Chapter 2

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

_Of the Differences between the Bible and other Books_.

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

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

_What we ought chiefly to seek for in the Bible_, _and how we ought to study and learn the Holy Scriptures_.

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

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

_That we should diligently read the Texts of the Bible_, _and stay ourselves upon it as the only true Foundation_.

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

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

_That the Bible is the Head of all Arts_.

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

_Of the Art of the School Divines in the Bible_.

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

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

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

_The Depths of the Bible_.

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

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

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

_Of the future Want of upright and true Preachers of God’s Word_.

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

_That People_, _out of mere Wilfulness_, _do set themselves against God’s Word_.

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

_Of the Archbishop of Mentz_, _one of the Spiritual Princes Electors_, _his Censure of the Bible_.

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

_That the Bible is hated of the Worldly-wise and of the Sophists_.

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

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

_Of the Errors which the Sectaries do hold concerning the Word of God_.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

_Which are the best Preachers and the best Hearers_.

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

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

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

_That we ought to direct all our Actions and Lives according to God’s Word_.

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

_Where God’s Word is loved_, _there dwelleth God_.