§ 106. LUTHER AND ZWINGLI. 623
The controversy reached its height in 1527 and 1528, when Zwingli and Luther came into direct conflict. Zwingli combated Luther’s view vigorously, but respectfully, fortiter in re, suaviter in modo, in a Latin book, under the peaceful title, “Friendly Exegesis,” and sent a copy to Luther with a letter, April 1, 1527.1. Luther appeared nearly at the same time (early in 1527), but in a very different tone, with a German book against Zwingli and C&colampadius, under the title, “ That the Words of Christ: ‘This 1s my Body,’ stand fast. Against the Fanatics (Schwarmgeister).”? Here he derives the Swiss view directly from the inspiration of the Devil. “How true it is,” he begins, “ that the Devil is a master of a thousand arts!® He proves this powerfully in the external rule of this world by bodily lusts, tricks, sins, murder, ruin, etc., but especially, and above all measure, in spiritual and external things which affect God’s honor and our conscience. How he can turn and twist, and throw all sorts of obstacles in the way, to prevent men from being saved and abiding in the Christian truth!” Luther goes on to trace the working of the Devil from the first corruptions of the gospel by heretics, popes, and councils, down to Carlstadt and the Zwinglians, and mentions the Devil on every page. This is characteristic of his style of polemics against the Sacramentarians, as well as the Papists. He refers all evil in the world to the Prince
1 Even Loscher admits that Zwingli treated Luther with great respect in this book. Comp. Planck, 11. 470 sq.; Késtlin, II. 94 sqq.
2 He informed Stiefel, Jan. 1, 1527 (De Wette, III. 148), that he was writing a book against the “‘ sacramentarii turbatores.’’? On March 21, 1527 (III. 165), he informed the preacher Ursinus that he had finished it, and warned him to avoid the “‘ Zwingliana et Gicolampadia sententia”’ as the very pest, since it was ‘‘ blasphema in Christi verbum et fidem.’? The work was translated into German by M. Judex. The closing passages blaming Bucer for accompanying a Latin version of Luther’s Kirchenpostille and Bugenhagen’s commentary on the Psalms with Zwinglian notes are omitted in the Wittenberg edition of Luther’s Works, 1548. Amsdorf complained of this omission, which was traced by some to Melanchthon, by others to Rorer, the corrector of Luft’s printing establishment. See Walch, XX. 53, and Erl. ed., XXX. 15.
8 Hin Tausendkiinstler, a myriad-minded trickster.
624 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 τὸ 1530.
of evil. He believed in his presence and power as much as in the omnipresence of God and the ubiquity of Christ’s body. He dwells at length on the meaning of the words of institution: “‘ This is my body.” They must be taken literally, unless the contrary can be proved. Every departure from the literal sense is a device of Satan, by which, in his pride and malice, he would rob man of respect for God’s Word, and of the benefit of the sacrament. He makes much account of the disagreement of his opponents, and returns to it again and again, as if it were conclusive against them. Carlstadt tortures the word “this” in the sacred text; Zwingli, the word “is ; ᾿ Cicolampadius, the word “ body ;”! others torture and murder the whole text. All alike destroy the sacraments. He allows no figurative meaning even in such passages as 1 Cor. 10:4; John 15:1; Gen. 41: 26; Exod. 12:11, 12. When Paul says, Christ is a rock, he means that he is truly a spiritual rock. When Christ says, “1 am the vine,” he means a true spiritual vine. But what else is this than a figurative interpretation in another form? A great part of the book is devoted to the proof of the ubiquity of Christ’s body. He explains “the right hand of God” to mean his “almighty power.” Here he falls himself into a figurative interpretation. He ridicules the childish notion which he ascribes to his opponents, although they never dreamed of it, that Christ is literally seated, and immovably fastened, on a golden throne in heaven, with a golden crown on his head.? He does not go so far as to deny the realness
1 He coins new names for the three parties, Tutisten, Tropisten, Deutisten. Er]. ed. XXX. 336. |
2 * Wie man den Kindern pflegt fiirzubilden einen Gaukelhimmel, darin ein giilden Stuhl stehe und Christus neben dem Vater sitze in einer Chorkappen und giilden Krone, gleichwie es die Mdler malen. Denn wo sie nicht solche kindische, fleischliche Gedanken hatten von der rechten Hand Gottes, wiirden sie freilich sich nicht so lassen anfechten den Leib Christi im Abendmahl, oder sich bliuen mit dem Spruch Augustini (welchem sie doch sonst nichts glauben noch keinem andern), Christus muss an einem Ort leiblich sein, aber seine Wahrheit |Gottheit ?] is allenthalben.”’ Erl. ed. XXX. 56.