For we know really from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ alone is the mediator between us and God, his heavenly Father, as has been stated before. Furthermore, I say that many learned men have spoken and fought against the ordinances, and especially against the so-called holy ones, useless and superfluous customs, also against great power and tyrannical show; but the great moguls, popes, bishops, monks and prelates, do not wish to be touched on their sore spots, and tell the unlearned crowd that their rule has been erected by God, and that He has ordered them to govern thus, hence all those opposing, or only having such thoughts, are not alone heretics and shut out from the rest of Christianity, but as cursed and the property of the devil they. have been exiled, outlawed, condemned, and some have been sentenced to the stake and burnt. Therefore, dear brethren, although one says to you—perhaps in order to frighten you the more—how our pious parents and ancestors have erred, and on account of such heresy have been deprived of salvation: I tell you (on the contrary) that the decisions and judgment of God are hidden from mankind and incomprehensible to us, and no one should impiously concern himself therewith. God knows that we all have faults and are sinners, yet through His mercy He makes up our deficiences and enables us to accomplish something, yea even such deeds for which perhaps our strength alone is not sufficient. Consequently it is in no wise befitting that we desire to judge and pronounce upon the secrecy of God in such matters. He knows full well where He may overlook and pardon, and we must not interfere with His decision and compassion, in which manner He has treated and dealt with each one. We trust in Him as our eternally good Father, who can, as 2 Peter ii. 9 says, well protect His own, and deliver the godless over to
eternalsuffering. Nor does it do any good to say that there are few people who will not feel comfort through the intercession of the saints. I say, where such help comes from God, we will not judge why God acts thus and helps man in such fashion as He desires. But where this occurs from infatuation by the devil as a judgment of God upon the unbelieving man, what shall we say then? Ye know well what work the devil has sometimes done in many places, which if it had not been obstructed would have resulted in great deception and injury of all Christendom. Furthermore, that is an evil teaching which proclaims that other nations will not consider us Chritsians if we do not obey the ordinances, 7. e., the laws of former times, as this is ordered and demanded by the papal decrees. For-indeed there are many ordinances in the canons of the Roman bishops and popes which the aforesaid nations do not obey and still they are none the less Christians. Concerning the above I shall make use of the following short comparison: Ecclesiastical property is (as they say) in the power of the Roman pope, and he may bestow and grant the estates to whomsoever he pleases. Now look ye how this ordinance is obeyed in Spain and France; there the ecclesiastical benefices or estates are not granted to any foreigner, let the pope say what he pleases. But we foolish Germans must permit the sending of stablemen and mule-drivers from the papal court to take possession of our benefices and curacies and be our spiritual guides, although they are ignorant of and know naught concerning the Scriptures, and if we do not tolerate this we are disobedient to the Christian Church. But the above-mentioned nations do not obey the ordinance and still are without question pious Christians. Hence, Sir Vicar, I desire that you do not make use of bombastic speeches, which do not even bear upon my question, but, as I have asked before, tell at once where is. written in the Scriptures concerning the holy invocation and intercession of the Virgin Mary, as you pretended you could show in Exodus, Baruch, etc. That is what we desire to hear. Hence
answer in regard to this obscure point. We do not ask what has been accomplished or decided in this or that council. This all does not bear upon the matters which we ask you, otherwise we will be speaking for a month concerning these matters.
Vicar
Gentlemen: I am accused of speaking very evasively and not to the point. 1 have excused myself before for not being able to speak eloquently, and I have also listened to you (Master Ulrich). [Here Master Ulrich interrupted: There is no need of so much teasing.] That you accuse me of seeking to add to my own fame rather than the advancement of truth I cannot prevent. I wished to assist in making peace and doing the best. But when Master Ulrich claims that I say much concerning things settled by councils of yore, and then changed by later ones, I say that there are two kinds of councils referred to. Some are known as concilia universalia ” (these are common or general gatherings), where many of the bishops and Christian leaders meet, as in the four foremost councils, Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon, and some others. Whatever was accomplished and done in these has never been entirely changed by the others, but has been preserved like the Gospel. Some are known as concilia particularia,” of which there have been many, not consisting of all the fathers of the common parishes about, but of special ones, as was the council of Gangra, and many others. In these probably something has at times been settled which later, perhaps not without cause, has been decided otherwise. But it never has been that the priests were permitted to have wives. And although the Eastern Church, especially in Greece, wished to have this considered just, the pious fathers of other nations would not permit this and forbade it, considering from weighty reasons that the marriage of priests is detrimental to the
[[Although I said that I wanted to defend it well against the destroyers of]
[divine gifts and services. But I did not say it. You thought I would say it.]
[Although I did not think of the pope, the ceremonies and many other things,]
[It is no proof that such are useless.” (Faber.)] 3]
churches and not for the good of the service of God, as also Saint Paul says, 1 Cor. vii. 32: “Qui sine uxore,” etc. “He ‘that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord.” vii. 27: Solutus es ab,” etc. “Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife!” There he speaks of those who serve the Gospel as priests. Id. vii. 20: Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” Such and many other causes have induced the holy fathers not to allow and permit marriage to priests. Indeed it could not happen without partition of the property of the churches. ZWINGLI. Marriage forbidden to priests is not found everywhere, as one pretends, but imposed by man contrary to a divine and just law, This is evident, first of all, in St. Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 2: “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” Since he says every” undoubtedly he does not wish the priests to be excluded. For he confirms and refers to the marriage of priests, especially in writing to 1 Timothy iii. 2 (4]: “A bishop (ὦ.., priest) then must be blameess, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, etc. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection in all gravity.” In the same fashion he speaks, iii. 8, concerning the deacon, whom we call evangelist. And Paul also writes to Titus i. 5, 6: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders (whom we call priests or deacons) in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children,” etc. Undoubtedly the holy Paul, inspired by the Holy Ghost, recognized our inability and incapacity to remain chaste. by our own will except through the grace of God. Hence he says in the afore-mentioned place, 1 Cor. vii. 7: For I would ithatiall men were even as 1 myself,” and i. ‘7.: 1It would be
good for man to be thus,” but Paul adds, vii. 7, and says: But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner and another after that.” Therefore Paul places no restriction upon the marriage of priests, and indeed writes expressly: “A bishop (7. e., priest) and a deacon shall have a sober wife and well-bred children;” and furthermore he permits marriage to all people, and says, 1 Cor. vii. 28, 7: But and if thou marry thou hast not sinned. But every man bath his proper gift of God,” etc. It is evident from this that marriage is not forbidden to priests by divine law, and that chastity is to be maintained, not by means of our resolutions, but with the help of the grace of God. This real truth and wisdom of God Christ also proves to us, Matt. xix. 10, 12: “His disciples say unto him, if the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, all men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given. And there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake (that is, due to the evangelical doctrine). He that is able to receive it let him receive it!” Do you hear that Christ says here that it is not possible for all people to keep chastity except such as have received it from God? Hence He does not forbid the twelve apostles to marry. Nor did God in vain give Adam a woman as helpmate; He could have given him a man as helpmate if He had wished to keep him chaste. But He said: Crescite et multiplicamini ” And although this is known to every one, still the pope is able, by means of his ordinance, to demand from each priest or other ecclesiastic chastity and that he be unmarried contrary to divine law, and he can weigh down the poor consciences corrupted by sin and shame; and he permits public offense and sin contrary to the sunny and pure ordinance of God. Isay that I know of no greater scandal in Christendom than that marriage is forbidden to priests (I am speaking about the pastors; the others let them lie, whatever they do), yet they are allowed to commit fornication publicly as long as thev give money.
