Section Five of Chapter Eighteen.

Of the imperial diets held again at Speier, also Worms and Regensburg.

1415. farewell of the Diet of Speier, erected Anno 1544. The 10th of June, Anno 1544.

From Lünig's Imperial Archives, purt. eont., x. 791.

We Carl the Fifth, by the Grace of God, elected Roman Emperor, at all times Major of the Empire, King in Germania, in Castile, in Arragon, in Legion, in both Sicilies, in Jerusalem, in Hungary, in Dalmatia, in Croatia, Navarre, to Grenades, to Toleten, to Valentz, to Galicia, Majoricarum, Hispalis, Sardiniä, Cordubä, Eorsicä, Murciä, Giennis, Algarbien, Algezirä, to Gibraltar, and the islands Canariä, also the islands Jndiarum and Terrä firmä, the sea Oceani etc.Archduke of Austria; Duke of Burgundy, of Lotterich, of Brabant, of Steyer, of Carinthia, of Kram, Limburg, Guelders, Würtenberg, Calabria, Athenarum, Neopatria; Count of Habtzburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol, of Gorizia, of Parsiloni, of Artoys, of Burgundy; Count Palatine of Hainault, of Holland, of Zeeland, of Pfierdt, of Kyburg, of Namur, of Rossilion, of Ceritan and of Zütphen;

Landgrave in Alsace, Margrave of Burgau, of Oristani, of Gotiani, and of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of Swabia, of Catalonia, of Asturia etc.; Lord of Friesland, of the Wendish Mark, of Portenau, of Biscaja, of Molin, of Salims, of Tripoli and of Mechelen: confess and declare mannishly: When, after the recent Imperial Diet held at Regensburg, we, for unavoidable, excellent, and opportune reasons, have again gone to Italy and thence to our Hispanic hereditary kingdoms and lands, in order to protect and shield them from our enemies' invasions, damages, and troubles, we are informed as follows by our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, how princes, princes and common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and of the absent embassies, at the next following Imperial Diet here at Speier, agreed and resolved on an expedition and assistance against the enemy of the Christian faith and name, the Turks, and also rendered the same, in addition to which, for what excellent reasons occurred, such assistance against the aforementioned enemy, the Turks, was unavoidable.

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The German people have been unhappy, unfruitful and unserviceable, for which reason another aid, in accordance with the Wormsian proposal of the Rome campaign, was decided at Nuremberg; which, however, was not very helpful against this powerful enemy; with the narration of other manifold concerns and troubles of the Holy Roman Empire, and a friendly admonition and request to dispose of us again in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in view of the great need, so that due consideration may be given to averting all of these concerns and troubles. Although, out of the gracious and fatherly love and affection that we have always borne for the Holy Empire and before the German nation, we would have liked nothing better than to have personally disposed of ourselves in the German nation in the next two and fortieth years of the lesser number, when we had finally decided to do so, and to have used all of our power and assets, as we had commanded by virtue of our decree, as we, in the power of our commanded office, as a Christian emperor, may be eager to the highest, with our own person, also our hereditary kingdoms, lands and people, so that the hereditary enemy of Christendom may be resisted all the more nobly and necessarily, and also in other and the Holy Empire's highest objections and troubles may have been procured by us cheaply and duly: But we have been prevented in such necessary and Christian actions against our will, especially because the hereditary enemy of Christian faith and name, the Turk, at the instigation and appeal of the King of France, sent his mighty armada to the Genoese Sea next year, there attacked our prince and member of the Holy Roman Empire, the Duke of Savoy, and captured the city and port of Nissa. And although the same Turks, together with the French, were finally forced to leave in disgrace and damage by our people of war, who were then drawn under their eyes, they did not refrain from attacking and damaging other surrounding territories of the Holy Roman Empire and our Hispanic hereditary kingdoms and lands, and causing them burdensome and irreparable damage and harm. On the other hand, the fact that the King of France has violently invaded and damaged our Hispanic kingdoms, as well as our Low Countries, means that we have not only failed to dispose of the Holy Empire of the German Nation as favorably as we might have been inclined to do, but that we have also, in addition to our friendly brother, the Roman King,

We have not yet been able to use our power and help against the common hereditary enemy of Christendom, the Turks, in Hungary, much less to remedy other high concerns and burdens of the Holy Roman Empire, as necessity requires.

1. But all this notwithstanding, and so that the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire and men may feel and still feel at work our gracious, paternal, and benevolent will, which we have ever and always borne to the Holy Roman Empire and the estates of the same: Notwithstanding the aforesaid hindrances, and in addition to the manifold temptations, so that we, also our Hispanic kingdoms and lands, are burdened in more ways, leaving our Hispanic kingdoms and lands once again, not with little complaint and inconvenience, we have initially disposed of ourselves in Italy; and when, by the grace of God, we happily arrived in Genoa, we considered there, in view of common Christianity and especially of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, an unavoidable necessity, for the most advantageous, a common Diet in the Holy Roman Empire has been immediately announced and proclaimed to all Princes, Princes and Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, to be held on the last day of the month of November, next to each other, in our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Speier, or, in the case of marital impediment, to order theirs to come here with full power, to act, to advise and finally to conclude in a proper and respectable manner against a persistent and highly necessary resistance of the common enemy of Christendom, also against other objections and difficulties of the Holy Roman Empire, in which at many imperial diets held up to now nothing tolerable nor condemnable has been done, as our notice of the aforementioned imperial diets contains and is able to do further and after the length.

2. at which Imperial Diet we, as well as princes, princes and other estates of the Holy Roman Empire, in excellent numbers in our own persons, and some through their embassies and councils, have obediently arrived and appeared before us with full authority.

Accordingly, we, together with the same princes, princes and estates, and the absent councils and embassies, have taken into consideration the article of resistance and proper help against our holy Christian faith and name's hereditary enemy, the Turks, as a highly necessary point. And since it has been publicly found that the King of France

not only entered into an alliance with the reported enemy, the Turk, but also made himself dependent on him in such a way that he moved him against the common Christendom, from which the Empire of the German Nation and the common Christendom could suffer even more ruinous and irreparable damage:

(4) We, the princes, princes and estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and the counsellors and embassies who are absent, consider the said King of France, no less than the Turk, to be a common enemy of Christendom, and therefore to act against him, as against the Turk, with physical action and punishment, and so much the more that other Christian potentates may thereby have cause to refrain from such unchristian actions in the future. Accordingly, the princes, princes and estates, as well as the counsels and embassies of the absentees, have decided to declare themselves against the aforementioned King of France, not only in word, but also in deed.

