prefer retaining the original figure. — This is one of the poisoned arrows of Luther’s treatise; ‘a hireling expectant, with only half his heart in the cause.’
[←117]
A forced application of James’ words, who speaks of a breach of one commandment as subjecting us to the curse of all, because such a breach is derogatory to the authority of the Lawgiver. We set ourselves up against the Lawgiver, and impugn his authority by a single wilful breach of a single commandment, with guilt of the same quality, though not of the same extent and aggravation, as if we broke all. Luther applies it to Erasmus’ only meaning to have a little sport; but then it is at the expense of Scripture: and such sport, and even the intention of such sport, implies a lack of due reverence for Scripture. This first fault leads to all the impiety which follows; and therefore he who is guilty of it, is guilty of all the impieties which follow, though he did not set out with the intention of committing them. ‘Guilty of all,’ because one leads to all; is the seed of all. — This is not James’ meaning.
[←118]
Prostituere promiscuis auribits. Prostit. ‘publicare,’ ‘diffamare,’ (pro, sive prae, statuo.) Promisc. ‘confusus;’ hence, ‘general,’ ‘common.’
[←119]
Eam neccssitatem.
[←120]
I would crave the reader’s particular attention to this description of the human body of the Lord Jesus Christ; that part of his frame which alone connected him and really connected him with the damned substance of his people. It enters into the very entrails of ‘the mystery of godliness.’
[←121]
Sic odiosè pungis. Pung. ‘cuspide vel aculeo ictum infero.’
[←122]
Pontificum tyrannidem offendere. Offend. ‘aversari,’ ‘offendi,’ ‘molestiam capere;’ quasi impingere, incurrere in illiquid, quod displiceat. — Another poisoned arrow. While he keeps no terms with Luther, he must still be the friend of liberty. He had gone far in satirizing the reigning abuses. But how galling the exposure!
[←123]
Free. That is, preaching that these are free; that men may observe or neglect them according to their own individual conscience.
[←124]
Consul, auctor, refer to the customs of the Roman Republic, of which the consul was the guardian and adviser: he was the author, or originator of measures.
[←125]
Allegas, ‘afferre aliquid probandi vel excusandi gratia.’ A forensic expression; these were his witnesses: but what did they prove? only what a clever fellow this Erasmus is. Illustration is not argument; but here it is manifestly a substitute for it. He amuses, imposes, irritates, and bewilders by his similies, because he has nothing solid with which to answer.
[←126]
Marpesian rocks: Greek mythology – Marpesia was Queen of the Amazons. She established a city in the Caucasus Mountains referred to as the Rock of Marpesia. Sometime later, Alexander the Great built the Caspian Gates there to keep out the barbarian hordes of the north.
[←127]
‘Since I am reduced to this painful alternative of evils.’
[←128]
Certissimum. As opposed to what Erasmus gave reason to suspect that he accounted it: ‘verbum Dei et futuram vitam fabulas esse putis.’
[←129]
Conturbat. Luther makes it ‘troubled waters;’ we, more correctly, ‘the world turned upside down,’ anastatwsauten (anastatoosauten).
[←130]
Perversè. ‘Distortedly,’ in a manner contrary to their real leaning and use. Luther’s charge is no less than this: what Erasmus counted evil was really good; and vice versa.
[←131]
Puerilia, civilia, humana, divina. Civ. ‘What relate to man as a citizen; as opposed to ‘puerilia,’ because it was not till man attained a certain age that he became entitled to them.
[←132]
Haec alia questio est. ‘Other’ than that of the expediency of proclaiming it, as supposed to be acknowledged truth. Free confession is introduced by Erasmus as his third example of a dogma which, though true, should not to be circulated.
[←133]
Et tibi dicere. Like his ‘etiam te judice,’ in Part ii Sect. 1. means making Erasmus himself the judge. — Vel conserere manus might be supposed to allude to an ancient custom, ‘ex jure manu consertum vocare;’ when a party expresses his willingness to go with his adversary into the field if dissatisfied with the award of the tribunal: a species of judicia combat. But I prefer the simpler antithesis of the text.
[←134]
Luther’s expressions are not equivocal here, but irrestrictive and direct: ‘absolved all men from the law of Moses, without excepting any part of that law; and it is essential to his argument that he be understood thus comprehensively. Otherwise, what is the ground of fear?
