TWO DISCOURSES THE FIRST Concerning the SPIRIT of MARTIN LUTHER and the ORIGINAL of the REFORMATION THE SECOND CONCERNING THE CELIBACY OF THE CLERGY Printed at OXFORD An. 1687. CONSIDERATIONS Concerning the SPIRIT of M. LUTHER and the ORIGINAL of the REFORMATION CONTENTS PRoperties of the good and evil Spirit § 1. By which the spirits of New Teachers are to be try'd Luther's Holy life whilst a Monk § 2. The several degrees of his fall § 3. n. 1. The first degr his taking up a new doctrine whilst yet a Monk as more consolatory of Justification by Faith alone Ib. And devising new Comments on the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians prejudicial to good works proceeding from Grace § 4. Where 1. That the Church'es doctrine concerning Justification was much mistaken or much mis-related by him § 6. 2. That his new opinion concerning it is detested by many judicious Protestants § 7. 3. Void of Consolation and contradicting it self § 8. The 2d degree upon the former doctrine his holding a parity of all justified as to their future reward § 9. And vilifying Religious vows and works of Mortification and Penance especially Celibacy § 10. Writing against Monastick Vows § 11. n. 2. And much recommending the state of Marriage vilifying Celibacy § 11. n. 3.4 5 6 7. Throwing off his Monks Hood and marrying a Nun. § 12. Leaving off his Canonical hours of Prayer § 13. The 3d. deg His rejecting the authority of the present Church § 14. The 4th deg His denying the then present to be a true Church or the Clergy thereof a true Ministery affirming the Pope to be Antichrist amp c. § 15. n. 1. and § 16 17 18. The 5th deg His rejecting the authority also of the former and ancient Church Councils and Fathers § 15. n. 2. and § 19 20. Some instances and testimonies 1. Concerning his rejecting the present Church-authority § 16. 2. Maintaining the Pope to be Antichrist § 17 3. The former Ordinations of Clergy invalid § 18. 4. His rejecting Councils § 19. 5. And Fathers § 20. The 6th deg His setting up his own authority and maintaining his own doctrines as certain and infallible truths § 21. n. 1. and § 24. n. 1. Tho these in his former and latter time much varying ib. The 7th deg Impatiently suffering opposition excommunicating and anathematizing any others tho Reformed that contradicted his doctrines § 22. and § 25. The 8th deg His altering the publick Service ordaining a new Ministry Abrogating and burning the former Canon Law § 23. Instances and Testimonies for these 1. Concerning his certainty of the truth of his own doctrines § 24. n. 1. Of those also that he maintained against other Reformed § 24. n. 3. 2. Concerning his censuring and condemning those of the other Reformed opposing him § 25. Where also of their reciprocal censures of him for it § 26. 3. Concerning the instability of his doctrine § 27 9th deg His fierce contentious and railing spirit discovered in all his controversy-writings § 28. Some instances thereof 30. 10th His frequent Communications with the Devil acknowledged by himself § 32. Where Of the great variety and subtilty of Satan's temptations § 34. When this Tempter is undiscovered § 35. When this Tempter is discovered § 37. And that Luther had no secure ground to rely on that he was not by him most miserably deluded § 38. 11. In particular concerning Satan's famous disputation with him touching the Mass Nullity of the present Clergy Justifying Faith c. and Luther's behaviour therein § 39 Remarks upon it and the invalidity of those Arguments of Satan that prevailed with Luther § 40. amp c. Of Zuinglius his being in like manner deluded by Satan § 44. c. 12. That probably Luther discovered not these wiles of Satan but served him ignorantly § 46. And therefore was a more dangerous instrument of his § 47. And that there wanted not specious pretences for several things in his Reformation § 49 Nor some personal qualities that rendred him acceptable to his sect § 50. 13. The resemblance of Luther's change of Religion in several particulars to that former of Mahomet 14. The Trial of Luther's spirit as before described whether this were good or bad by the properties of these two spirits mentioned in the begnning of the Discourse § 58. Where 1. That Truth and Holiness Error and Vice have a necessary connexion § 60. 2. That where more corrupt doctrines are believed and taught there for the general must be found more dissolute lives § 61. The several bad fruits springing from Luther's doctrine that presently appeared and were confessed in his own time § 62. 15. The manner of his Death § 64. Conclusion Where concerning the just limits of blaming or censuring other mens lives and actions CONSIDERATIONS Concerning the SPIRIT of MARTIN LUTHER and the Original of the REFORMATION Properties of the good § 1. THE Spirit of God is described by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. in its properties to be long-suffering kind not envying nor vaunting it self not puffed up not easily provoked thinking no evil bearing all things c. and the fruits thereof to be love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness continency temperance Gal. 5.22 And the wisdom that is from above to be pudica pacifica modesta suadibilis chast pacific modest easie to be intreated Jam 3.17 And the Spiritual man to be Non litigans mansuetus ad omnes docibilis patiens cum modestia corripiens c. No wrangler mild towards all men docible patient correcting with modesty 2 Tim. 2.24 25. When he is reviled to bless when he is defamed to intreat when persecuted without resistance to suffer it 1 Cor. 4.12 Is described to wage a continual war against the flesh in watchings in fastings in various castigations subjections and mortifications of the body 1 Cor. 9.27 2 Cor. 11.27 These are the Properties of the good Spirit And evil Spirit On the contrary the Spirit of Satan and of this world and those acted therewith are described by the Apostle Rom. 1.29 to be Pleni invidia contentione malignitate detractores contumeliosi superbi parentibus superioribus non obedientes inventores malorum incompositi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of envy contention malignity detractors contumelious proud disobedient to parents superiours inventers of evil unsettled and dissolute without natural affection without fidelity And 2 Tim. 3.1 to be seipsos amantes elati superbi parentibus superiorbus non obedientes sine pace incontinentes tumidi voluptatum amatores pietatis speciem habentes virtutem ejus abnegantes lovers of themselves haughty proud disobedient to parents superiours unpeaceable incontinent puffed up lovers of pleasures having an appearance of piety but denying the virtue of it And by St. Jude v. 8. c. to be carnem maculantes dominationem spernentes Majestatem blasphemantes in via Cain abeuntes Defilers of the flesh despisers of Dominion blasphemers of Majesty who
Melancthon Praefat in 2. tom Luther who also was translated to the new-founded University of Wirtenberg some years after Luther for his famed learning in the Greek tongue Eruditis gratum erat quasi ex tenebris educi Christum Prophetas Apostolos conspici discrimen legis Evangelii promissionum legis promissionis Evangelicae quod certe non exstahat in Thoma Scoto similibus The Learned were well pleased to see the doctrine of Christ the Prophets and Apostles as it were brought to light and the difference betwixt the Law and Gospel the Legal promises and the Evangelical one now cleared to 'em which in the writings of the Schools Thomas Scotus c. were not at all or but obscurely to be met with Concerning which error in Justification the chief matter surely in all our Christianity he there also saith That Origenica aetas effudit hanc persuasionem mediocrem rationis disciplinam mereri remissionem peccatorum esse justitiam de qua diceretur Justus ex fide sua vivet Haec aetas pene amisit totum discrimen Legis Evangelii sermonem Apostolicum dedidicit In Origen's time first arose that perswasion That a little disciplining of reason was sufficient to merit remission of sins and was that Righteousness whereof it is said The Just shall live by faith We of this age have well nigh lost all distinction of law and gospel and unlearnt the doctrine of the Apostle O ridiculous pride and self-conceit § 5. n. 2. Hence Luther also proceeded to such bold speeches both concerning the Fathers and also in comparing the writings of the New Testament in order to his doctrine of sole Justification by Faith of which in his Preface to his Enarrations on Pet. he saith Qui hoc potissimum majori prae caeteris studio tractarunt quod sola in Christum fides justificet ii omnium optimi sunt Evangelistae c. Those that more particularly and diligently than the rest treat of this doctrine That Faith alone justifies they are the best Evangelists of all Hence may you more properly say The Gospel of St. Paul than of Matthew Mark Luke these latter being little more than a bare Historical narration of the works and miracles of Christ What not of his Doctrines and Sermons also and of the way to salvation he taught us And afterwards censuring the Fathers on c. 1. v. 8. Benedictus Deus c. O Deus saith he quam parum de hac praedicatione viz. Omnia nobis dona a Patre donata ex mera misericordia citra nostrum meritum in omnibus libris invenitur etiam iis qui optimi habentur c. O God! How little of this doctrine viz. All our Gifts bestow'd on us by the Father out of his meer mercy without our merits is there to be found in all even reputedly the best books In all the writings of St. Hierome and St. Augustine how is there nothing at all not so much as the words i.e. his sense of the words of St. Peter a sufficient autocatacrisis We ought thus to preach Jesus Christ viz. That he dyed and rose again and why he dyed and why he rose again that men mov'd by such preaching may believe in him and believing be sav'd Here must be interpos'd his solum else what more frequent in St. Austine and St. Hierome This is indeed preaching the true Gospel and whatsoever by whomsoever is preach'd otherwise Gospel it is not And a little below Inde facile discitur Epistolam Divi Jacobi nomine scriptam haud quaquam Apostolicam esse Epistolam c. Thence may we easily learn that to be no Canonical Epistle that is ascrib'd to St. James this makes sufficient way for his straminea arida worthleâ—s and dry as a straw there being scarcely the least tittle of this doctrine in it But then how much do we read there contrary § 5. n. 3. Yea so strangely affected was Luther himself also with this his new invention That abstracting from this device he most impiously makes bold much to prefer the Mahometan and Turks religion as to good life and practice before the Christian It is necessary I set you down his words that what I say here may be believed Thus then he in an Epistle before a Treatise De Moribuâ— Religione Turcarum joyned with the Alcoran and some other Treatises against the Alcoran published by him as he saith on purpose because those who had writ against the Alcoran concealed the good things of the Mahometan Religion but mentioned and confuted the odious but that Author had declared it with much integrity Now Ex hoc libro saith he videmus Turcarum seu Mahometi religionem caeremoniis poene dixerim moribus esse multo speciosiorem quam nostrorum etiam Religiosorum omnium Clericorum Nam ea modestia simplicitas victus vestitus c. By this book we see the Religion of the Turks or Mahomet is much more plausible for shew and ceremony I had almost said and for good life too that word stuck a little with his modesty at first than that even of our Religious nay all the Clergy put together For no where amongst us are to be seen that modesty and simplicity of diet apparrell houses all things or the like fasts prayers public conventions of the people as this book recounts Then the miracles and the prodigious abstinencies and severities of their Religious whom of our Monks do they not quite put down and shame And this is the reason why from the Christian faith so many revolt and so pertinaciously adhere to Mahometanisme Again Christiana Religio longe aliud sublimius aliquid est quam Ceremoniae speciosae rasura Cucullus pallor vultus jejunia horae Canonicae universa illa facies Ecclesiae Romanae per orbem c. Christian Religion is quite another and far more sublime thing than a few specious ceremonies shaven crowns cowls pale countenances fastings Canonical hours of prayer and all that outward pomp of the Roman Church all the world over for in all these the Turks infinitely go beyond us Will he stay here No. Christiana religio longe aliud est quam boni mores seu bona opera Nam in his quoque ostendit is liber Turcas longe superiores esse Christianis nostris Christianity is quite another thing than a good life now without a paene dixerim or good works for even in these also as this book shews the Turks far out-do us Christians And Nunc video quid causae fuerit quod a Papistis sic occuleretur religio Turcica cur solum turpia eorum narrarunt sc Quod senserunt id quod res est si ad disputandum de religione veniatur totus Papatus cum omnibus suis caderet c. Now I see the reason of the Papists concealing many things of the Turkish Religion and relating only the deformities thereof viz. because they were sensible which is the plain truth of
