esent day, not a shred of convincing evidence
has been produced showing that Luther ever wavered in this position, or
changed his doctrine of grace.

Luther's extensive reference to _De Servo Arbitrio_ in his _Commentary
on Genesis_, from which we freely quoted above, has frequently been
interpreted as a quasi-retraction. But according to the _Formula of
Concord_ these expositions of Luther's merely "repeat and explain" his
former position. They certainly do not offer any corrections of his
former fundamental views. Luther does not speak of any errors of his
own, but of errors of others which they would endeavor to corroborate by
quoting from his books--"_post meam mortem multi meos libros proferrent
in medium et inde omnis generis errores et deliria sua confirmabunt_."
Moreover, he declares that he is innocent if some should misuse his
statements concerning necessity and the hidden God, because he had
expressly added that we must not search the hidden majesty of God, but
look upon the revealed God to judge of His disposition toward us--
"_addidi, quod aspiciendus sit Deus revelatus.... Ideo sum excusatus_."
(CONC. TRIGL., 898.) Luther's entire theological activity, before as
well as after 1525, was an application of the principle stressed also in
_De Servo Arbitrio, viz._, that we must neither deny nor investigate or
be concerned about the hidden God, but study God as He has revealed
Himself in the Gospel and firmly rely on His gracious promises in the
means of grace.

252. Luther's Doctrine Approved by Formula of Concord.

Flacius, who himself did not deny the universality of grace, declared at
the colloquy in Weimar, 1560, that, when taken in their context,
Luther's statements in _De Servo Arbitrio_ contained no inapt
expressions (_nihil incommodi_). He added: "I do not want to be the
reformer of Luther, but let us leave the judgment and discussion
concerning this book to the Church of sound doctrine. _Nolo reformator
esse Lutheri, sed iudicium et discussionem istius libri permittamus
sanae ecclesiae_." (Planck 4, 704, Frank 4, 255.) In Article II of the
_Formula of Concord_ the Church passed on Luther's book on the bondage
of the will together with his declarations in his _Commentary on
Genesis_. In referring to this matter the _Formula_ gives utterance to
the following thoughts: 1. that in _De Servo Arbitrio_ Luther
"elucidated and supported this position [on free will, occupied also by
the _Formula of Corcord_]