How the pope sought to thwart the emperor's sincere intention in Luther's cause by repeatedly banning him, but how the papal envoys at Worms sought to thwart the emperor's sincere intention in Luther's cause.
A. The new papal bull of condemnation against Luther, which confirms the previous one.
526 Pope Leo's X. Bull of Condemnation and Banishment, under the title: Damnatio et excommunicatio Martini Lutherei, haeretici et eius sequacium. Dated Rome, Jan. 4, 1521.
This bull is found in cherubim duliar. magn..,
torn. I, x>. 618 and in Lünig's "pie. eeel., xars II, p. 376. It arrived in Worms at Aleander on February 10, 1521 (Köstlin, "Martin Luther" [3], vol. I, p. 422).
Leo Bischof, servant of the servants of God, in perpetual memory.
1. it befits the roman pope who, by the power given to him by god, has become the house of
(To restrain the ungodly undertakings of the perverse, who, with a malicious intention, have taken such a course that, ignoring the fear of God, and disregarding the canonical conclusions and apostolic commands, they are not afraid to invent new and false doctrines, and to cause an annoying division in the Church of God, or to encourage, cling to, and assist the scurrilous spirits who strive to tear the unstitched skirt of our Savior and the unity of the right faith) against such and their followers, so that the little ship of Peter does not seem to be left without a governor and helmsman, to use it seriously, and by sharpening the punishments and by other means to dispose of it in such a way (that such despisers, who have been given over to a wrong mind
and that their followers do not deceive the poor people by false poems and the same cunning plots and plunge them into the same error and ruin and, as it were, infect them with a plague), also to the greater shame of the damned, to show and publicly announce to all believers in Christ what terrible ban and punishments they are subject to; so that, when they have been thus denounced and made known, they may go into themselves ashamed and contrite, and completely abstain from the forbidden intercourse and fellowship, as well as obedience, of such banished and accursed people, thus escaping divine vengeance and not falling into the same condemnation with them.
2. we have also already otherwise, since some false believers who seek only the glory of the world 2c.
Here, the other narrative is omitted because it is the whole bull (No. 444) indented above.
3. Since, however, as we have heard (although after the posting and publication of the letter), after the expiration of the deadline or deadlines which we have set in this letter (of which we hereby expressly inform and announce to all believers in Christ that they have now expired and run out; some of whom, having followed the errors of the said Martini, when they heard of the same letter and of our orders and warnings, were smitten with the spirit of correction, confessed their errors, abjured heresy into our hands, converted to the true Catholic faith, obtained the grace of pardon according to the power granted to the same nuncios concerning this matter, and the books and writings of the said Martini were publicly burned in certain cities and towns of reported Germany, in obedience to our orders, (which we state with great sorrow and consternation of our hearts), that Martinus himself, as a man "given over" in a wrong mind, not only did not want to recant his errors within the aforementioned period, nor to notify us of such recantation, nor to come to us, but as a rock of offense, still worse than before, he did not refrain from writing and preaching against us and this Holy See and the Catholic faith, and from inciting others to do so; because of which not only he has become a public heretic, but also others of great renown and dignity (who forget their own blessedness, and publicly and manifestly follow this harmful heresy of Martin, and unashamedly encourage, counsel and help him before everyone's eyes, and thereby strengthen Martin in his disobedience and obduracy), as well as others who hinder the promulgation of the said letter, the
The apostle says: "But a heretic man, when he is remembered once and again, avoid, and know that such a man, who sins in this way, is a sinner, because his own judgment condemns him.
(4) So we want such to be joined with Martino and other banished and cursed heretics, and as they follow in sinning said Martini's stubbornness, so they also become liable to the name and punishment that they are called Lutheran and are condemned as such, because their deeds are so denounceable and obvious, and they persist in such a way that there is no need for further proof, warning or demand from them. Which we hereby expressly resolve and declare. And our request is that Martinus and others who follow the same Martino (who remains obdurate in his wicked and damned purpose); likewise those who protect him by war power, cherish him, and by their own or other power in some way dare to support him, and to do and give him advice, help, and assistance in some way, have borne, and still bear, no misgivings (all of whose names, surnames, and status, however high and respectable they may be, are herewith expressly as good as named, just as if the name itself were there, or as it would like to be expressed quite circumstantially at the announcement of this letter), are held to be banished and accursed people, guilty of eternal curses and interdicts, and they and their descendants are considered to have forfeited all honor, dignity and goods, and to be incapable of it, to have forfeited their fortune, and to have been guilty of the vice of offended majesty and other judgments, banishments and punishments, which the canons also impose on heretics, and which are contained in the said letter.
