot harbor evil intentions

against us? Evidently He does not desire our death, for He seeks and

employs the very best means toward assisting us to obtain eternal life.

In this manner one comes to God in the right way, as Christ Himself

declares, John 3, 16: God so loved the world that He gave His

only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,

but have everlasting life. Now contrast these thoughts with those that

grow out of the former opinion, and they will be found to be the

thoughts of the foul fiend, which must offend a man, causing him either

to despair, or to become reckless and ungodly, since he can expect

nothing good from God."

"Some conceive other thoughts, explaining the words thus: 'Many are

called', _i.e._, God offers His grace to many, but few are chosen,

_i.e._, He imparts such grace to only a few; for only a few are saved.

This is an altogether wicked explanation. For how is it possible for one

who holds and believes nothing else of God not to be an enemy of God,

whose will alone must be blamed for the fact that not all of us are

saved? Contrast this opinion with the one that is formed when a man

first learns to know the Lord Christ, and it will be found to be nothing

but devilish blasphemy. Hence the sense of this passage, 'Many are

called,' etc., is far different. For the preaching of the Gospel is

general and public, so that whoever will may hear and accept it.

Furthermore, God has it preached so generally and publicly that every

one should hear, believe, and accept it, and be saved. But what happens?

As the Gospel states: 'Few are chosen,' _i.e._, few conduct themselves

toward the Gospel in such a manner that God has pleasure in them. For

some do not hear and heed it; others hear it, but do not cling to it,

being loath either to risk or suffer anything for it; still others hear

it, but are more concerned about money and goods, or the pleasures of

the world. This, however, is displeasing to God, who has no pleasure in

such people. This Christ calls 'not to be chosen,' _i.e._, conducting

oneself so that God has no pleasure in one. Those men are chosen of God

and well-pleasing to Him who diligently hear the Gospel, believe in

Christ, prove their faith by good fruits, and suffer on that account

what they are called to suffer."

"This is the true sense, which can offend no one, but makes men better,

so that they think: Very well, if I am to please God and be elected, I

cannot afford to live so as to have an evil conscience, sin against

God's commandments, and be unwilling to resist sin; but I must go to

church, and pray God for His Holy Spirit; nor must I permit the Word to

be taken out of my heart, but resist the devil and his suggestions, and

pray for protection, patience, and help. This makes good Christians,

whereas those who think that God begrudges salvation to any one either

become reckless or secure, wicked people, who live like brutes,

thinking: It has already been ordained whether I am to be saved or not;

why, then, should I stint myself anything? To think thus is wrong; for

you are commanded to hear God's Word and to believe Christ to be your

Savior, who has paid for your sin. Remember this command and obey it. If

you notice that you are lacking faith, or that your faith is weak, pray

God to grant you His Holy Ghost, and do not doubt that Christ is your

Savior, and that if you believe in Him, _i.e._, if you take comfort in

Him, you shall by Him be saved. Dear Lord Jesus Christ, grant this unto

us all! Amen." (E. 1, 204; St. L. 13, 199.)

249. Statements Made by Luther in 1538 and 1545.

In his remarks of 1538 on Matt. 11, 25. 26, Luther says: "Christ speaks

especially against those who would be wise and judge in religious

matters, because they have on their side the Law and human reason, which

is overwise, exalting itself against the true religion both by teaching

and by judging. Hence Christ here praises God as doing right when He

conceals His secrets from the wise and prudent, because they want to be

over and not under God. Not as though He hid it in fact or desired to

hide it (for He commands it to be preached publicly under the entire

heaven and in all lands), but that He has chosen that kind of preaching

which the wise and prudent abhor by nature, and which is hidden from

them through their own fault, since they do not want to have it--as is

written Is. 6, 9: 'See ye indeed, but perceive not,' Lo, they see,

_i.e._, they have the doctrine which is preached both plainly and

publicly. Still they do not perceive, for they turn away from it and

refuse to have it. Thus they hide the truth from themselves by their own

blindness. And so, on the other hand, He reveals it to the babes; for

the babes receive it when it is revealed to them. To them the truth is

revealed since they wish and desire it." (W. 7, 133.)

