Full Text for Die Hauptschriften Luthers in chronologischer Reihenfolge, part 4 (Text)

SDie ~auvtfd)tiften £ut~etg in d)tono!ogifd)et lftei~enfolge. 429 written against the Docetae, who, in claiming that the souls were immaterial, denied that their bodies were sinful. But the final and clinching argument for the attainability of entire sanctification in the opinion of these "Spirit-baptized" people is the claim that not only Abel, Enoch, Moses, Oaleb, Zacharias, Elisabeth, the disciples, and many other Biblical characters had tbis gift, but that also un del' the ministrations of modern Holin288 preachers thousands upon thousands have been brought to a "Spirit­witnessed" realization of entire sanctification. "Testimonies" of those "who have entered in and are saved to the uttermost" fill their literature, and a recital of individual "experiences" constitutes a prominent part of their revivals, camp-meetings, prayer-meetings, and class-meetings. In short, their entire argumentation may be summed up in the statement: Believe that you are perfectly sanc­tified, and you are sanctified. It goes without saying that the subjectivism and enthusiasm of the exponents of the doctrine of entire sanctification has made this one of the most bewitching, beguiling, and insidious errors of our day. It is a real menace because so many Scripture-passages are qnoted in its defense. It is extremely dangerous because it flatters the old Adam by teaching an anticipation of the heavenly perfection, thus ignoring sin and the threefold use of the Law; and where there is no sin, there is no need of Him who died for sinners. These Spil'its ought to read what Luther said in his third public disputation against Agricola (St. Louis Ed., XX, 1642 if.) or Historical lntroductions to Triglotta, p.165. But such enthusiastic spirits do not want to be instructed. It is impossible to convince him of his e1'1'or who bases his contention upon a supposed vision, or an hallucination. The perfectionist has soared to dizzy heights of spiritual pride and carnal security on the mere bubble of an ecstatic revelation. But when the prick of God's holy Law pierces this vain bubble, he will be hurled into the depths of despair. "Those haughty spirits, Lord, restrain," etc. (Hymn 110, 6.) Springfield, TIl. ~ iii ~ F. E. MAYER. ~ie .pau.ptfdjtiften £ut~et~ in djtonulugifdjcr ffieifjenfulge. ~1it SHnmedungen. (B'ottfetung.) 1521. "SHn ben ~od BU S3eifj,ig." -SDiefe @::id)rift Ivar am 14. ~anuat in snroeit unb fd)eint nod) bot G:nbc bes S]lonag auggefd)idt tuorbcn 3u fein. S3utfJctll @::ittdt ging 3mild in bas ~afJt 1519 unb tuutbe betanlatt butcl) eincn ~rief .l;)ieton~mug G'mfcts an ~ofJann Sad, tuotin et jid) libet bie S3eifj3igct :Bisfjutation 3iget :DiSputation. :Det @runbgebanfe bet gamen 6d)tift ift aus~ gebtiidt in ben smorten: ,,~bet meine 13e~re, bieweil id) tlJeij3, baf3 11e nid)t meine, fonbcrn (\lottes ift, will iclj niemanben unberantioortct laffen antaftcn. :Denn ba Hegt an meines iJliidjften unb meine 6digreit in ®ottcs53ob unb ~[)t'C." (6U.loui[er ~usgabe XVIII, 1256 fl.) 1521. "Untetdd)t bet ?Seid)tfinber iiber bie bcrliotencn lSiicl)cr." -'Diefe 6djtift lag am 17. tyebtuar fertig bot. 6ie [egt in bteiSel)ll l\}untten bar, warum bas "arme mou", bas burd) ilflcntlidje merliotc irrcgcmacljt wurbe ber lSiiel)cr 53u!!