Ther pretend that if the priests had wives the property of the churches would be divided and disappear. My God, what sort of a reason is this? Do we then never spend the property of the churches uselessly? We will our real and movable property to the illegitimate wives and children, if we have any, contrary to God’s will. What would that harm the benefice if a priest had a dear wife and well-bred children brought up for the service of God ou: of the benefice? The benefice could retain its property and income, which it has, although the priests may at times have mismanaged. Priests have not always been forbidden to marry. This is proved by Pelagius, in which is found a decree of the pope (Diss. XXXI., cap. ante trienn.) that the subdeacons of Sicily shall forsake their wives, which théy had taken in accordance with the divine ordinance, and shall not have intercourse with them; which statute Gregory I. later on rescinded. Consequently if it was ordered in former times by Pelagius that priests shall have no wives, and this was rescinded by Gregory, then it could not always have been as at present, but the law must have been made by man, which God never required to be kept.
Vicarius
It has never happened since the time of Tertullian and the council of Nicza, 1200 years ago, that priests had wives or were allowed to have them
Thereupon one of the council at Zurich said: But they are allowed to have mistresses.
The vicar was astonished for a while, but resumed: It is true that the subdeacons in Sicily who had taken wives previously contrary to the custom of the Roman churches were permitted by the aforesaid Gregory to keep them. But only on the condi-
[Alvarus Pelagius, bishop of Silves, Portugal, d. at Seville, 1352, whose]
[Summa de planctu Ecclesie (‘The Chief Points of the Church’s Complaint’’),]
[written in 1332, published, Ulm 1474, Venice 1560, is a frank statement of]
[the disorders of his time and a plea for the exaltation of the Papal See.]
tion that in future no one would be consecrated who would not pledge himself to remain unmarried and chaste. Thus also it was resolved in the council at Carthage that no bishop, priest or deacon should have intercourse with women, but remain chaste without wife. Hence I say that it will be no easy matter to show that marriage was ever permitted to priests.
Zwingli
And even if you say since the time of the apostles, still marriage is not forbidden to priests by divine ordinance, but allowed [ Don’t you recollect that I said I do not like to speak concerning the marriage of priests? On account of this I have kept quiet and have omitted to state a better reason. But where have you hidden the fact that I said that from the time of the apostles one does not read that one who was consecrated as subdeacon, deacon, priest or bishop could marry again after his wife had died? Did I not say further that it is thus understood, not alone in the Western, but also in the Eastern Church—in Crete, Corcyra, etc., also in India, in the case of the Presbyter John, and among the Russians? so that any one who took a virgin as wife may be consecrated as priest, but that if she die that he can take no more; in the same manner if he has no wife before he is consecrated he can take none after the consecration; this I have shown. Why do you omit this? It was indeed necessary for you to include the subtile; honorable interruption of one who spoke about the prostitutes; and you also placed Gutschenkel’ t as a character in the comedy. Since the good Master Ulrich consoles himself much in his speeches and writings with a text which he found in XXVII. dist. c., Si quis discernit, which is claimed to have been made in Gangrensian council, know then that there were not more than 16 bishops in that council; these made 19 canons against the majority that even desired to abolish holy marriage. But therein they did not reject the state of virginity and widowhood, hence also the marriage of priests was not, as you think, admitted by the pious Fathers. They spoke about the priests who had wives before the consecration—and bethink yourself what councils over I8 bishops would prefer, even although they should prefer it were so, as it is not, as Zwingli says. Now see how the supplication issued by your and our common gracious lord of Constance shall be answered. About the marriage of priests I do not like to speak (several times repeated). Accusations of two wrong quotations were made.” (Faber.)]
The half-witted fellow mentioned above
and permitted, as I have proved before. And that priests formerly had wives is sufficiently evident, since formerly many sons of priests have become popes and bishops, which could not have happened if they had not been born in wedlock. How is it that one always prefers human laws and human meddling, and always sets human traditions above the will of God? Although one finds that also the fathers have protested against many ordinances, and you know how vehemently the pious man Paphnutius opposed such a statute and would not agree to marriage being forbidden to priests. Furthermore, Eusebius writes that some of the apostles had their wives with them, which facts are sufficient indications that the present custom was begun by people of later times, but that marriage was not forbidden by divine ordinance either to layman or priest. And although in the council of Nicaea, as you say, it was forbidden to priests to have wives, still what about that? In former times baptism by heretics was considered by many fathers as just and valid, as Cyprianus tells us, but later in the council at Carthage this was declared to be worthless and was set aside.
To such varied arguments of Master Ulrich the vicar had nothing more to oppose and say, except in regard to the baptism by heretics, and that on account of the following reasons: Master Ulrich has said that the baptism of heretics was considered valid
[Bishop of a city in Upper Thebais; had his right eye gouged out and his]
[left knee-cap injured in the Maximian persecution (305), and was banished to]
[the mines. He appeared in the Nicene Council 325, and was honored as a]
[confessor. When it was proposed to enact a law which forbade the married]
[clergy to continue to live with their wives, Paphnutius declared very earnestly]
[that so heavy a yoke ought not to be laid upon the clergy; that marriage itself]
[is honorable and the bed undefiled; that the Church ought not to be injured]
[by an undue severity. “” For all men,’’ said he, cannot bear the practice of]
[rigid continence; neither perhaps would the chastity of the wife be preserved.”]