5. We also wish that the cities, provinces, burghs and towns, and all the places in which they may be at the time or to which they may turn, and the principal and cathedral churches, monasteries and other sacred and consecrated places located there, as well as the exempt and the non-exempt, whatever they may be called, 1) be under the ecclesiastical interdict (or common ban); in such a way that, as long as this lasts, no pretext of any apostolic pardon (except in cases which the right to
1) HiEounHUL I read for HuoeuQHUL, which cannot go on intsräleto here. (Walch.)
and in the same only with closed doors and with the exclusion of those who are under the interdict and ban) masses or other religious services are held. Which we declare by virtue of this apostolic letter, and declare them banished, accursed, guilty of the interdict, forfeited and incapable, and thus command and order that they be proclaimed as such everywhere, declared, and carefully fled and avoided by all believers in Christ.
6. And that such a great contempt of Martini against God and His Church, and his followers and adherents and other disobedient quite desperate boldness in all things be made rightly known, so that the mangy cattle do not infect the herd and thereby the pure part also falls into ruin: We hereby command, in virtue of holy obedience and under the penalties of the pronounced decree of excommunication, all and every patriarch and prelate of the collegiate churches, chapters, ecclesiastical persons and monks, of all, also of the mendicant orders, whether liberated or not, in all places, that they and all of theirs, if and after they are requested by virtue of this, within three days (one of which we appoint as the first, the following as the second, and the third as the last and final deadline or date and provisional canonical warning) the same Martinum and other exiles, Cursed, declared heretics, condemned and thrown under the interdict, deprived of honor and goods and declared incapable, and those named in the execution of the present letter, in their churches on Sundays and feast days (when the people gather more for worship) with the flag of the cross, They shall publicly display and announce the ringing of the bells, the lighting and extinguishing of the lights, and the throwing of the lights to the ground, and other ceremonies customary in such acts, and shall also order others to make them known, and all believers in Christ to avoid them with the utmost diligence.
7. We also command, to the greater shame of the said Martini and other heretics reported above, their followers, adherents and patrons, by virtue of holy obedience, all and every patriarch, archbishop, bishop and other church prelates, that, as they are set, according to St. Jerome, to resist the schisms, are set to resist the divisions, so now, when necessity demands it, because of their supporting office, make themselves a wall for the Christian people, and not be silent like dumb dogs that cannot bark, but shout unceasingly, raise their voice, and spread the word of God and
preach and preach the truth of the Catholic faith against the above-mentioned damned and heretical articles.
(8) Likewise, to all and every ruler of parish churches and rulers of all monastic orders, including the beggars, whether they are already specially 1) liberated or not, likewise, in virtue of holy obedience, that as they are ordered by God to be clouds, so they also cause the spiritual rain to trickle down among the people of God, and to preach joyfully against the articles condemned, according to their bearing office. For it is written that complete love casts out fear.
9. Let you yourselves, and each one of you, willingly and devoutly take upon yourselves the burden of such a meritorious work, and be so diligent in its completion, and so zealous and diligent in word and deed, that from your labor, by divine grace, the fruits we hope for may spring forth, and through our care you will not only be worthy to receive the crown of honor that is due to those who fight in good causes, 2) but you will also earn rich praise from us and from the chair because of your praiseworthy diligence.
10. But since it might be difficult to bring this present proclamation and declaration letter to Martinmas and other such banished and declared heretical people person and presence by hand, because their patrons are too powerful: We wish that the posting and announcement of this letter at the doors of two cathedral or main churches, or only one cathedral and the other of a main church, which are in the said Germany, be arranged by one of our nuncios located there, binding and wearing them in the same way, as well as denouncing and accusing Martinum and others thus condemned and declared guilty in all respects and throughout, as if it had been personally delivered and handed over to them and to each of them in particular.
11) And because it might be difficult to bring the present letters to all the places where their announcement might be necessary, we want and order by the above-mentioned authority that their copy, which is printed with the seal of an ecclesiastical prelate or of one of our above-mentioned nuncios and signed by a public notary, is to be followed.