In a letter giving comfort concerning predestination, dated August 8,

1545, Luther wrote: "My dear master and friend N. has informed me that

you are at times in tribulation about God's eternal predestination, and

requested me to write you this short letter on that matter. Now to be

sure, this is a sore tribulation. But to overcome it one must know that

we are forbidden to understand this or to speculate about it. For what

God wants to conceal we should be glad not to know. This is the apple

the eating of which brought death upon Adam and Eve and upon all their

children, when they wanted to know what they were not to know. For as it

is sin to commit murder, to steal, or to curse, so it is also sin to

busy oneself searching such things. As an antidote to this God has given

us His Son, Jesus Christ. Of Him we must daily think; in Him we must

consider ourselves (_uns in ihm spiegeln_). Then predestination will

appear lovely. For outside of Christ everything is only danger, death,

and the devil; in Him, however, there is nothing but peace and joy. For

if one forever torments himself with predestination, all one gains is

anguish of soul. Hence flee and avoid such thoughts as the affliction of

the serpent of Paradise, and, instead, look upon Christ. God preserve

you!" (E. 56, 140; St. L. 10. 1748.)

250. Statements Made by Luther in His Commentary on Genesis.

Luther's _caeterum censeo_, that we are neither to deny nor to search

the hidden God (who cannot be apprehended in His bare majesty--_qui in

nuda sua maiestate non potest apprehendi_, E., Op. Lat. 2, 171), but to

adhere to the revelation He has given us in the Gospel, is repeated

again and again also in his _Commentary on Genesis_, which was begun in

1536 and completed in 1545. In the explanation of chap. 26, 9 we read,

in part: "I gladly take occasion from this passage to discuss the

question concerning doubt, concerning God and God's will. For I hear

that everywhere among the nobles and magnates profane sayings are spread

concerning predestination or divine prescience. For they say: 'If I am

predestinated, I shall be saved, whether I have done good or evil. If I

am not predestinated, I shall be damned, without any regard whatever to

my works.' Against these ungodly sayings I would gladly argue at length

if my ill health would permit. For if these sayings are true, as they

believe them to be, then the incarnation of the Son of God, His

suffering and resurrection, and whatever He did for the salvation of the

world, is entirely abolished. What would the prophets and the entire

Holy Scriptures profit us? what the Sacraments? Let us therefore abandon

and crush all this," all these ungodly sayings.

Luther proceeds: "These thoughts must be opposed by the true and firm

knowledge of Christ, even as I frequently admonish that above all it is

useful and necessary that our knowledge of God be absolutely certain,

and being apprehended by firm assent of the mind, cleave in us, as

otherwise our faith will be in vain. For if God does not stand by His

promises, then our salvation is done for, while on the contrary this is

to be our consolation that, although we change, we may nevertheless flee

to Him who is unchangeable. For this is what He affirms of Himself, Mal.

3, 6: 'I am the Lord, I change not,' and Rom. 11, 29: 'For the gifts and

calling of God are without repentance.' Accordingly, in the book _De

Servo Arbitrio_ and elsewhere I have taught that we must distinguish

when we treat of the knowledge of God or, rather, of His essence. For

one must argue either concerning the hidden or the revealed God.

Concerning God, in so far as He has not been revealed to us, there is no

faith, no knowledge, no cognition whatever. Here one must apply the

saying: What is above us does not concern us (_Quae supra nos, nihil ad

nos_). For such thoughts as search for something higher, beyond or

without the revelation of God, are altogether diabolical; and by them

nothing else is achieved than that we plunge ourselves into perdition,

because they are occupied with an unsearchable object, _i.e._, the

unrevealed God. Indeed, rather let God keep His decrees and mysteries

concealed from us, for there is no reason why we should labor so much

that they be disclosed to us. Moses, too, asked God to show His face, or

glory, to him. But the Lord answered, Ex. 33, 23: 'Thou shalt see My

back parts; but My face shall not be seen. _Posteriora mea tibi

ostendam, faciem autem meam videre non poteris_.' For this curiosity is

original sin itself, by which we are impelled to seek for a way to God

by natural speculation. But it is an enormous sin and a useless and vain

endeavor. For Christ says, John 6, 65; 14, 6: 'No man cometh unto the

Father but by Me.' Hence, when we approach the non-revealed God, there

is no faith, no word, nor any knowledge, because He is an invisible God

whom you will not make visible."