[.He favored dissuading clergymen from marrying after ordination, but allowing]
[those who had married prior to ordination to retain their wives. His own]
[known virginity and his sufferings for the cause gave so great weight to his]
[words that he was unanimously sustained by the Council.]
by several, and thus referring to Cyprianus. But the vicar demanded that one should record the words of Master Ulrich, because he believes he may catch him in small matters, for Master Ulrich may not have been very careful in the use of his words. Therefore he also demands that a copy of Cyprianus should be brought, so that the dispute may be decided. But the vicar said: Supposing the words of Cyprianus are as I think, and not as you? And thereupon a quarrel arose, which had naught to do with the questions which the vicar had been called upon so often to answer. “Therefore I have not taken pains to remember and note tbis. But if I understood the matter both were right. For - Zwingli referred to those who had been baptized by heretics, who should, according to Cyprianus, be baptized again in the churches, which several thought was needless. But the vicar was speaking of those who once baptized by Christians had gone over to heresy and later on wished to reenter the Christian Church; these did not need another baptism, but merely absolution by the imposition of hands, etc. Several were, however, also opposed to this, as Cyprianus writes in his letters to Pompeius and to Quintinus. After there had been considerable talk concerning this matter, Dr. Sebastian Hofmann, of Schaffhausen, a member of the order of the Barefoot Monks, spoke thus: Learned, spiritual, honor-
[He was properly called Sebastian Hofmeister, or in the scholastic form]
[Oikonomos. Because his father was a wagner,”’ z. e., wheelwrignt, he was]
[himself erroneously called Wagner, or in Latinized form Carpentarius. He]
[was born at Schaffhausen in 1476; entered the Barefoot ( Franciscan) monks]
[there; studied in Paris the classical tongues and Hebrew, and came home in]
[1520 as a Doctor of the Sacred Scriptures, and the same year he taught in the ’ -]
[Franciscan monastery in Zurich and so came in contact with Zwingli. He]
[embraced the Reformation, and introduced it into Lucerne and into Schaff-]
[hausen (both 1523), whither persecution drove him. It is indeed as the Re-]
[former of Schaffhausen that he is best remembered, yet his career there was.]
[brief, for in 1525 he had to leave that city. He preached in Zurich (1526)]
[and taught Hebrew in Bern (1528), but died September 26, 1533, as preacher]
[at Zofingen, thirty miles sontheast of Basel. Two of his writings were com-]
[monly attributed to Zwingli.]
Zwingli
ἰ We know from the Old and New Testaments of God that our only comforter, redeemer, savior and mediator with God is Jesus Christ, in whom and through whom alone we can obtain grace, help and salvation, and besides from no other being in heaven or on earth.
The Vicar, Laughing
Y I well know that Jesus Christ alone is the comfort, redemption and salvation of all, and an intercessor and mediator between us and God, his heavenly Father, the highest round by which alone
is an approach to the throne of divine grace and charity, according to Heb. iv. 16. Nevertheless one may perhaps attain the highest round by means of the lower. It seems to me the dear saints and the Virgin Mary are not to be despised, since there are few who have not felt the intercession of the Virgin and the saints. I do not care what every one says or believes. I have placed a ladder against heaven; 1 believe firmly in the intercession of the much-praised queen of heaven, the mother of Godand another may believe or hold what he pleases.
Zwingli
That would indeed be a foolish piece of business if one could arrive at the highest round without the lower or without work, or if he were on it to begin at the lowest. Sir Vicar, we do not dispute here concerning how one should appeal to the saints or what your belief is. We desire only that you show us it in the Gospel, as has been formerly often demanded and begged of you. Thereupon Master Leo Jud t arose and spoke thus: Gracious careful, honorable, wise, favorable, dear gentlemen, I have been made by you, gentlemen, here at Zurich, a people’s priest and
[[ I said, one may do that. Must and can,’ are they not two different]
[things? The debate was not about must,’ but about can.” Did you not]
[hear from me about the ladder of Jacob fastened to heaven on which are many.]
[rounds? Did you not hear how quickly and speedily Zwingli wished to swing]
[himself up to the cross of Christ? Do you not think if he wished to go to the]
[Lord on the cross that then rightly he would also have found Mary, John and -]
[the other people of the Gospel?” (Faber.)]]
[T Born at Gemar, near Rappoltsweilen (or Ribeauville), Elsass, thirty miles -.]
[southwest of Strassburg, the child of a clerical marriage, 1482; studied at —]
[Basel; inclined first to pharmacy, but took up theology, and had Zwingli as]
[his fellow-student under Thomas Wyttenbach; M. A., 1506; became deacon]
[of St. Theodore’s church, Basel; pastor of St. Pilt, four miles east of his birth-]
[place; people’s priest at Einsiedeln in succession to Zwingli, and at his sugges-]
[tion, 1518; the same, and by the same influence, at St. Peter’s, Zurich, 1522;]
[coadjutor of Zwingli and Bullinger, particularly remembered as principal trans-]
[lator of the Zurich Bible; died in Zurich, June 19, 1542.]
pastor, perhaps unwisely, in order to proclaim to you the word of God, the Gospel of Christ, which I shall try to do according to ’ my best capabilities, in as far as the grace of God will assist me and the Holy Ghost aid me. But surely now many ordinances of man have been retained from long habit in the churches, and have intermingled with the Gospel, so that the clergy frequently have preached and commanded their keeping equally with the Gospel: yet I now declare that I shall not obey such human ordinances, but shall present and teach from love the joyful and pure Gospel, and whatever 1 can really prove from the Scriptures, regardless of human ordinance or old traditions, since such human ordinances, decreed by pope or bishop, have been here recognized and proved to be by the Articles emanating from Master Ulrich to be entirely opposed to the Gospel and truth, and still there is no one here who desires or is able to say anything truthful or fundamental against him. And so although my Sir Vicar has pretended to prove and show by means of the Gospel the invocation and intercession of the saints, such has not yet been done, although frequently requested. Therefore 1 also pray to hear and to know from him where it is written in the afore-mentioned biblical books concerning the invocation and intercession of the saints. For perhaps also in my sermons, if God lends me grace, it will be declared and proclaimed that one should invoke to Jesus Christ alone, and only look to him for all compassion, all help, mercy and salvation, which shall be sought and demanded from no other being. Therefore, Sir Vicar, 1 desire that you teach me if I have erred, and report from the Gospel, showing place and location where it is written that the saints are to be invoked by us or that they are intercessors. Such I shall receive with many thanks, and will gladly allow myself to be taught by you.