1) so I read pecutiariter for xveuniam (Walch).
2) morsa-mini oonssHui.
tario is signed by their own hand, shall be held in all places in the same way as this our main letter (first hand) would be held if it had been shown to them or handed to them.
(12) To which all other apostolic commands, laws and regulations, and everything else that we have already indicated and mentioned in the above-mentioned letter 1), as such things that do not stand in the way of this, should by no means be an obstacle; it may also have whatever name it wants.
Therefore, no one should dare to break this note of our present ordinance, declaration, commandment, decree, will and conclusion in the least, or to pass it over out of impudent boldness. But whoever dares to do such a thing, know that he will surely fall into the disfavor of Almighty God and His holy apostles Peter and Paul.
14. Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of the Incarnation of our Savior one thousand five hundred and one and twenty (1521), the 4th of January, but of our Papacy in the eighth year.
B. What the Papal Nuncio Aleander zu Wams has done against Luther from the Imperial Diet.
Luther's report to Wenceslaus Link before his journey to Worms, about which, as he had heard from Spalatin's notification, the papal legate Aleander had let himself be heard. End of January or beginning of February 1521.
This letter is found in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 8; in De Wette, vol. I, p. 555 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. Ill, p. 79. We have retranslated according to the latter.
Newly translated from the Latin.
JEsus.
Hail! Our prior [Helt] complains about you, venerable father. On one and the same day our steward 2) and subprior are taken from us, so that he alone must bear our burden, which is now greater than before; but in this matter I give way to the concern of both. May the Lord guide us all.
1) No. 444 in this volume.
2) Matthius Gruneus. Cf. Appendix to this volume, No. 36, § 2.
The provost Henning has died. 3) Emser rages against me in Leipzig. Otherwise, there is nothing new with us, for I believe that Hutten's letters, which have been published about this matter, are with you. However, we expect news from Worms every day. The papists do not wish my arrival there, but that I simply be condemned and brought to ruin.
Spalatin writes that Aleander dared to say: 4) Even if you Germans, who pay the Roman pope the least money of all, should shake off the yoke of Roman servitude, we will see to it that you kill each other and perish in your blood. He brings this news. I have always said and written that this abomination against us is cherished and cultivated by the Romans. Now see how the pope feeds the sheep of Christ! Farewell. Wittenberg, 1521.
Your
Martin Luther.
528: Excerpt from the long speech delivered by the papal nuncio Aleander at the public convention of the imperial estates in Worms, in which he presents the papal bull against Luther in the original, violently disparages Luther, and urges the burning of Luther's books throughout Germany; at the same time, he asks the emperor to leave this heresy matter entirely to the pope, as it is disgraceful for him.
February 13, 1521.
On Ash Wednesday, February 13, 1521, the papal nuncio Aleander held a three-hour Latin speech against Luther before the assembled Diet of Worms, in which he read out many passages from Luther's writings to confirm his statements. In the Weimar archives, in the manuscript of the chancellor D. Brück, there is a summa of this speech in German, which has been printed in Förstemann's "Neues Urkundenbuch", p. 30 ff. From this Seckendorf made an excerpt, which he translated into Latin, nist. I^utk., Ud. I, p. 149. Frick has now retranslated this excerpt into German in the German Seckendorf, p. 331 ff, and Walch has included it in his edition. Since now the material,
3) On January 16, Luther reports in a letter to Spalatin that D. Henning Göde was hopelessly ill, and on January 21 he mentioned in a letter to Spalatin that he had died. After that our time determination.
4) These words of Aleander are also testified several other times.
which is found in Seckendorf, is sufficient for our purpose, we refrain from the complete reproduction of the text according to Förstemann, and limit ourselves to the correction of what is given in Walch's old edition according to Seckendorf.