[←135]
Erasmus interposes in the form of an adviser, or physician; reprobating the course pursued by others, and suggesting a better one. This was no other than to modify the truth by squaring it to times, places, and persons.
[←136]
The allusion is evidently to Phi 1.18, which fully justifies his ‘quovis modo.’ [any means] “What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.” The ‘every way,’ or ‘by any means,’ is whatever spirit he is preached with, sincere or insincere.
[←137]
“For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Phi 2.21)
[←138]
Obliquanda. Obliq. is sometimes applied to the veering and tacking of ships; but the essential idea is bending, or making crooked, what is in itself straight. It is here opposed to constanter, just as ‘celanda’ is opposed to ‘palam.’ The truth must be preached in its straightness, or perpendicularity, not bent downwards or sideways, that it may be accommodated to the taste, or lusts, or supposed unaptnesses of the hearer.
[←139]
The allusion is evidently to Psa 14.6. Luther seems to have understood the Gospel or doctrine of Christ by this rod or sceptre; as he also does, though not exclusively, in his exposition of this psalm. (Vide in loco.) I would rather understand it of his own personal conduct as a prince. But according to Luther’s allusion, the truth being a straight or upright rod, he who walks by it will walk straightly, or uprightly, and will not give occasion to others to walk crookedly, or pronely.
[←140]
The word of God teaches that there is no respect of persons, and that God does not regard the persons of men. Col 3.25; Rom 2.6; Gal 2.6; Eph 6.9; Jam 2.1; Luk 20.21; Act 10.34, etc. etc. How contrary is it, then, to the clear testimony of the word, which declares that God mocks all human distinctions — that Jew and Greek, master and servant, or slave, rulers and subjects, pillars of the church, and men disinterested in the church, are alike regarded and disregarded by Him — to respect these distinctions, as Erasmus would counsel us in the ministry of the word! These testimonies are sometimes perverted to mean a denial of God’s electing grace, which they do not in the slightest degree impugn, nor did Luther conceive so. He maintained that grace as firmly as any man. The truth is, respect of persons in Scripture, means respect of persons according to human and earthly distinctions. In this regard, God, contrariwise to man, puts no difference between them. His distinctions, which he palpably makes, are built upon another foundation. “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumsion, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Col 3.14) But then, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings (or blessedness) in heavenly places in Christ; according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,” etc. Eph 1.3-4, etc.
[←141]
Myrmidon: a follower who carries out orders without question.
[←142]
Erasmus had said that bad decisions should be hushed up; and if spoken of, it should rather be said that they were good at the time, though unseasonable now. Luther replies, if your remark is intended to affect any decision which is founded upon the word of God, the sentiment is impious. With respect to any other sort of decisions, whether you choose to call them pious and holy, or acknowledge them to be faulty, I have nothing to do with them.
[←143]
Ubi frons tua. The face is the index of sensibility; effrontery is the result of obduracy. Luther’s question implies you can have no face; you must have a brow of brass, to speak so. We might say ‘cheek’ – audacity.
[←144]
See Part i. Sect. 3. note i .
[←145]
Prolabantur. Translate ‘sensim devenire,’ ‘palatim accedere.’
[←146]
Corycian caves: meaning that such things are reserved to God alone.
[←147]
Non licet videre. Referring to Augustine’s saying, that God works all things in us, rewarding his own good, and punishing his own evil. In a future part of the work, where this subject is more fully gone into — and to which I defer my observations on it as briefly glanced at here — I trust it will appear that the word of God does not really leave us in that depth of darkness which Luther’s language implies here, and which his fuller statement, made hereafter, affirms. God has not revealed himself that he might remain hidden, as unknown, or even yet more unknown than he was before; but amidst the unsearchableness of his infinity, he has, by his counsel of manifestation, which the Scripture records, unveiled much of himself to our view, which before and without it, was and must forever have remained concealed. Luther — prodigy as he was in his day — did not have the clue of God-manifestation to guide him through the labyrinth; and therefore, he counted much that is light, darkness.
[←148]
Super-erogemus. ‘To lay out and bestow over and above what is due. Erogo is properly applied to public money, exacted and issued upon petition and by order; from there it is transferred to ‘private expenditure.’ Ut ex ubundantid super, implies a superabundance of reasons might be