[Referring to the Sixty-seven Articles issued by Zwingli for the basis of]
[argument in the Disputation.]
Vicar
Ne Hercules quidem contra duos. Shall I strive with two? That was considered even too difficult for the strong Hercules (according to a proverb of the ancients). Dear Sir, I have nothing to do with you.
Leo: But I have something to do with you.
Vicar: I do not know who you are.
Leo: I shall gladly be your good friend in so far as you desire. Vicar: That I shall not refuse, for I am not here to become an enemy of any one. If you are then my good friend, as you say, it will happen to us as to Socrates and Solon, who also through argumentation became good friends.
Leo: Then you have one friend more than formerly.
To prevent such and other gibes Master Ulrich began to speak: Would to God that the saying, Ne Hercules quidem, etc., would be understood and followed as readily by some as it ordinarily is the custom to quote it. Sir Vicar, we desire to hear the quotation concerning the invocation and intercession of the saints, not such useless talk and nonsense.
Vicar
Itis the custom and usage of Christian churches, and is kept thus by all Christian folk confirmed by the litany and the canons missal,
[[Look, how can you say that to excuse myself I quoted in the]
[beginning the saying of Solon, how then it was written by the wise man]
[Solon that when once he was sitting with scholars, who were debating, ’]
[and Periander asked him whether he was silent from lack of words or because]
[he was a fool, he answered no fool can keep quiet? Therefore I did not refer
[to Socrates (as you say), but to the saying of Xenocrates when he was one]
[time asked why he alone kept still and allowed all the others to speak, he had]
[answered that what I sometimes said I regretted, but that which I have not]
[said that I have never regretted. Thus it happened, and not otherwise, and.]
[as a witness of the truth I cited the proverb: Audiens sapiens sapientior erit.]
[And as another witness Zwingli interrupted the speech by saying that there was]
[no need of fawning and hypocritical style. Now look how you have hit it?”]
[( Faber.) ]]
that we appeal to the Virgin to intercede for us; this the mother of. God herself says in the gospel of St. Luke. Ex hoc beatam me dicent: “All generations shall call me blessed,” and her cousin Elizabeth addressed her in a friendly manner, saying: Unde mihi hoc, etc. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Likewise, blessed art thou among women,” etc. “This also the maiden in the Gospel proves to us, who cries: “Blessed is the body which has borne thee, and blessed the breasts which thou hast sucked.” [Interruption by Zwingli: We are not asking concerning the holiness and dignity of Mary, but concerning invocation and intercession.] We also sing daily: Sentiunt omnes tuum levamen. All feel thy aid who honor thy memory.” But since my talk is held to be useless and foolish I will rather keep still.
Thus the vicar kept still and sat down, and then Doctor Martin from Tübingen arose, and spoke thus concerning these matters: Dear Sirs: Much has been said here against the usage and ordinance of the Christian churches which has been decreed and ordered by holy councils and fathers assembled in the name of the Holy Ghost, which, moreover, long has been held without fault as a praised custom and long usage. To oppose and to object to it is a sacrilegious deed, for what has been decreed and resolved by the holy councils and fathers, namely, by the four councils, should be obeyed in Christian churches like the Gospel, as we have written in Diss. XV. For the Church assembled in council in the name of the Holy Ghost cannot err. Therefore it behooves no one to speak against their decrees and ordinances, as Christ bears witness in the holy Gospel when he says: Qui vos audit, me audit. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me.” Thus Christ speaks to his disciples and those who in place of the twelve apostles (as bishop and pope) govern the Christian churches; as then the Roman [ Show us that in the Scriptures; the rest is human nonsense.” (Bullinger.)]
Church is now since many centuries the mother of all others, which is confirmed by words of Christ, Matt. xvi. 18, 19, as this is explained in Diss. X. and XII., cap. in nova et cap. quamvis. Concerning this there is here talked and quarreled against the invocation of the dear saints, just as if such honest and divine usage followed in Christendom many centuries were not founded upon the Scriptures, although St. Jerome in “Ad Jovianum ” writes much concerning the intercession of the saints, and that this is advantageous to us he proves from the hopeful Scriptures. That we also receive true report concerning this from the canon of the holy mass, introduced by the old popes and bishops, and composed by Gregory and sung in all Christendom, proves that the intercession and invocation of the dear saints and the Virgin Mary is not considered useless. We also see this in our daily experience of miracles which occur everywhere. Consequently it seems wrong to me to consider and value such as useless and contrary to the Scriptures, etc.
