Unfortunately, my dear Hartmut, this is what the German nation has deserved for serving the pope at that fatal diet. They who today rant and are hardened are to blame for this, because at the time they were spinning the wheel and held the dice in their hand and imagined that Christ did not see them playing. O terrible and stern Judge, how mysterious, how dreadful are your judgments! How secure and safe Pharaoh always feels before he is drowned in the Red Sea!  He does not see that his own sense of security is evidence of the real and earnest wrath of God over him. O how unbearable it is for God to see his precious word reviled! [It is so unbearable] that he expended the blood of his dearest Child [for his word’s sake]. Meanwhile men will sit and jest and smile as they condemn and persecute it.  (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.66-67)

Picture: Art. VIII  Das in d’ sichtbarlichen kirchen frome und heuchler gefundë werden.  
“That it is well known in the visible church are found pious and hypocritical men.”
Matt. 7, v. 21 ; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
2nd Tim. 2, v. 20 ; “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.”

[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]

#15 The German Nation’s Sin of Rejecting the Gospel at Worms

For you know that the sin committed at Worms, where the divine truth was so childishly scorned, publicly, wantonly, and consciously condemned without a hearing, is indeed a sin incurred by the entire German nation, since its leaders were involved in this and no one opposed them. That encumbered the nation with such a vast guilt before God that he might well withdraw the precious word entirely or permit such an offense to arise that no one would regard it as God’s word, and that they [the Germans] would, as they deserve, be impelled to blaspheme and persecute as the devil’s doctrine what they had first willfully and basely denied and condemned.  (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.66)

Picture: Art. VII  Das Allezeit eine Kirch seÿ welche ist eine versamlung d’ glaubigë.
“There is always a church where believers are gathered.”
Matt. 16, v. 18 ; “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Eph. 5, v. 27 ; “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]

Our cause has not dropped to as low an ebb as did that of Christ in his own day, when even Peter denied him, when all the disciples fled from him, and when Judas betrayed and captured him.  Even if matters were to become that bad, our cause will not perish and Christ will not turn to dust. But I know and am convinced that this and anything else that may still come, happens as a general test and trial in which the strong will be confirmed, the weak strengthened, the confirmed praised, the false believers revealed; the enemies and those not worthy of recognizing and regarding it as God’s word are offended and hardened, as they indeed have deserved.  (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.66)

Picture: Art. VI  Das der Glaub sol gütte werck bringë, doch de wir nicht auff solche werck verfrawen.
“That faith should bring good works, but we do not rely on such works.”
Jac. 2, v. 17 ; Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James)
Luc 17, v. 19 ; And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]