Aleander showed the authentic copy of the papal bull against Luther, because, according to his pretence, he had recently heard in Antwerp that it was said that the bull was false, although the bishop of Liège, a highly learned and experienced man in these matters, had exequired it in his diocese. He told how he and his college at Cologne had received an audience with Elector Frederick barely after an eight-day delay, and had received no answer in accordance with his request; but he [Aeander] had said that they wanted to do what the bull demanded, and had received from the archbishop in Cologne that Luther's books were burned. Now, however, a new blasphemy is going around that this has happened against the emperor's knowledge and will, and Luther writes: the papal legates have brought about such a burning of books through money. But he referred to the imperial majesty and its chancellor, whether the orders had been given with their knowledge, or whether they had been bought for many thousands of ducats. He then asked to hear some of Luther's articles, which certainly deserve that 100,000 heretics be burned for them; as the articles in which Hus, even Wiklef, is defended, since he blasphemously pretended that the body of Christ is not truly and essentially present in Holy Communion, and that no Christian is bound to obey the authorities. This is also what Luther teaches in his book on the freedom of a Christian. He also denied purgatory and thus argued against hell, since purgatory had been established in the Concilio of Florence in the presence of Emperor John Paleologus of Constantinople, and at the same time it had been recognized that the pope was the head of the entire Christian church. As proof of this, he pulled out the bull of this Concilii, posed as if he had only now found it, and laid it before the Emperor, which the Archbishop of Mainz then picked up, and showed it with great pomp to that of Cologne and Trier. He [Aleander] added that although some Greek bishops had quarreled with the Roman see, all of Greece had always recognized the pope as the head. Luther had further sinned, as in denial of the purgatory against the subterranean spirits, so also against the heavenly angels, writing: Even if an angel from heaven teaches something different,
as he said and wrote, he did not want to believe it. This was a great presumption, because it was not proper for him to speak what Paul had spoken. He sinned against the entire clergy, since he assumed all Christians to be priests in the book of the Babylonian prison. This book had been reprinted in Strasbourg and two dogs biting each other had been printed at the end of the book, as a sign of how the priests were biting the laity. He also rejected all monastic orders and all ceremonies. That is why Hercules gallicus 1) or Lucianus was printed and read in Wittenberg; as he ridiculed all pagan ceremonies, so the Christian ceremonies were also to be despised. Luther had advised in a letter that one should wash one's hands in the blood of the priests. He sinned against the saints, especially against St. Dionysius, whose books de caelesti Hierarchia he despised in his book about the Babylonian prison. He sins against the secular judges, because he says that no one can be punished with death penalty without mortal sin, which is most audacious. He sins against the Concilia, especially the one at Constance, which he calls a devil's cesspool. He [Aeander] has bitten off the articles of free will and indulgences with short words. He is surprised that there are people who pretend that he [Luther] preaches the evangelical truth according to the Holy Scriptures, interpreting them differently than the Fathers and the Church. Others say that Luther is a pious man from whom one has nothing evil to fear. Now he does not want to punish his life, but people are deceived by the devil under the appearance of goodness, and St. Jerome said that heretics are the greatest hypocrites. If he were pious, he would not desire to be more prudent than the fathers and the church. To the objection that Luther's books should not be burned because Origen's books were also kept, who had been noticeably wrong in many things because there was much good in them, he replied that it had always been customary to burn the books of heretics; Origen had not been a heretic, but at the time when he had lived there had been no one to instruct him. He then contradicted those who wanted to claim that Luther had to be heard first and given safe conduct. For Luther would not let anyone, not even an angel from heaven, instruct him; he had been cited by the pope, even with the promise of a safe conduct.
1) We are talking about the book: D Luciano Hercules Oallicus etc.. ^VitteruderMe. Octav, s. a.
but did not appear, he did not want to suffer the Pope's decision, but appealed to a council. He could not stand a council's decision either, but despised it. Accordingly, he asks Imperial Majesty to reject the insult done to their forefathers. This matter, concerning the faith, does not belong to them. The heretic Eutyches had been referred to the pope by the Emperor Constantine. It was not the duty of the laity to judge this matter, and the clergy themselves were not allowed to engage in disputation with heretics without papal permission, which is why St. Jerome refused to engage with John Hierosolymitanus. Thus Luther did not want to accept Pabst's judgment. Therefore, one must strive to prevent heresy from spreading, so that Jews, Turks and pagans do not speak: The Christians disputing their faith, namely the Germans, who are considered pious before others. He therefore asks for a public edict, by which he would be commanded to burn his books, and furthermore not to publish or sell them; if not, then the emperor and the bishops of Mainz, Cologne, and Liège would suffer disgrace because they had these books burned, if the same did not happen in all of Germany. Finally, he also complains that Luther has mistaken him for a Jew: "Dear God," he said, "how many righteous people are here who know me and my family, as I can boast in truth that my forefathers were Margraves of Isterstein in Istria; but that my parents fell into poverty is due to fate. For the sake of my family, I have legitimized myself by becoming a canon of Liège, which would not have happened if I did not come from a high and respectable family; but if I were a baptized Jew, I would not be rejected because Christ and the apostles themselves were Jews.