5. And although the commonwealths, without their and their own difficulties, may not be able to render a considerable and brave assistance at this time against the above-mentioned enemy of our holy Christian name and faith, the Turks, and the King of France, his supporters and allies, nevertheless, for our submissive honor and good pleasure, and so that we may find their submissive, faithful obedience and love, which they bear to us, in the work, and especially that we may follow up our Christian intention and gracious offer the more nobly and conducively, namely that we want to bring and help to bring about a noble expedition and help against the common enemy of Christendom, in our own person, also with our and our hereditary kingdoms and countries' fortunes, as soon as we have done away with this internal enemy and brought him to justice (by means of divine graces), so that for his sake we can unhinderedly turn our power against the Turk: Accordingly, the princes, princes and estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and the counsels and embassies of those who are absent, have granted us and our friendly brother, the Roman king, to resist the two enemies mentioned above. thousand men on foot, and N. thousand on horseback, for N. months, and to pay four florins for each man on foot, and twelve florins for each man on horseback, every month; therefore we and our brother, the Roman King, have united and agreed on a friendly and brotherly basis for such aid; but as far as the

If the war against France would not last so long, then the remaining money of the granted aid, which should have been used against France, should be spent and saved for future defensive aid against the Turks, with this measure and modesty,' that in this case, since the war against France reached its end before the end of the N. months, the surplus of the granted aid is thus moderated and understood in such a way that that which we have granted above the simple salary can be further transferred. In this case, since the war against France reached its end before the end of the next few months, the surplus of the granted aid will be reduced and understood in such a way that that which we would have to pay to the people of the war in excess of the granted simple pay, calculated as a deduction from the surplus, will also be paid by the civet, where it may bear so much. But to our friendly dear brother, the Roman king, the due share of his dear ones, reported N. months out, shall follow and become without departure.

6. And now, so that such assistance may be raised and rendered reliably and completely, the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the counsels and embassies of the absentees, have united and agreed that every prince, duke, and estate that is found to be in the service of the Holy Roman Empire shall pay for the number of horse and foot soldiers that he is to receive in the course of the march to Rome, who is in the Holy Roman Empire's aid, and is found to be in the charge of the Rome campaign, for the number that he is due to receive on horseback and foot by virtue of the Rome campaign, the remuneration, as it exists, in gold and good common coin, for N. months, and N. fourths of a year. Months, and N. quarter of a month at three different terms, in the leg cities to pay and deposit, so that he on the first date, namely after this current N. Month of June, for N. Months, on the first day of Augusti again on the month, and on the third date on the first day of Octobris, next coming, for N. Months and N. The same shall accept this and give the deed of execution, and shall deliver and cause to be delivered to our, or our brother the Roman King's, appointed collectors and commanders, against due receipt, as the case may be, and shall herewith have power and command by virtue of this our farewell.

(7) In order that such assistance may be the less burdensome for the common estates, the princes, princes and estates, who from time immemorial have drawn some estates to themselves from and out of the empire's assistance and represent them against the empire, should and will have their withdrawn estates contribute their due assets, according to the content of the above-mentioned proposals, to this assistance, or at least for them.

The authorities shall pay and present the fees themselves, but with the proviso and modesty that their granting of them shall in future not result in any loss or detriment to their old freedoms, rights and customary use.

8. However, we have granted and allowed the estates, which have complained about the excessiveness of their proposals, and have asked for the same dispute and settlement now and in the past for more held imperial diets, also for those who have moved out and are too high, together with the princes, princes and estates and the absent councils and embassies, what would be found in the dispute and settlement of the claims, that they would be burdened more than others in this aid, that they shall and may, after having obtained reduction and settlement of their claims, again freely deduct and withhold from the next deficiency aid; which shall certainly be done for them.

9. If, however, anyone of the common estates, whoever he or they may be, should prove disobedient and fail to pay their due investment at the appointed time or times, he or they shall be reported to our Imperial Chamber Court Fiscal, who shall then proceed and proceed against them with due process, and shall encourage them (as is right) to obedience and payment, to which we and our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, shall and will promote him and help him earnestly.

10. And because this help against and against our holy Christian faith and name's hereditary enemy, the Turks, and their followers and allies is a Christian, good and necessary work, which comes to the comfort and protection of males, in addition to which the above-mentioned help will be somewhat considerable in itself and will be not a little burdensome for some estates to provide from their chamber property: It is considered reasonable and necessary that every prince, duke and estate ask his subjects for help and taxes for this purpose and that they provide them.

(11) In particular, it has been considered and decreed as just and equitable that the capitulars of the high monasteries and the subjects of their archbishops and bishops, as well as the cities that are subject to princes, come to tax their princes or authorities in such help for this Christian work, unhindered by all contracts, obligations and statutes that some of the founding cities make with them, in the future and otherwise in other ways, without interruption of their liberties and rights.

12 Since many estates have complained about the old inequality of the proposals, and at many previous imperial congresses and now have petitioned and requested us to ring-fence their proposals, and such ring-fencing and comparison of the proposals at this imperial congress, for all kinds of moving causes, and especially for lack of sufficient report of each estate, may not attain its due completion and real finality.

. 13. So that this point may be remedied, and so that for the sake of the proposals, such reasonable ways and settlements may be made, according to which the estates of the Holy Roman Empire may be guided: We have agreed with the princes, princes and estates of the Holy Roman Empire and the absent councils and envoys, and they in turn have agreed with us, that in ten circles and councils, as they are called in the recent agreement established at Speier, each county prince (who is entitled to do so by law and custom) shall require and describe the county councils in his county to the most convenient place, so that such county council may be held for the longest time between now and St. Michael's Day in the future,

14 At such a district council, the district councils of their district shall hear, consider and deliberate on the need to help the same, and how a similar proposal could be found and made in the Holy Empire, either by reducing the number of complainants and increasing the number of enablers, or in other ways, or even by a completely new proposal.

15 At such district assembly, four persons shall be elected and appointed from each district's estates, among which in the districts where there are one or more imperial cities. The same four persons shall present the above-mentioned complaints, together with the delegates appointed by their county councils, for the time and place that follows.

16) And in order that this necessary work, the comparison of the proposals, may be carried out the more correctly and lawfully, we order, decree, and will that each district's estates grant to their appointed four persons their authority and power to act and help to carry out everything that is to be done on the next appointed day by all the district's estates.

The following table shows the number and type of the measures to be taken and the number and type of the measures to be carried out.

In addition, these four appointed persons shall present written proof to our commissioners and the other appointed county councils that they are exempt and exempt from their oath and duty to be related to their lords and superiors, as far as this action, wrestling and settlement of the charges may concern.

We and the princes, princes and estates of the Holy Roman Empire and of the absent councils and embassies have also allowed and granted that if any estate wishes to present its complaint or its report, which occurred at the district assembly, to our commissioners and to the general assembly of all district councils, or otherwise to dismiss someone for the sake of a further report, that the same should be left to him, but that he should be heard by them in an emergency.

19. And for the speedy promotion and execution of this work, we have, with the advice, knowledge and will of the common estates and the absentees, appointed and decreed councils and embassies, and do so herewith, that our commissioners, two of whom shall be from the German Nation, such persons of all and each of the above-mentioned counties shall certainly arrive at Worms, where we also proclaim and intend to hold a general Diet, on the first day of October next, and the county councillors shall present a written certificate of their duty. And if there is a dispute or confusion that the deputies do not want to settle, our commissioners (but only at their, the deputies', request) shall bring them to settlement as much as possible.

(20) Accordingly, the above-mentioned persons elected by all the districts of the commonwealths and of the estates shall take up, consider, and, as much as possible, with the advice and discretion of all of them, direct the peculiar complaints brought before them in an equitable manner, and shall agree upon and make an equitable and equal assessment of the realm, whether by reducing the amount of the complainants and increasing the amount of the enablers, or by an entirely new assessment, or by other means. And that they will unanimously compare and decide with each other, that shall exist and really be carried out.

(21) But if the said deputies of the realm do not want to compare or unite with each other, or if they cannot be compared by our appointed commissioners, they shall discuss the same, with their reservations and their

The Council of the Holy Roman Empire is to consider and advise on the reasons for sending messages to the princes, rulers and estates of the Holy Roman Empire and the absentees at the same Imperial Diet, and to consider and advise on how to reach a settlement of the proposals more effectively.

22. We also mean, order and want that four persons appointed to each district, councillors appointed in such a common district, shall remain steadfast in all matters concerning the comparison of the proposals, whether they concern the district councils in general, or their lords, or also special councils of the same district, or others; and that four persons appointed to each district shall confer with each other about each presentation and inquiry, if they deem it good and necessary, and if they are of one opinion, they may then, for the advancement of the matter, present their objections by one of them alone, in such a way that such one vote shall be counted for four votes and shall be valid. But in case the four of a circle would not be unanimous among themselves, each one shall be at liberty to open his advice and concern for himself.

23 If, however, it should happen that one or more districts or special estates should not send their own, as the case may be, to such a day, or should not be provided with authority and power, nor should they appear themselves, and this should not be or should not happen, then the district estates appearing and their sent embassies shall have power and authority to proceed and decide against the same absent district and the same estates nevertheless.

24. And since in such an assembly all kinds of disputation and disagreement might occur because of the session, in that some of the deputies might consider it good to take and hold the session according to the circles, and the others according to the usage, in common imperial assemblies: For this reason, and in order that such confusion may occur, we have decreed and ordered that, since such action concerns the whole realm and the settlement of the commonwealth, and thus flows from princes, princes and all estates, it concerns them all, and is not the action of a single district, the district deputies and the persons appearing shall take their session according to the usage brought into the realm assembly, and each shall also have the session which the same estate has in the common realm assembly on such day. And even if there is some disagreement between some estates about the session, the session as it is held shall not deprive any person of his rights.

The same shall not be detrimental to the circles at their traditional sessions, nor shall they be detrimental or advantageous to them.

(25) In particular, this decree and procedure, which is made for the sake of a quick and correct comparison of the proposals, shall not cause any damage or injury to the Electors' custom and practice of having a special council, and each of them may have his own special persons and vote in the common committees of the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, as has been the custom from time immemorial.

26. However, when we, together with the princes, princes and estates, and the absent embassies, considered and contemplated with timely advice that, with the help of our holy Christian name and faith, the tyrannical Turkish enemy might not be turned away from the common Christendom, but rather that, if one wants to break him off in a proper way and to get rid of the troubled Christians, land and people from his tyrannical power (by means of divine grace), one should save and keep our fatherland, but, if we want to break off from him in a good way, and if we want to get rid of the Christians, the country and the people from his brutal power (by divine grace), and if we want to save and keep our fatherland, we have to carry out and execute a constant and brave defensive action against the mentioned enemy: For the sake of such defensive aid, we have had necessary discussions with the common estates. And so that an emergency supply may be raised and made in time for such a great work, we, also the princes, rulers and estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and the embassies and councils of the absentees, have deemed it useful and necessary that all estates, cities and inhabitants of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Nation, who enjoy and use the same peace and welfare, They may be included in the Holy Empire's proposals or not, no one is exempt, be drawn to such common compassion, and be subject to such a uniform, continuous system that no one of high or low rank is spared, nor is anyone burdened for the other, but each one gives equal investment and taxation according to his fortune alongside the other. Accordingly, the common estates have decided and united that a common continuous investment of a common penny shall be made and brought in, and kept and retained in their coffers behind every sovereign, prince, and estate's ordered collectors, until our and the common estates' further settlement and decision to be made and taken at the next coming Imperial Diet, all to the extent and in the form that follows.

27. And namely, all and every prince, prince, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, those of the nobility, also the free and imperial cities and others in cities and in the countryside, whatever their status, dignity or being, shall not be exempt, also regardless of all treaties, liberties, indulgences and conventions, which may be contrary to this grant and annex, from all their movable and immovable goods and chattels, be they fiefs or their own, shall each pay and pay half a florin for every hundred florins of legal value, and five florins for every thousand florins of value of goods, and thus to be counted up and down, in this annex fully adequate, for the establishment, taxation and maintenance of this Christian work; and the florin shall be reckoned at fifteen batzars, or sixty kreuzers, or in one and twenty silver pennies, or so much value therefor of any other common coin.

28. whoever has less than one hundred guilders in value shall give six kreuzer for every twenty guilders, and whoever has less than twenty guilders in value shall give four kreuzer, or so much value.

29. fifty guilders per annum shall also be counted as fees, interest and income for one thousand guilders of value and main property, and the same shall also be counted as one hundred guilders of purchased property for one thousand guilders of main property, and shall be paid in this assessment.

30 All princes, rulers, and estates, together and separately, shall keep to this common order, live up to it completely, and shall not charge and occupy their own, either higher or lower, or in any other form, this time on account of the defension assistance provided; however, common estates shall be free to compare and occupy themselves with their subjects on account of other matters and emergency necessities.

31. And because now fifty guilders of yearly validity for a thousand guilders of main property, as above, have been set, and five guilders of it have been ordered to be paid yearly for this plant; and some, however, have from their cash properties of the year more use and income without their special trouble and expense, than from a thousand guilders of main property fifty guilders: We have consulted with princes, princes and estates, and they in turn have consulted with us, and have deemed and decreed that they, whether of high or low estate, shall also pay and pay the tenth penny of their several annual revenues and uses.

