CHAP. 8. To Somius. are not to infer, that it is not the will of God The two following letters relate to the diet of Augsburg. 8. To Somius, 26 March, 1530.-"Observing the apprehensions entertained by some, I am anxious for you; not that I fear lest God should desert you, but lest the unskilfulness and inexperience of some of your friends should betray you into mischief. For, as the Suabians are naturally sanguine, so when any thing unexpected occurs they are soon cast down. I, for my part am ready to consult with you, asked or unasked.-You that minister the word take care that you depart not a hair's breadth from the declaration of the truth; though I would have all done with prudence. But avow yourselves ready to give an account of your faith and doctrine before the emperor, provided only you may do it freely, and with proper security against violence.... I offer my services to attend the Landgrave at the diet; and Ecolampadius and others are willing to do the same....I will apply to our council to omit nothing by which they may assist you. Only be firm and free from fear. The adversary will be able to effect nothing against you: for greater is he that is with us than they who are against us. It has passed into a proverb, that they who threaten most do least.-Communi 1 Ib. fo. 188. cate what I have written to Sympertus (Schenkius 1) of Memmingen."2 9. To Somius and Sympertus (Schenkius) at Augsburg, 18 August, 1530.3" Grace and peace from the Lord! Do not be surprised, my dear brethren, if some alarm and some wavering should be found in your company. Some are sincere in the faith, but unskilled in affairs; while some are strangers to the truth, and even hostile to it. Hence it is no new thing if plans are not consistently formed and steadily pursued; if some withdraw themselves; and some enter into parley with the enemy. Consider the human body: it consists as well of flesh and blood as of bones and sinews. The former even exceed in quantity and weight: but they would avail nothing without the support of the latter and both together would be nothing without the animating. spirit. The spirit therefore holds the first place, the bones and sinews the next, and the flesh and blood the last. So it is in the visible church. Men unstable in the faith, inexperienced, irreligious, in the eyes of the weak occupy the place of the flesh, [which makes the greatest appearance,] though they desire nothing but their own ease and indulgence. The truly pious, whether teachers or leading men among the people, support the whole, as the bones and sinews do the fleshy mass of the body. But they themselves will be strong and active, only when they are animated by the Spirit of God.-But shall he fear for the church, who sees that it is provided for in this manner? Never yet was the church in such a state that none in it were weak, none unskilful, none 'Epist. fo. 198. 53-55. 1 Gerd. ii. 333. 3 See vol. i. p. CHAP. XX. unsound: and, if it never was free from these evils, and yet always stood its ground, and increased, and shall continue to stand; it is not for us to think that the heavenly Spirit will fail to animate and support his own body. But you, with the elders and leaders of the people who trust in God, are the bones and nerves by which he is to act.-I am firmly of opinion that the adherents of the pope cannot venture upon war." For this he assigns some political reasons, and then proceeds: "The spirit that animates the people of God is more powerful and determined than his enemies suppose. Their artifices must be thus met: first, we must confess the truth with all boldness, and at the same time promise the emperor due obedience, provided he will leave our faith untouched-except it be by conviction from the word of God, or by means of an open and free conference conducted on equal terms. If he refuses this you must answer, that you regret his being so far misled by false teachers as to imagine that he possesses power over your souls and your faith-a power never claimed by any pious emperor, or, if claimed, never conceded to him: that you are prepared therefore to go to all extremities rather than retreat from your position, unless God should remove you from it by his word. Depend upon it the papists will give way before such conduct.... It is firmness alone that must and will extricate us.... If we negligently suffer pure religion to be oppressed, we shall be as guilty as the oppressors themselves." 1 The preceding letters tend much to illustrate the character of the great Swiss reformer; Ib. fo. 187. and certainly exhibit him, on the whole, as a humble, holy, experienced Christian, as well as a man of a bold, heroic, and devoted spirit. Those which follow relate chiefly to his views of Christian doctrine and duty in several important particulars. A. D. 1531. M. Alber, 10. A letter to Matthew Alber, pastor of 10. To Reutlingen, dated 16 November, 1524, appears on the to be the earliest effort of his pen (at least the Eucharist. earliest that has been preserved,) on the subject of the eucharist, and it has been noticed as such by Dr. Milner. I shall add only a few sentences to those which he has cited.-The writer discusses at length the sixth chapter John vi. of S. John: not that he supposes the sacrament to be the subject there treated of, but because he conceives that that discourse of our Lord's suggests the true principle of interpretation to be applied to the case of the sacrament. There the divine teacher seems to insist on "eating his flesh and drinking his blood"-it might have been thought, even literally; whereas his real subject was-believing in him. Zwingle then approaches the sacramental words, "This is my body," but evidently with a degree of religious awe, seriously deprecating all misinterpretation of them. "Here," he says, " all the strength of our faith is to be applied, and the throne of the heavenly grace resorted to, that whatever abstruse meaning the words convey it may be discovered." If they have not hitherto been rightly understood, he says, "there is nothing in which we have more grievously erred: and I know not whether the worship of the golden calf at Dan was a greater abomination than the adoration of that con 'Vol. v. 397-S. (991-2.) CHAP. XX. 11. Necessity of faith to secrated bread-if indeed it is no more than bread. Now," he proceeds, "though the opinion which I am going to mention much commends itself to my approbation, yet I decide nothing; I only propose my thoughts for consideration, that, if such be the will of God, others may be led to think the samebut only by the Spirit, who must teach us all things: for our words are mere babblings, if they be contrary to his mind and will. Í pray God therefore, the author of all good, to direct our steps; and, if at any time we are going, like Balaam, to oppose the truth, may he send forth his angel against us, and by any severity prevent our blaspheming the name of the Lord."-How lamentable, that men who commenced their inquiries in this spirit should ever have been goaded to depart from it, and ever branded by their brethren, on account of differences on this very question, with the appellation of "apostles of Satan," and other opprobrious names! 11. In a long epistle to some anonymous "brethren," (dated 16 December, 1524,) in obedience. which he earnestly contends for the practice of infant baptism, he makes the following observations on the necessity of faith to obedience. "Faith must be constantly preached, that it may serve as the foundation on which the law may build the edifice of holy practice. Is this unusual language? Yet it is true, and let none be offended at it. Where faith does not exist, in vain will you inculcate the law: for only the sheep hear the shepherd's voice. Would you therefore have any one to receive (observe) the law Teach him faith, and pray to God to 'Epist. fo. 116-121, or Zuing. Op. ii. fo. 153-158. |