529 The princely learned councils have raised concerns about the bull of Eugenius IV, which the papal legate Aleander referred to in his speech and from which he wanted to assert the pope's supremacy.
February 14, 1522.
From Cyprian's "Useful Documents," Vol. I, p. 478.
Wyr hear, the bebstischen have yesterday 1) the BuIIum Eugenii quarti den stenden des heiligen
1) This results in the determination of the time.
Reichsfürgetragen the hope to raise vil against Doctor Martinus.
How good or static and credible, however, berürte Bull sey, is to be noted.
First, from the fact that they went out in the Concilio in Florence against the Concilium in Bassel.
On the other hand, that such a thing happened in a time of a year, because it was still a 2) Babest, named Felix, who was born at the Duke of Sophoy.
Thirdly, that at the time of the establishment of such bulls the Roman King Albrecht was not present and did not give his consent to the German nation.
Fourth, that no German archbishop or bishop has been present and much less approved.
Fifth, that the seal of the emperor of Constantinople has been either lost or perhaps lost in time.
Sixthly, the bull calls the named Emperor of Constantinople the Roman Emperor, which is what the officials in the chapter venerabilem doctorem refer to as the transfer of the Roman Empire from the Churches, that is, from Constantinople, to the Germans in the person of Emperor Carol.
In the seventh place, this bullet is finished with plain, naked and ungreen words, saying that the Babest is a head of the whole Christendom, on all scriptural evidence and proofs of God's and man's scripture and literature.
Eighthly, we hear that the beasts have found the supposed bulls here at Wurmbs, and it is well stated that they have not painted any of the Babest.
What has the Babest to command the emperors, royal princes, 2c., as he has understood himself ethically a hundred years, yes to depose them, and to disown their regalia, 3) if Christ, our Lord, has said that the Babest wants to be the governor, Regnum Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. 4)
God grant His grace to the Turkish nation to direct itself in such a way that it becomes free and rid of annals, palliative money, reserves, pensions, lehenkeffen and other Roman practices, to make Christian good order and policey, and God wills that Ro. Kl. Mayst. I myself would be enlightened and well, so that these things would be taken into other ways for the benefit of our Christianity.
You Germans are white and cautious, and now your virtue and prudence are to appear at the
2) "am" put by us instead of "am", which is without doubt a misprint. Felix V was the counterpope of Eugenius.
3) Maybe: vernainen?
4) In Cyprian: moäo instead of: mnnäo.
The highest need, therefore, God the Almighty give his grace.
It is an eternal scandal for all the German nation, indeed for the whole of Christendom, if such a person is to be persecuted unheard and unconvincingly for his manifold Christian superfluous requests.
Luther's report of March 6, 1521, to Lang: Aleander was working at Worms with all his might to get an imperial edict issued against him, but had not yet achieved anything.
See Appendix, No. 67 in the Postscript.
Luther's report to Staupitz on February 9, 1521, about the many evil but futile attempts the papists had made against him at Worms.
See Appendix, No. 21, § 1.
C. The first part of the book is a description of the vain plans to settle the religious riots in Worms, even before Luther's arrival in Worms.
532 An anonymous proposal to Prince Frederick that the emperor, along with the kings of England and Hungary, should elect arbiters over Luther's books, and that both the pope and Luther should be satisfied with what the judges would pronounce.
This writing is in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1551), torn. II, toi. 118 A part of it, §§ 12-15, is found in German according to Spalatin's manuscript in Förstemann's "Neues Urkundenbuch", p. 67.
Translated into German.
The Council of one who heartily wished to help both the Roman Pontiff's Highness and the tranquility of all Christendom.