With special reference to his book _De Servo Arbitrio_ Luther continues:

"It was my desire to urge and set forth these things, because after my

death many will quote my books and by them try to prove and confirm all

manner of errors and follies of their own. Now, among others I have

written that all things are absolute and necessary; but at the same time

(and very often at other times) I added that we must look upon the

revealed God, as we sing in the Psalm: '_Er heisst Jesus Christ, der

Herr Zebaoth, und ist kein andrer Gott_,' 'Jesus Christ it is, of

Sabaoth Lord, and there's none other God.' But they will pass by all

these passages, and pick out those only concerning the hidden God. You,

therefore, who are now hearing me, remember that I have taught that we

must not inquire concerning the predestination of the hidden God, but

acquiesce in that which is revealed by the call and the ministry of the

Word. For there you can be certain regarding your faith and salvation

and say: I believe in the Son of God who said: 'He that believeth on the

Son hath everlasting life,' John 3, 36. In Him therefore is no damnation

or wrath, but the good will of God the Father. But these very things I

have set forth also elsewhere in my books, and now I transmit them

orally, too, _viva voce;_ hence I am excused--_ideo sum excusatus_."

(E., Op. Exeg. 6, 200. 292. 300; CONC. TRIGL. 897f.)

h�8C�n d � H�� >

Poland_ which affirm that no one besides the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ is that One God of Israel." It teaches: There is but one divine

person; Christ is a mere man; the doctrine concerning the deity of

Christ is false; as a reward for His sinless life, God has given Christ

all power in heaven and on earth; as such, as God's representative

(_homo Deus factus_, the man made God), He may be adored; there is no

original sin; with the help of God, that is to say, with the

commandments and promises of God revealed by Christ, man may acquire

salvation; he is able to keep these commandments, though not perfectly;

man's shortcomings are pardoned by God on account of his good intention;

an atonement by Christ is not required for this purpose; moreover, the

doctrine of atonement must be opposed as false and pernicious; by His

death Christ merely sealed His doctrine; all who obey His commandments

are adherents of Christ; these will participate in His dominion; the

wicked and the devils will be annihilated; there is no such thing as

eternal punishment; whatever in the Bible comports with human reason and

serves moral ends is inspired; the Old Testament is superfluous for

Christians, because all matters pertaining to religion are contained

better and clearer in the New Testament. (Tschackert, 473.)

Evidently, in every detail, Antitrinitarianism and Socinianism are

absolutely incompatible with, and destructive of, the very essence of

Christianity. The _Apology_ declares that the deniers of the doctrine of

the Holy Trinity "are outside of the Church of Christ and are idolaters,

and insult God." (103, 1.) This verdict is confirmed by Article XII of

the _Formula of Concord_. (843, 30; 1103, 39.)

XXIII. Origin, Subscription, Character, etc., of Formula of Concord.

267. Lutherans Yearning for a Godly Peace.

A holy zeal for the purity and unity of doctrine is not at all

incompatible, rather always and of necessity connected with an earnest

desire for peace; not, indeed, a peace at any price, but a truly

Christian and godly peace, a peace consistent with the divine truth.

Also in the loyal Lutherans, who during the controversies after Luther's

death faithfully adhered to their Confessions, the fervent desire for

such a godly peace grew in proportion as the dissensions increased.

While Calvinists and Crypto-Calvinists were the advocates of a

unionistic compromise, true Lutherans everywhere stood for a union based

on the truth as taught by Luther and contained in the Lutheran

Confessions. Though yearning for peace and praying that the

controversies might cease, they were determined that the Lutheran Church

should never be contaminated with indifferentism or unionism, nor with

any teaching deviating in the least from the divine truth.

