Chapter XXVIII: The New Dogmas in an Historical and

PSYCHOLOGICAL LIGHT _pages_ 387-527

1. THE BIBLE TEXT AND THE SPIRIT AS THE “TRUE TESTS OF DOCTRINE.”

Liberty for the examination of Scripture and Luther’s
autonomy; Luther gradually reaches the standpoint that
the Bible is the only judge in matters of faith; those
only must be listened to who teach “_purum verbum
Dei_.” Experience given by the Spirit; divergent
utterances regarding the perspicuity of Holy Writ;
the Bible a “heresy-book.” Luther not in favour of
verbal inspiration; mistakes of the sacred writers;
which books are canonical, and why? The discord which
followed on Luther’s principle of relying on private
judgment and the “_influxus spiritus_”; he reverts to
the “outward Word” in his controversy with Zwingli and
corroborates it by tradition. What authority, apart
from the Church’s, can lay doubts to rest? The object
of faith: Many articles, or only one? Protestants on
Luther’s self-contradictions; the end of Luther’s
“formal principle” _pages_ 387-420

2. LUTHER AS A BIBLE EXPOSITOR.

Some characteristic of Luther’s exegesis; his respect
for the literal sense; all his reading of the Bible
coloured by his theory of Justification; his exegesis
in the light of his early development _pages_ 420-431

3. THE SOLA FIDES. JUSTIFICATION AND ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

Connection between the “material principle”
(justification) and the “formal principle” (Scripture
as the only rule) of Luther’s theology, and between
the “material principle” and the theory of the
worthlessness of works and of God’s being the sole real
agent; the theory at variance with the teaching of St.
Augustine. The need of struggling to feel entirely
certain of our personal justification; Luther’s own
failure to come up to his standard; present-day
Protestants on Luther’s main Article “on which the
Church stands or falls” _pages_ 431-449

4. GOOD WORKS IN THEORY AND PRACTICE.

The Church’s teaching; origin of Luther’s new ideas to
be sought in his early dislike for the “Little Saints”
and their doings; the perils of his theory; on the fear
of God as a motive for action. Augustine summoned as a
witness on Luther’s behalf; the witness discarded by
Melanchthon and the Pomeranians; Augustine’s real view;
the new doctrine judged by 16th-century Protestants;
Luther’s utterances in favour of good works; what
charity meant in the Middle Ages; Luther on the
hospitals of Florence _pages_ 449-481

5. OTHER INNOVATIONS IN RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.

Luther no systematic theologian. The _regula fidei_;
Harnack on Luther’s inconsequence; Paulsen on “Pope
Luther.” Luther’s teaching on the sacraments; on
infant-baptism and the faith it requires; liberal
Protestants appeal to his principles against the
“magical” theory of Baptism; penance an extension of
baptism. Luther’s teaching on the Supper; Communion
merely a means of fortifying faith; Impanation versus
Transubstantiation; theory of the omnipresence of
Christ’s body; Luther’s stead-fastness in his belief
in the Real Presence. Attitude towards the invocation
of the Saints, particularly of the Blessed Virgin. His
views on Purgatory _pages_ 482-506

6. LUTHER’S ATTACK ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS.

The place of this sacrifice in the Church previous
to Luther’s time; Luther’s first attacks; the Mass
suppressed at Wittenberg; his “Von dem Grewel der
Stillmesse”; Eck’s reply; Luther undertakes to prove
that the priests’ attachment to the Mass is based
merely on pecuniary grounds; connection between his
attack on the Mass and his theory as a whole. His work
on the “Winkle-Mass”; his dispute with the devil; his
defence of his work on the “Winkle-Mass”; Cochlæus
replies; Luther’s references to the Mass in his
familiar talks, and in his Schmalkalden “Artickel”; a
profession of faith in the Real Presence _pages_ 506-527

VOL. IV.

THE REFORMER (II)

LUTHER