886 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 tro 1530.
this world, and knows how to rule it. He has power over nature, and can make thunder and lightning, hail and earth. quake, fleas and bed-bugs. He is the ape of God. He can imitate Christ, and is most dangerous in the garb of an angel of light. He is most busy where the Word of God is preached. He is proud and haughty, although he can appear most humble. He is a liar and a murderer from the beginning. He understands a thousand arts. He hates men because they are creatures of God. He is everywhere around them, and tries to hurt and seduce them. He kindles strife and enmity. He is the author of all heresies and persecutions. He invented popery, as a counterpart of the true kingdom of God. He inflicts trials, sickness, and death upon individuals. He tempts them to break the Ten Commandments, to doubt God’s word, and to blaspheme. He leads into infidelity and despair. He hates matrimony, mirth, and music. He can not bear singing, least of all “spiritual songs.” 1 He holds the human will captive, and rides it as his donkey. He can quote Scripture, but only as much of it as suits his purpose. A Christian should know that the Devil is nearer him than his coat or shirt, yea, than his own skin. Luther reports that he often disputed with the Devil in the night, about the state of his soul, so earnestly that he himself perspired profusely, and trembled. Once the Devil told him that he was a great sinner. “1 knew that long ago,” replied Luther, “tell me something new. Christ has taken my sins upon himself, and forgiven them long ago. Now grind your teeth.” At other times he returned the charge and tauntingly asked him, “ Holy Satan, pray for me,” or, “ Physician, cure thyself.” The Devil assumes visible forms, and appears as a dog ora
1 “ Der Teufel ist ein trauriger Geist,’’ he says in his Table-Talk (LX. 60), “und macht traurige Leute; darum kann er Frohlichkeit nicht leiden. Daher kommt’s auch, dass er von der Musica aufs Weiteste fleuget; er bleibt nicht, wenn man singt, sonderlich geistliche Lieder. Also linderte David mit seiner Harfen dem Saul seine Anfechtung, da thn der Teufel plagte.”’ |
ὃ 61. LUTHER AT THE WARTBURG. 1521-1522. 337
hog or a goat, or as a flame or star, or as a man with horns. He is noisy and boisterous! He is at the bottom of all witchcraft and ghost-trickery. He steals little children and substitutes others in their place, who are mere lumps of flesh and torment the parents, but die young. Luther was disposed to trace many medieval miracles of the Roman Catholic Church to the agency of Satan. He believed in demones incubos et succubos. |
But, after all, the Devil has no real power over believers. He hates prayer, and flees from the cross and from the Word of God as from a flaming fire. If you cannot expel him by texts of Holy Scripture, the best way is to jeer and flout him. A pious nun once scared him away by simply saying: “ Christiana sum.” Christ has slain him, and will cast him out at last into the fire of hell. Hence Luther sings in his
battle hymn, — ** And let the Prince of ill
' Look grim as e’er he will, He harms us not a whit: For why? His doom is writ, One little word shall slay him.’’
Luther was at times deeply dejected in spirit. He wrote to Melanchthon, July 18, under the influence of dyspepsia which paints every thing in the darkest colors: * You elevate me too high, and fall into the serious error of giving me too much credit, as if I were absorbed in God’s cause. This high opinion of yours confounds and racks me, when I see myself insensible, hardened, sunk in idleness, alas! seldom in prayer, and not venting one groan over God’s Church. My unsubdued flesh burns me with devouring fire. In short, I who ought to be eaten up with the spirit, am devoured by
1 Kin Polter-und Rumpel-Geist.
2 “Solche Wechselbdlge [or Wechselkinder, changelings] und Kielkrépfe supponit Satan in locum verorum filiorum, und plaget die Leute damit. Denn diese Gewalt hat der Satan, dass er die Kinder auswechselt und einem Sir sein Kind einen Teufel in die Wiegen legt.’’ Erl. ed., LX. 41,