As a result, earnest and repeated efforts to restore unity and peace

were made everywhere by Lutheran princes as well as by theologians,

especially the theologians who had not participated in the

controversies, but for all that were no less concerned about the

maintenance of pure Lutheranism and no less opposed to a peace at the

expense of the divine truth than the others. As early as 1553 Flacius

and Gallus published their _Provokation oder Erbieten der adiaphorischen

Sachen halben, auf Erkenntnis und Urteil der Kirchen_. In this Appeal

they urged that ten or twenty competent men who hitherto had not

participated in the public controversy be appointed to decide the chief

differences between themselves and the Interimists. In the two following

years Flacius and Gallus continued their endeavors to interest

influential men in Saxony and other places for their plan. Melanchthon

and his Wittenberg colleagues, however, maintained silence in the

matter.

At the behest of the dukes of Thuringia, Amsdorf, Stolz, Aurifaber,

Schnepf, and Strigel met at Weimar in the early part of 1553 to discuss

the conditions of peace. Opposed as they were to a peace by agreeing to

disagree or by ignoring the differences and past contentions, they

demanded that synergism, Majorism, adiaphorism, as also the doctrines of

Zwingli, Osiander, and Schwenckfeldt, be publicly rejected by the

Wittenbergers. (Preger 2, 4. 7.)

74.�-v�3 0 � H�� 4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt'>Luther to remain, or to be transformed into a unionistic or Reformed

body? Is it to retain its unity, or will it become a house divided

against itself and infested with all manner of sects?

Evidently, then, if the Lutheran Church was not to go down ingloriously,

a new confession was needed which would not only clear the religious and

theological atmosphere, but restore confidence, hope, and normalcy. A

confession was needed which would bring out clearly the truths for which

Lutherans must firmly stand if they would be true to God, true to His

Word, true to their Church, true to themselves, and true to their

traditions. A confession was needed which would draw exactly, clearly,

and unmistakably the lines which separate Lutherans, not only from

Romanists, but also from Zwinglians, Calvinists, Crypto-Calvinists,

unionists, and the advocates of other errors and unsound tendencies.

Being essentially the Church of the pure Word and Sacrament, the only

way for the Lutheran Church to maintain her identity and independence

was to settle her controversies not by evading or compromising the

doctrinal issues involved, but by honestly facing and definitely

deciding them in accordance with her principles: the Word of God and the

old confessions. Particularly with respect to the doctrine of the Lord's

Supper, Melanchthon by constantly altering the _Augsburg Confession_,

had muddied the water to such an extent that the adoption of the

_Augustana_ was no longer a clear test of Lutheran orthodoxy and

loyalty. Even Calvin, and the German Reformed generally subscribed to

it, "in the sense," they said, "in which Melanchthon has explained it."

The result was a corruption of Lutheranism and a pernicious Calvinistic

propaganda in Lutheran territories. A new confession was the only means

of ending the confusion and checking the invasion.

290. Formula Fully Met Requirements.

The _Formula of Concord_ was just such a confession as the situation

called for. The Preface to the _Apology of the Book of Concord_, signed

by Kirchner, Selneccer, and Chemnitz, remarks that the purpose of the

_Formula_ was "to establish and propagate unity in the Lutheran churches

and schools, and to check the Sacramentarian leaven and other

corruptions and sects." This purpose was fully attained by the

_Formula_. It maintained and vindicated the old Lutheran symbols. It

cleared our Church from all manner of foreign spirits which threatened

to transform its very character. It settled the controversies by

rendering a clear and correct decision on all doctrinal questions

involved. It unified our Church when she was threatened with hopeless

division, anarchy, and utter ruin. It surrounded her with a wall of fire

against all her enemies. It made her a most uncomfortable place for such

opponents of Lutheranism as Crypto-Calvinists, unionists, etc. It

infused her with confidence, self-consciousness, conviction, a clear

knowledge of her own position over against the errors of other churches

and sects, and last, but not least, with a most remarkable vitality.

