Life of Luther

<h3>The Colloquy at Marburg.</h3> <p><b>1. Zwingli.</b> At the same time that Luther issued his powerful theses against popery a man lived in Switzerland whose eyes had also been opened to the corruption of the church. This was Ulrich Zwingli, pastor at Zurich. He also wished to help the church, but did not abide by the pure Word of God. In many things he followed his own reason. Assisted by the city council he changed the church service at Zurich after his own fashion. The processions were abolished. Pictures, crucifixes, and altars were removed from the churches. Communion was celebrated in both kinds. The bread was carried about the church upon plates, and the wine in wooden chalices. Concerning Holy Communion Zwingli taught that the breaking and eating of the bread was a symbolic action. He maintained that the words of Christ, "This is my body," meant nothing but, "This represents my body." Of Baptism he likewise taught erroneously. Here also he followed his reason. He would not admit that the person baptized was in any way affected by Baptism; Baptism was to him only an external sign of membership among God's people. He taught many strange things concerning Christ's work of redemption, and called original sin a mere infirmity of human nature.</p> <p>Of these false doctrines the one concerning Holy Communion spread rapidly and found many adherents. Earnestly and fervently Luther waged war against this error both in his sermons and in his writings. But the Zwinglians stubbornly adhered to their error and pursued their own way.</p> <p><b>2. The Colloquy at Marburg.</b> In 1529 Landgrave Philip of Hesse succeeded in arranging a colloquy between the Lutherans and the Zwinglians. It occurred on the first, second, and third of October, at Marburg. Before the doctrine of the Lord's Supper was taken up several other articles of faith were discussed. In these points the Zwinglians<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</SPAN></span> accepted instruction and counsel. When, finally, the doctrine of the Lord's Supper came to be discussed Luther took a piece of chalk from his pocket and wrote these words upon the table, "This is my body." These words were his sure, firm ground, and upon it he determined to stand unmoved. He demanded of his opponents to give all glory to God, and to believe the pure, simple words of the Lord. However, they clung to their opinion and cited especially John 6, 63, where Christ says: "The flesh profiteth nothing." Clearly and unmistakably Luther proved to them that in this passage Christ does not speak of His <i>own</i>, but of <i>our</i> flesh. It would also be an impious assertion, to say that Christ's flesh profiteth nothing. Then they maintained: "A body cannot at the same time be present at two places; now the body of Christ sitteth in heaven, at the right hand of the Father, consequently it could not be present, upon earth in the sacrament." Luther replied: "Christ has assumed the human nature, which, therefore, according to the Scriptures, partakes of the divine attributes and glory. Wherefore the human nature of Christ is omnipresent; hence His body and blood is capable of being present in Holy Communion." When Luther saw that his opponents grew more stubborn in their opinion he closed the colloquy on his part. With the words, "You have a different spirit from ours," he refused the hand of fellowship offered him by Zwingli. Already in 1531 Zwingli perished in the battle of Kappel. The false doctrines, however, which he had spread have remained to this day the doctrines of the Reformed church.</p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></SPAN>CHAPTER XV.</h2> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />