Freewill among the barren and vain. The word praesumere is used in a rather peculiar but not unauthorized sensem corresponding to our English word ‘presume,’ and with its own etymology: ‘preconceive,’ ‘anticipate,’ ‘conjecture,’ ‘imagine,’ — opinari, credere, conjicere, imaginari. — I would have preferred understanding praesumere in the sense of ‘anticipating,’ meaning that he spoke of one subject here in his Preface, and of another in the body of his work. But the illustration does not coincide with this view. Catullus did not make two speeches, nor do I find any authority for such use of praesumere. It has a peculiar rhetorical sense of preoccupying; that is, occupying the adversary’s ground before him, by anticipating and obviating his objections. — But this will not apply here.
[←82]
Luther has no authority for this interpretation of the term Plerophory, which expresses no more than full evidence of a fact or truth; or full assurance of that fact or truth. But in substance, he is correct; confession (which amounts to assertion) is demanded.
[←83]
Anticyra. The famous island of Hellebore, which cured mad people. Hence ‘Naviget Anticyram.’ —Hor.
[←84]
Originally, “whether I apprehend, or do not apprehend.” The reference is to the previous quote. – WHG
[←85]
That is, we must apprehend His existence, before we can attribute the creation to Him (Rom 1.20; Heb 11.6).
[←86]
Luther does not choose to speak out on the subject of Erasmus’ scepticism and infidelity, but hints pretty broadly at it. There is only too strong an evidence that the insinuation was just; and that it constituted the most galling part of his attack. Erasmus’ object was to rise upon the ruins of Luther; but with what face could the Pope or the Princes prefer an Infidel? See Milner’s Eccles. Hist. vol. iv. 935-945.
[←87]
A beautiful testimony to the confidence inspired into the soul by the Holy Ghost’s teachings! We are more sure of the truth of His assertions than that we live; and we hold them more firmly than we do the results of experience.
[←88]
Abstrusa, exposita. Abst. ‘thrust from us,’ as into secret places; ‘hidden from view,’ like the apocryphal writings. Expos, ‘set out in broad day,’ like goods displayed for sale.
[←89]
Luther appears to understand this text as most do: he knew who those were among men, whom he had chosen, with a supposed reference to eternal election. But the Greek text plainly determines it to mean, ‘I know the real character and state of those persons whom I have chosen;’ referring to the Twelve exclusively, as those whom he afterwards (15.19.) declares himself to have chosen out of the world.
[←90]
Who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,” (as opposed to, “which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh,” in the preceding verse) “by the resurrection from the dead.” Rom.1.4. Fractis signaculis. The stone at the door of the sepulchre was sealed. Matt, 27.65-66.
[←91]
Luther’s affirmation and argument is of the greatest importance here. All the truth of God, he maintains, is explicitly and intelligibly declared in Scripture; in some passages more obscurely through our ignorance of words; in others more manifestly and unequivocally. But there is no truth, no dogma, that is not distinctly taught and confirmed.
[←92]
A cave of singular virtue in Mount Corycus of Cilicia, supposed to be inhabited by the gods.
[←93]
Resectum. Erasmus’ term, taken from ‘the close cutting of the nails, or hair, or beard;’ or, from ‘the excision of the unsound flesh in wounds.’ It implies, that all the ambiguity is not yet withdrawn, though some of it may be.
[←94]
Luther refers back to this passage in the progress of his work. (See below, Chap. ii. Sect. 13.) It is not the public ministry of the word, but its instrumentality in general, of which he speaks here. Scripture reveals truth to the ear, and it reveals truth to the heart. The former of these he calls an external clearness. The word which falls upon the ear is a plain and clear word. The other he calls an internal clearness. The truth which is contained in Scripture, and conveyed by a clear and plain word, is understood by the heart.
[←95]
‘Totus Lucianum spiras et inhalas mihi grandem Epicuri erapulam.’ Luc. One of the most noted satirical blasphemers of Christianity: Epic. An atheistic heathen philosopher who inculcated pleasure and indifference.
[←96]
Pontificum et Tyrannorum. These names comprehend the whole tribe of Popes, Cardinals, and Princes, by which the ecclesiastical and civil power of the Roman empire was now administered. Pont. ‘Priests of high dignity,’ generally; not confined to the Pope, but including also his Cardinals. Tyran. ‘The civil rulers throughout the empire.’ In Latin, it is used more generally in a bad sense, to denote usurped authority exercised with fierceness and violence; but not always.
[←97]
Confusus, expresses the state of the mariner’s mind: flactibus obrutus, his drowning body.