}crs ~a!ben, fid) an folclje merbote nicf)t £e1)ten func, unb baf3 bie ?Seicf)tbiiter fcine ®c1lJalt ljiitten, iljten ?Seidjtfinbern untet fo1d)en Umftiinben Me ~bjo1ution au betweigern. :;sn biefet 6d)dft finbet fidj bet intereffante l\}afius: "smo Iffienfclj nicf)! abfolbiert, ba abfolniert ®ott. Sugleid) alS wenn bie :taufe unb bas 6arra, ment beil SUHars iemanb bom l\}riefter begeljrte unb er's nidjt geben wofltc, ljiittc fein ®laube unb !Begierbe bod) genug banon cm~fangen. ~[fo, Db ber !Beidjt, batn: nid)! l1JoUte ab\oIbieren, fon et but!) friil)!ic6 unb jld)er fein ber sJ(b\olution, bieweil er gebeid)tet unb'fie bege~tt unb gefud)t ljat." (6t. Boutier SJ(u~gabe XIX, 808 ft,) 1521. ,,®ntnb unb Urfadj' aUer 'llrtifel, fo burc9 bie romijd)e !BuUe un' ted)t1idj netbammt morben. II -SJ(nfung~ ~Dbcmbet 1520 ~atte 1311tf)er feine 6d)rift ,,®iber hie !BuUe bes ~nbd)tifts" ausge~en 1affen. ®leid) nad) !Beenbigung biefer 6d)tift mad)te fief) Butljer batelll, cine uusfiif)rlief)ere ~rHiutct1lng unb ~tt1iirung bet in bet piipftlid)en !BuUe berbammten ~lttifel aus3Uatoeiten, aumar ba bies bDn bem Sl'utfiitften, 6jJa[atin unb anbern bege~t't wutbe. 'Die Assertio Omnium Arl;iculo1'1"'" unb ,,@runn unb Urjadj'" IDaren am 20. 'Deacmoer 1520 im 'Drud, unb le~tete 6cf)tift ging am 1. Iffiuq 1521 aus. :;sn 41 ~rtHeln fiif)tt But~et ben ?Sel1JeiS fiir feine 6teUung aus @ottes smott; benn er bel)au~tet: ,,(Ts mUf3 ie bie .\';leilige 6d)tift flatet, Ieicf)ter unb gewiffcr fdn benn aller anberet 6cf)tift, !intemal aUe 13e~tet i~te lRelle butdj biefelbe als burcf) Harm unb beftiinbigete 6djtift :6e~ w(i~ren unb mollen iljre 6c~rift butd) fie befeftt\Jet unb erUiiret ~allen. II (6t.13ouifer SUusgaoe XV, 1476 ff.) 1521. ,,'Das Iffiagnifitat betbeutfd)t unb ausgefegt." -Butger etwiif)nt biefe 6d)tift jcl)on am 27. tyeutuar, Denn et {)atte fie aU SJ(nfang 'Dc3cmber 1520 in ~n' griff genol11men. I)lod) bot feiner SJ(lmi\ c nadj Worms )Daren Die brei ctften ?Sogen im 'Dtude fertig. 'Det Iette steil bet ~roeit fonnte abet erft aUf ber smattbutg bollenbet werben. 'Las Iffianufttipt wat am 10. ~uni bollenbet; bod) nersogette fid) bet 5£)rud (0 fef)t, ball hie 6d)rif! nidjt bor ber 3weiten .\';lfr!fte bes SUuguft ausgefanbt tlJetben lonnte. 53ut~et iifJerfe~te ~iet aus bem @tied)ifd)en, unb aud) feine SUus[egung be3iel)t fid) aUf ben ®tunbte);t. 'Dod) finbet fid) l)iet nod) bie SUn~ rufunglffiatias unb bet SJeiligen. (6t. Bouifer ~usgabe VII, 1372-1445.) 1521. "ftber bas iibetd)riftlid), iibergeiftHd) tmb iibedilnftlid) ?Sud) mod (Tmiers au 13eij>3ig SJ(ntl1Jutt." -:Diefc 6d)tift war am 6. Iffiiiq unter bet '1}reffe unb wurbe am 29. Iffiiiq berfanbt. 13ut~er greift f)ier in fdjarfer, bgtneHen bctoer smeife an. mon befonbetem 'illert finb bie SUusfiil)rungen lImon ber l\}tieftetfd)aft allet Cl:f)riften", lImon hem !Bucf)fta6en unb ®dft" unb lImon ber el)eficljen l\}ricfter~ fcl)aft". Untet ben ein3einen SUuilfagen finben tid) bie fo{gcnben: ,,'De! SJcilige ®eift ift bet allcteinfiiltigfte 6d)tdber unb ffiebner, bet im ,Qimmel unb (Ttben ift, barum Qnd) feine 'illorte nid)t mef)r benn einen einfiiltigften 6inn l)aoen tannen, tnelcf)en 1];i1: ben fd)tiftlicl)en ober bUd)ftabtjd)cn .8ungenfinn mnnen." " 'ill ic IlJo I) 1 abet id)'s ljalte, 6t. '1}eter fei ,U lRom gewejen, unb nod) woUte id) bennodj nid)t barauf fterlJen als einen ~rtUe1 bes ®[uuoens. . .. ~s ift aud) hin ~ttiie[ bes ®lauoens, ift ntemanb S~e~et barDo, oli er nid)! glauDt, baj3 6t. l\}ctcr je 3U ffion; gefeffcn ~abe. smiewof)l es aUd) wieberum tyrebe[ ift, au [eugnen, ef)e es wirll griinblid) wibetlcgt." (6t. Bouifer ~usgabe XVIII, 1270-1353.) 