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Wiki MarkupLuther argues that, although "the church has no power to make new divine promises of grace," "\[t\]his one thing indeed the church can do: It can distinguish the \ [w\]ord of God from the words of men" (_LW_, 36: 107). This is possible, he explains, following Augustine, because or insofar as

the truth itself lays hold on the soul and thus renders it able to judge most certainly of all things; however, the soul is not able to judge the truth, but is compelled to say with unerring certainty that this is the truth. For example, our mind declares with unerring certainty that three and seven are ten; and yet it cannot give a reason why this is true, although it certainly cannot deny that it is true. It is clearly taken captive by the truth; and, rather than judging the truth, it is itself judged by it. There is such a mind also in the church, when under the enlightenment of the Spirit she judges and approves doctrines; she is unable to prove it, and yet is most certain of having it. For as among philosophers no one judges the general concepts, but all are judged by them, so it is among us with the mind of the Spirit, \ [w\]ho judges all things and is judged by no one, as the Apostle says \ [1 Cor 2:15\] (107 f.).

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Elsewhere Luther argues to much the same effect, appealing to the same Pauline text.

The Romanists must admit that there are among us good Christians who have the true faith, spirit, understanding, word, and mind of Christ. Why, then, should we reject the word and understanding of good Christians and follow the pope, who has neither faith nor the Spirit? . . .Besides, if we are all priests, . . . and all have one faith, one gospel, one sacrament \ [i.e., baptism\], why should we not also have the power to test and judge what is right or wrong in matters of faith? What becomes of Paul's words in 1 Cor 2\[:15\], I A spiritual man judges all things, yet he is judged by no one'? And 2 Cor 4\[:13\], 'We all have one spirit of faith'? Why, then, should we not perceive what is consistent with faith and what is not, just as well as \ [_sic\!_\] an unbelieving pope does? We ought to become bold and free on the authority of all these texts, and many others. We ought not to allow the Spirit of freedom (as Paul calls him \ [2 Cor 3:17\]) to be frightened off by the fabrications of the popes, but we ought to march boldly forward and test all that they do, or leave undone, by our believing understanding of the \ [s\]criptures. We must compel the Romanists to follow not their own interpretation but the better one (44:135)

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Also relevant is another passage, which I leave untranslated:

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Es ist 'nit genug, daß dir sagst, Luther, Petrus oder Paulus hat das gesagt, sondem du mußt bei dir selbst im Gewissen fühlen Christum selbst und inwendig empfinden, daß es Gottes Wort sei, wenn auch alle Welt da wider spreche. So lange du das Fühlen nicht hast, so lange hast du gewißlich Gottes Wort noch nicht geschmeckt und hangest noch mit den Ohren an Menschenmund und -feder und nicht mit des Herzens Grund am Wort und weiß noch nicht, was das ist Mt 23: Ihr sollt euch nicht Meister heißen auf Erden, denn einer ist Euer Meister, Christus. Der Meister lehret im Herzen, doch durch das äusserliche Wort seiner Prediger, die es in die Ohren treiben, aber Christus treibts in das Herz' (Friedrich Gogarten, Luthers Theologie: 247, quoting WA, 10 II, 23, 5).

Wiki Markup(The close connection between this passage and the statement of Luther's quoted by Bultmann \ [GV, 1: 108\] seems obvious:

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Divine faith clings to the word that is God himself, believes, trusts, and honors this word -- not for the sake of him who speaks it, but rather feels that it is so true and certain that no one can any longer tear it away. . . . The word itself, without any respect for persons, must do enough for the heart, must so grasp and convince one, that, caught up by it, one feels how true and right it would be even if the whole world . . . yes, even if God himself said otherwise.)

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\[M\]ein Glaube ist allein auf Christus und sein Wort gegründet, nicht auf den Papst noch auf das Konzil. Darum solI ich auch fest am Evangelium halten unbekümmert um aller Menschen Gebot. Denn mein Glaube ist hier Richter, so daß ich sprechen kann: diese Lehre ist gut und wahrhaftig, diese aber bös und falsch. Und solchem Urteil sind auch der Papst und all sein Anhang, ja aIle Menschen auf Erden unterworfen. Darum lügen alle, die da sagen: das Urteil über die Schrift steht by dem heiligen Vater, dem Papst. . . . \ [W\]er den Glauben hat, der ist ein geistlicher Mensch und richtet alle Dinge und wird von niemand gerichtet; und wenns eine einfache Müllersmagd, ja ein Kind von 9 Jahren wäre, das den Glauben hätte und nach dem Evangeliurn urteilte, so ist der Papst schuldig, ihm zu gehorchen und sich unter seine Füße zu legen, wenn er ein wahrer Christ ist (source unavailable).

What is to be made of all this?

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