and remitted the former obligation of Confession of sins to the Priests and Fasting before receiving the Communion and generally held in matters of Religion no Ecclesiastical i.e. humane laws obliging see before § 19. Began a new Ordination of Bishops and Ministers vita p. 129. descending from him after having declared their former Unction null and God's Church to be only that where the Gospel was purely preached that was his By the same authority assisted with the power of the Prince he made new Bishops and put them in the places of the deceased Against the Canonical Election of another made his intimate friend Ausdorse Bishop of Neoburg see Mâ—lch Adam vita p. 150. and Georg. Anhalâ—tinus Bishop of Mersburg By the same Authority he sentenced the Canon-law consisting of the former decrees amassed as well those of Councils as those of Popes to the fire and assembling the University solemnly burnt it in Wirtenberg vita p. 115. By the same he frequently pronounced Anathema's and Excommunications to those reformed that dissented from him in Opinion § 24. n. 1. 〈…〉 For the things said here it is easie to produce a multitude of testimonies Concerning his presumption of his own Doctrines and Expositions of God's Word he saith see before § 16. Illum se aut â—â—â—am doctrinam Episcoporum aut ullius judicio Angeli de Coelo subjâ—cere non dignari he scom'd to submit himself or his Doctrine to the judgment of the Bishops or an Angel from Heaven And Extra aleam positam esse eam omnis humani judicii sed omnium Angelorum ' past the censure of men or Angels All this only out of a high presumption that his Exposition of the Scriptures was true the Church'es false And in an Epistle to Melancthon Adam vit Luth. p. 138 De publica causa satis magno otioso animo sum qui scio certo ipsam esse justam c. Certainly knowing the publick cause i. e. his own reformed Tenents to be just and true and Christ's and God's I am courageous and unconcern'd enough about it The threatnings of these bloody Papists I value not a if we come to the ground Christ will tall with us I had rather fall with Christ than stand with the Emperour In his answer to the Emperour's Edict 1531. concerning his way of Justification by Faith alone opposing the Church'es former doctrine in this point This Artide saith he will they nill they the Pope Emperour c will stand Hell-gates cannot prevail against it the Spirit of God doth dictate this unto me this is the true Gospel c. Casting the Pope's Bull the Canon-law and the writings of his Adversaties into the publick fire in Wirtenberg he used this insolent speech joyned with that insolent act vit Luth. Adams p. 115. Quia tu conturbasti Sanctum Domini conturbet te ignis aeternus because thou hast disturbed the Holy of the Lord get thee into eternal flames And upon Gal. 1.11 12. he thus answers an Objection made against the newness of his Doctrine taught contrary to that of the former Church by so inconsiderable a person which answer because it seems to contain all the defence he could make for himself I will set you down at large § 24. n. 2. First then he frames this Objection as made by the false Apostles against St. Paul fitting the application thereof to himself Quod Paulus longe inferior esset reliquis Apostolorum Discipulis qui quod docerent servarent acceperant ab Apostolis Cur igitur inferiori vellent obtemperare authoritatem iposorum Apostolorum qui Doctores essent omnium Ecclesiarum totius orbis terrarum contemnere Valde igitur saith he speciosum robustum hoc argumentum Pseudo-Apostolorum fuit c. Paul being much inferior to the other Disciples of the Apostles who had received from the very Apostles what they did and taught why therefore should they obey him that was inferior and despise the authority of the Apostles themselves who were constituted Masters of all the Churches in the world This then saith he was the specious and great-argument of the false Apostles which even now adays retains its force with many What! say they the Apostles the Holy Fathers and their Successors have taught so and so the whole Church judgeth so and believeth so and t is impossible for Christ to permit his Church to err for so many ages And do you now pretend to be wiser than so many holy men than the whole Church c Thus it is that the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of light treacherously sets upon me by the virulent tongues of certain Hypocrites We stand not much upon say they either Pope or Bishops Nay we detest the hypocrisy and impostures of Monks c. But we cannot in the least suffer the authority of the most holy Catholick Church to be infringed There are so many ages now that she has constantly judged so and taught so all the Doctors of the Primitive Church most holy men much greater and more learned than you have still judged and taught the same And who now are you that dare depart from all these and force upon us different tenents His answer to this is Quando Satanas hoc urget conspirat cum carne ratione perterresit Conscientia desperat nisi constanter adte redeas dicas Sive Sanctus Cyprianus Ambrosius Augastinus sive Sanctus Petrus Paulus aut Johannes imo Angelus de Calo alâ—tâ—r doceat tamen hoc certe scio quod humana non suadeo sed div na heâ—â—st quod Deo omnia tribuo hominibus nihil Memini initiomâ—â— causae Doâ—â—orem Staupitium tunc summum virum Vicarium Ordinis Angustini ad me dicere Hoc mihi inquit placet quod hac Doctrina quam prâ—dicas gloriam omnia soli Deo tribuit hominibus nihil Deo a â—â—m 〈◊〉 quod luce clarius est nimium gloriae bonitatis c. attribâ—i non potest Haec vox vehementer me tum consolabatur consirmabatâ— Malto ausâ—ta â—â—tias est tribuere nimium Deo quam homiâ—â—bus Ibo 〈◊〉 cum â—id 〈◊〉 dicere possum Esto sane Ecclesia Augustinus alii Doctores item Petrus Apostolus imo Angelus de Coelo diversum doceant tamen mea doctrina est ejusmodi quod solius Dei gratiam c. When Satan urgeth thus and conspires with flesh and reason against us our conscience is troubled and will certainly despair unless we resolutely stir up our selves and say Tho St. Cyprian St. Ambrose St. Angustin tho St. Peter Paul and John yea an Angel from Heaven teach the contrary yet this I certainly know that the things I propose are not humane but divine i. e. I attribute all to God and nothing to men I remember well what Dr. Staupitius a prime man then and Vicar of St. Augustin's Order told me in the beginning of my preaching I like well said he that this Doctrine you teach gives glory
Disputation was not made known by him to the world till ten or eleven years after it happened when he had some experience of many being swayed by them viz. in his book de Missa privata Sacerdotum unctione ' Of private Mass and Priests unction writ in 1533 yet the Reasonings of this evil Fiend were urged by him against the Church as Truth both before and after his Colloquy through his whole ensuing life the strength of these arguments with him overpoising the mendacity of the Author And therefore this disputation of the Devils against the Mass and former religion hath had with many a contrary effect to what it had with Luther either causing them to return to the Church as amongst others it had once such an operation upon Mr. Chillingworth one of the motives of his reconcilement to the Roman Catholick Religion being set down by him thus in his Preface sin Because saith he Luther to preach against the Mass which contains the most material points now in controversy was perswaded by reasons suggested to him by the Devil himself disputing with him as himself professeth in his book de Miss privat that all men saith he might take heed of following him who professeth himself to follow the Devil or causing them more firmly to persevere therein Tho Luther whether out of vain-glory to shew his more intimate acquaintance and negotiation with the inhabitants of the incorporeal world and his defeat of their designs or out of a conceit that by the unanswerableness of the arguments tho taken from a prohibited Author he should promote his cause or rather out of the merciful providence of God to shew to all the world by Luther's own Confession the Original Founder and Abetter of the Reformation the more to deter all from believing such a lie was forced to the great regret of many of his followers for the scandal given thereby to publish to the world this his Confession as he calls it of the things that secretly passed between him and the wicked Fiend 2ly For the disputation it self the Devil's arguments are vain and of no weight to perswade what he pretends and Luther's weakness very great in yeilding to them and in afterwards using them especially known to come from the Father of lies which to clear to you I will give you the story with some animadversions upon it § 40. n. 1. Luther's own relation of it after his telling us how vigorously and convincingly and in short periods the Devil disputes is this Quondam intempesta nocte e somno evigilavi mox Satan hujusmodi disputationem in animo meo quemadmodum scilicet multas noctes mihi satis amarulentas acerbas reddere ille novit mecum instituit Audisne dixit Excellentissime Doctor Num ignoras te quoque per annos quindecim privatas Missas quotidie fere celebrasse Quid vero si Missis hujusmodi meram Idololatriam exercuisses non Christi corpus sanguinem sed nudum panem vinum illic tu adoravisses aliis quoque exhibuisses adorandum Respondebam sic Atque Sacerdos sum ad istud muneris consecratus qui Christma Consecractionem ab Episcopo olim habui praeterea omne hoc ex meorum Superiorum jussu obedientiae debito per me factum est Cur ergo non Consecravissem sum verba ipsa diligenti studio pronunciaverim summa qua potui devotione in Missis celebrandis usus sim Vere equidem hoc dicis Respondit Satan sed Turcae Ethnici omnes quaecunque in templis suis agunt exjussa studiosa devotione facere solent Sacerdotes Jeroboam faciebant etiam omnia certo zelo studio contra veros sacerdotes in Jerusalem Quid si tua Ordinatio Consecratio falsa esset sicut Turcarum Samaritanorum falsi Sacerdotes falsus impius cultus est Some time since about midnight I chanc'd to awake out of sleep and behold the Devil as he had known well enough how to occasion me many troublesome and restless nights began a disputation with me in my interior soul Dost thou hear said he most Excellent Doctor Can you be ignorant that you also for fifteen years together have almost daily celebrated Private Masses what if in those Masses you have practised down-right Idolatry in adoring there and exhibiting to others to be ador'd not the body and blood of Christ but the naked bread and wine I made answer after this manner I am certainly a Priest consecrated to that holy function of offering the body of Christ having long ago received both Chrism and Consecration from a true Bishop Besides all this I did by the command of my Superiors in due obedience to them Why might not I therefore in celebrating those Masses be said truly to consecrate when with all possible care I pronounced the very words of Consecration in the greatest devotion I was able You say very true answered the Devil but even Turks and all Heathens perform what they do in their Temples as by command and with a sedulous devotion So Jeroboam's Priests acted all things with a constant zeal and fervour tho contrary to the true Priests at Jerusalem What if your Ordination and Consecration also should be false as amongst the Turks and Samaritans false Priests false and impious worship As yet Luther 's Ordination is questioned by Satan as false but not proved Satan then proceeds to give these Reasons thereof § 40. n. 2. 1. Primum nosti inquit nullam tunc habuisti cognitionem Christi nec veram fidem First you know said he you had then no knowledg of Christ nor true faith Nosti This Colloquy then was after Luther's reforming the former Doctrine concerning Faith and his holding it the sole Instrument or Condition of our Justification which Truth Satan contrary to his custom surely confirms to Luther Should he not rather have bin jealous here of this his new Doctrine concerning true Faith from Satan's recommending it And might he not here have replyed That doubtless when a Roman-Catholick he had veram cognitionem Christi veram fidem ' true knowledge of Christ and true faith or else God's Church then had none and then how could any salvation be had in it or how have not the Gates of Hell prevailed against it Lastly Satan's and Luther's vera fides the Solifidian doctrine is now exploded by the better-understanding Protestants Satan discovered a lier in it and his Disciple Luther deceived Et quod ad fidem attinet nihilo melior fuisti quovis Turca Nam Turca adeoque omnes diaboli etiam credunt historiam de Christo ipsum esse natum crucifixum mortuum c. Sed Turca nos Spiritus rejecti non fidimus illius misericordiae neque habemus eum pro Mediatore aut Salvatore sed exhorrescimus ut saevum Judicem And as to matters of Faith you are no better than a Turk For the Turks and so the Devils themselves also believe