The members of the community shall also pay the tenth penny for all their annual favors and benefits to this facility, so that the inequality of the assessments would be prevented and no one would be raised above the other.

32 And because this attack was made for the entertainment of the Christian warriors against the Turks, our holy Christian faith and name, for the salvation of Christian blood and for the protection and shielding of our common fatherland of the German nation, and for the freedom of all of us, our bodies and our goods, it is necessary and Christian, for which reason no one should refuse such an installation, nor should he prefer any freedom, treaties or old customs.

33. Accordingly, at the request of the princes, princes and estates, and of the absent embassies, we have received, graciously granted and taken upon ourselves, the nobility in the lands of Swabia, Franconia and the Rhine, as well as other persons who are not included in the proposals of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the groves and seaside towns, which are not subject to and belong to princes, lords, or other authorities without means, and which are not included in the records of the Holy Roman Empire, to be described and dealt with in the most favorable manner in the local courts of each type of country, that they, in consideration of the above-mentioned causes, which every Christian, beforehand of the German nation, leads to his mind and heart, also agree to this Christian common and equal proposal, and give the same from their and their subjects' property, and according to this our order into a chest, which they shall for this reason erect, and keep it in trust until further settlement and decree by us and the common estates, with this gracious assurance that in the future it shall be inalienable and irrevocable to them in their liberties, ancient custom and usage.

34. And to this Christian benevolent work all monasteries, chapters, convents, religious, churches, church factories and hospitals, whether in cities or elsewhere, ecclesiastical and secular brotherhoods, and all other ecclesiastical assemblies, communities and enclosures, of men and women, whether exempt or not, shall give their taxes and investments, in consideration of what they are interested in handling the Christian name and faith, from which they also have their dignity, income and maintenance, and therefore from all their pensions, fees and income the tenth part, that is, from every hundred guilders of annual income to this Christian investment ten guilders, and thus up and down, according to the number of the

The same shall apply to all other of their real and movable possessions and goods, according to the provisions of this order. The same shall apply to all commanderies and houses of the Teutonic Order, the Order of St. John and other knightly orders, which are obliged to help others to resist the Turks by virtue of their religious endowments.

35 Likewise, the special ecclesiastical persons, if they are not princes, princes and prelates of the realm, shall pay and pay, or cause to be paid, from their pensions, reserves, and also from all their pensions, benefices, incomes and benefits, which they have from their benefices, beneficiis, dignitatibus, and their ecclesiastical status, the tenth penny (that is, from each one hundred guilders of value, annual fee and use, ten guilders, and thus up and down) to this estimate.

(36) And in order that the due investment of such pensions, reserves, and similar benefits may be more securely deposited, the person who is obligated to pay such pension or reserve shall be obligated to deposit the investment in this investment to his creditor in accordance with this provision. And so that the debtors may be all the more certain against their creditors and ecclesiastical authorities, on account of their bonds and obligations given for this purpose: Let us, by the papal sanctity or its sanctity's message, with all diligence promote and act on the ways that those who pay the due investments of the pensions and similar benefits are neither disturbed nor prevented from doing so by anyone; And then from the rest of their inherited and in other ways obtained or acquired lying estates and movable property, the clergy shall also pay and pay from one hundred florins [annual income of the year ten florins] 1) and so up and down, as is ordered by the seculars, to the investment at the end where they sat.

The clergy shall also assess their benefice houses according to Leibgeding value, and together with the parish incomes and competencies also the presents and daily fees, no less than others shall pay tax on their clerical incomes and give one of every ten pfennigs of annual use for investment, and thus count up and down according to whether the use is small or large.

1) Supplemented by us according to the almost identical text of No. 1406, s 64.

38. All electors, princes, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, those of the nobility, also free and imperial cities, communes and all others who have subjects, shall pay and give this tax and appurtenances, as much as is imposed on their persons and communes income and goods, solely from such of their own and their communes common dues, The tax shall be paid and given by their subjects without any restrictions, in consideration that they, be they spiritual or secular, must all give their investment for themselves, as mentioned above, so that equality is ensured in all estates, and no one is burdened more than the other.

39. The free cities and imperial cities, as well as other cities belonging to princes or other sovereigns, shall receive from the income of each of their chambers, as well as from the revenues and benefits of their hospitals and other such houses, which are in their or their administrations; and then the guilds, gaffs, guilds, 1) as well as all other universities, communes, colleges, faculties and collections, as have the names, nothing excepted, from their cases, uses and incomes, shall also pay the above assessment, as reported, and fifty florins of such income shall be counted for one thousand florins of principal property and value, and thus up and down, according to the number of each income.

40 And although it was known that many of those who annually have service or office money, of their salaries, above the expenses they have to spend with the maintenance of servants and horses and in other ways, and even enjoy a little. So that no one may be spared in this common assessment, we, including princes and estates, and the absent embassies, have deemed it just and equitable that everyone, whether of high or low, clerical or secular rank, including servants and maids, shall contribute and give one kreuzer of each guilder of annual service or office money to this system, and thus up and down, according to the increase and reduction of the sums.

Item 41: The Jews are to be assessed for this Turkish aid in such a way that every Jew, young or old, shall pay one florin at the beginning of this tax, and the rich Jews shall come to the aid of the poor in such an assessment; in addition, each of them shall pay one hundred florins of the main property.

1) "Guilds" put by us instead of: "Gülten". See No. 1406, 8 71.

which was always located, to give one guilder to this plant, and herewith their usury be invalidated.

42 And since the princes, lords, prelates, counts, freemen and lords, their nobles and the communes and cities, also peculiar persons, principalities, counties, dominions, authorities and castles are not to be estimated carelessly, nor to be assessed according to their right value, they shall and will assess their assets.According to their annual income in fees, interest, in addition to their other estates, cash and stock, as is now indicated, they shall calculate, assess and pay that one thousand guilders annual income, on twenty thousand guilders, and fifty guilders annual income for one thousand guilders main estate, and thus further to calculate up and down, shall be assessed, and each one thousand guilders main estate with five guilders, and each one hundred guilders main estate with half a guilder shall be charged and assessed for this deficiency payment.

43 However, in such a list, each person's clothes, jewels, silverware, and other household goods that each person cannot well do without for daily use according to his status and nature; item, high status persons, those of the nobility, and traveling servants, their horse, as well as other their armor and armor, also gun, powder, and other ammunition belonging to it, shall not be listed, but nothing else shall be excluded from this list.

However, the treasures and ornaments of the churches should not be included in this arrangement, but should be saved and kept as a treasure of Christianity, where they are needed for urgent, necessary, and unavoidable help.

