would take all the Papists away with me.


By reason of our stiff-necked Hardness, God must be both harsh and
good too.

I was, said Luther, very lately sharply reprimanded and taxed by a
Popish flattering Courtier, a Priest, because with such passion I
had written, and so vehemently had reproved the people. But I
answered him and said, "Our Lord God must first send a sharp pouring
shower, with thunder and lightning, and afterwards cause it mildly
to rain, as then it wetteth finely through. In like manner, a
willow or a hazel wand I can easily cut with my trencher-knife, but
for a hard oak a man must have and use axes, bills, and such-like,
and all little enough to fell and to cleave it."


What that is, God is nothing, and yet he is all Things.

Plato, the Heathen, disputed of God, that God is nothing, and yet he
is all things; him followed Dr. Eck, and the Sophists, who
understood nothing thereof, as their words do show, which no man
could understand. But, said Luther, we must understand and speak of
it in this manner: God is incomprehensible and invisible, therefore
what may be seen and comprehended, that is not God. And thus a man
may speak also in another manner and wise: As God is either visible
or invisible; visible he is in his Word and Works, but where his
Word and Works are not, there a man should not desire to have him,
for he will be found nowhere else than where he hath revealed
himself. But these and such-like will find and take hold of him