next year after a married man See Melch. Adams vita Luther p. 128. 131. And it appears by what is objected to him by the Devil in his book de Missa angulari or privata unctione Sacerdotum that for fifteen years after his entry into the Priesthood which was in 1507. a year before his remove to Wirtenberg he ceased not almost daily saying Mass against the idolatry of which he afterward so much enveighed Audisne Excellentissime Doctor saith Satan here num ignoras te quasi per annos quindecim privatas Missas quotidie fere celebrasse Hear you this most excellent Doctor Don't you know there was scarce for fifteen years together a day in which you miss'd saying private Mass Luther having begun thus in the works of the Spirit §. 3. n. 1. The several degrees of his Faâ—â— if shutting out the cares of this life chastity temperance fasting and most strict obedience to his Superiours which usually is joyn'd with great humility and low esteem of our selves may be called so now see how by gentle degrees he fell from them and finished his course in the liberties of the flesh Which thing came to pass in this manner Melancthon relates of him Praefat. in 2. tom Luth. Saepe eum cogitantem intentius de ira Dei mirandis poenarum exemplis subito tantos terrores concussisse ut pene exanimaretur That oft-times whilst meditating intently on God's wrath and wonderful examples of judgments against sinners on a suddain such terrors struck him that he was left almost dead And in this desolation saith he Senis cujusdam sermonibus in Augustiniano Collegio Erphordiae saepe se confirmatum narrabat cui cum consternationes suas exponeret audivit eum de fide multa disserentem seseque deductum aiebat ad Symbolum in quo dicitur Credo remissionem peccatorum Hunc Articulum c. He us'd to tell how he had been confirm'd by the words of an old Fryer of the Monastery at Erford whom upon his relating to him his consternations he often heard discoursing many things about Faith and was at length brought by him to that article of the Creed in which it is said I believe the forgiveness of sins This Article the old man expounded thus That it was not enough to believe only in general as the Devils also do the remission of sins to others but that God commands every one to believe his own sins remitted to him in particular True we performing some conditions besides only believing this but these are not spoken of The â—â—degree of his fall his taking upa new Doctrine whilst yet a Mâ—nk as more consolatory of Justification by Faith alone Thus the old man taught him and this as himself saith de Missa privata the Devil also urged to him and he believed him Primum nosti nullam tunc i.e. when a Monk and a Roman Catholick habuisti cognitionem Christi nec veram fidem quod ad fidem attinet nihilo melior fuisti quovis Turca c. First you know you had then i.e. when a Monk and a Roman Catholick no knowledge of Christ nor true faith in point of which you were no better than any Turk For the Turks and even the Devils themselves believe the history of Christ's Nativity Passion c. but Turks and we damned Spirits do not trust in God's mercy i.e. towards our selves And in the same manner teacheth he himself in Peter 1.2 Cognitio Dei veraea est quod sentias Deum Christum tuum esse Deum tuum Christum id quod Diabolus falsi Christiani non possunt credere Hujusmodi fiduciam nequeunt habere malae conscientiae i.e. saith he expounding malae conscientiae sincera fide vacantes The true knowledge of God is this That you believe God and Christ to be your God and your Christ which thing the Devil and false Christians cannot do Such a firm confidence as this guilty consciences cannot have guilty consciences i. e. saith he expounding himself void of true faith Accordingly he saith in his 11th Article asserted by him against the condemnation of Pope Leo. Crede fortiter te absolutum absolutus vere eris quicquid sit de contritione Do but stoutly believe that you are absolv'd and absolv'd you will be whether you have contrition or no. Where if he say that none not-contrite can possibly credere se absolutum whence gathers he this For in other things we often believe or are strongly perswaded of things not true Again if he hold every one so believing to be necessarily contrite why saith he quicquid sit whether contrite or no and not rather quoniam sic constat de contritione from your contrition it must be so Again in his 15th Article Magnus error saith he est eorum qui ad Sacramentum Eucharistiae accedunt huic innixi quod sint confessi quod non sint sibi conscii alicujus peccati mortalis quod praemiserint orationes suas praeparatoria omnes illi judicium sibi manducant bibunt c. They erre greatly who come to the Sacrament of the Eucharist relying on this that they have confess'd to a Priest that they are conscious to themselves of no mortal sin that they have said their prayers and done other preparatories thereto All such eat and drink damnation to themselves But if they did but believe and were confident that they should obtain grace there this faith alone were sufficient to render them clean and worthy Again Article the 6th Contritio quae paratur per discussionem collectionem detestationem peccati qua quis recogitat annos praeteritos vitae suae c. The contrition that is got by examining recollecting and detesting ones sins whereby a man calls to mind his whole life past in the bitterness of his soul pondering on the hainousness the multitude and the filth of his sins the loss of eternal bliss and condemnation to everlasting woe this contrition I say makes a man a hypocrite nay even a greater sinner than he was before Of which being questioned he expounds himself Se loqui de contritione naturali impia extra fidem that he speaks of a contrition natural and impious without faith But why so freely then condemneth he such a contrition as he describes with facit hypocritam c. as if these are not or cannot be consistent with faith unless he means with his faith believing our sins are forgiven for this cause only on our part because we believe they are so So in Captiv Babyl cap. de Baptismo he saith Quam dives est homo Christianus vel baptizatus qui etiam volens non potest perdere salutem suam quantiscunque peccatis nisi nolit credere O the riches of the grace of a Christian or one baptiz'd who cannot if he would loose his salvation tho by never so great sins unless he obstinately refuse to believe As if this his sort of faith were the only condition
the business that should Religion once come to be disputed the whole Papacy with its adherents unable any longer either to defend their own religion or to confute the Mahometan must needs fall to the ground since they would be oblig'd to confute those things themselves most of all allow of i. e. good life good works fastings ceremonies c. named before Yet worse Discant saith he religionem Christi aliud esse quam caeremonias mores atque fidem Christi prorsus nihil discernere utrae caeremoniae mores leges sint meliores aut deteriores sed dâ—scant omnes in unam massam contusas ad justitiam nec esse satis nec â—is esse opus Let them know saith he that Christianity is something else than ceremonies and good living and that the faith of Christ says not one word whether their ceremonies customs and laws or ours be better or worse of the two but let them know this that all these pounded in one heap together would neither be sufficient nor needful to justification And again Si quis hos articulos teneat scil quod Christus sit filius Dei mortuus pro nostris peccatis resuscitatus ad vitam nostram Quod side in Illum justi peccatis remissis salvi sumus c. Quid illi noceat c. If one does but believe these articles viz. That Christ is the Son of God who died for our sins and rose again for our justification That being justified by faith in him we obtain remision of our sins and salvation thereby what worse is he tho he neither fast pray watch nor use abstinence so much tho he be not altogether so modest in his diet apparrel carriage house-keeping c. Let both Turks and Papists excel in these things if they please yet at the same time void of true i.e. his faith c. Thus if we may believe this new Doctor and unless we will take his new fiduciary faith for the substance of Christian Religion Mahomet notwithstanding all the assistances of Grace and the Holy Spirit acting in the Church and so dearly purchased for it by our Lord hath out-done Christ and the Alcoran the holy Scriptures as to the producing and establishing of Sanctification and good Works as to mortifying the flesh and worldly lusts as to the devout service of God praying watching fasting c. And our Lord who gave himself for us that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2.14 and who gave himself for his spouse the Church that he might sanctify cleanse and purify it unto himself not having spot or wrinkle c. Eph. 5.26 27. is in this his chief end much out-gone by other Religions and their working upon the bare stock of Nature Nature depraved without Regeneration without God's Spirit of Grace At tibi imperet Dominus ' the Lord rebuke thee If Christian Religion be not the holiest Religion it is not God's As for the Relation he urgeth it gives no such character of the Mahometan Religion as he pretends secondly did it it must deliver a lye nor ought any Christian to give more credit to it than to Mahometanisme § 6 And thus I have discovered unto you the main root of the first Reformation by Luther Wherein first he hath shamefully mistaken Whâ—re 1. That the Churches doctrine concerning Justification was mistaken or mis-related or mis-reported the common doctrine of the Church in all ages as indeed the reformed Religion chiefly subsists by mis-relating or mis-construing the Catholick tenents and the greatest mischief the Devil doth in the world is by his lying He hath shamefully mis-reported the Churches doctrine I say which doctrine holds our Justification to consist not only in infused Grace or inherent Righteousness through Christ's merits tho it is most true that the Regenerate are formally made just holy and righteous of formerly sinners and impious by Grace infused into them by God for Christ's merits sake but also in remission of sin through Christ's merits and in remission of sins not only before our Regeneration but after it also in which also they acknowledge that in multis offendimus omnes ' in many things we offend all See Conc. Trent sess 6. c. 7. Justificatio non est sola peccatorum remissio sed renovatio interioris hominis per susceptionem gratiae c. Justification is not only remission of sins but also renewal of the inward man by susception of grace therefore not renewal alone but also remission of sins And Bell. de Justif 2. l. 6. c. Vtraque pars Justificationis id est remissio peccatorum donum renovationis Both parts of Justification i.e. remission of sins and the gift or grace of renovation of the inward man And see Cassand consult on Art 4. This is the faith and profession of the Monks that watch fast and pray ancient and modern Luther excepted § 7 He hath broach'd a doctrine detested by the most learned of the modern Reformed See what Dr. Hammond of Fundamentals 2. That his new opinion concerning it is detested by many judicious Protectant c. 12 13. Mr. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. 7. c. p. 41. Just Weights c. 9. p. 57 95. and others have written against the Solifidian and Fiduciary as most pernicious errors Nay I may say at least the consequence thereof even detested by Luther himself in his latter time For thus he In visitatione Saxonica Multi dum audiunt from the Evangelical Teachers ut solummodo credatur omnia ipsius remitti peccata fingunt sibi fidem c. Many being taught that they need only believe that their sins are remitted devise a new faith to themselves and fancying themselves clean become temerarious and self-secure thereby Which carnal security is worse than all the errors that were ever heard of to this day Elsewhere in a Sermon super Evang. Dominicoe Iae Adventus he observes his reformed magis vindictae cupidos magis avaros magis ab omni misericordia remotos magis immodestos indisciplinatos multoque deteriores quam fuerint in Papatu to be more revengeful covetous cruel more immodest unruly and much worse than under Popery And in his Preface to the Gal. he mentions a new Sect quam minime omnium saith he praevidissem aut sperassem i.e. which of all things he should least have fore-thought or lookt for of such as taught That the ten Commandements ought to be taken out of the Church Thus as he saw the bad weeds that grew up out of his doctrine he endeavoured but in vain to tread down and stifle them and the bad influence which this new tenent speedily had on many of Luther's Disciples was observed by many others Thus Erasmus complains in an Epistle to P. Melancthon 1524. Vt largiamur esse vera quae docet Lutherus quid inutilius ad Christianam pietatem quam haec audire vulgus indoctum hoec instillari auribus adolescentum Pontificem esse