In order that such an order may be strictly observed, and that all the confusion and discord which might easily arise between the ecclesiastical and the secular estates, with regard to the occupation of subjects and estates, may be entirely prevented and cut off, we hereby decree, mean and intend that each one alone, in the place where he is seated, shall give his annex to this defensible care of all his possessions and estates, whether they be fiefs or his own, whether they be within or without the realm. This is to be done without hindrance, as if they were inside or outside the realm, and that no estate, whether already under him or not, shall be taken or held by any other estate, whether already under him or not, under penalty and punishment, and the Holy Roman Empire's attention and disregard.

46 And now, so that this Christian attack may progress all the more quickly, and so that the sincere taking in, keeping in, and taking out may be made a reality.

The less suspicion grows for the sake of the male, the more the inclined, good and faithful will for such a right Christian work will be preserved: We have compared and united ourselves with princes, princes and estates, and they in turn with us, and do so also herewith in such a way that four handsome, pious and skilful persons shall be appointed to a principality or a landscape as superintendents of such facility by the princes or princes and the same landscape, namely one by princes or princes, the other by prelates and ecclesiastics, one by prelates and ecclesiastics, one by prelates and ecclesiastics, one by prelates and ecclesiastics, and one by prelates and ecclesiastics; the other by prelates and clergymen; the third by counts, freemen, lords and the knighthood, subject to the same elector or prince; and the fourth by the cities. Which four chief collectors first of all are to be released from all their duties, so that they are loyal to their sovereign, as far as this act is concerned, and are to be exempt, and thereupon are to pledge faithfully to the same sovereign for his sake and for the sake of his whole countryside, and also to swear a physical oath, as follows: I N. vow and swear that I shall and will N., my lord, and all his countryside and subjects, be faithful in my appointed office of collector, consider, advise and perform their honor, dignity and benefit at the same time, and faithfully claim and receive the investment of the common penny, according to the recently established imperial treaty at Speier, together with the appointed collectors, from his princely graces and the same subjects themselves, or through the hands of the appointed sub-collectors, and pour it into the designated chest at N. and help to keep it faithfully, and also keep my key, which is delivered to me to the same chest. I shall and will also have all the names and surnames that are to be placed in such a chest written down, admonish them in accordance with the aforementioned farewell and burden them with duties, in addition to which I shall send N., my lord, the correct copy of the registers made by my and my co-assigned head collectors, as well as of the lists or registers of the sub-collectors that are handed over to me and my co-journeymen, so that they can be seen therein and the disobedient can be brought to due obedience. Furthermore, I shall not and will not give such money in whole or in part to anyone, regardless of his dignity, status or nature, or allow it to follow, or agree that none of it shall be released, given or promised, but shall keep it faithfully and diligently in the prescribed chest and help to keep it until the Roman Imperial or Royal Majesty and the common estates of the empire have made a settlement and issued a ruling, at the next coming meeting.

I have the right to undertake and to give the Imperial Diet as a means of resisting the Turk, the hereditary enemy of our holy Christian faith, as well as for the settlement and preservation of the Christian lands and people, which are burdened and challenged by him. I shall and will also report honestly and in writing to the above-mentioned N., my lord, and his countryside, together with my fellow journeymen, about all and any such receipts and expenditures, and faithfully obey and carry out my command, according to all my best understanding, mind and ability, in which no envy, hatred, gift, favor, promises, friendship, or other things shall hinder me in any way, without any danger.

47 And after all this, the deputized chief collectors shall strictly follow their orders and duties, and shall be handled by the elector or prince by whom they are constituted, and shall not be subject to any disfavor or persecution.

48 In each principality, a common chest with four good locks shall be set up in a city to hold such money, and the four collectors shall each have a key to the four locks, so that none of them may unlock the other three locks and open the chest without the others assigned to him.

49. However, the clergy and clerics in the free and imperial cities, where archabbishoprics or cathedral monasteries, as well as monasteries and other monasteries are, may, with the consent of their ordinary authorities, order their special chests and collectors, and, according to the provisions of this our order, deposit this common penny as is due, and hand it over to their archbishop's or bishop's chest, or keep it in their chest by their appointed collectors until further request and decision by us and the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, in order to prevent all kinds of confusion and misunderstanding that might otherwise easily arise between the clergy and the secular. However, in the city where it has been kept from time immemorial, it shall remain and be preserved in its present form.

50 However, the chief collectors shall not receive any remuneration or reward from their offices, but shall only be paid and reimbursed for their reasonable living expenses.

51) And since it would be too much trouble for the above-mentioned four collectors to penetrate such a notice in all and every city, town and place of each principality by their own person, likewise the subordinates of the four collectors must be informed.

If it is still more inconvenient for them to hand over all their facilities to one place, located at the four settlers, each sovereign shall, together with his principality or the four settlers appointed, appoint some sub-settlers, in case of necessity, to his country's offices, caretakers or principalities, according to his and his country's opportunity, or principalities, according to his and his country's opportunity, for the taking of this plant, and appoint to the same sub-collectors a certain period of time, in which they are to bring in the plant at the places and ends, where they are appointed by the sovereigns among the four chief-collectors, and, in the locked chest, to which there shall also be different locks, and the sub-collectors shall each have a key to one of the locks alone, without any appendix, procure and deliver to the hands of the chief collectors, only what they have to spend for their necessary subsistence therefor being excluded, for which reason they shall nevertheless render to the said chief collectors a sincere account of their expenditure, and shall have no reward for their considerable subsistence.

In order that these sub-collectors may follow their orders more diligently and sincerely, they should first be exempted from their duty, as far as this action may concern, by their authorities, and then, for the sake of their acceptance and regulation, they should make vows and duties to their sovereigns or lords, and to the constituted super-collectors, or to whom they will command it in their stead, as follows:

I, N., vow and swear that I, in force of the order received at N., will demand the investment of the common penny, after the expulsion of the latest Speierian imperial farewell, from the subjects and rulers of N., my lord, together with my co-ordained sub-collectors, with faithful diligence, admonish them according to the farewell and burden them with duties, thereupon receive the investments, deposit them in the locked chest and help to keep them safe, also keep the key, which is entrusted to me for this purpose, and not let such money be handed over or followed, in whole or in part, to anyone else, nor help nor consent, except solely for the hands of the four chief collectors, and in the same chest at N. for the time that I and my companions are appointed by them. I shall and will also have the names and surnames of all those who, at the ends and places where I and my fellow journeymen have been ordered to deposit the annex, will deposit their annex, and their names and surnames who are to deposit and are disobediently recorded by me, diligently written down, and placed next to the annex chest, with

Together with my associates, hand over to the four elected chief collectors, also faithfully obey and execute my command according to all my best understanding, sense and ability, in which no envy, hatred, gift, 1) promise, favor, friendship, or other things shall hinder me in any way, without any danger.

54. And as it is set forth above about the electoral princes and princes' collectors and their office and duty, so we mean, order and decree that every prelate, prelate, count, baron, or nobleman, who is subject to the realm without means, shall appoint one for his own sake, and his subjects and rulers in the cities and in the countryside two, namely an ecclesiastical and a secular collector, who shall demand and collect these assets from them and their subjects, according to this order. 2) The mayors and councillors of the free and imperial cities may also have one or more dominions in the country; they shall keep it with the ordinance of the sub-collectors in the same way as reported above about the electoral princes and princes' offices, bailiwicks and captaincies sub-collectors, and as is set forth differently below about the appointment of the common peasants and subjects; and all these appointed collectors shall be released from their duty, and shall again do their duty and oath to their lord and sovereign, as to them and their burghers and subjects, in the form and measure as is above clearly expressed by the collectors in the churals and principalities.

55. And in order that such deposits may be collected more efficiently and with less effort, the collectors in the offices, bailiwicks and principalities, in which they are ordered to collect the deposits, shall determine and set a named day and time beforehand for the subjects, on which day they, the subjects and the dependents, shall deposit their due deposits; And those of them who exceed the same time and do not deposit shall immediately be forfeited to the penalty of having to deposit as much as they would otherwise have been obliged to pay according to the terms of this our decree, which they shall also pay without departure within fourteen days, next thereafter, as is due, and those who disobey this shall be fined by their lordship, upon deposit of double the deposit, according to the form of their disobedience and the same lordship or dominion reduction, in

1) "Gave" put by us instead of: "got". See § 46 at the end.

2) Here we have deleted "and shall".

whose chest they were obliged to put in, be punished seriously. If, however, it were the case that an authority or estate was not powerful enough to punish its disobedient subjects in the implementation of this Christian necessary facility, and therefore requested help and assistance from one or more estates or authorities sitting in the vicinity: If one or more estates or authorities in the vicinity request help and assistance, the estate or estates thus requested shall take up the matter at the caller's reasonable expense and presentation, to be paid by the disobedient subsequently, with no less diligence and earnestness, and shall help the caller to bring his subjects to obedience and due submission, as if the matter concerned and affected them themselves.

In order that the obedient subjects may be all the more willing, and the others all the less excused, each prince, sovereign and estate shall issue mandates or commands in his principality or dominion, in which first of all, for the above-mentioned Christian and just causes, the subjects shall be exhorted to take to heart the honor of the Almighty God, His holy faith, and the benefit and welfare of the common Christianity, and the common benefit of the common Christianity. To consider the common benefit of common Christianity, especially of the burdened Christians, the land and people, and of their brothers in the Christian faith and religion, and to put it all before their temporal benefit out of Christian brotherly love, and therefore to be unburdened, so that on the aforementioned appointed day of theirs each one may value his own property faithfully and without falsity and danger, and make his due investment of it, and in accordance with his status, certainly do the due assessment and duty before the collectors (as follows from high and low status persons), or have due restitution made on his behalf, all while avoiding the penalty and punishment, as is clearly set out above by the disobedient subjects.

57. And that nothing be lacking in all good Christian report and admonition, it is our will and opinion that the pastors and preachers every Sunday, when the people come together for divine offices or to hear the word of God, read the admonition and reminder that we have placed and had prepared for the Christian people in the pulpit, which we have placed and prepared here, to be read to the Christian people in the pulpit, and to give them an urgent report of the cruel, brutal servitude and complaints in which the Turk's own subjects, but especially all Christian people who are in the Turk's power, are held; and thereupon faithfully exhort their parishioners to pray to God Almighty for

We ask him to grant us his mercy and victory in order to avert his divine wrath and improve our sinful lives, to redeem so many poor Christian captives, to call upon him from the bottom of our hearts and to ask him to impose upon them the necessary equipment and taxes for this Christian work, out of a sense of Christian love, which they should bear towards the afflicted Christian lands and people, so that they, their wives and children, may be all the better preserved from such terrible danger and loss of their souls, bodies and goods.

For the sake of the devotion of the common Christian people, we decree that a prayer bell be rung every day at twelve o'clock throughout the entire kingdom, and that all and every Christian people say their devout prayers to the Almighty at the times when this bell is rung, and that their pastors and preachers diligently instruct and admonish them to do so.

59. As far as the form and measure is concerned, by which such necessary Christian investment of high and low class persons is to be required and brought together by the appointed collectors, we have united and agreed with the princes, rulers and estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and they in turn with us, that every prince, also prince, ecclesiastical or secular, with his princely dignities and duties, so that he is related to us and the Holy Roman Empire, and especially in his Christian conscience, and in accordance with this order, he shall pay his due investment of all his possessions and goods, movable and immovable, wherever they may be, outside or inside the realm, into the established collection chest, without counting, or have them deposited and paid in the appropriate manner and form.

60. But every prelate, prelate, count, baron, and of nobility, prince-councillors and mayors, sheriff, councillors, and other citizens, and the free and imperial cities, also of respectable and distinguished princes and princely cities, shall first, namely a prelate, prelate, count, baron, lord, and of nobility, one person according to his rank, and the others to the appointed collectors, before whom they shall pay their annex according to this order, with good true faith, in lieu of a sworn oath, to swear and affirm that they will pay all their goods and chattels, lying and travelling, whether inside or outside the realm, according to their best judgment.

and want to pay and pay the annex, as described above in our statutes and regulations, shall also deposit them immediately in the presence of the collectors in the prescribed chest, and shall not be obliged to pay the money or have it counted.

61. However, common peasants and subjects of the Electors, Princes and Estates and other authorities shall, in this annex, as has been done before, initially swear and vow by good true faith, in lieu of an oath, to faithfully declare all their assets to the appointed collectors and to pay tax on them; Thereupon the collectors shall likewise have their property examined by them and actually written down, and shall demand and receive six kreuzers for each twenty gulden of value of main property, or as much value in other coin, and four kreuzers for investment money from those having a value of less than twenty gulden; However, the peasants' estates, which are described and valued according to the legend of this order, shall be reserved for the authorities, who have brought them here from time immemorial in quiet use, to be invested in this system, and otherwise all high and low authorities, ecclesiastical and secular, all of which shall be harmless and inalienable to their rights and justices and ancient customs. If, however, one or more of them, for their own benefit and abridgement of this Christian tax and system, should wish to report and pay too little tax in their report, their authorities shall, according to the size and smallness of their concealment and according to the form of the same, punish them unrelentingly.

62. But for the collection of the Jews' assets, the appointed collectors shall not only use diligence to hold them to the strict oath of the Jews to open all their assets without fail, but also to write them down properly and to collect the assets from them (as above), and if one or more of them were found to be in danger of using them or to be using them falsely, he shall be reported to the authorities where he resides and shall forfeit and forfeit half of his possessions and goods as a result of his misconduct.