Wherever and whenever, in the course of time, the _Formula of Concord_

was ignored, despised, or rejected, the Lutheran Church fell an easy

prey to unionism and sectarianism; but wherever and whenever the

_Formula_ was held in high esteem, Lutheranism flourished and its

enemies were confounded. Says Schaff: "Outside of Germany the Lutheran

Church is stunted in its normal growth, or undergoes with the change of

language and nationality, an ecclesiastical transformation. This is the

case with the great majority of Anglicized and Americanized Lutherans,

who adopt Reformed views on the Sacraments, the observance of Sunday,

church discipline, and other points." But the fact is that, since Schaff

wrote the above, the Lutheran Church developed and flourished nowhere as

in America, owing chiefly to the return of American Lutherans to their

confessions, including the _Formula of Concord_. The _Formula of

Concord_ fully supplied the dire need created by the controversies after

Luther's death; and, despite many subsequent controversies, also in

America, down to the present day, no further confessional deliverances

have been necessary, and most likely such will not be needed in the

future either.

The _Formula of Concord_, therefore, must ever be regarded as a great

blessing of God. "But for the _Formula of Concord_," says Krauth, "it

may be questioned whether Protestantism could have been saved to the

world. It staunched the wounds at which Lutheranism was bleeding to

death; and crises were at hand in history in which Lutheranism was

essential to the salvation of the Reformatory interest in Europe. The

Thirty Years' War, the war of martyrs, which saved our modern world, lay

indeed in the future of another century, yet it was fought and settled

in the Cloister of Bergen. But for the pen of the peaceful triumvirate,

the sword of Gustavus had not been drawn. Intestine treachery and

division in the Church of the Reformation would have done what the arts

and arms of Rome failed to do. But the miracle of restoration was

wrought. From being the most distracted Church on earth, the Lutheran

Church had become the most stable. The blossom put forth at Augsburg,

despite the storm, the mildew, and the worm, had ripened into the full

round fruit of the amplest and clearest Confession in which the

Christian Church has ever embodied her faith." (Schmauk, 830.)

291. Formula Attacked and Defended.

Drawing accurately and deeply, as it did, the lines of demarcation

between Lutheranism, on the one hand, and Calvinism, Philippism, etc.,

on the other, and thus also putting an end to the Calvinistic propaganda

successfully carried on for decades within the Lutheran Church, the

_Formula of Concord_ was bound to become a rock of offense and to meet

with opposition on the part of all enemies of genuine Lutheranism within

as well as without the Lutheran Church. Both Romanists and Calvinists

had long ago accustomed themselves to viewing the Lutheran Church as

moribund and merely to be preyed upon by others. Accordingly, when,

contrary to all expectations, our Church, united by the _Formula_, rose

once more to her pristine power and glory, it roused the envy and

inflamed the ire and rage of her enemies. Numerous protests against the

_Formula_, emanating chiefly from Reformed and Crypto-Calvinistic

sources, were lodged with Elector August and other Lutheran princes.

Even Queen Elizabeth of England sent a deputation urging the Elector not

to allow the promulgation of the new confession. John Casimir of the

Palatinate, also at the instigation of the English queen, endeavored to

organize the Reformed in order to prevent its adoption. Also later on

the Calvinists insisted that a general council (of course, participated

in by Calvinists and Crypto-Calvinists) should have been held to decide

on its formal and final adoption!