I have not contrition I never do or can with a true faith strongly believe that I am absolved from my sins § 9 But these were secrets not observed by many well pleased with his doctrines The 2d upon the former doctrine his holding a parâ—ty of all just sâ—ed as to the future reward Luther having made this progress in discovering a new Evangelical Faith whereby he placed man's Justification only in it obtaining the application of Christ's merits and the imputation of his righteousness unto us and on the other side much vilified the righteousness inherent in the regenerate by infused Grace yet which Grace also was obtained for them through Christ's merits he proceeded to hold a kind of equality in dignity and honour and celestial reward amongst all that are once justified notwithstanding the great difference of their works and inherent holines to which purpose on 1 Pet. 1.3 he saith Quia vero renati sumus Filii atque Haeredes Dei pares sumus in dignitate honore Divo Paulo Petro Deiparae Virginia ac Divis omnibus Habemus enim c. Forasmuch as being regenerate we are thereby the sons and heirs of God we are also equal in dignity and honour to St. Peter St. Paul the Bl. Virgin and all the Saints But we have the same treasure and all good things from God in as large a measure as they since it is requir'd that they be regenerate too as well as we Wherefore they have no more than any other Christians And Fidei simplicitas saith he nos omnes ante conspectum Dei pares facit Exeg in 1 Cor. 7 i. e. the simplicity of saith makes us all equal in the sight of God And on 1 Pet. 1.2 In sanctificatione Spiritus Cogita saith he te ideo sanctum esse quod Verbum Dei habeas quod regnum Coelorum tuum sit quod solide justus ac sanctus per Christum evaseris Reckon your self therefore holy because you have the Word of God because yours is the Kingdom of Heaven because you are become truly justified and sanctified by Jesus Christ Which all the faithful partake alike And Quod super terram vivimus saith he nulla alia fit causa quam ut etiam aliis adjumento simits ut ad fidem alios adducamus That we are continued alive still after thus sanctified by faith it is for no other reason but that we may help others and bring them to the faith § 10 Upon this principle also he began much to disrelish and vehemently to oppose all Counsels of perfection humane Ordinances â—nd vilifying religious Vâ—ws and works of Mortification and Penance especially Celibacy and religious Discipline instituted for withdrawing souls from temptations and occasions of sin Vows of Poverty or not retaining more than necessaries Obedience to Superiors Commands i. e. in all things not unlawful retiredness Canonical hours of Prayer fastings disciplines c. used in Religious houses as being the seeking of Justification or Salvation per opera legis per legem factorum traditiones inventiones hominum justitias carnis c. by the works of the Law the law of Works Traditions and huma mane inventions carnal righteousness c. To which purpose he saith Adversus falsum nominatum Ordinem Episcoporum Illi insani ignarique fidei prorsus Spiritus imperiti prorsus rerum c. in his Tract intitled Against the Episcopal Order falsly so call'd Those mad ignorant fellows as to faith and the spirit knowing nothing at all what belongs to spiritual things seek to further and advantage them by their pitiful sorry little good works forsooth their fasts hair-cloths scraps of prayers confining themselves to such a part of the Monastery Thus also he in his Comment on 1 Pet. 1.5 Qui in virtute Dei custodimini per fidem in salutem Ratio huc atque illuc ducitur de uno opere in aliud quippe quae cupiat suis operibus in coelum conscendere hinc illa tot Collegiorum Monasteriorum Altarium c. On those words Who in the virtue of God are kept by faith unto salvation Reason says he is toss'd this way and that way from one work to another as seeking to scale heaven by its own works Hence such an inundation of Colledges Monasteries Altars Priests Monks but in us who believe God keeps a right mind in all things c. For many seek to take heaven by force as St. Paul 1 Cor. 9. I chastise my body and bring it into servitude and strait break in upon it And therefore voluntarily they lay a cross upon themselves So impossible is it for humane reason not to boast of its own works but those things God condemns And thus he writes in an Epistle to Stanpitius an encourager of his for some time but afterwards alienated from him who in his advice to him told him that Poenitentia vera non est nisi quae ab amore justitiae Dei incipit That is not true repentance that does not spring from the love of rightness and of God Words most true indeed for without the love of God and righteousness or holiness can be no acceptable Repentance Haesit saith he hoc verbum tuum in me sicut sagitta potentis acuta his inhaerens ausus sum putate eos falsos esse qui operibus poenitentiae c Those words yours were to me as the sharp arrow of the mighty and whilst I thought on them at length I was so bold as to dare to think those deceiv'd who attribute so much to works of repentance that they have scarce left us any thing at all thereof of besides certain formal satisfactions and most dull tedious Confession c. As if these did not proceed from the love of God and of holiness and the greatest mortifications usually were not of those who more fervently love God and virtue or mortifying the flesh and having or being led by the Spirit were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inconsistent And in his Colloquies c. 37. p. 392. That no man ought to lay a Cross upon himself or to make choice of a Tribulation as is done in Popedom but if a Cross or Tribulation cometh upon him then let him suffer it patiently and know that it is good and profitable for him for we must learn saith he that Satan is a lyar and a murtherer and that heaviness of spirit cometh of the Devil who out of meer hatred wisheth that we might not enjoy so much as one hours solace or comfort He adviseth his also to shun solitariness ' The Papists saith he p. 406. do teach it that if we intend to know Christ and to keep our hearts pure then we should covet to be solitary and alone and not amongst much fellowship a man should be a Nicholas-brother c ' The same saith he is a Devilish perswasion directly against the first and second Table of God's commandements which teach that we should do good to our neighbours
and indeed all things to God and nothing to men for who sees not that too much honour goodness c. can never be attributed to God These words of his comforted and strenthned me extreamly Much safer is it to give too much to God than men For then I may boldly say let the Church and St. Augustin with the rest of the Doctors let St. Peter the Apostle nay an Angel from Heaven teach otherways yet certain it is that my Doctrine of Justification by faith alone without our works is of that nature that it illustrates and extolls the grace and glory of God alone and condems in the matter of salvation whatsoever wisdom and righteousness of men Here I cannot be mistaken c. A second time he renews the Objection At ais Ecclesia est sancta Patres sunt sancti But you tell me the Church is holy the Fathers are holy and answers it thus Bene sed Ecclesia quamlibet sancta tamen cogetur orare Remitte nobis debita nostra Ergo neque mihi neque Ecclesiae neque Patribus abque Apostolis neque Angelo e Coelo credendum est si quid contraverbum Dei docemus Alioquin hoc argumentum Pseudo-apostolorum maxime valuisset contra Pauli Doctrinam Quia profecto magna magna inquam res fuit opponere totam Ecclesiam cum toto choro Apostolorum Galatis contra Paulum unicum eum recentiorem minimum authoritatis habentem nec enim libenter dicit Ecclesiam errare tamen necesse est dicere eam errare si extra vel contra verbum Dei aliquid docet Petrus Apostolorum summus vivebat docebat extra verbum Dei c. Well but tho the Church be never so holy yet she is fain to pray forgive us our trespasses Therefore there is no believing either me or the Church or the Fathers or Apostles or an Angel from Heaven if we teach any thing against God's word Otherways this argument of the false Apostles would have run down St. Paul's doctrine For believe me to the Galatians it was no small difficulty to oppose the whole Church with all the Apostles against St. Paul alone and him the latest and of least authority amongst ' em Neither was he willing to say the Church erred yet t is necessary to say she errs if she teaches any thing besides or against the word of God Peter the chief of the Apostles did live and teach otherways than he ought by the word of God therefore he erred Taught and erred false his Example not Doctrine was false Neither did Paul then connive at his error tho it appeared slight because he well saw the evil that might thence arise to the whole Church Therefore neither Church nor Fathers nor Apostles nor Angels are to be believed unless they teach the pure word of God Yet still the Objection will not be thus satisfied but returns on him again Hoc argumentum saith he hodie maxime praegravat causam nostram Nam si neque Papae neque Patribus neque Luthero c. cedendum est nisi doceant purum Dei Verbum cui tum credendum est Quis interim certas faciet Conscientias utri purum Dei verbum doceant nos an adversarii nostri Non ipsi jactant se purum Dei verbum habere docere Nos Papistis non credimus quia verbum Dei non docent neque docere possunt Econtra ipsi acerrime nos oderunt insectantur ut pestilentissimos Haereticos seductores Quid hic faciendum Num cuivis fanatio spiritui permittendum ut doceat quae velit This argument saith he even at this present time does much molest our party For if we must neither believe Pope nor Fathers nor Luther c. unless they teach the pure word of God who then shall we believe who will be able to assure our hearers whether I or rather my adversaries stick to the pure word of God for do not they also boast that they have and teach it We reject the Papists because they neither do nor can teach the pure word of God and they on the other side mortally hate and persecute us as pestilential Hereticks and seducers What can be done in this case Must every fanatical spirit be licens'd to teach what he pleases whereas the world can neither hear nor endure my doctrine any better than theirs For tho we openly profess with Paul that we preach the pure Gospel of Christ it avails us nothing and we are forced to hear that this profession of ours is not only proud temerarious and vain but blasphemous also and diabolical on the other side to submit our selves and yeild to the fury of our enemies is to make both Papists and Fanaticks grow proud and insolent these by bringing up and teaching what the world never heard before those by obtruding again and confirming their old abominations To this again he briefly replies Quisque igitur videat ut certissimus sit de sua vocatione doctrina ut cum Apostolo certissime ac securissime ausit dicere Etiamsi vos aut Angelus e Coelo c. Let every one therefore take great care to be most certain and secure of his vocation and doctrine alluding to what the Apostle saith Gal. 1.8 15. that with all security he may venture to say with the Apostle Tho an Angel from Heaven c. The fuâ—r me of which triple Reply is agreeable to our former observation Certissimus sum de mea vocatione doctrina I am most certain of my vocation and doctrine And Hoc certe scio quod humana non suadeo sed divina ' This I certainly know that the things I teach are not humane but divine and the applying to himself against the Fathers the answer of St. Paul against St. Peter and others Etiamsi vos aut Angelus de Coelo c. Tho an Angel from Heaven c. as if like this Apostle he also had some extraordinary calling to his Ministery or as if his opinions were like his faith that being assured of their truth makes them truth § 24. n. 3. Of those also that hâ— mâ—iâ—â—â—â—â—â—d agâ—â—â—st other Refâ—rmed And this presumptive certainty and plerophory this man had not only of those tenents of his maintained against the Papists but in those also maintained against any other Reformed In his greater Confession answered by Zuinglius wherein he maintains Consubstantiation he saith Si incertus obscurus contextus sensus omnino habendus illum potius habere velim quem ex Dei ore progressum certe scio If it be necessary to have some context or sense that is obscure above all others let me have that which I am certain comes out of God's mouth The Landgrave of Hasse calling the assembly at Marpurg of the Saxon and Helvetian reformed Divines chiefly inviting Luther to it he returns this answer Nihil fructus ex Colloquio sperandum nisi pars adversa accedat animo cedendi
