History of the Great Reformation of the Sixteenth Century in Germany, Switzerland, &c., Volume 4Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Great Reformation of the Sixteenth Century in Germany, Switzerland, &c., Volume 4
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
[Sidenote: METAPHOR.]
ŒCOLAMPADIUS, quoting a passage from St. Paul: "We know not Jesus
Christ after the flesh."[241]
[241] 2 Cor. v. 16.
LUTHER.--"After the flesh means, in this passage, after our carnal
affections."[242]
[242] Pro carnalibus affectibus.--(Zw. Opp. iv. p. 202.)
ŒCOLAMPADIUS.--"You will not allow that there is a metaphor in these
words, _This is my body_, and yet you admit a synecdoche."
LUTHER.--"Metaphor permits the existence of a sign only; but it is not
so with synecdoche. If a man says he wishes to drink a bottle, we
understand that he means the beer in the bottle. Christ's body is in
the bread, as a sword in the scabbard,[243] or as the Holy Ghost in
the dove."
[243] Corpus est in pane sicut gladius in vagina.--(Ibid.)
The discussion was proceeding in this manner, when Osiander, pastor of
Nuremberg, Stephen Agricola, pastor of Augsburg, and Brenz, pastor of
Halle in Swabia, author of the famous Syngramma, entered the hall.
These also had been invited by the Landgrave. But Brenz, to whom
Luther had written that he should take care not to appear, had no
doubt by his indecision retarded his own departure as well as that of
his friends. Places were assigned them near Luther and Melancthon.
"Listen, and speak if necessary," they were told. They took but little
advantage of this permission. "All of us, except Luther," said
Melancthon, "were silent personages."[244]
[244] Fuimus κὡφα πρὁσωπα.--(Corp. Ref. i. p. 1098.)
The struggle continued.
When Zwingle saw that exegesis was not sufficient for Luther, he added
dogmatical theology to it, and, subsidiarily, natural philosophy.
[Sidenote: CHRIST'S HUMANITY FINITE.]
"I oppose you," said he, "with this article of our faith: _Ascendit in
cælum_--he ascended into heaven. If Christ is in heaven as regards his
body, how can he be in the bread? The Word of God teaches us that he
was like his brethren in all things (Heb. ii. 17). He therefore
cannot be in several places at once."
LUTHER.--"Were I desirous of reasoning thus, I would undertake to
prove that Jesus Christ had a wife; that he had black eyes,[245] and
lived in our good country of Germany.[246] I care little about
mathematics."
[245] Quod uxorem et nigros oculos habuisset.--(Scultet. p. 225.)
[246] In Germania diuturnum contubernium egisse.--(Zw. Opp. iv. p.
202.)
"There is no question of mathematics here," said Zwingle, "but of St.
Paul, who writes to the Philippians, μορφἡν δοὑλου λαβὡν."
[247]
[247] Having taken the form of a servant.--(Phil. ii. 7.)
LUTHER, interrupting him.--"Read it to us in Latin or in German, not
in Greek."
ZWINGLE (in Latin).--"Pardon me: for twelve years past I have made use
of the Greek Testament only." Then continuing to read the passage, he
concluded from it that Christ's humanity is of a finite nature like
our own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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