63) We have also, for the purpose of furthering and carrying out the intended defensive aid against the inhuman enemy of Christendom, the Turks, united with princes, princes and estates, and with the absentees, councils and envoys, and they in turn have united with us and agreed that all princes, princes and estates together, 1) and each one of them in particular, shall be united with the Turks.

1) "allesammt" put by us instead of: "Amt".

The order of his collectors and the collection of these assets shall be carried out in such a way that each of the assets of the above-mentioned common penny shall be collected immediately after the issuance of this our order and farewell, and shall be deposited as soon as possible between now and the last day of December, and shall be placed together in a certain chest for each of them, and shall be kept in it by his deputized chief collectors without leaving; And whoever is found to be in default or disobedient in this respect, he shall, in fact, immediately after the occurrence of such time, when he is a secular, forfeit the penalty and punishment of our and the Holy Roman Empire's attention, and shall have fallen into the same; but if he is an ecclesiastical person, then all his privileges, protection and protection, which he has from us, our ancestors and the Holy Roman Empire, shall be immediately forfeited, privatized and deprived of them. We also invite and request all and every Elector, Prince and Estates, on account of our imperial office and authority, knowingly in virtue of this farewell of ours, and wish that each one at the next coming of our common Imperial Diet, which we intend to hold in our and the Holy Empire's city of Worms, appear before us and our common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, on the last day of the month of December, either in person or by his authorized embassy, to prove by a trustworthy certificate and deed of his appointed collectors, that he will abide by this order of ours, that he has obeyed and complied with this order of ours, with due contribution of his and his subjects' common penny, or to see and hear that he, with the advice, knowledge and will of the appearing obedient estates, has fallen by us, in error of our and the Holy Empire's attention, or has been deprived of his liberties, protection and protection, to the extent that he is incumbent, privy and deprived, to declare with our judgment, or to immediately indicate and explain considerable causes why such should not happen.

64 We [and] our friendly dear brother, the Roman king, shall not and will not remove any of the thus declared eights from the eight before he has fully and obediently executed all that is laid down for him in this and our order, and has made due allowance for his disobedience, nor shall he be reinstated in our and the kingdom's action, protection and protection.

If it were also a fact that one or more would persist in his disobedience, according to our spoken judgment, until the end of the same of our Diet, against him or the same we shall and want to act after the completion of the Diet with ge-

The court shall do execution and actual execution in all seriousness, and shall collect his and his family's assets twofold, as well as all costs and damages incurred for the execution from him without negligence.

66. However, for the sake of the poor impossible man's relief, we, also princes, rulers and estates and the absent councils and embassies, have indulged and granted, if some estates of their farmers and such subjects do not even want to bring in their assets on the appointed date, that he may grant them another six or eight weeks longer period for full payment, or most eight weeks longer period for full payment, but that the same assets, before the last day of December, are certainly written out by his ordered collectors and the same inventory is faithfully kept in the chest, until full payment, on the suggested further date, and in case of need, a good report is given.

At the next Reichstag to be held in the near future, the Electors, Princes, and Estates shall and will further decide and compare how the above-mentioned necessary aid to the defenses of such annexes shall be fruitfully brought into the work and provided.

68. And since we and our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, have graciously offered and granted ourselves to provide considerable, handsome assistance for the above Christian expedition of defensive help against the Turks on account of our kingdoms and lands: The Electors, Princes and Estates, and the counsels and embassies of the absentees, have this time humbly given us leave and granted that our Lower Lands, such as are also reported to our dear brother, the Roman King, his beloved hereditary estates and the Austrian circle, shall be left and followed for the reimbursement of our aid, with the further order and measure, that the estates and peculiar persons, who sat outside of our hereditary lands, shall not be obligated to this above-described appendix for the goods and income they have in our hereditary lands and are taxed and assessed there, at the place where they are domiciled, to be assessed and taxed, so that they shall not be burdened with double appendix.'

69 We decree, order, and also wish that all this order of the above-mentioned common penny, investment and contribution, for the promotion of the necessary work, be made and set for this time, for common estates, together and separately, and also otherwise male, in their authorities, jurisdiction, rights, justices, and

The old traditions are to be unholy and unbreakable.

70. And after it was found at this Imperial Diet that some estates have not yet paid their share of the urgent aid recently granted at Regensburg against the Turks, nor have they paid for the Münster aid and other aid granted, and that there are still many estates that have not paid and deposited their funds for the past two and fortieth years as is due, and that some have not sent or maintained their armies in accordance with the recently established imperial treaty: We, as well as the Princes, Princes and Estates, and the counsels and embassies of the absentees, have again united and agreed that our Imperial Court of Appeal shall have jurisdiction over them. We have also agreed that our Imperial Court of Appeal's Fiscal shall proceed against them with due process in a favorable and strict manner, and that our judges and assessors, whom we have appointed from the first day of August and will maintain until the first day of October, shall enforce and execute swift and favorable legal proceedings against such disobedient persons, so that the outstanding debts 1) may be brought in without delay, and those to whom they are owed may be paid and discharged.

In order that all this may be done all the more correctly, the Estates shall and will present at the next Imperial Diet their documents concerning the city money paid to the expedition against the Turks in the past two and fortieth years; they shall also examine the specimen registers of the people sent at that time, and after this and other necessary consideration, as well as the resolution of the still unsettled accounts, they shall decree how those who remain indebted shall have their outstanding debts forgiven and paid at the same time.

72. And although we, as well as our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, have in various years on several occasions at previous imperial congresses, with the advice, knowledge and will of princes, rulers and estates and the absent counsels and embassies, with avoidance of high and severe penalties, set and commanded that no one against us, nor our lands and people, nor other members of our and the empire, enter into the service of foreign potentates or other lords, or allow himself to be used by them, that no one against us, nor against our lands and people, nor against other members of ours and of the realm, shall enter into the service of foreign potentates, or of other lords, or be brought into the service of the same, or allow himself to be used, or induce or incite anyone to do so; 2) How then the same imperial treaties, and especially those recently established at Regensburg and Speier, and in the last two and fortieth years at Nuremberg, and then our open mandates and laws, are to be observed.

1) "Outstanding" placed by us instead of: "Outstanding".

2) "aufwiegele" put by us instead of: "auswickle".

We are of the opinion, however, that our mandates and decrees have not been lived up to by many, nor have they been complied with, and that the transgressors and disobedient have not always been punished and punished in accordance with the said mandates and decrees.