sense thereof and this sense as his conscience must needs tell him contrary to that of the former Church the Devil bringeth it so near unto me with his crafty disputing would not one think it were his conscience rather that the sweat of anguish droppeth from me insomuch as many times I feel and understand that he sleepeth nearer unto me than my wife Kate doth that is he disquieteth me more than she comforteth or pleaseth me Ib. c. 14. p. 234. I saith he can never be rid of these cogitations in wishing I had never begun this business with the Pope And p. 396. he saith That evil cogitations plagued him more than all his labours which had been innumerable Often-times saith he I took business in hand thereby intending to drive away the Devil but all would not do he would neither depart nor surcease Therefore he that feeleth such devilish cogitations and spiritual temptations him I truly advise that soon and quickly he expell them Let him think on somewhat else that is pleasant let him take a merry cup let him jest or play or let him take in hand some other honest and civil matter and seriously meditate thereon But above all things let him stedfastly believe in Christ Jesus for he came to comfort and to revive and will destroy the works of the Devil Adams also in his Life p. 168. mentions this complaint of Luther in his Epistle to a friend Tom. 2. Epist 361. Valemus omnes praeter Lutherum ipsum qui corpore sanus foris a toto mundo intus a Diabolo patitur omnibus Angelis ejus We are all well except Luther who sound in body yet is persecuted from without by the whole world and inwardly by the Devil and all his Angels And in an Epistle to Melancthon vid. Adams vita Lutheri 1529. he professeth as his strength in publick conflicts with men so his weakness in private ones with Satan § 33 By all this you may observe I. Strange tumults in this man's spirit sometimes even to a deliquium and fainting away as Adams and Melancthon relate of him which he endeavoured to remove sometimes with singing or repeating Psalmes he and others with him Venite inquit in contemptum Diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vicibus cantemus Come says he in defiance of the Devil let us sing four times the Psalm De Profundis as Adams reports of him vit Luth. p. 162. which puts me in mind of Saul's Spirit remov'd with David's Musick Sometimes with reading the Epistle to the Galatians out of which chiefly he solaced himself with Justification by our Faith alone without our Works sometimes with wine and going into company and using other divertisements Also see Colloq p. 404. Secondly that he most readily discharged all the storms anguishes and pinches that he had within him on the Devil as he also advised others to do telling them that the chiefest Physick for the cure of anxiety concerning faith and salvation was firmly to hold such cogitations not to be theirs but to come of the Devil See before § 11. n. 1. And the remedy he used for things that troubled him within he applied also to the things that afflicted him abroad any Doctrines contrary to his own tho of his Fellow-Reformists he pronounced them all Doctrines of the Devil and was pleased to fancy the authors of them no better than persons possessed Sathanizati as he called them which hath bin hinted before § 25. 31. n. 1. his Polemical writings being everywhere full of this terrible name Devil as St. Paul's Epistles are noted for the frequency of the saving name Jesus Now this indeed viz. that that which troubles us comes from the Devil were it true affords a man the greatest consolation that can be for he presently stops his cars makes resistance believes nothing hereof as being spoken by the Father of Lyes the stronglier he is opposed the greater Saint he takes himself to be the more he is charged the more innocent and finally the friend and beloved of God because the Devil is his enemy and impugnes him And the Devil spreads no net with which he catcheth so many as this to make men mistake the chastisement or the justice of God for the malice and persecutions of the Devil the truth of God for the illusions and lies of the Devil the motions and admonitions of the Spirit of God or of their own conscience or also of their friends to amend and reform them for the external or internal suggestions of the Devil to pervert and discourage them Therefore perhaps it will not be amiss here to sift this matter a little more narrowly wherein I am afraid this poor man was most miserably couzened and deceived by that most subtle adversary § 34 Where Of the great variety and subtilty of Satâ—n's temptations We must know then that there are three Agents that work very intimately in us our own Conscience the good Spirit of God and this evil Spirit and did we know exactly concerning our internal motions from which of these three they sprung who would not be a Saint For who when he knew the Holy Spirit of God motions any thing to him would neglect to defer it or when he knows the evil one doth so would not resist it but it is very hard in every stirring or suggestion of the mind or fancy to discern these three without error So when our own Conscience not yet quite seared and hardned or also God's Holy Spirit brings our former life or our present practices before us to produce our amendment and to cast us into a wholsom sadness or melancholly and grief not to be grieved for we may father this on the Devil since all these things are acted only in the Soul as endevouring to reduce us to despair and to dishearten our faith in Christ's Redemption when as the Devil's temptation at the very same time is another quite contrary and not the sadness but the apprehension that this sadness is wrought by him and the haste that they are prompted to to dispatch it away and shake their hands of it as coming from him is the only thing that comes from him only the apprehension I say that it is from the Devil is from the Devil And there being two things which he labours to effect the one to reduce us by any means into an evil condition and the other to breed in us a security in such condition this way he takes in our flying from the net of despair which we think is spread before us to drive us into another snare of presumption in our thinking that our life is righteous and holy when it is not or Christ's merits apply'd to us by faith without such holiness and performing the Covenant of the Gospel when they are not and when Godly sorrow and compunction comes to work in us what is defective and reform what is amiss the Devil begets this fancy in us that it is the Devil
apprehended that the Devil did this only to perswade him seeing the Mass was clearly unlawful that he had formerly for many years in using it incurred a most horrid sin for which God's Justice would never pardon him Thus the Devil useth to represent to us the former good we have done as evil the former faith and truth we have held and maintained as error or idolatry or blasphemy c. seeking many times thereby to beget in good people also as well as bad a diffidence in God Here therefore all ought to be suspected that he saith all his proofs well weighed and tho when God and our own conscience or our friends accuse us of our sins it is a commendable humility in us to be most ready to confess them yet when the Devil will make us a roll of them it is no such vertue here to confess them such because he calls them so or trust him with such an office for if we do he will throw into the account all our virtues too and require repentance and reformation for our good works Therefore in the assaults of this enemy as we are to fence our selves for things ill done from despair by God's mercy and Christ's merits so are we very warily to examine whether the actions he blames have incurred God's displeasure and be really faulty § 38 And that Luâ—her had no secure ground that he was not by him most miserably deluded These several ways and subtleties of the Devil well considered I see no sure ground or motive that Luther had in such frequent negotiations as he pretends with him whereby he can secured that he was not miserably deluded and deceived by him Neither the great plerophory and confidence he had in his opinions and in his singular interpretations of Scripture of which confidence see more below § 47. that it is many times an operation of the evil spirit in us Neither the strong imagination he had touching the regrets he felt within himself touching his Reformation that these were Satan's suggestions and temptations only thereby to make him despair or desert truth For why might not this imagination rather be from Satan and this regret from a relenting Conscience or God's Holy Spirit And strange it is how he makes the Devil here blow both hot and cold for when he was as yet in the bosom of the Church then the Devil objected gross errors to him and by his Arguments disputed him into a Reformation and when gone out of the Church and having so Reformed it must be the Devil again that with terrifying his conscience and telling him that his new Doctrines had undone the world endeavours to drive him back again and make him undoe his former work But if he gathered from the later of these attempts of Satan that because this Fiend would perswade him his Reformation was full of guilt therefore it was just and right why in his former attempts concluded he not That because the Devil opposed his saying Mass and such other things therefore he rightly performed them Neither is this any sure argument of Luther's not being deceived by him viz. his frequent railing and inveighing against the Devil his discovering and slighting of his arts and wiles his vilifying and triumphing over him as a routed and vanquished enemy See § 32. Whose subtleties holy men use to speak of with much more modesty and fear of being deceived For as I have said before § 35. none rail more at the Devil than the Devil will do for his own advantages nor profess a greater hatred of him or be more ready but this is a greater plot to discover his plots In fine then in the great uncertainty of the Author of the several thoughts and scruples that do arise within us and in such variety and disagreeing shapes of Satan's suggestions and temptations I know no safe-gard for Luther or any other to stand upon but this to be sure not to be gotten out of the Circle which incloseth all Catholicks of their obedience to their Superiours and to subject their own private holy Spirit if I or they may so call it to the publick Holy Spirit that dwells in God's Church and to entertain no private senses and expositions of God's Word contrary to the general one of the Church from whomsoever these singular senses come much lesse when they know they come from Satan As Luther relates in his Disputation with him de Missa privat Sacerd unctione many of those to have done according to which he regulated his Reformation § 39 11. In particular concerning Satan's famous Disputation with him touching the Mass nullity of the present Clergy Justifying Faith c. and Luther's behaviour therein Which famous disputation of Satan with him I think not amiss to view more particularly because several things appear from it very prejudicial to Luther's new doctrine which it concerns Christians to take notice of For whatever Satan's design in that disputation might be whether by his defending and proving such things for truth to drive Luther into despair for having so long practised contrary to them the thing which Luther imagined or whether by the strength of his reasons tho not by the credit of his authority to confirm Luther the more in his new opinions which indeed was the issue of this disputation he having yeilded the field to the Devil in this combate as Conquerour 1. There seems great evidence from this disputation that the whole platform of the Reformation be Satan's design therein what it will He deceiving Luther or deceived himself proceeded originally from the Devil For many of these very arguments against the former Church-doctrine and Faith which the Devil now openly owned and urged to Luther in this disputation held A.D. 1522. i.e. as he saith fifteen years after he was made Priest and said Mass which was in 1507 Melch. Adam vit p. 104. were the very same that had bin urged by Luther some years before who began to publish them to the world about A.D. 1518. And who was as he saith of himself Prefat 1. Tom. Concionator Doctor Theologie 'a Preacher and Doctor of Divinity in 1517. Was made Doctor 1513 writ a Book de abroganda Missa privata ' of the abrogating private Mass in 1521. using such arguments against it then as Satan brought afterward as also then his Book against Monastic Vows and begins thus another Treatise De Abominatione Missae privatae quam Canonem vocant ' Of the Abomination of private Mass commonly call'd the Canon written in 1523. Toties hactenus cum pro concionibus tum editis libellis docui de ratione abrogandae horribilis istius profanationis Missae Papisticae c. Oftentimes heretofore both in Sermons and printed books have I shown why that horrible Prophanation the Popish Mass was to be abrogated c. Such Arguments then we see he used before this Disputation and by it it appears from whose suggestion he used them And tho this
