Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)Luther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 16th century -- Early works to 1800
Moreover, the Church had the true faith for more than twelve hundred
years, during which time the holy Fathers never once mentioned this
transubstantiation--forsooth, a monstrous word for a monstrous
idea!--until the pseudophilosophy of Aristotle became rampant in the
Church, these last three hundred years, during which many other things
have been wrongly defined; as for example, that the Divine essence
neither is begotten nor begets; that the soul is the substantial form
of the human body, and the like assertions, which are made without
reason or sense, as the Cardinal of Cambray himself admits.
Perhaps they will say that the danger of idolatry demands that bread
and wine be not really present. How ridiculous! The laymen have never
become familiar with their fine-spun philosophy of substance and
accidents, and could not grasp it if it were taught them. Besides,
there is the same danger in the case of the accidents which remain and
which they see, as in the case of the substance which they do not see.
For if they do not adore the accidents, but Christ hidden under them,
why should they adore the bread, which they do not see?
But why could not Christ include His body in the substance of the
bread just as well as in the accidents? The two substances of fire and
iron are so mingled in the heated iron that every part is both iron
and fire. Why could not much rather Christ's body be thus contained in
every part of the substance of the bread?
What will they say? We believe that in His birth Christ came forth out
of the unopened womb of His mother. Let them say here too that the
flesh of the Virgin was meanwhile annihilated, or as they would more
aptly say, transubstantiated, so that Christ, after being enfolded in
its accidents, finally came forth through the accidents! The same
thing will have to be said of the shut door and of the closed mouth of
the sepulchre, through which He went in and out without disturbing
them. Hence has risen that hotch-potch of a philosophy of constant
quantity distinct from the substance, until it has come to such a pass
that they themselves no longer know what are accidents and what is
substance. For who has ever proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that
heat, color, cold, light, weight or shape are mere accidents? Finally,
they have been driven to the fancy that a new substance is created by
God or their accidents on the altar--all on account of Aristotle, who
says, "It is the essence of an accident to be in something," and
endless other monstrosities, of all which they would be rid if they
simply permitted real bread to be present. And I rejoice greatly that
the simple faith of this sacrament is still to be found at least among
the common people; for as they do not understand, neither do they
dispute, whether accidents are present or substance[47] but believe
with a simple faith that Christ's body and blood are truly contained
in whatever is there, and leave to those who have nothing else to do
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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