Though the Catabaptists, who pretend to be so directed by the Spirit that if they stand still suddenly or go forward suddenly, they put it down to the Spirit, are not wrong (for we do not live, much less move, without the action of the Deity), yet however much things of this kind are done by God’s impulse, they are, nevertheless, done to publish the rejection, hypocrisy, and folly of these people.
Huldrych Zwingli, The Latin Works of Huldreich Zwingli, ed. William John Hinke, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: Heidelberg Press, 1922), 229.
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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I read Zwingli’s _Commentary on True and False Religion_ not too long ago. While it’s very “heat of the moment” (a bit like Luther in tone), it certainly presages the more thorough theological work of men like Calvin, Bullinger, Ursinus, and others who came later. Zwingli is an underrated reformer, and deserves a bit more study.
It is scary to think about the kinds of delusion it can lead to, when people are willing to take any thought or imagining as a direct revelation from God, and how easily Satan might take advantage, as he did in the garden, to tempt Eve to go beyond God’s word.