1521. ,,6etmon bon bet wiirbigen ~m~fafjun\J bes l)eHigen wa~ren Beid)' nams Cl:ljtifti, getan am @tiinbonnetstag." -'Diefe '1}rcbigt l)ieft 53ut~er am 28. Iffiiira 1521. ~r fiiljrt in breiael)n '1}untten aus, was 3um red)tcn merftiinbniS bet 53e~re bom SJ(benbmaljl gefjilrt, oefonbet!! bon bet red)ten smilroigfeit. :Das sub utraque ift borau5gefett. (6t. 530uifet SUusgaoe XII, 1354-1361.) Propositions on Marriage and Divorce. 431 1.521. Ad Librum Emimii Ma.rJistri Nostri Mag. Ambro8ii Oatharini, DefensoTis SilvestTi, Prieriatis Acerrimi, Responsio. -iliefe €5d)tift lag am 1. Illptif 1)anbfci)tiftHc1) bot unb erf(1)ien nod) in nemfelben l)J{onat im ilrucf. ~ine .IDette Illuflage 111urbe im 9Jlonat ~uli fetti\lgefteUt. ilie bcutfdJe iiberiellul1\l, bon ~aul 6peratus angefertigt, erfdJien 1.524. :Die 18eantruortullg bet \'l'rage naci) ilan. 8, Db bet ~a\lft ruirllid) ber IllntidJrift fet, nimmt einen groflen steil ber 6c1)tift ein. (6t. 530uifet Illusgabe XVIII, 1434-1.583.) (\),ottfetul1Q forQt.) ~. ~. oR t e t man n. Propositions on Marriage and Divorce. 1. The mutual consent}) directly and unmistakably given, of one woman to be the wife of one particular man,2) and of that man to h8 the husband of that same woman, both of them being capable of contracting marriage, is, according to Scripture, the very essence of the marriage contract. It is immaterial whether this mutual promise or consent is designated an engagement, a betrothal, or is called by any other name, as long as it is shown to have been made.3) (0071-sensus, non concnbit1tS, facit matrimonium.) 1) Gen. 24, 58. 67; 25, 20; 29, 21. 2) Gen. 2, 24; Matt. 19,4; Prov.5, 17; Rom. 7, 2; 1 Cor. 7,3.39; Eph. 5, 31. 33. 3) Matt.I,IS; Luke2,5; Gen. 19,8. 14. 2. The validity of this promise, consent, betrothal, or engage­ment is conditioned by the consent of the parents or those in loco parentis}) also by certain restrictions concerning the degrees of affinity and consanguinity obtaining between the contracting partics.2) 1) Gen. 24, 4. 51; 29,16.19.21; 1 Cor. 7, 36. 37. 2) Lev. 18, 6 if.; 20, 10-23; Deut. 27, 20-23; Ezek. 22,10 f.; 1 Cor. 5, 1. 3. Parental consent is essential to the validity of an engage­ment,l) provided it is not arbitrarily withheld, especially for selfish reasons,2) so that it would amount to a prohibition of marriage.3) 1) Gen. 24; Col. 3, 20; Eph. 6,1; 1 Cor. 7, 36; Deut. 7, 3; Jer. 29, 6; Ezra 9,12; Neh.13, 25; Judg.14, 1 f. 2) Provo 26, 2. 3) Gen. 2,18; 1 Cor. 7, 2. 4. Oonditional engagements receive full validity by the removal ·of such (justified) conditions. Gen. 29, 18; Ruth 3, 13. 5 . .Ii valid betrothal, engagement, promise, or consent is, in fo],o Bibliae et ecclesiae, tantamount to marriage. Gen. 29, 21; Matt. I, 18-20; Luke 2, 5; Deut. 22, 23 f.; 28, 30; Joel 1,8; Hos.4,13; John3,29; Ps.45; 68,12; Rev.21,2.9; 22,17. (Cf. Lu­other, 19, 101. 105.)