may they be so amongst such reformed as have since cast off and renounced many of Luther's more malignant doctrines and especially his Solifidian error Which Reformed methinks should have a great jealousie of the rest that were taught by him whom they have found miscarrying in so fundamental a point and that which was the first stone that he laid of the Reformation See before § 3. c. yet so far may their other errors be rationally conceived to retard and hinder even the very best amongst them as never to equal in sanctity the lives of those holy men that enjoy the light and guidance of the Catholick Faith § 61 The several bad fruits springing from Luther's doctrine that presently appeared and were confessed â—n his own time According to these positions if we examin concerning Luther's Doctrine what fruit it brought forth and that in his own time for it becomes not me to make a scrutiny further when it spread over Kingdoms or to compare and decide the holiness of Nations according to their present various professions of Religion if we enquire I say in his own time what fruit it bare especially in respect of the four main heads thereof in his gross way of delivering of them 1. The Nullity and Antichristianism of the former Ecclesiastical Prelacy and Clergy and the non-obligation of their Constitutions and Laws 2. The inutility of Works of Penance Mortifications c. 3. The Servitude of man's Will and inability to good even in the Regenerate 4. The sole Sufficiency of Faith in us for our Justification and this Faith an assurance that Christ's merits are applied to us in particular and that we in particular are justified by them and that every one by believing he is justified truly becomes so To which may be annexed his holding a parity of future glory to all justified and one in Heaven as great as another without consideration of their own different good works or sufferings in this present life We shall find in the effect as in reason it could not be otherwise That out of the first of these the band of Ecclesiastical Authority being dissolved sprang immediately a multitude of Sects invading one another as well as all of them the Church many gross Heresies and grievous Schisms and Seditions even sober Protestants being the judges here of all which must needs be accompanied with a strange spiritual or intellectual pride in thinking themselves wiser men and better interpreters of the Scriptures than their spiritual Superiours than the Doctors Fathers and Councils of the Church both of the present and many former ages And that out of the three latter people from them discovering no great utility or necessity of our own either penal or pious works grew a great dissoluteness of life on one hand and great worldliness and covetousness and its daughter oppression on the other as not believing that the laying out of their goods here could purchase for them a treasure in another place but rather such works of their own diminish their confidence in Christ's works and so ruin their Justification and cast them our of the Evangelical into the Legal Covenant § 62 For these fruits appearing in his followers see the testimonies alledged before § 7. and amongst the rest the witness of Luther himself the thing he confessed but the cause thereof he made to be the peoples or their Reformed teachers ignorance and mistaking of his Doctrines how truly this latter let the indifferent judg by what hath bin here before produced out of him writings for which review his propositions before § 3. And see Dr. Hammond's description of the natural fruits and effects that must needs grow out of one of his tenents the Solifidian error Of Fundamentals 〈◊〉 13. The summe of which is That such a one by his full assurance as it excludes all fear and doubting of his estate and also asserts the priority of such an assurance and faith before his repentance or amendment of life is fortified and secured by this one deceit from all obligation to superstruct Christian practice or holy living upon such his faith For if assurance of his good estate be the one thing necessary then nothing else that is distinct from it as a good life is affirmed to be is so And if his estate be already safe and if it be not then his believing it so is believing a lye then it needs no supply from a good life at all to make it a safe estate or to give him grounds to believe it such Nor if he be justified before he amends his life can this hinder the continuing of his Justification or intercept his Salvation if he shall never amend it especially when it is said by them that the once justified can never be unjustified Nor will this amendment and good life be necessary tho not to his Justification yet to the approving of it or of his faith to himself or others because his faith being a full assurance includes this approbation of his Justification to himself and the approbation of it to others must needs be a thing extrinsecal and impertinent to his Justification nor can man's disapproving it any way annull it c. See the Author Again For the mustiplying of Sects by throwing off the yoke of Ecclesiastical Government without casting off which Luther could not have made way for his own Sect nor could he find any reason he doing no miracles whereby to stop this gap made by him to all men besides himself Luther acknowledged no less than twenty sprung up in his own days see § 22. One of them concerning the ten Commandements that they ought to be taken out of the Church and indeed all the use of the observance of them that Luther taught was only for signs and testimonies of a true faith Ex operibus te Deus judicabit saith he id est si credideris See before § 3. And another of them concerning a fained faith of which new doctrine he saith that it was pejor omni errore qui ante hoc tempus unquam fuit See before § 7. And by reason of these Sects following his Reformation so close at the heels and in some piece or other thereof supplanting it he often foretold that the true Religion i. e. his should not continue long after his death but if so it cannot be the true Religion for against this we are certain the Gates of Hell shall never prevail or Sects abolish it See his Colloquies c. 44. of Seducers Who would have thought saith he of that mischievous Sect the Antinomians I have out-lived and endured three abominable tempests Munster the Antinomians and the Anabaptists Now seeing they are stilled and gone no such matter others do approach insomuch that there will be no end in writing how should there where no Judg to decide matters I desire no longer to live for there is no more hope of peace Ancient Bernard said well We should preach of four particulars of
required of us to be made partakers of the application of Christ's merits to us a compendious and easy way of salvation § 3 So he disparaged and vilified all his former acts of piety and devotion when a Monk as increasing his sin on this manner n. 2. Com. ment on Gal. c. 1. v. 15. Ego in Monachatu Christum quotidie crucifixi falsa mea fiducia quae tam perpetuo adhaerebat mihi blasphemavi Servabam castitatem obedientiam paupertatem denique liber a curis praesentis vitae totus eram deditus jejuniis c. Whilst a Monk I daily crucified and blasphemed Christ by my false confidence which so perpetually adher'd to me I observ'd Chastity Obedience and Poverty finally being free from the cares of this world I gave my self wholly to fastings watchings prayers saying Mass c. Mean-while under this sanctity and confidence in my own righteousness there lurkt in me a perpetual diffidence viz. then destitute of his own new-minted faith crede fortiter te absolutum vere eris absolutus Stoutly believe that you are absolved and absolv'd you shall be ' doubting dread hatred and blasphemy towards God And that righteousness of mine was no other than a meer stinking jakes and most delightsom kingdom of the Devil For Satan loves dearly such kind of Saints as destroy themselves body and soul and defraud and deprive themselves of all the blessings and good things of God Mean-while in such there reigns their own impiety blindness doubting contempt of God ignorance of the Gospel c. And Quo sanctiores fuimus hoc magis excoecati eramus purius Diabolum adorabamus Nemo nostrum non erat vir sanguinis si non opere tamen corde The more holy we were the greater our blindness and the more entirely did we worship the Devil Not one of us but was a man of blood in Thought at least tho not in Deed. Here not to meddle out of what intention himself did perform and live in such pious practices which it seems was as expecting Justification or Salvation from the perfect righteousness of these his works abstracting from God's mercy for Christ's merits and perfect righteousness forgiving sins yet why presumes he to condemn any other Religious at all as if they did their good works on this account For who can we imagin amongst them since it was the common doctrine of the Church then as now excepting himself that did not hold their liability to commit sin still as long as they lived and who believed not remission of these their sins as well those after Regeneration as those before through and for the Merits of Christ and his perfect righteousnes and sufferings or that held all their own good works pure and void of all imperfection or venial sin § 4 Hence mis-interpreting the 7th chapter to the Romans he went on to disparage the goodnes of man's works proceeding from sanctifying Grace And devises new Comments on the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians prejudicial to gâ—od works proceedâ—ng from â—race which is infused by God into the Regenerate for Christ's Merits maintaining in the 32 Article asserted by him that Opus bonum optime factum est veniale peccatum secundum misericordiam Dei sed mortale peccatum secundum judicium Dei That a good work never so well done is a venial sin in respect of God's mercy but a mortal one in respect of his justice And that Nemo est certus se non semper peccare mortaliter propter occultissimum superbiae vitium No man is certain that he does not sin always mortally by reason of that hidden pride lurking in every one Therefore also he expounds that text 1 Pet. 1.17 Qui judicat secundum uniuscujusque opus who judges according to every ones work and other the like texts on this manner i.e. saith he ex operibus te Deus judicabit evincet si eredideris By thy works God will judge and manifest thy faith if thou believest Much also he spoke of the captivity of man's Will and its servitude as unable to do any good and of liberum arbitrium ' Free-will that it is figmentum in rebus and titulus sine re a meer fiction and empty name of which he speaks thus Assertio Artic. 36. In caeteris Articulis de Papatu de Conciliis Indulgentiis aliis non necessariis magis ferenda est levitas stultitia Papae suorum c. In the rest of the Articles about the Papacy Councils Indulgencies and other unnecessary matters the levity and folly of the Pope and his followers is somewhat more tolerable but in this the very chiefest and best article and indeed the summe and substance of our religion their miserable error and madness is to be lamented and bewailed And he is said to have preferred his book de servo arbitrio before any other part of his works Melch. Adams vitae Luth. p. 170. which thing I suppose was done by him the stronglier to support his new doctrine of imputative Justification solely by Christs righteousnes but which seems to have a very malignant influence upon men inducing the neglect of their endeavour to observe the divine commands unles at the same time man's ability to do good by God's grace be maintain'd as great as it is in our own corrupted will small or none but Luther here made no such recompence And in this new doctrine of his he saith Comment on Gal. 1.11 12. he was much encouraged and confirmed by the commendations which he then received from one Dr. Staupitius one of the same Order who said It pleased him much that the doctrine which he preached yeilded glory and all things else unto God alone and nothing unto man This Staupitius a great man amongst the Augustine Fryers was at first a great encourager of Luther in his disputations concerning Indulgencies but afterwards withdrew himself from him exhorting him to humility and obedience to the Pope To whom Luther afterwards in an Epistle to him see Adams vit Staupitii p. 19. Quantum tu me ad humilitatem exhortaris tantum ego te ad superbiam exhortor tibi adest nimia humilitas sicut mihi nimia superbia Et reprehendit saith Adams quod judicio Papae se submisisset I exhort you as much to Pride as you me to Humility You are as much too humble as I too proud And he reprehends him for submitting to the judgment of the Pope § 5. n. 1. Upon this this man began to make new Comments on St. Paul's Epistles to the Romans and Gal. to extoll his new fiduciary faith depress good works in the manner you have heard and this nine or ten years before the Controversy about Indulgences began his doctrine herein as new things usually do especially those that tend to liberty taking many and applause making him still to seek after the discovery of more faults in the Church's former doctrines At this time saith his Scholar