[←98]
Detestaris, praetendis. Detest. deprecari, amoliri, avertere, deos invocando. Praetend., ‘to put forwards as a reason for acting, whether truly or falsely.’
[←99]
Curiosa. Applied in a bad sense to things we have no business with, ‘curiosus dicitur nonnunquam de iis qui nimia cura utuntur in rebus alienis exquirendis.’
[←100]
Vanos corresponds to supervacaneos used above, expressing their ‘unprofitableness;’ ‘idle speculators.’
[←101]
Greek mythology: Scylla was a sea nymph transformed into a sea monster who lived on one side of a narrow strait; drowned and devoured sailors who tried to escape Charybdis (a whirlpool) on the other side of the strait.
[←102]
Status causae hujus. ‘Status a rhetoribus dicitur quaestio, quae ex prima causarum conflictione nascitur; quia in eo tota causa stat et consistit.’
[←103]
Omnia in omnibus. Not only ‘all things in all men;’ but ‘all things in all things;’ every jot and tittle in every single thing that is done.
[←104]
Partem alteram. As opposed to ‘altera pars’ in the next section: considering the sum of Christian doctrine, as divisible into these two integral parts.
[←105]
Curious: fussy or picky; overly concerned.
[←106]
An praesciat; The Newstadt editor inserts the word necessariò here. It is not needed. What is foreknowledge, if it is not absolute; i.e. if the event is not inevitable, or necessary?
[←107]
Definis. Def. does not express simply what we understand and mean by a definition; but laying out the subject matter of debate in propositions, and a supporting of those propositions by argument . Such were Luther’s several Theses; with ninety-five of which, he first opened his attack upon the Popedom; or rather upon the doctrine of Indulgences: a form of discussion common in those times. Perhaps our English word ‘determine’ comes nearest to it.
[←108]
Efficiunt quod tentant. They do not go through with the matter in hand, but leave it short: the ‘vires et opera’ are still undefined, neither distinctly affirmed, nor satisfactorily proved.
[←109]
Urgebo. ‘Driving, as you would drive cattle, or an enemy, before you.’
[←110]
Liberi arbitrii vires et opera. Voluntas is ‘the faculty of the will at large.’ Arbitrium, ‘the essence, spirit, power of that faculty.’ Erasmus maintains this power to be free; Luther, that it is in bondage. Hence, ‘liberum arbitrium,’ ‘servum arbitrium.’ Vis, or vires arbitrii, the power or powers of this power. Vis, or vires liberi arbitrii; the power or powers of this power, as declared by Erasmus to be free; and so, just corresponds with our idea and term of Freewill. ‘You shall define to me, what are the powers of this faculty, which is thus supposed and maintained by you to be free.’ This is the crux of modern Freewillers, just as it was of Erasmus. They get on pretty well, till they are compelled to define.
[←111]
This abstruse but irresistible deduction from Erasmus’ concession may perhaps be stated a little more familiarly, thus: If God does not foreknow all events absolutely, there must be a defect either in his will, or in his knowledge; what happens must either be against his will, or beside his knowledge. Either he meant otherwise than the event, or had no meaning at all about the event; or, he foresaw another event, or did not foresee any event at all. But the truth is, what he willed in past eternity, he wills now; the thing now executed is what he has intended to execute from everlasting; for his will is eternal: just as the thing which has now happened is what he saw in past eternity; because his knowledge is eternal.
[←112]
N. B. [note well] This whole paragraph is omitted in the Nieustadt edition of 1591.
[←113]
Illude: To play upon by artifice; to deceive; to mock; to excite and disappoint the hopes of.
[←114]
Eluserant, illuserunt. A play on the words eludo, illudo. Elud. ‘to parry off,’ ‘evade.’ A metaphor taken from the gladiator, who by a dexterous turn of his body, escapes the weapon of his adversary. I do not find any classical authority for understanding ‘illudo’ with the same reference to the gladiator. It refers to customs of a more general nature; comprehending all sorts of injury inflicted in a way of deception, or derision: ‘to sport with,’ or ‘make sport of;’ sometimes ‘to ruin in sport.’ Thus, these Sophists have evaded their adversaries, but they have made fools of themselves.
[←115]
Agnata. ‘What grows to us as a sort of monstrous appendage;’ like the membra agnata et agnascentia in animals; parts that are more than should be by nature, such as a sixth finger, etc.
[←116]
Aliorum obsequio. Erasmus was a forced champion, writing to please the Pope and his party at their special request. Personam sumimus. He did not really stand in his own person, but was an actor sustaining a part which had been put upon him. Alienae scenae servire expresses the drudgery of labouring through a character in which he had made himself a volunteer. Scenae servire sometimes signifies ‘to temporize;’ but here I