[2019-10-24: fixed broken links to Google Books]
This continues from Part 22e (TOC in Part 1a, Diaz TOC in Part 22a) publishing the book of Hermann Fick on the martyrs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. — Part 22f presents Fick's Chapter 5. — Alfonso Diaz said it well to his brother Juan:
This continues from Part 22e (TOC in Part 1a, Diaz TOC in Part 22a) publishing the book of Hermann Fick on the martyrs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. — Part 22f presents Fick's Chapter 5. — Alfonso Diaz said it well to his brother Juan:
...the name of Lutheran would be the mortal enemy.Peter Malvenda had early said that Diaz appeared as a monster when he came as a Lutheran. That pretty much sums up the world's view of true Lutherans today... here and now... as the Savior said:
Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. – Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:17This is one of the so-called "hard sayings" of Jesus, and I remember it well as I came back to my old faith. But all true Christians know in their heart that the world hates them because of their faith. And we see Alfonso Diaz as the voice of the world to his brother – the Spanish Lutheran, Juan Diaz. — Following the confession of Juan Diaz to his papist brother Alfonso, it makes me laugh even more at today's LC-MS (their "here and now"), whose
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. – John 15:18
- seminary provost calls the Bible a "plastic text" and
- CPH General Editor says that "Vatican II brought substantive changes to the Pope's Church. (of their books Study Bible and The Lutheran Difference)
Some highlighting added hyperlinks added for reference.
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by C.J. Hermann Fick
(tr. by BackToLuther)
XXII.(f)
Juan Diaz.
Juan’s valiant courage of faith.
While they now carried on a friendly brotherly conversation with each other, Alfonso told his brother that he had come to bring him back again into the bosom of the holy Mother, the Church. He pointed out the great dangers which threatened him if he would persist in his teaching. He represented to him how he would be reviled and hated by the most distinguished and respected men in the world, for all of whom the name of Lutheran would be a mortal enemy. He also showed him how he thus violated all of his family and would plunge himself into all evils, prison, misery and excommunication, yes! death by fire or sword would receive. And still many more such things were stated in order to make the heart of his brother waver.
But our dear martyr did not waver. Although it brought sorrow to his heart that his brother judged so wrongly by making human danger and tyranny higher than the confession of the pure doctrine, he however kindly replied, "Dear brother! [page 164] I have not accepted that doctrine because of ignorance or of its own carnal conceit, but after serious examination and careful consideration. And since I have explored its beginning and progress with diligence from the right fountain of divine Scripture, I freely confess publicly that it is truly the unanimous and eternally constant doctrine of all the holy Prophets and Apostles. Therefore, I cannot reject such doctrine which I have recognised particularly by God's grace without great shame and vice. So also through God’s grace a worldly danger is not to deter me from my Christian plans.
"Consider, dear brother, if it befits a wise and intelligent man that he escapes transient misfortune and wants on the other hand to rush to eternal destruction. So, indeed, is the sin against the Holy Ghost nothing other than when one denies the recognized truth and knowingly goes astray. And this sin will never more be forgiven, neither here nor indeed in eternity. That's why I have not minor, but great and important causes to persist in my resolution and confession.
"For you, dear brother, I wish with all my heart that you would make up your mind to use so much time and energy for the study of divine truth, as you have done so far in human affairs and quarrels. And since I know how great is the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I do not doubt that God will also reveal to you the treasures of his heavenly truth that even you yourself, if you only would undertake such diligent work, could well recognize God's will from the Holy Scriptures.
"And would to God, dear brother, that I want to supply you such knowledge, be it also with my own blood! For that, as the Son of God himself testifies, is truly eternal life, namely the living God, and He has sent Jesus Christ to surely recognize this. So it is to be regretted in truth that people in such a highly important matter are so negligent and wicked, that they do not consider such wonderful pronouncements of God, which are kept for all men clear and sincere from heaven by the voice of the Eternal Majesty, so even not to consider nor take to heart, indeed to defiantly despise. [page 165]
"Will you now consider this matter without prejudice, so you will indeed find no other reason why we now are condemned by the wicked, yes! almost every day be consigned to death than this, that we have put all our hope in the living God, without which no man can be saved, and set nothing on man’s part. Therefore, dear brother, learn first how our cause is constituted, then you will judge for yourself that it should not be abandoned for the sake of any earthly danger. Truly, I for my part am determined by the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God, and certain that I can never more be deterred from the doctrine which I have recognized and have confessed."
However such brotherly images made no impression on the heart of Alfonso, who had nothing to do with the saving truth. Because now he saw that Juan could not be shaken from his confession by fear of dangers, he tried to make him waver by the promise of great temporal advantages. He promised he would leave him an annual income of 500 ducats, which he had previously drawn from the Roman Church, if Juan would go with him to Rome. But God's grace had already so firmly held the heart of the dear Confessor that even this fiery arrow of the villain could not penetrate it. He answered the tempter:
"Dear brother! I'm not as greedy as you might think. Because if my sense stood to attain large goods and honours, then I would have to furnish my life completely different. I esteem this for the highest honor, that I have recognized the right, pure and heavenly doctrine which the Lord has bestowed on me from his gratuitous goodness. So also is my conscience, that knows of no vice to be guilty of, so very precious and valued than all the treasures in the world.
"Therefore, my dear brother, keep your income for yourself. It's not to be discarded if you have it with a pious, God-fearing heart and hand. However, if one does not do this, I do not know what use a lot of money and property are when one needs help and consolation most urgently in the end. Therefore, dear brother, let us seek with all our heart that we collect the right treasures of true godliness in heaven [page 166] and study God's Word diligently and earnestly. Because it does not leave those who have it, rather it relieves and mitigates the present cross that we bear in this world so full of tribulation, and also accompanies us into Heaven with its rich consolation."
= = = = = = = = = = = = Cont'd in Part 22g = = = = = = = = = = = =Why do you suppose there is such a time of year called "Halloween"? I believe it is based on the popularization instigated by papists to obscure the celebration of Luther's Reformation – it is "celebrated" the same day as Reformation Day, October 31. And the terrors, and horrors that ones attempt to portray and play with are actually their portrayal of the horrific Lutherans, monsters one and all. So, Lutherans, do you now want to celebrate "Halloween" with them?
Diaz echoes Luther, Walther, and Pieper in this chapter, as elsewhere, when he teaches
- Salvation is only from God, nothing on man's part (Objective)
- As salvation has been won for all men, so are God's pronouncements. (Universal)
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