Numerous attacks on the _Formula of Concord_ were published 1578, 1579,

1581, and later, some of them anonymously. They were directed chiefly

against its doctrine of the real presence in the Lord's Supper, the

majesty of the human nature of Christ, and eternal election,

particularly its refusal to solve, either in a synergistic or in a

Calvinistic manner, the mystery presented to human reason in the

teaching of the Bible that God alone is the cause of man's salvation,

while man alone is the cause of his damnation. In a letter to Beza,

Ursinus, the chief author of the Heidelberg Catechism, shrewdly advised

the Reformed to continue accepting the _Augsburg Confession_, but to

agitate against the _Formula_. He himself led the Reformed attacks by

publishing, 1581, "_Admonitio Christiana de Libro Concordiae_, Christian

Admonition Concerning the Book of Concord," also called "_Admonitio

Neostadiensis_, Neustadt Admonition." Its charges were refuted in the

"Apology or Defense of the Christian Book of Concord--_Apologia oder

Verantwortung des christlichen Konkordienbuchs_, in welcher die wahre

christliche Lehre, so im Konkordienbuch verfasst, mit gutem Grunde

heiliger, goettlicher Schrift verteidiget, die Verkehrung aber und

Kalumnien, so von unruhigen Leuten wider gedachtes christliche Buch

ausgesprenget, widerlegt worden," 1583 (1582). Having been prepared by

command of the Lutheran electors, and composed by Kirchner, Selneccer,

and Chemnitz, and before its publication also submitted to other

theologians for their approval, this guardedly written _Apology_, also

called the Erfurt Book, gained considerable authority and influence.

The Preface of this Erfurt Book enumerates, besides the Christian

Admonition of Ursinus and the Neustadt theologians, the following

writings published against the _Formula of Concord_: 1. _Opinion and

Apology_ (_Bedencken und Apologie_) of Some Anhalt Theologians; 2.

_Defense_ (_Verantwortung_) of the Bremen Preachers; Christian Irenaeus

on Original Sin; _Nova Novorum_ ("ein famos Libell"); other libelli,

satyrae et pasquilli; _Calumniae et Scurrilia Convitia of Brother Nass_

(_Bruder Nass_); and the history of the _Augsburg Confession_ by

Ambrosius Wolf, in which the author asserts that from the beginning the

doctrine of Zwingli and Calvin predominated in all Protestant churches.

The theologians of Neustadt, Bremen, and Anhalt replied to the Erfurt

Apology; which, in turn, called forth counter-replies from the

Lutherans. Beza wrote: _Refutation of the Dogma Concerning the

Fictitious Omnipresence of the Flesh of Christ_. In 1607 Hospinian

published his _Concordia Discors_," [tr. note: sic on punctuation] to

which Hutter replied in his _Concordia Concors_. The papal detractors of

the _Formula_ were led by the Jesuit Cardinal Bellarmin, who in 1589

published his _Judgment of the Book of Concord_.

292. Modern Strictures on Formula of Concord.

Down to the present day the _Formula of Concord_ has been assailed

particularly by unionistic and Reformed opponents of true Lutheranism.

Schaff criticizes: "Religion was confounded with theology, piety with

orthodoxy, and orthodoxy with an exclusive confessionalism." (1, 259.)

However, the subjects treated in the _Formula_ are the most vital

doctrines of the Christian religion: concerning sin and grace, the

person and work of Christ, justification and faith, the means of grace,

--truths without which neither Christian theology nor Christian religion

can remain; "Here, then," says Schmauk, "is the one symbol of the ages

which treats almost exclusively of Christ--of His work, His presence,

His person. Here is the Christ-symbol of the Lutheran Church. One might

almost say that the _Formula of Concord_ is a developed witness of

Luther's explanation of the Second and Third Articles of the Apostles'

Creed, meeting the modern errors of Protestantism, those cropping up

from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, in a really modern way."

(751.) Tschackert also designates the assertion that the authors of the

_Formula of Concord_ "abandoned Luther's idea of faith and established a

dead scholasticism" as an unjust charge. (478.) Indeed, it may be

questioned whether the doctrine of grace, the real heart of

Christianity, would have been saved to the Church without the _Formula_.