Zwingli
The good gentleman also intervenes and urges much in favor of the ordinances and usage of the Church, the fathers and councils gathered together and inspired by the Holy Ghost, and thinks one should not speak against them, etc. I say he will by no means prove that the councils have all been gathered in the name of the Holy Ghost for the purpose of all the ordinances which they made, since it has been proved before that they often have decreed contrarily, and have resolved upon, done and rescinded one thing to-day, to-morrow another, although the. Holy Ghost is at all times alike, and does not oppose his decision!once rendered. But when he says what has been decreed by ‘ councils and fathers is to be obeyed like the Gospels, I say what
[\lis as true as the Gospels and in accordance with the divine]
[Spirit one is bound to obey, but not what is decreed in accord-]
[Jonce with human reason. But as to what further than this is to]
be considered by pope or council as a mortal sin we do not think, that we are in duty bound to treat that the same as the Gospels; we wish to be free, not to burden our consciences with that. E. g., if pope or council commands us, at risk of mortal sin, to fast, or to eat no egg, no butter, no meat, which God has not ordered us to do, Luc. x. 7; Col. ii. 16, 21, but is permitted and made voluntary, therefore we will not believe that such and other ordinances decreed by the councils are decreed by the Holy Ghost, and to be respected equally with the Gospel. How does it happen that they wish to order us to eat no cheese, no eggs, no milk, but stinking oil, with which they scarcely oil their shoes at Rome, and otherwise eat chickens and capons? But if one says it is thus written in the canons and decreed by the fathers, I say it is written otherwise in Paul, and Christ has given another and easier law. Now do we owe more obedience to God or the Holy Ghost, or to human beings? Acts v. 32. But when he declares the Church has decreed such, she cannot err, I ask what is meant by Church?” Does one mean the pope at Rome, with his tyrannical power and the pomp of cardinals and bishops greater than that of all emperors and princes? then I say that this Church has often gone wrong and erred, as every one knows, since it has destroyed the land and its inhabitants, burnt cities and ravaged the Christian people, butchering them for the sake of its earthly pomp, without doubt not on account of a command of Christ and his apostles. But there is another Church which the popes do not wish to recognize; this one is no other than all right Christians, collected in the name of the Holy Ghost and by the will of God, which have placed a firm belief and an unhesitating hope in God, her spouse. That Church does not reign according to the flesh powerfully upon earth, nor does it reign arbitrarily, but depends and rests only! - upon the word and will of God, does not seek temporal honor and to bring under its control much territory and many people and to rule other Christians. That Church cannot err. Cause:
she does nothing according to her own will or what she thinks fit, but seeks only what the spirit of God demands, calls for and decrees. That is the right Church, the spotless bride of Jesus Christ governed and refreshed by the Spirit of God. But the Church which is praised so highly by the Papists errs so much and severely that even the heathens, Turks and Tartars know it well. But when he refers here to the words of Christ, Luke x. 16, He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me,” and then refers this to pope, bishop, regents of the Roman churches, I say that such is not the meaning of Jesus Christ, that we should obey them in all things as they order. For Christ the Lord knew well that such great braggarts would sit upon the chair of Moses who would burden the necks of the poor with unbearable and heavy loads, which they themselves would not touch with a finger. Hence the saying, He that heareth you heareth me,” etc., will not serve for that for which, the papists and sophists interpret it, but the right meaning is, as is also shown by what precedes and follows. “When Christ sent his disciples to preach the Gospel in country and city he spake: Go ye and preach,” saying the kingdom of God is approaching, etc. And ater Christ said: He that receiveth you receiveth me,” as Matt. x. 40 says. This means they should preach His word and bring it to the people, but not human foolishness and law. For one serves the Lord in vain if one prefers human doctrine and decree. And may the good gentleman furthermore remember what Jerome writes in ad Jovinian concerning the invocation or intercession of the saints that he has not read correctly. For it is written ad Vigilantium; but how Jerome twists the Gospel in regard to invocation or intercession of the saints, as he does often in other places, that all know who read Jerome with good judgment. Finally, in regard to the canon
[[Zwingli said that if he were only half a man, stood on one leg and]
[closed one eye, he would nevertheless yield not to Jerome.” (Faber.)]
[‘Thereupon Heinrich Wolf said such words were never heard from his lips,]
which is read in the mass, and in which invocation and intercession of the saints are referred to, I say one sees readily that the canon has not been made by one alone, but composed by several. For there are many useless words therein, as haec dona, haec munera, etc., from which may be inferred that it has not been made by one scholar. The apostles never celebrated mass thus; one also finds tbat in several instances the custom of the canon is different from ours, which I shall point out and shortly prove, if God wills it. Concerning the miracles which are done by the saints we have spoken before. Who knows through whom or why God decrees this? We should not attribute this so readily on account of our unbelief to the saints when we hesitate concerning Christ and run to those creatures for help. This all is proof of a weak faith and small hope in Jesus Christ, whom we do not rightly and entirely trust. Why do we flee from Him and
[yea never thought of during his lifetime.” To be sure, when you referred to]
[Jerome in regard to the intercession of the saints, he said the argument which]
[Jerome uses there has no basis in the Scriptures.” — ( Gyrenrupfen.”)] [ You have omitted that Zwingli even spoke against the public Gos-]
[pel: when one says that the saints accomplished miracles then the devil]
[has done it.”’ (Faber.) About the intercession of the saints he prom-]
[ises a separate book: the whole heavenly host wil be with me, without]
[suppressing Christ, but rather let him be mediator.” Luchsinger answers:]
[He (Faber) thinks because Zwingli said something about the wrong craze]
[for miracles, therefore no one should remember that any more, and each one]
[think perhaps something has been said about it; it doubtlessly was as Hans]
[Heyerli (Faber) said. The matter is this: Hans Heyerli and D. Martin]
[Blansch, of Tübingen, wished to prove the intercession of the saints by means]
[of the miracles (which has all occurred now in a roundabout manner, for as]
[every one knows they have attacked no article). Yes, the saints have done]
[miracles. Zwingli answered: Miracles are not a sign of divinity, as Christ]
[himself declares, Matt. vii. 22, but where real miracles do occur through the]
[saints God does them himself, never the saints, as St. Peter speaks in the Acts]
[ii. But there occur many miracles by the aid of the devil, so Matt. xxiv. 24:]
[He also accomplishes miracles, and changes himself into the shape of an angel of]
[light. Thus Zwingli spoke, and that fool distorts it thus.” ( Gyrenrupfen.”)]]
seek aid from the saints, especial as we do not recognize certainly from the Scriptures that they are our intercessors?
After this Dr. Sebastian, from Schaffhausen, a member of the order of the Barefoot Monks, arose and began to admonish the assembled council that they should manage and protect the evangelical doctrine as until now, since there was no one there who could bring forward, upon frequent requests, anything more definite from the Scriptures. But he could not finish; the vicar interrupted and said:
Dr. Sebastian, you should keep still and not speak thus. You know.well what you promised my gracious master; it does not behoove a man to be so vacillating, to be moved like a reed by the wind; you had not promised that before.
Answered the aforesaid Dr. Sebastian: Dear gentlemen, what I have promised the bishop that I have faithfully and honorably kept, but his people have not fulfilled and carried out what they promised to me; that you may testify what I have said here in public. ἂ
After this speech there arose another doctor, lector and preacher from Bern, of the order of the Barefoot Monks,f and admonished the wise council of Zurich, speaking as follows:
Honorable, careful, wise, gracious, favorable gentlemen of Zurich, your intention and opinion, published in all places by. means of open letter for the aid of the Gospel, pleases me well, and praised be God that you are the people to further and not to obstruct the word of God, and pray God that He will not turn away and cause your wisdom to desert from such a godly under- Dr. Sebastian Hofmeister.