made on the Scripture His rejecting 3ly the Authority of the preâ—â—â—â— Church not displeasing to many as yeilding much comfort to great sinners and relaxing strict life the next thing which followed was the throwing off his Obedience to her Authority But this by certain degrees Questioned for his Doctrines and upon this cited to Rome he made friends to have his cause heard in Germany Heard and condemned in Germany by Card. Cajetan for one a moderate and learned Prelate he now appealed to Rome and to the Pope But well perceiving also that his doctrine would be most certainly condemned there as it was he suddenly intercepted this Appeal with another see Adams vit Luth. opera Luth. 1. tom made from the Pope to a Council But perceiving that neither thus the usual former laws of Councils being observed or only this law of all Assemblies that the much major part shall conclude the whole his doctrine could stand as indeed it did not he appeals yet again from Councils to Scripture where now he knew himself safe as any Heresy tho never so absurd would be in chusing that to be the Judge or decider of the Controversie which could never deliver any new sentence on any side and concerning the meaning of whose former sentence is the present Controversy But if he means here an Appeal to the Scriptures i.e. to that which either Christian Princes or the common professors of Christianity in general for such he names for his Judges sometimes shall declare to be the true sense of them here first it seems unreasonable concerning the meaning of God's Word to prefer the judgment of the Laity before that of the Clergy of the Churches subjects before that of their Governours Secondly Thus also his cause is lost for after all his allegations of Scripture produced and divulged in his writings the Princes and the Common people also of Christianity that condemn his doctrine did then and do still very much out-number those who approve it § 15. n. 1 The 4th his dâ—nying the then present to be a true Church or the Clergy thereof a true Ministry affirming â—he Pâ—pe to be Antichrist He stayed not here only in an absolute disobedience not only of non-assent but also of open contradiction to all Church-authority but proceeded so much farther as to deny the present visible Church or that of many former Ages to be a true Church he De judicio Ecclesiae de quavis doctrina making this the only note of the true Church that therein the Gospel be purely and sincerely preached or to have in it any true Clergy or Ministry And again from this defect of a true Clergy he argued that there had bin formerly in celebrating the Eucharist no true Consecration of the Elements for operating the presence of the Body and blood of Christ tho the mean-while he justified his own and his Disciples Consecration to be effectual herein and therefore that the people had continually committed idolatry in worshipping the naked bread as Christ's Body This urged to him as he saith De Missa privata unctione Sacerdot by the Devil to reduce him for many years guilty of such Non-consecrations to despair he assented to and afterwards maintained Next from this he made yet a further discovery of the chief Bishop in the Church the Pope his being Antichrist the Bishops his Apostles and the Universities his Lupanaria or Brothel-houses for the Universities much afflicted him § 15. n. 2 the 5th his rejecting the authority also of the fâ—rmer and ancient Church Councils Fathers Thus having cast off blasted and defied to the uttermost all present Church-Authority next sollicited that at least concerning the sense and meaning or right exposition of the Scriptures he would stand to the judgment of the ancient Church and be tryed by it This also he expresly renounced frequently vilifying the doctrine of the Fathers their weak interpretations of Scriptures and accusing them of many errors and contradictions § 16 Some Instances and testimonies 1. Concerning hâ—s rejecting the presâ— t church-â—â—â—hoâ—ity For these things it were easie to produce out of his Writings a multitude of testimonies For the newness of his opinions and his marching alone against the Doctrines of present and former Church he every where acknowledgeth it not to say glorieth in it as a thing arguing his singular illumination and wisdom Nay Erasmus Ep. to Justus Jonas saith it was observed of him That where he agreed in Sense yet he strove to express himself contrary to the former usual doctrine Aiunt Lutherum aliquoties quum eadem doceat quae caeteri tamen verbis ipsis id videri conari ut diversissima videatur adferre as particularly appears in his Expositions of some of his condemned assertions Assertio Articulorum See his book de Captivitate Babylonica in the entrance of his discourse on the Mass where Rem arduam saith he quam forte sit impossibile convelli aggredior ut quae tanto saeculorum usu firmata omniumque consensu probata sic insedorit ut necesse sit majorem partem librorum qui hodie regnant pene universam Ecclesiarum faciem tolli mutari penitusque aliud genus caeremoniarum induci seu potius reduci Sed majori cura verbum Dei oportet observare quam omnium hominum Angelorum intelligentias A hard and perhaps unfeisible task the abolishing that which being ratified by the practice of so many ages and approv'd by general consent is at length so settled that the greatest part of books now in vogue nay almost the whole face of the Church must be taken away and chang'd and quite another kind of ceremonies induc'd or rather reduc'd But the word of God is more to be regarded than all the wit of men or Angels And in his Preface to his book de abroganda Missa privata Quot medicamentis saith he quam potentibus evidentissimis Scripturis meam iâ— sius conscientiam vixdum stabilivi aut auderem unus contradicere Papae credere eum esse Antichristum Episcopos ejus esse Apostolos Academias esse ejus Lupanaria quoties mihi palpitavit tremulum cor reprehendens objecit eorum fortissimum c. With how many powerful remedies and most evident Scriptures and yet all little enough to my wavering conscience did I bring my self at length to dare one single man to contradict the Pope and believe him to be Antichrist the Bishops his Apostles the Universities his Brothel-houses How often have I trembl'd and quak'd for fear and chidingly objected to my self that their strongest and onely argument Are you alone in the right Is all the world besides in the wrong In the Preface to his book Adversus falso nominatum Ordinem Episcoporum he as it were repenting of his former respects thus defies them and withdraws his doctrine from theirs and all humane cognizance and censure Jam ante pronuncio me de câ—tero quandoquidem
siquidem cedere ipsis non posse qui certus sit de Verbi sententia There is no good to be hoped of any meeting unless my adversaries come with a mind prepared to yeild for t is impossible for me to yeild to them being most certain of the sense of the Word i.e. of his Consubstantiation Here I cannot but put him in mind of an Observation he makes Colloquio c. 35. p. 352. of some other Sectaries of his time with whom he had much bickering who he saith were so spiritually bewitched by the Devil that they were so far from confessing and acknowledging their errors that they fâ—rely boasted yea would not stick deeply to swear that they have the most assured truth And when some of them he confuted by many sentences of Holy Scripture especially those that are the chief and ring-leaders of such Heresies yet all labour is lost for they quickly have their glosses wherewith they make babling and idle Oppositions against the sentences of Scripture insomuch that by our admonitions they are not only nothing bettered but are the longer the worse obdurate and hardned This saith Luther should I never have believed that the Devil in such sort could trim up his lies and make them so like unto the truth if the open experience of these times had not delivered the same unto me Alas what he saw in others why feared he not in himself stragling from the Church § 24. n. 4. Carolostadius upon some provocation of ill language taxing something in his doctrine concerning the Eucharist as they were together in an Inn he presently grew so hot and impatient that he challenged him to a publick Encounter of writing one against another and the other desiring to have this controversie rather privately composed He too confident of the victory in a war that hath lasted ever since amongst the Reformed and divided them into two bands even untill this day further obliged his adversary to it by delivering to him a Crown of Gold as a gage of the quarrel Ex concitato isto animi fervore saith Hospinian Hist Sacram. 2. part 4.32 aureum nummum extractum ex pera ipsi Carolostadio offert Lutherus inquiens En accipe quantum potes animose contra me dimica Quod et si recusaret primum Carolostadius rem cognitioni piae permittendam moneret ac peteret tandem tamen cum urgeretur hunc aureum nummum accepit marsupio suo recondidit Luthero manum in sponsionem pactae susceptae Contentionis porrigens pro cujus confirmatione Lutherus ipsi vicissim haustum vini propinavit In the heat of his passion he Luther pulled out of his purse a Crown of Gold and offering it to the other Carolostadius Here take this says he and do thy worst against me And altho Carolostadius stood off at first and desired and asked him to consider a little better on it yet at last being more provoked he took the Gold and put it up and gave Luther his hand to shew he accepted the challenge which Luther for his part ratified with a glass of wine And Haec Christiane Lector fuerunt infelicissimi istius certaminis quod ex pacto sponsione susceptum tot jam annis Ecclesiam gravissime exercuit infausta auspicia quae si quis diligenter apud se animo sepositis affectibus expendat ex quo spiritu fuerint profecta tanto rectius aequius non solum de toto hoc certamine sed etiam de Polemicis Lutheri scriptis in quibus quod semel in invidiam Carolostadii adversariorum suorum adio defendendum susceperat quoquo modo asserere tueri quam cuiquam opinione sua cessisse videre maluit est judicaturus c. These were Christian Reader as Hospinian goes on the unhappy beginnings of that unfortunate contention and strife which undertaken by pact and agreement has now for so many years grievously torn our Church which things whosoever setting all biassed affections aside shall seriously ponder from what spirit they came shall be much better thereby able to judge not only of this whole quarrel but also of Luther's other Polemical writings in which whatsoever he has once set down to the prejudice of Carolostadius of other adversaries he shall find him defend and hold it any way rather than to seem in the least to yeild to any Neither will he hereafter much admire such is the lamentable state of humane frailty why Luther appeared so vehement and upon occasions so various and changeable in this his affected passion for contention and victory Prosecuting more eagerly the conquest of his Enemy than the discovery of Truth § 25 2d Concâ—rning his consuring condemning those of the other reformed opposing him For his censuring and condemning such other reformed doctrines as were contrary to his own as freely as the Roman pronouncing them Heretical and upon this removing them from his Communion as fathering also on the Devil whatever opinions differed from his and making especially all his Protestant adversaries Sathanized Super-sathanized and throughly possessed by him and amongst other ill names frequently also calling them Devils See what Oecolampadius writeth concerning this to his friend Zuinglius Ep. ante respons ad Luth. Confess Suavissima saith he amicissimaque si non etiam frequentissima sunt Suermeri Nebulones Daemones alia hujus generis quamplurima quae quam infirma sit humnae naturae conditio nos erudire debent His most sweet and friendly if not most usual terms are Suermers Knaves Devils and other such like which must be a document to us of the infirmity of humane nature Neither did ever any yet I think in his invectives and reproaches use this word so much as he hath done boldly pronouncing also of Oecolampadius and other adversaries of his whom he heard died suddenly that they were strangled by the Devil See below § 32. See his answer ad Argentinenses Respondere non posse si damnare non liceat that t was in vain for him to answer without they would give him leave to condemn And Alterutros esse Satanae ministros vel ipsos vel se that either they the Zuinglian Divines were the Ministers of Sathan or he himself Luther And elsewhere Liber contra Sacramentarios Haereticos serio censemus alienos ab Ecclesia Dei Zuinglianos c. We do without all question judge the Zuinglians to be Hereticks and aliens from the Church of God c. And Quicunque credere nolit in Eucharistia panem post verba Consecrationis esse verum naturale Christi Corpus is a me abstineat Epistolis scriptis vel sermone neque ullam meam expectet communionem whosoever does not believe that the bread in the Eucharist after the words of Consecration is the true and natural body of Christ let him never dare to write or speak to me nor expect in any way to communicate with me And in his Confessio parva he saith
