Karl Ecke, _Schwenckfeld, Luther, und der Gedanke einer apostolischen Reformation_ (Berlin, 1911). Important book, but to be followed with caution. R. H. Gruetzmacher, _Wort und Geist_ (Leipzig, 1902). Gottfried Arnold, _Kirchen- und Ketzer-Historien_, i. pp. 1246-1299. (Edition of 1740.) H. W. Erbkam, _Geschichte der prolestantischen Sekten im Zeitaller der Reformation_ (Hamburg und Gotha, 1848), pp. 357-475. Doellinger, _Die Reformation_, i. pp. 257-280. Ernst Troeltsch, _Die Soziallehren der christlichen Kirchen und Gruppen_ (Tuebingen, 1912), pp. 881-886. [2] Christ, Schwenckfeld insisted, is the sum of the whole Bible, and to learn to know Christ fundamentally is to grasp the substance of the entire Scripture. [3] He wrote in 1543 to Luther: "I owe to you in God and the truth all honour, love, and goodwill, because from the first I have reaped much fruit from your service, and I have not ceased to pray for you according to my poor powers."--_Schriften_, ii. p. 701 d. [4] In _An Epistle to the Sisters in the Cloister at Naumberg_, written probably in the autumn of 1523, he says: "A true Christian life in its essential requirements does not consist in external appearance . . . but quite the contrary, it does consist in personal trust in God through an experience of Jesus Christ, which the Holy Ghost brings forth in the heart by the hearing of the Divine Word."--_Corpus Schwenckfeldianorum_, i. p. 118. [5] _Ermahnung dess Missbrauchs etlicher fuernemsten Artikel des Evangelii_ (1524). _Corpus Schw._ ii. pp. 26-105. [6] "Wir greyffen das Creutz noch am waichsten Ort an."--_Ermahnung dess Missbrauchs_. Corpus Schw. ii. p. 89. [7] "There are now in general two parties that make wrong use of the Gospel of Christ, one of which turns to the right and the other to the left of the only true and straight way. The first party is that of the Papacy . . . the other party consists of those to whom God has now granted a gracious light--But!"--_Ermahnung dess Missbrauchs_. [8] The _Stillstand_ was proposed in a _Circular Letter_ written by Schwenckfeld, Valentine Crautwald, and the Liegnitz Pastors, April 21, 1526.--_Corpus Schwenckfeld_, i. pp. 325-333. [9] The revival of this idea of a _Stillstand_, that is, of a suspension of certain time-honoured practices of the Church until a further revelation and new enduement should be granted, will be referred to in later chapters, especially in connection with the _Collegiants_ of Holland and the English _Seekers_. [10] Ecke, _op. cit._ p. 217. [11] Arnold, _op. cit._ ii. p. 251. There are many similar references to Schwenckfeld in Luther's _Table Talk_, and he usually calls him by the opprobrious name of "Stenkfeld." [12] "Ein natuerliches Licht kennt Schwenckfeld nicht."--Gruetzmacher, _Wort und Grist_ (Leipzig, 1902), p. 168. [13] The important data for Schwenckfeld's doctrine of Christ and the way of salvation will be found in the following writings by him:--