An den Durchlüchtigestem Fürsten vnd Herren, Herrn Philippen, Landgraff in Hessen, Von der Fürsichtigkeyt Gottes, ein büchlin inn Latin beschribenn durch Meister Huldrich Zwinglin. Vertütschet durch Leo Jud. Matth. XI. At the end, on p. 221: Getruckt zu Zürich by Christoffel Froschouer. M.D. XXXI. 224 unnumbered octavo pages. Finsler, Zwingli Bibliographie, Nos. 94 and 95. The following English translation is based on one by Mr. Henry Preble. It was revised throughout by the editor.
The work of Zwingli On the Providence of God” is a free reproduction from memory of a sermon, delivered by Zwingli at Marburg during the Marburg Colloquy, October 1-4, 1529. As rewritten by Zwingli the sermon has become a philosophical treatise. In his philosophy he follows principally Aristotle and the Stoies. The doctrine of God, starting from the conception of the Highest Being, is developed into a cosmological argument for the Being of God. Upon this basis the discussion of the Divine Providence proceeds, culminating in the question of Divine Predestination. It is the most abstruse as well as the most penetrating Latin work of Zwingli.]
HurpnEICH ZwiNGLI TO His HicaNess PHILIP or HESSE ( Maus and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You ask a thing, most pious Prince, which you might
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fairly have claimed or demanded—the sermon that I delivered in your castle at Marburg. I would be as quick to give it as you to ask it, if my memory listened to my inclination. For why should not the abilities of all, who try to advance our religion by preaching or teaching, spontaneously put themselves at the service of Your Highness? For you alone strive frankly to have the infancy of religion nourished conscientiously and allowed to develop peacefully. You alone have duly considered that save God alone none duly knoweth all things; that, therefore, all things are not wisely ordered according to the dictum of one man. You alone, seeing among the servants of the Christian religion the power of rivalry and jealousy, nay, to speak with full frankness and openness, the power of error and lust of glory, take anxious care to prevent that band of followers, emulating the defects of their master, from breaking forth in their zeal into some discord or disturbance. You alone understand that if we truly hold fast to the chief point of religion, difference of opinion upon other points is not of such moment as to justify us in breaking for their sake that cord of charity which, like the red cord of the Athenian assembly, brings us together in one spirit and one mind. You alone, though fully convinced, and sure in regard to a matter as to which others still dispute somewhat unmannerly and ignorantly, by a sort of holy hypocrisy pretend to waver and be in doubt, that as a companion of the erring ones you may tear them from their error through your friendship and gentle kindness, through the protection of your name and the hope of security, when they see you steadfastly embracing the truth that has dawned, and that you may free them from fear when they behold in you a haven to which they may hasten if any danger threatens from a change of their opinion. This is indeed to be a peacemaker, this is rightly and really to know the ways of Christian peace, this is to show one’s self a pious prince.
Moreover you make yourself an example not only to the learned but to all, both peoples and princes, to be looked up to and imitated, because you alone rule your subjects with such moderation and gentleness that you alone seem to point out to πληροφορηϑείς, The Greek words which Zwingli inserts into the text we add in the notes.
T εἰρηνοποιεῖσϑαι,
the rest the way by which rulers may learn to command willing subjects, and subjects to obey just commands. This courage, fidelity and wisdom of yours, I say, young though you are, show that those who do not reverence you either have not yet seen the radiance of your glory, or, having seen, maliciously envy it. If you go on as you have begun, God who giveth the increase will make you grow, contrary to their hopes, to be a noble example of constancy and piety to the present generation and to posterity.
But now I come back to myself. If, I say, my memory could recall all that I said in word and order of arrangement, nothing would delight me more than this opportunity of complying with your wishes. Since, however, the faithful retentiveness of memory, through which perhaps a Cato or a Seneca might recover it all, has been denied me, I will do this: I will write a short, but I think substantial, summary regarding Providence, dividing it into not more than seven chapters. When you examine them I think you will admit that you have received, if not the sermon itself, at least the same material and line of argument—all in homely and plain workmanship. Do then, brave hero, meantime so cultivate goodness and the knowledge of holy things that we shall all rejoice that the Prince of Hesset 1s, according to the precept of Christ, our Saviour, as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove. May He long preserve you to His cause! Amen.] Ziirich, 1530.