R. Seeberg speaks of the "ossification of Lutheran theology" caused by

the _Formula of Concord_, and Tschackert charges it with transforming

the Gospel into a "doctrine." (571.) But what else is the Gospel of

Christ than the divine doctrine or statement and proclamation of the

truth that we are saved, not by our own works, but by grace and faith

alone, for the sake of Christ and His merits? The _Formula of Concord_

truly says: "_The Gospel is properly a doctrine which teaches what man

should believe_, that he may obtain forgiveness of sins with God,

namely, that the Son of God, our Lord Christ, has taken upon Himself and

borne the curse of the Law, has expiated and paid for all our sins,

through whom alone we again enter into favor with God, obtain

forgiveness of sins by faith, are delivered from death and all the

punishments of sins, and eternally saved." (959, 20.) Says Schmauk: "The

_Formula of Concord_ was ... the very substance of the Gospel and of the

_Augsburg Confession_, kneaded through the experience of the first

generation of Protestantism, by incessant and agonizing conflict, and

coming forth from that experience as a true and tried teaching, a

standard recognized by many." (821.) The _Formula of Concord_ is truly

Scriptural, not only because all its doctrines are derived from the

Bible, but also because the burden of the Scriptures, the doctrine of

justification, is the burden also of all its expositions the living

breath, as it were, pervading all its articles.

Another modern objection to the _Formula_ is that it binds the future

generations to the _Book of Concord_. This charge is correct, for the

_Formula_ expressly states that its decisions are to be "a public,

definite testimony, not only for those now living, but also for our

posterity, what is and should remain (_sei und bleiben solle--esseque

perpetuo debeat_) the unanimous understanding and judgment of our

churches in reference to the articles in controversy." (857, 16.)

However, the criticism implied in the charge is unwarranted. For the

Lutheran Confessions, as promoters, authors, and signers of the

_Formula_ were fully persuaded, are in perfect agreement with the

eternal and unchangeable Word of God. As to their contents, therefore,

they must always remain the confession of every Church which really is

and would remain loyal to the Word of God.

293. Formula Unrefuted.

From the day of its birth down to the present time the _Formula of

Concord_ has always been in the limelight of theological discussion. But

what its framers said in praise of the _Augsburg Confession_, _viz._,

that, in spite of numerous enemies, it had remained unrefuted, may be

applied also to the _Formula_: it stood the test of centuries and

emerged unscathed from the fire of every controversy. It is true today

what Thomasius wrote 1848 with special reference to the _Formula_:

"Numerous as they may be who at present revile our Confession, not one

has ever appeared who has refuted its chief propositions from the

Bible." (_Bekenntnis der ev.-luth. Kirche_, 227.)

Nor can the _Formula_ ever be refuted, for its doctrinal contents are

unadulterated truths of the infallible Word of God. It confesses the

doctrine which Christians everywhere will finally admit as true and

divine indeed, which they all in their hearts believe even now, if not

explicitly and consciously, at least implicitly and in principle. The

doctrines of the _Formula_ are the ecumenical truths of Christendom; for

true Lutheranism is nothing but consistent Christianity. The _Formula_,

says Krauth, is "the completest and clearest confession in which the

Christian Church has ever embodied her faith." Such being the case, the

_Formula of Concord_ must be regarded also as the key to a godly peace

and true unity of entire Christendom.

The authors of the _Formula_ solemnly declare: "We entertain heartfelt

pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and

anxious to advance with our utmost power that unity [and peace] by which

His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the

Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor

sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith,

confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone

through the sole merit of Christ." (1095, 95.) Such was the godly peace

and true Christian unity restored by the _Formula of Concord_ to the

Lutheran Church. And what it did for _her_ it is able also to do for the

Church at large. Being in complete agreement with Scripture, it is well

qualified to become the regeneration center of the entire present-day

corrupted, disrupted, and demoralized Christendom.

Accordingly Lutherans, the natural advocates of a truly wholesome and

God-pleasing union based on unity in divine truth, will not only

themselves hold fast what they possess in their glorious Confession, but

strive to impart its blessings also to others, all the while praying

incessantly, fervently, and trustingly with the pious framers of the

_Formula_: "May Almighty God and the Father of our Lord Jesus grant the

grace of His Holy Ghost that we all may be one in Him, and constantly

abide in this Christian unity, which is well pleasing to Him! Amen."

(837, 23.)

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

[tr. note: original printed text ends with a 10 page index that is not

included in this transcription]

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Historical Introductions to the

Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, by Friedrich Bente