[T Sebastian Meyer, born at Neuenburg on the Rhine, in Elsass, twenty miles]
[north of Basel, 1465; studied at Basel and in Germany; became D. D.; en-]
[tered the Franciscan order; taught in monasteries in Strassburg and Bern; was]
[a rather violent friend of the Reformation. He accepted Lutheran views on]
[the Eucharist, and died in Strassburg, 1545, after preaching in Bern and Augs-]
[burg as well as there.]
taking, and that He will give and lend you power and might, strength and comfort, that you will be frightened by no temporal power, whether of pope, bishop or emperor, but so act in these matters that it will redound to God in the future and your eternal praise. And do not mind that you are a small body and few. I do not say this to scorn you, but I mean it thus, that you are not equal to a whole kingdom and are considered too few to struggle against so many nations. Remember that God has always by means of the smallest and weakest caused His divine word and will to appear in the world, keeping the same hidden from the great sages of this world. Therefore fear not those who can injure the body; they cannot harm the soul. Do not mind that there are now opposed to the truth of the Gospel bishop, pope and sophists. Thus is it considered by God to make the wise of this world ignorant, and cause the truth to be made clear by the simple. Therefore I beg your wisdom to remain steadfast in the word of God, which I shall also faithfully report to my lords. of Bern, whose preacher I am, not in the cathedral, but a lector of the order of Barefoot Monks, and I shall sing your honor and: praise. “Then he sat down again.
After this the mayor of Zurich again exhorts if any one wishes to say more in regard to these matters he should do it. My lords, he says, are tired of sitting. It will also soon be time to dine.
Then arose a canon of Zurich, by name Master Jacob Edli-bach, and spoke thus:
Now listen, dear sirs: My good friend and brother, Master Ulrich, has before exhorted, in the name of Christian love, all those who have anything against him to speak. Now I have had a dispute with him concerning several matters and sayings, but the same was finally brought by both of us before the chapter, where it was settled, so that I thought it was over and should be referred to by no one any more. But now, since Master Ulrich has exhorted those who have spoken against him so frequently to
step forth in the name of God, I have thought he may mean me also. Hence I say if Master Ulrich desires that that which was treated of between me and him remain in the knowledge of my lords of the chapter I am satisfied, and shall refer to it no more. For the matter is bad and worthless; also I know naught concerning Master Ulrich, except as a good friend and brother of the chapter. But in so far as he does not wish this, and urges me on, then I shall bring it before you gentlemen. For there are some behind there inciting and saying in scorn one dare not speak.
Zwingli. i
Dear sirs: I had earnestly resolved to call all those here three times by name who have accused me of being a heretic and the like, but I had really forgotten it now, and furthermore I would never have thought of the good gentleman, Master Jacob Edlibach. It is simply this, I did treat with him concerning a matter before the prior and chapter, which I did not think necessary to bring, indeed would never have thought of bringing forward here. But since he himself, uncalled for, arises and desires to refer to and settle the matter here, I am well satisfied. Γ MASTER JACOB.
Tt is of no consequence. I came to Master Ulrich’s house and he satisfied me, and although not entirely, still I am satisfied. I know nothing concerning him, except all good. I consider him a good gentleman and brother, hence if he wishes to leave matters as they have been settled before the prior and chapter, I am entirely content.
Zwingli
You may well refer to it here; I am well satisfied, and I had rather have it before these gentlemen, since you yourself reported it.
But there were several there, perhaps relatives of the aforesaid Master Jacob, who said and thought that Master Ulrich
THE FIRST ZURICH DISPUTATION. 9I ought to act more politely, since one had scarcely incited Master Jacob to speak.
To this Master Ulrich answered that he had never thought of the said Master Jacob, nor would it have occurred to him that he should speak concerning this, etc.
Thus there arose a dispute; some of the councilors wanted the matter to be settled before the chapter, since it had been commenced there; the others thought that it should be tried in the presence of the scholars and gentlemen; but finally the matter was no more thought of and thus quieted, perhaps left to the chapter and thus remained unreferred to. This I report (although not serving much to the purpose) that I may not be accused of not understanding and refuting all speeches and opposition which occurred at that time.
[[How could you say truthfully that you have reported and under-]
[stood all speeches and rebuttals, when I show to you that you have wronged]
[not only me, but others, also Zwingli. You have omitted from my state-]
[ments two quotations, with their additions, Matt. xxviii. 20: I am with]
[you, etc., and John xiv. 16: I wil pray the Father, and he shall give]
[you another Comforter, etc. Do you know now what I said thereupon?]
[Since the appealing to the saints has gone on, also the mass has been held as]
[a sacrifice throughout the whole of Christendom, not only now for a thousand,]
[but for thirteen and fourteen hundred years, and if it were not true or right-]
[eous, then Christ would have wickedly forgotten us and the eternal truth; yes,]
[he would have badly kept his word. But he has said: Behold this is a mys-]
[tery; nor has he also said: Only after 1000 or 1200 years shall I first come]
[again to my bride the churches. He said: Every day unto the end of the]
[world. And although we did not heed these words of Christ, regardless of the]
[fact that his words are everlasting, according to Isaiah, and he alone is the]
[truth, and furthermore cannot lie, according to St. Paul, and he is the one]
[whom St. John calls the faithful and true, and sooner will heaven and earth]
[perish rather than his words, still we would have the other promise of the]
[Holy Ghost, who, it has been promised, will remain with us unto eternity.]
[Hence I do not in great affairs carelessly leave or desert from the Church, but]
[I entrust that rather to Christ. Now what I report has been kept by the]
[Church for so many centuries, hence I would be very careful, since the two]
[things in regard to the saints and the mass are not contrary to the Gospel, and]
After this the mayor of Zurich permitted every one who did not belong to the council to go to his lodging and dine, until further request, for it was now approaching noon. But the councilors the aforesaid mayor ordered to remain, perhaps to consult further concerning this. Thus they arose, and many of the strangers went to their lodging. This much was done in the forenoon.
After all had eaten they were told to appear again in the city hall to hear the decision made by the wise council of Zurich.f
After all had gathered, there was publicly read before the council as is written hereafter::
When in the name of the Lord and upon the request of the mayor, council and great council of the city of Zurich, and for the reasons contained in the letters sent to you, you had obediently appeared, etc., and when again a year having passed since the honorable embassy of our gracious Lord of Constance, on account of such matters as you have heard to-day, was here in the city of Zurich before the mayor, small and great councils, and when these matters having been discussed in various fashions
[I also can prove it with the Scriptures, and thus I feel like the honest old]
[peasants: when one wishes to abolish their old traditions and praiseworthy]
[usages, which are not contrary to God, they do not like to obey and allow it.]