(1) It behooves a Christian to be heartily attached to Christ's governor and to maintain his prestige as much as possible. Again, it is also due to the pope's godliness to hold nothing of what is his so dear that he does not prefer the honor of Christ, his prince and sovereign, to it. And those who hold the pope's honor and prestige in such high esteem must do so with prudence and
Do it with prudence. This happens when one defends it with such reasons that even righteous and pious men can approve. For otherwise no one does more harm to papal sovereignty than he who seeks to protect and preserve it with no other defense than terror and human rewards. Now that one is well disposed against the Christian religion, he also heartily regrets that this noise has been caused by some who have embittered Luther to write out some things more vehemently and freely; and who have stirred up the otherwise gentle heart of the pope to deal with Luther more severely than is perhaps good for the peace and tranquility of Christendom.
2) What Luther writes is now set aside; however, we are reminded to consider not only what is appropriate for Luther, but what serves the peace of the church; for one spares the guilty often and obviously, so that no greater noise arises.
First of all, it is sufficiently evident that the matter arose from an evil beginning, namely, from hatred of scholarship, which is now flourishing again in Germany, and from enmity against the languages, which are now reemerging everywhere, by whose splendor, as they think, their reputation is coming down, since they have hitherto been regarded as learned people without them. Some have done everything to suppress them, and in this they are of a completely different kind than the Roman pope, who has the greatest respect for such studies.
4 After that, as far as Luther is concerned, this misfortune is largely to be attributed to those who preached and wrote such things about indulgences and the power of the Roman pope that no godly and learned man could hear; so that, as far as the beginning of this evil is concerned, one might well think of Luther that he was moved by honest impulse and zeal for the Christian religion.
(5) That he began to write a bit more heatedly afterwards is at least reduced by those who do not otherwise excuse it by saying that he was not induced to do so without cause by some people's irritations and vituperations. They had not even read his books, and yet they proclaimed him to the people as a heretic, antichrist, and a spirit of the rotten. Before the papal sovereignty publicly intervened, no one listened to the man, no one referred to him, although he always offered himself for all disputation, as he still does; he was only always condemned. For the Prieria's answer is found even by the
not good that the bull against Luther have acted.
When Eck's disputation was left to the judgment of the Parisian school, those at Cologne and Louvain, who were not charged with anything, came first and only condemned. And since they did it by agreement among themselves, they still do not agree in the articles, and indeed in the most noble ones. Next, the persons through whom the matter has passed are of such a kind that they may reasonably be thought suspect, because their cause was involved. For neither their doctrine nor their life is such that one may turn much to their judgment, especially in so important a matter. The best and most pious people are not satisfied with the way Luther was treated, even if he had written nothing but heretical things. And one is therefore not immediately attached to Luther if one does not approve of the origin and the way of proceeding, just as little as one approves of a murderer who says that he should not be executed until he has been properly convicted and sentenced.
(7) The bull issued against Luther too severely displeases even those who seek to preserve the Roman Pontiff's reputation, because it tastes more of the fierce hatred of some monks than of the sedan chair of him who is the most gentle of Christ's governors, and has nothing at all of the nature of him who has otherwise been so mild and kind. Therefore, it is strongly suspected that there are people who misuse his benevolence and his litter for their own desires. But the more everyone reveres the Roman Pontiff's reputation, the more it is to be seen that nothing comes from him that, according to the judgment of pious people, does not seem to befit him; no prince, be he as great as he likes, has to throw this judgment to the wind.
Moreover, the wider this matter extends and the more dangerous it is, the more diligently one should have seen to it that one did not bluster into the day. Everyone is well aware that the Christian way of life has, through gradual decay, departed very much from the true evangelical teachings of Christ, to such an extent that everyone admits that there is a need for a public and special improvement of the laws and customs. Just as this is not to be attacked thoughtlessly, so one must not bark into the day against those who, out of good instinct, remember one thing and another, even if it seems that they act too freely in this.
9 And if it were true that Luther had been completely wrong, it would have been theological kindness to give the people the following information
and if he had been transferred and still did not want to improve, then to deal with him first, as with a corrupt limb. Those who give such advice do not keep it with Luther, but with the theological order and the papal prestige. For in this way Luther could have been completely subdued if he had first been removed from the minds of the people and then from the book halls. Now it is possible to get him out of the book halls to some extent by burning the books, but in the meantime his opinions remain stuck in the minds of many, since one sees that they are not refuted. The good minds of the laymen also have their judgment, which comes mainly from nature, even among the scholars. There are so many learned and also pious people, some of whom are quite honest-minded and hold firmly to the evangelical truth, and yet have found nothing offensive in Luther's writings. Such people want to be taught, but do not want to and should not be coerced. Donkeys can only be coerced, and tyrants know nothing but coercion. 1) Theologians should, at the very least, instruct and teach with all gentleness, but not go about with invective, parties and conspiracies.