have no force in them besides strong calumnies and merciless reprehensions but also out of his citations and perverse using of Scripture that he is not grounded upon any solid foundation For he brings so many weak and absurd sentences to confirm his doctrine that if they were true and infallible all the knowledg we have of God would become obscure all the authority of Scripture would be called in question § 27 3. Concerning the instability of his doctrine Concerning the instability and fluctuation of his doctrine notwithstanding that whatever he held for the present of that he was most certainly assured thus Hospinian Histor Sacram. parte altera fol. 4. Per totam vitam tam varius sibi dissimilis fuit in Articulo de persona Christi praesertim autem de sacra ejus Coena ut minimum quinque sententiae de illa in scriptis ipsiusreperiantur through his whole life he was so various and contrary to himself in that Article concerning the person of Christ especially touching his last Supper that you may see in his writings at least five different opinions about it And so 12. Eadem varietas inconstantia crebra tanquam tempestatum sic sententiarum commutatio in aliis quoque de Sacramento Eucharistiae articulis apud Lutherum in suis scriptis invenitur The same variety and inconstancy and change of doctrines as of the winds may be found in Luther's other writings concerning other articles of the Sacrament of the Eucharist So fol. 8 9. he observes that he persecutes those Expositions of our Lord's words Jo. 6. Caro non prodest quidquam ' the flesh avails nothing and of St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. Panis quem frangimus the bread which we break when these brought against him by his Reformed adversaries Carlostade and Zuinglius which himself formerly gave against the Papists and so he observes fo 12. that when he was in contention with the Sacramentaries tanto impetu ab illis quibus indignabatur deflexit utâ—rursus ad ipsam usque Transubstantiationem quam sub Papatu approbarat postea de ea dubitarat tandem abjecerat tanquam fluctus marinus ad scopulos allisus revolveretur Cum autem urgebatur c. Corporis Christi tum demum potius quam se victum fateretur in mediam paludem ubiquitariam se praecipitem dabat from those he was incensed against he flung away with that violence that he even cast himself again upon Transubstantiation which when a Papist he had approved afterwards called in question and lastly thrown away tossed thus to and fro like the waves of the Sea rolling to and dashed from the rocks And again when he was urged with Christ's body c. rather than seem overcome he would cast himself headlong into the abyss of the Ubiquitarians The same thing Zuinglius complains of in his Preface to his answer to Luther's Confession Contentionis aestu eo se abripi patitur ut ea quae ante pie simul bene tradita ab ipso sunt potius subvertere velit negare quam ab instituto suo vel latum unguem cedere He suffers himself to be so carried away with the spirit of contention that rather than yeild a hairs breadth he would deny and subvert what he had well and piously established before This from § 21. of Luther's great confidence or certainty in his own opinions attempting upon it such bold Reformations and of his violent condemning of all Adversaries and Anti-doctrines whatever and of the small reason which his own fellow-Reformers conceived he had for either of these § 28 9th His fiâ—rce contentious â—rd railing spiriâ— discovered in all his controversy-writings From this Self-presumption of his also is discovered in all his writings that amaritudo ira indignatio clamor mentioned by the Apostle Eph. 4.31 a most strange quarrelsom reviling stile fierce and impatient of any coercion or contradiction not sparing his Spirituâ—l Mother the Church that brought him forth nor his Spiritual Fathers that made him a Christian a Priest He the first that so openly pronounced the present Catholick Church the Whore of Babylon and the Bishop of Rome the prime Patriarch therein Antichrist the Bishops Antichrist's Apostles the Universities Stews See the railings of his Book entitled Contra falso-nominatum Ordinem Episcoporum Not sparing the Supream Civil Magistrates not Kings See the Railings of his book written against Hen. 8th not sparing his younger brethren of the Reformation and his own disciples when they modestly taking that liberty in some things to dissent again from him which himself formerly had taken to dissent from the whole Church-Catholick and excepting their difference in judgment as to some points otherwise by all possible means courting his friendship See the Railings of his Confessio magna and parva written against them Above all not sparing his brethren the Religious into whose bosom and education very pious if we may believe himself he was so charitably received in his youth In whom notwithstanding he censures and every where declames against actions and works externally good as their fastjngs watchings Single life strict obedience to their Superiours commands often reiterated prayers c. as done out of hypocrisy with much inward diffidentia dubitatione pavore odio blasphemia Dei to use his own words and this because they wanted his new faith done with an intention of meriting their salvation by them and not expecting as the Remission of their other sins so of the imperfections of these very works through Christ's passion and merits their Celibacy as lived-in with all uncleanness of spirit tho he confessed his own when a Monk void of any such stain their prayers as said or repeated by rote without any inward attention of mind accompanying them things of which he could have no knowledge and out of charity ought to have judged the contrary or if by some outward circumstances he might discover the intentions of some yet from this could have no sufficient ground to charge all and to inveigh as he doth at a Monastick life in general upon this score that their good works yet were not well or rightly done by them § 29 For this great fault when much reproached by his Enemies and often admonished by his friends instead of amending it sometimes he justified it by the example of our Lord calling the Jews an adulterous generation a generation of vipers children of the Devil and of St. Paul calling his Adversaries Dogs foolish talkers seducers unlearned imo qui saith he Act. 13.9 10. sic invehatur in Pseudoprophetam ut videri possit insanus So sharply enveighs he against the false Prophet Act. 13.9 10. that one would think him mad vid. Melch. Adams vit Luther p. 191. and opera Luth. tom 1. Ep. p. 291. That is a private Presbyter when reproaching all his Superiours and Governours the Bishops and Fathers of the Church justifying it by the Lord of heaven and earth and who seeth
Virtues of Vices of Rewards and Punishments And lay the preaching of sola sides aside And in his Comment on Gen. published not long before his death See § 12. Quantum Sectarum saith he excitavit Satan nobis viventibus Quid futurum est nobis mortuis And again Muncerus c. nihil aliud nisi spiritum sonant idque nobis viventibus docentibus repugnantibus quid futurum est cum conticuerit nostra doctrina And not unlike Suspicions of Posterity hath Calvin upon the like experience of the multiplying of Subsects where no restraint by Authority Praefat. Catechism Geneven De posteritate saith he ego sic sum anxius ut tamen vix cogitare audeam nisi enim mirabiliter Deus de coelo succurrerit videre mihi videor extremam barbariem impendere orbi Atque utinam non paulo post sentiant filii nostri fuisse hoc verum potius vaticinium quam conjecturam Concerning Posterity I have such anxious thoughts as indeed to dread the very thoughts thereof For unless Almighty God from Heaven wonderfully prevent I seem to forsee extream barbarity as to a Christian and Orthodox faith hanging over the world And I wish our children when we are gone may not find this to have bin rather a Prophecy than Conjecture Thus he And who is there that hath not observed the Reformation still dividing into more and more subdivisions and fractions to this day and the stating of the points in controversy in their descent to posterity varying much from the former I say not whether to the better and by often handling spun much finer than the first gross thread thereof that was drawn out by Luther As if the reforming were running still more and more backwards towards the Church § 63 The manner of his death Thus much concerning the doctrines of Luther and the fruits thereof and in general concerning his Life Spirit and Manner of Reformation If in the last place you should long to know what his Death was after such a Life and in what manner he went off the Stage who had filled the world with so many new Opinions and Tumults as I find the story of it related by a Protestant and a Friend extant in Cocleus his Acta Scripta Lutheri where also is exhibited another story written by a Catholick much different It hath indeed some circumstances in it which one would not wish for himself tho yet which may also happen to a good man For it surprized him at a time of much mirth and feasting when aged now 63. years he was in great state sent for and attended with above 100 horsemen to Islebium the place of his Birth and habitation of his Kindred for compounding some differences not in Ecclesiastical unless it were about sharing some former Church-revenues but rather some Secular matters between the Counts of Mansfield then at variance Here after some three weeks stay and having preached several Sermons very invective as some of them against the Pope Roman Clergy and Monks and the Church he had fallen away from as also one of the last books he writ a little before this journey bears this title Contra Papatum a Diabolo institutum ' Against the Papacy instituted by the Devil See Melch. Adam vit Luther p. 153. so others against the newer Sects fain away from him and his Reformation calling them Tares sowen altogether without his knowledg one day in the beginning of February 1546 after he had dined with much cheer company and mirth non in suo hypocausto sed inferne in amplo triclinio not in his private Stove but below in a large Dining-room saith his friend in his relation before supper he complained of a great pain in his brest but this afterward being a bated again he supp'd in the same place saying Solitarium esse non adfert gaudium i.e. hujus seculi and as his disciple saith omnem excutiens tristitiam jocis facetiis But after Supper his pains returned and after some rest about one in the morning he fell mortally sick and was dead before three and before the Physician and Apothecary came to afford him their help He is said formerly to have bin subject to some Fits or swoundings wherein he lay without sense or motion and these sometimes to have bin caused by some molestations from the Devil See before § 32. The Catholick story of his death but I know not with what truth being an enemy reports that visa est tortura oris dextrum latus totum infuscatum ' his mouth distorted and his right side turn'd all of a duskish colour Some of his dying speeches related by the Lutheran seem to have a greater rellish of the Pharisee than of the Publican Mi Pater coelestis saith he tu mihi Filium tuum dilectum Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum revelasti hunc docui hunc professus sum hunc amo c. Quem impii persequuntur calumniantur criminanturque or as Justus Jonas quem abominabilis Papa omnes impii vituperant persequuntur blasphemant suscipe jam ad te animam meam My Heavenly Father thou hast reveal'd to me thy beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ him have I preach'd him have I profess'd him I love c. whom the wicked persecute calumniate and falsly accuse or whom the abominable Pope and all the wicked revile persecute and blaspheme receive my soul Whereas we meet with never a Miserere mei nor humble Confession of or act of Contrition for his sins That Epitaph also if composed by himself as it is said Pomeranus orat Funeb Pestis eram vivens moriens ero mors tua Papa savours much of his but not of a sober spirit nor his Prophecy therein of much truth Thus much of the circumstances of Luther's death in Feb. 1546. Now as I said we all wish a long preparation for our last end nor especially to be suprized therewith in a time of jollity and feasting we wish some sequestration also then from Secular affairs in which he was at that time much involved and that not his own but others But on the other side t is dangerous to censure any man for such accidents which happen also many times to very good Christians and these also at their death have frequently discovered an holy confidence in God Not unfrequently also the chief Authors of Sects and Heresies have nothing in their life or death exorbitant or monstrous or much differing from other sorts of men Of which perhaps one reason of the Divine Providence so disposing things may be because seeing that it is meet that Heresies be so also that these receive no check or blasting in their first growth by any extraordinary disasters or judgments shewed upon the Founders when-as God hath otherwise left evidences and arguments such as I supose are some of those fore-mentioned in this Discourse sufficient to deter the considerative and sober from embracing such new Doctrines or following such Leaders