[And thus I feel in regard to the said sayings, I trust to Christ and God and the]
[Holy Ghost that thus far they have not deserted us, and I say also agree with]
[St. Jerome, that in regard to these matters I shall rightly hold to the faith]
[which I have received from the maternal breast. Although the doctrine of]
[yourself and your brethren would be very acceptable to me, for I would not be]
[allowed to pray, fast or do other good works, but if I did them I should com-]
[mit a sin, therefore I would probably go to heaven. But since perchance I]
[cannot ask much, therefore I do not wish to lose the intercession of the saints,]
[and especially of the Virgin Mary.” (Faber.)] [ Bullinger puts here the word of the mayor: And the sword with which]
[he from Fislisbach was murdered does not wish to appear to fight.”’ ]]
[t [^^ Which has been decided upon in accordance with the debate held.”]
[(Bullinger.)]]
it was reported that our gracious Lord of Constance was about to call together the scholars in his bishopric, also the preachers “of the neighboring bishoprics and parishes, to advise, help and treat with them, so that a unanimous decision might be reached and each one wculd know what to rely on, but since until now by our gracious Lord of Constance, perhaps from good reasons, not much has been done in this matter, and since more and more disputes are arising among ecclesiasts and laymen, therefore once more the mayor, council and great council of the city of Zurich, in the name of God, for the sake of peace and Christian unanimity, have fixed this day, and for the advantage of the praiseworthy embassy of our gracious Lord of Constance (for which they gave their gracious, high and careful thanks) have also for this purpose by means of open letter, as stated above, written, called and sent for all secular clergy, preachers and spiritual guides, together and individually, from all their counties into their city, in order that in the examination they might con- front with each other those mutually accusing each other of being heretics. But since Master Ulrich Zwingli, canon and preacher of the Great Minster in the city of Zurich, has been formerly much talked against and blamed for his teachings, yet no one, upon his declaring and explaining his Articles, has arisen against him or attempted to overcome him by means of the Scriptures, and when he has several times also called upon those who have accused him of being a heretic to step forward, and no one showed in the least heresy in his doctrines, thereupon the aforesaid mayor, council and great council of this city of Zurich, in order to quell disturbance and dispute, upon due deliberation and consultation have decided, resolved, and it is their earnest opinion, that Master Ulrich Zwingli continue and keep on as before to proclaim the holy Gospel and the correct divine Scriptures with the spirit of God in accordance with his capabilities so long and so frequently until something better is made known to him. Furthermore, all your secular clergy,
spiritual guides and preachers in your cities and counties and estates shall undertake and preach nothing except what they can defend by the Gospels and other right divine Scriptures; furthermore, they shall in no wise in the future slander, call each other heretic or insult in such manner. Those which seem contrary and do not obey will be restrained in such manner that they must see and discover that they have committed wrong. Done the Thursday after Carolus, in the city of Zurich, on the 29th day of January, in the year 1523.
Thereupon Master Ulrich Zwingli arose and spoke thus: God be praised and thanked whose divine word will reign in heaven and upon earth. And you, my lords of Zurich, the eternal God doubtlessly will also in other affairs lend strength and might, so that you may in future advance and preach the truth of God, the divine Gospel, in your country. Do not doubt that Almighty God will make it good and reward you in other matters. Amen. Whether this decision having been read pleased the vicar of Constance or not I really don’t know, for he spoke thus:f Dear gentlemen, much has been spoken to-day against the praiseworthy old traditions, usage and ordinance of the holy popes and fathers, whose ordinances and decrees have until now been held in all Christendom true, just and sinless. To pro- [”Zwingli spoke with great joy after the aforesaid decision had been read.” (Bullinger.)]
t [And first here the vicar became angry, saying: My dear gentlemen, I read to-day Master Ulrich’s Articles for the first time, which before I had had no time to glance over.” (Bullinger.)]
[F[““VYou know that it is true that before I or all priests had come to]
[Zürich no one knew your word, whereon the dispute was based, and I tell]
[you that I would have thought sooner of death than that there should]
[be a debate at Zürich concerning the intercession.of the saints. Hence]
[you probably marked well that I said I thought I had come to Zürich, but]
[I see I am in Picardy, and this saying I explained to be from the here-]
tect and maintain this I have offered myself to the high councils. But now when for the first time to-day I have looked and glanced ’ through the Articles of Master Ulrich (for I have not read them before), it seems to me truly that these are wholly and entirely at variance with and opposing the ritual (7. e., opposed to the praiseworthy splendor and glory of the churches done and decreed for the praise and honor of God), to the loss of the divine teaching of Christ. This I shall prove.
Zwingli
Sir Vicar, do it. We would like to hear that very much.
Vicar
It is written, Luke ix. 50: Qui non est adversum vos, etc. He that is not against us is for us.” Now these praiseworthy services or splendor of the churches (like fasting, confession, having festival days, singing, reading, consecrating, reading mass and other similar things) have always been decreed and ordered by the holy fathers, not against God, but only for the praise and
[tic Picard.t Hence although I was not prepared nor thought about the matter,]
[still I desired to argue concerning it, and show wherewith I had proved the im-]
[prisoned priest to be in error whom you wished to make a bishop, so that you]
[also might fall into the Arian heresy.” (Faber.) And before he said: Master]
[Ulrich had published the 67 articles only a day before this session, and before]
[any one at Constance or any other city knew a word of it, and Master Ulrich also]
[admitted it may perchance have been issued too late.” Werner Steiner remarks]
[in writing: These (the Articles) were handed to him by the pastor of Frauen-]
[feld t on the journey hither, about 2 or 3 days ago.’ ] [From the saying of Luke ix. not six words have been quoted. ( Gyrn-]
[rupfen.’)] + Picard, the founder of an heretical sect of the Manichean order, the Picard-]
[ists, in the 15th century. The customary charge of immorality was brought]
[against them. It spread from its home in Picardy to France and Germany,]
[finally to Bohemia, where it was ruthlessly suppressed by the great Hussite]
[leader, Ziska, in 1421. t Twenty-one miles northeast of Zurich.]
honor of God Almighty, and it seems very strange and unjust to me to consider and refute them as though wrong.