(10) And here we must not only consider what Luther deserves, of which I am not judging anything in advance, but only what is most conducive to the peace of Christendom in the present danger. We see that Luther is everywhere regarded as a righteous man, and is thus firmly established in the hearts of the people, especially of the Germans; although in other nations, too, everyone who judges honestly, that is, is removed from everything that can corrupt a man's judgment, is least displeased with Luther. Everyone confesses that he has improved from his books, although perhaps one and the other can be justly left out. We know how the Germans are minded. We see that the Bohemians have been obdurate for so many years, and that the neighboring countries are not very far removed from such a mob. We hear daily the serious complaints of many who say that they could no longer bear the yoke of the Roman see, which they attribute perhaps not so much to the pope as to those who abuse the pope's power for their tyranny.
(11) Now, if it is all done in a violent and hostile way, anyone who is wise will easily see what a noise it will make.
1) Jos. Hall refers to this saying as that of Erasmus, thus he would be the author of this thought. (Walch.)
since we often see that in the world from a small beginning the most harmful disagreements have arisen. It also seems that the world, tired of the 1) old and too sophistical theology, has a thirst for the sweet springs of the evangelical doctrine, and it can be seen that it will break in by force if the door is not opened, so that if one is not completely satisfied with Luther, one must at least put the sophistical theology on a new and better foot.
12. Since the matter has had an evil origin, and it seems to have been provided for on both sides; first, on the side of those who have stirred up Luther's spirit with their ungodly irritations, and then soon embittered him more and more with hostile and grim cries; especially since it seems that they are seeking their own self-interest with this, since, on the other hand, such suspicion does not cling at all to Luther, who is content with his bad condition: it is clear that nothing would be more useful than for this matter to be settled and compared by people who are completely free of all suspicion. It is true that the decision on matters of faith belongs primarily to the Roman Pontiff, and he is not to be deprived of this right; however, for the sake of the common good, he will willingly entrust this matter to other righteously learned and honest pious men, on whom no suspicion can fall, either that they want to court the Roman Pontiff against the evangelical truth out of fear or hope, or that they hold the opposite view out of human partiality. Such arbitrators can be suggested by three kings who are also free of all suspicion, each from his own nation, namely the Emperor Carl, the King of England, and the King of Hungary. What they will say, after a diligent perusal of Luther's writings and a present interrogation of him, can be the end of the matter.
13 And if Luther is then rightly instructed, he may heartily recognize his error, and henceforth let his books go forth purely from such error anew, lest for the sake of a few errors the whole benefit of the evangelical harvest be put to shame. For many find it quite unjust and useless if, for the sake of a few human errors, even the things that are good and right should be condemned; but-
1) vstsrss should be vstsris.
This is because even in Augustine's books one can find and read the answers of heretics full of impiety and blasphemy, written down by the notaries.
If Luther then still wanted to insist on what the arbiters would condemn, then one must of course resort to the most extreme means. Then no one will stand by Luther who has been overcome. And on the other hand, where he mends his ways, everything in Christendom will proceed with calmness in silence. And this will not detract at all from papal power or prestige, but will raise the suspicion of those who would perhaps pay less attention to the pope's judgment because he would seem to be pushing his own cause because of indulgences and his supreme sovereignty. On the contrary, his godliness will be praised by all that, for the sake of the truth of the Gospel and the peace of Christendom, he preferred to yield a little of his right.
(15) If anyone is not satisfied with this advice, the first thing to do is to refer the matter to the next council. Which, for many reasons, seems to be required by the fundamentally corrupt state of Christianity in many respects. For it does not seem appropriate or advisable that such an important matter should be taken up in such a way amidst the noise and unrest of the princely world affairs, and that it should be treated superficially, especially since everything looks quite dangerous, both among the Germans and the Spaniards, so that it does not seem advisable to give rise to new noise. First of all, it is right that at the new coronation of the emperor 2) everything should be cheerful and lively, and that it should not be marred and disturbed by such hateful things.
16 With this advice I did not want to anticipate anyone. For I have only opened my thoughts, which I consider most useful, out of an honest heart, especially since I have been requested to do so by the highest princes, both secular and ecclesiastical.