Zwingli
When my Sir Vicar speaks and quotes from the Gospel, He that is not against us is for us,” I say that is true. Now the customs and ordinances of the Church are ordered and decreed by men, not against God,” etc. Sir Vicar, prove that. For Christ always despises human ordinance and decree, as we have in Matt. xv. 1-9. When the Jews and Pharisees blamed and attacked the Lord because his disciples did not obey the doc- Ὁ trine and ordinance of the ancients Christ said to them: Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” etc. And the Lord spoke further: Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and knoweth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” One sees here that God does not desire our decree and doctrine when they do not originate with Him, despises them, and says we serve Him in vain, which also St. Paul shows to us when he writes thus: Dear brethren, let no man beguile you by human wisdom and deceit, in accordance with the doctrine or decree of men, in accordance with the doctrines of this world, and not those of Christ. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holiday, or of a new moon, or of the Sabbath days. Which are a shadow of things to come,” etc. Col. ii. 16 ff. God wants from us His decree, His will alone, not our opinion. God the Lord cares more for obedience to His word (although they use the word obedience ” for human obedience) than for all our sacrifices and self-created church usages, as we have it in all the divine writings of the prophets, twelve apostles and saints. The greatest and correct honor to show to God is to obey His word, to live according to His will, not according to our ordinances and best opinion.
Vicar
.. Christ said, according to John xvi. 12: “1 have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” Much has been inaugurated by the holy fathers inspired by the Holy Ghost, and especially the fasts and the Saturday by the twelve apostles, which also is not described in the Gospel, in which doubtlessly the Holy Ghost taught and instructed them.
Zwingli
Sir Vicar, prove from the Scriptures that the twelve apostles have inaugurated Saturday and fasts. Christ said in the aforesaid place the Spirit of God will teach them all truth, without doubt not human weaknesses. For he spoke according to John xiv. 26: “The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you (the twelve apostles are meant) all things, and bring all things to your remembrance (advise and recall) whatsoever I have said unto you.” As if he said undoubtedly, not what you think fit, but what the Holy Ghost teaches you in my name in accordance with the truth, not with human thoughts. Now then the holy apostles have never taught, inaugurated, ordered and decreed otherwise than as Christ had told them in the Gospel. For Christ said to them, ye are my friends if ye do that which I have decreed and commanded. This the dear disciples diligently did, and did not teach otherwise than as the right Master had sent them to teach and instruct, which is proven by the epistles of St. Paul and St. Peter. Hence your arguments cannot avail anything. For that I can say truly that I could name more than sixty in this room from among my
[[““Also the saying John xvi. 12 I did not refer to, for I knew the verse]
[did not belong here; just as little did I say about fasting Saturdays.’”’ (Faber.)]
[Hereupon Heinrich Wolf maintains he referred to the quotation from John xvi.:]
[Christ still had many things to say to the disciples, but they could not bear it]
[now, and Zwingli answered him, and showed how he had distorted the word]
[of Christ. ( Gyrenrupfen.”)]]
lords, laymen not learned in the Scriptures, who all could refute your argument as presented until now, and by means of the Gospel overcome and refute.
Vicar
Very well, Master Ulrich, do you admit that, that one should only keep what is writ in the Gospel, and nothing besides? Do you admit that?
Zwingli
Sir Vicar, I pity you that you present such sophistical, hairsplitting or useless arguments. Perhaps I could also indulge in such devices, perchance 1 have also read it formerly in the sophists, hence I do not wish to be entrapped by such subterfuges and tricks. I shall answer and argue with the pure Scriptures, saying there it is written. “That is befitting a scholar, to defend his cause by the Scriptures.
VICAR.: You have read in St. Paul that he accepted and taught tradi-. tions which formerly were not written in the Gospel. [Zwingli
[[‘That I said and say still, that we are bound to hold many things]
[that are not openly written, but which the Church holds and we believe,]
[and furthermore have been reported by the teachers of the first churches]
[as having come to us by order of the 12 apostles; thus I wished to prove]
[that the forty days’ fast, also the Sunday which in the Apocalypse St.]
[John calls diem dominicam,’ was decreed by the 12 disciples; if we do not]
[wish to despise, depose or suppress them, then it is fitting that what so many]
[centuries by Christendom generally, also by the heretics, bas been held we]
[should also keep, even if it be not openly printed in the Scriptures.” Further-]
[more he remarks: Itis a harmful error not to admit anything unless it be]
[expressly described in the Scriptures. The Sadduceans also denied the resur-]
[rection because it was not expressed in the Scriptures. I praise you all that]
[you preach the Gospel and St. Paul, for that is the right rock. But what we]
[have also from the time of the 12 apostles you should not cast so carelessly]
[aside. If your speech were true we would be obliged to leave the symbolo]
[apostolorum,’ the homoousio,’ yes from the persons in the Godhead, from]
[free will; we no more could believe that Anna was the mother of Mary,” etc.]
[(Faber. )]]
interrupts: That we wish to hear.] For when he inaugurated among the Corinthians the custom of the sacrament as he had received it from the Lord he said among other things: Cetera, cum venero, disponam. 1 Cor. xi. 34. “And the rest will I set in order when I come.” There St. Paul announces that he will further teach them to honor and to use the sacrament. But that such was true, and that the twelve apostles gave instructions, presenting them as traditions which were not decreed by the Gospel, I shall prove from St. Paul to the Thessalonians. Master Ulrich interrupts, asking: Where is it written? The vicar answers: You will find it in the second chapter. Zwingli says: We will look at it. Butit is not there; we will look for it in the last epistle. But very well continue. The vicar answers: Thus says St. Paul: Nos autem debemus gratias agere, etc. 2 Thess. ii. 13-15. “But we are bound to give thanks always to God of you, brethren beloved, etc., because God hath chosen you to salvation, etc., through belief of the truth, where- unto he called you by our gospel, etc. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions (2. e., teachings) which ye have been taught, whether by our word or our epistle.” [Here Master Ulrich said: He is misusing the Scriptures; I shall prove it.] Saint Paul says here that one should stand fast and hold the traditions, whether emanating from his words or his epistle. This is proof that he taught and instructed that which formerly had not been written, but clearly and openly invented.
Zwingli
In the first place, when he says St. Paul gave traditions to the people of Corinth which before had not been decreed, I say no, for he says in the same place: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.” But when he says: “And the rest will I set in order when I come,” it does not mean what the vicar says: on the contrary he is punishing the Corinthians on account of misuse and mistake in the taking and use
roo ZWINGLI SELECTIONS. of the divine sacrament. For of the wealthy, who assembled in the churches for the sacrament, some overate themselves and became satiated, while the other poor people, at times hungry, had nothing to eat. This is what St. Paul complains of when he writes: What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? as if he were saying the sacrament is not for the necessity of the body, but as a food for the souls. Therefore St. Paul concludes: And the rest will I set in order when I come.” Not that he wishes to teach otherwise than as Christ has ordered him, but in order to stop and better their misuse does he say this, which the Word shows: Tradidi vobis, etc. ᾿
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