I wish that the evangelical truth may prevail and everything may be for the glory of Jesus Christ! Amen.
2) Carl V was crowned emperor at Aachen on October 22, 1520. According to this, this writing would have to be set before this time; however, Spalatin's manuscript offers instead: "Nor is it proper in any way that the imperial regiment of imperial majesty should be burdened with such a hasty beginning and be made unhappy. Incidentally, Spalatin's handwriting does not bear a date either. Förstemann has placed above it: "at the beginning of April 1521".
533. advice given by the Dominican prior in Augsburg, Johann Faber, to the Elector of Saxony at the Diet of Worms.
This writing is found according to Spalatin's manuscript in Försteinann's "Neues Urkundenbuch", p. 66. Seckendorf, nist. lib. I, p. 145, has translated it into Latin and Frick has retranslated it into German in the German Seckendorf, p. 323. We give it after Förstemann.
To My Most Gracious Lord, the Elector of Saxony 2c.
The Pope, the Roman Emperor, the kings of France, Hispania, England, Portugal, Hungary and Poland shall each appoint four excellent, highly learned men, and each prince of the Holy Roman Empire one. And what they speak and do of Doctor Martinu's writings shall be strong.
This trial was held against Arius, Sabellius, Nestorius 2c. and others; neither the pope nor anyone else was believed alone.
But the Roman emperors sometimes alone, sometimes together with the pope, called for the concilia together, and in the concilia it was always decided what was true or what was false, as the four first concilia indicate.
The named 1) have also not been cited and summoned to Rome, nor have they been condemned or sentenced to Rome, but in the concilia, as may now also happen.
The time and place shall be appointed as it is deemed best and most convenient by the Roman Emperor's Majesty and the Electors, so that it may be carried out without difficulty, with good security and with everyone's opportunity.
Perhaps it would be good to allow at least half a year for respite, or longer, so that learned men can examine all things well and completely, and nothing is done thoughtlessly. For this will be the cause of many things in common Christianity.
For we know what dangers there are on both sides: The rebellion of the Holy Roman Empire, perhaps through the cunning of the French; the danger to the clergy and the common people; the rejoicing of the enemies of the Roman Empire; the inducement to disobedience; the danger to some princes and perhaps also to the imperial majesty; the annoyance of the common people; the future of the French.
1) Seckendorf: Those accused of doctrinal error.
2) Thus Seckendorf.
Tyranny and rage, and the prohibition of publicly proclaiming and preaching the truth.
If it were now decreed that Doctor Martinus be heard at the appropriate time and place, perhaps all things would be arranged well and with God. And that this may happen, I ask God and will ask God forever.
The pope and his people should have patience this time, because there is danger.
In this no harm comes to the pope, but for the sake of the common peace of Christendom, because it cannot be ordered and decreed any better now.
However, the Imperial Majesty shall issue a mandate throughout the entire empire to both parties to refrain from disputing and writing until the matter is finally settled. 3)
534 Another objection raised shortly before this Imperial Diet and given to the Elector of Mainz, dated Nov. 2, 1520.
From Seckendorf's nist. lik. I, p. 145 k. In the Weimar Archives, Reg. <4, no. 43. Spalatin is said to have brought this concern from the Imperial Diet at Worms (Seckendorf l. c.); but our writing seems rather to be a letter from Faber about the advice he gave orally to the Elector of Mainz in Cologne.
This doctrine seems to be hard and difficult, because it has the reputation of bringing about great change in many things. If those in Rome, and those whom this teaching particularly attacks, do not change or improve themselves and their lives, not only will they not silence Brother Martin, but stone and wood will cry out. I do not like the way of proceeding against Martinus as a banished man, because it does not satisfy learned people, and the people are neither calmed nor satisfied by it. I would prefer that the pope and the imperial majesty appoint learned, God-fearing and impartial men, whose pronouncement both parties must accept, so that the matter would be handled with modesty on both sides. This is what seems good to me in regard to the teachings of Brother Martin, which I have given to the reverend Archbishop of Mainz in Cologne as an answer, when his reverends wished to know my opinion. Anno 1520, Nov. 2, Br. Joh. Faber, 4) ppa. manu subs.
3) Thus supplemented by Seckendorf.
4) At Seckendorf: Fabi.