73. So that such a thing may happen, the violators may receive their due punishment, and all kinds of complaints, which have so far been made in more ways, and for the prevention of the necessary Christian expedition against the Turk and other welfare of the Holy Roman Empire, may be abolished and prevented in the future: We have therefore agreed with princes, princes and estates and the absent embassies, and they in turn have united with us and agreed that we, and also every prince, prince and estate, for the handling and execution of our mandates and decrees, will take serious punishment against such disobedient persons and criminals, namely, with the forwarding of their wives and children, who are not guilty thereof, according to the form and occasion of the property and persons, also with confiscation and confiscation of all and each of their, the criminals', possessions and goods, and where they are entered, against their persons with imprisonment and punishment to life and limb shall and will proceed without delay. We also decree and order that such disobedient persons and criminals shall not be taken in by us, our friendly brother, the Roman king, nor by some princes, rulers and estates, nor by anyone else who has sat in the Holy Roman Empire, who has been graciously accepted, who has been deceived, who has been subjugated, or who has knowingly suffered or tolerated them in our or their lands or territories, but that they shall be punished with immediate imprisonment; and if any authority is found to be tardy, obstructive, or disobedient in this respect, the same shall be punished by our Imperial Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire. Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire, and that immediate proceedings be taken against them for the declaration of such penalties by our Imperial Chamber Court. Chamber Court shall be taken against them without delay.

74 After the harmful seditious sect of rebaptism, which was forbidden in common law and condemned many hundreds of years ago, has been condemned by our imperial mandates and the lawful constitution, statutes and order established for this reason, which we have had published and proclaimed throughout the Holy Roman Empire for the past nine and twentieth years. We have had them published and promulgated in the Holy Roman Empire from time to time. Empire burdensome

Therefore, our dear brother, the Roman King, as well as princes, princes and estates, have unanimously agreed with each other at the same Imperial Diet held at Speier in the ninth and twentieth year to faithfully live up to our Imperial Constitution, Statute and Order in all its points and articles. The Imperial Constitution, Statute and Order, in all its points and articles, are to be faithfully and diligently lived, complied with and enforced, all in accordance with the by-laws established for this reason. After all this, and so that such grave evil may be diligently and duly punished, and that what follows from it may occur, peace and unity be preserved in the holy realm, we have united with princes, princes and estates and the absent embassies, and they in turn have united with us anew and agreed that our constitution and order may be lived and complied with in all its points and contents. We also decree and order that where in cities or in the country, in criminal and malicious cases, one has the denunciation and another the attack, and the one who is to denounce would be in default, then in this case the one who has the attack shall have good reason and power to prosecute the persons, In such a case, the person who has the complaint shall have good reason and power to attack the persons related and pending to the reopening, irrespective of the fact that the denunciation does not take place, for our and the kingdom's sake, and, according to our above-mentioned constitution and statutes, to proceed against them, and nevertheless, the person who has thus defaulted in denunciation shall also be punished according to the fee. However, all authorities shall come to such persons in custody and, first of all, have their scholars and theologians use faithful good diligence to turn them away from their error by Christian instruction and to convert them.

(75) But for those who call themselves Gypsies and wander back and forth in the lands, we have united with princes, rulers, and estates and agreed that they will not allow these same Gypsies to move, act, and wander in and through their lands, nor will they give them security and escort, after it has been credibly reported that they are experts, traitors, and spies, and that they spy out the land of the Christians to the Turk and other enemies of Christendom. They also mean and want that the gypsies leave the lands of the German nation within three months after the date of this order, divest themselves of them and do not let them be found in them; for where they enter after that and someone will act against them or do so, he shall not have committed an outrage nor done wrong.

76. after we have been in this imperial propo-

sition of this present Imperial Diet, on account of constant peace and uniform justice, and also on account of our Imperial Chamber Court visitation. We have graciously offered to take care of ways and means so that peace and justice may be maintained, and that the aforementioned visitation may be duly carried out, and that all hindrances to peace and justice may result from the past disputes and disputing religion, and therefore the articles of religion, peace and justice depend on each other and flow from each other, we consider that for the fruitful execution of the same the necessity requires that the articles, as much as possible, are all carried out and settled among us, according to the following measure and opinion:

First of all, for the sake of the disputed religion, we know to remember that the discord of religion is now created in such a way that (if God Almighty does not graciously direct it in other ways, or if convenient means are found in this) nothing else can be expected from it but ruin and downfall of the Holy Empire of the German Nation. And so that once such aforementioned evil may be finally encountered, and the eternal be set before the temporal, for which reason it would be highly advisable, useful and advisable for the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and common Christendom in all ways, and also praiseworthy and laudable for us that the disputed religion, by whatever Christian ways and means are possible, be brought to Christian settlement and discussion without prolonged dragging on, inasmuch as we, in virtue of our incumbent imperial office, owe it to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation to promote this. We owe it to ourselves, in virtue of our imperial office, to promote this.

78. Since, however, such a Christian settlement and discussion of the disputed religion cannot be advanced at this time and here in this Imperial Diet, the Estates have nevertheless sufficiently found from our imperial proposition and otherwise in the work how graciously we are endeavoring to bring the disputed religion to discussion by way of a common concilii or Christian settlement, and that even the failure to hold such a concilii and settlement has not yet prevented this highly harmful division in us; We also know what serious mistrust, separation and reluctance such a division has caused up to now, and what damaging harm it will bring in the future, and what benefit, piety, acceptance and welfare of the German nation might result from the discussion and settlement of the division in question.

79 For this reason, we would be inclined, for the promotion of Christian unity and settlement of the disputed religions, to hold a Diet right now.

to graciously prepare the way for further dealings. Since, however, the opportunity of the present time and course, as can easily be judged by men themselves, cannot suffer such a thing, nor are the estates of the Holy Roman Empire themselves capable of such a great work at this time, as we believe, and since the division in religion that has arisen cannot otherwise be easily and completely overcome except by Christian reformation and the discussion of a common Christian, free concilii in the German nation, we are graciously inclined, by virtue of our office, to find useful ways and means to bring matters to a general council: We are graciously inclined, in virtue of our incumbent office, to consider suitable ways and means to bring matters to a General Council, as mentioned above, at the first possible opportunity, and to attend it in person (by divine grace).

80. Since, however, it is uncertain whether and how soon such a council, according to the present and future time and course, can be obtained and actually carried out, we, for the sake of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation but for its grace and welfare, are furthermore resolved with grace to appoint another general Imperial Diet, We are also graciously resolved to appoint another general Imperial Diet, especially of the disputed religion and what is attached to it, at this time, and to set it up for the next autumn or winter and to attend it in person, and in the meantime to have a Christian Reformation drawn up by learned, good, honorable and peace-loving persons. In the same way, the estates may do the same through their own, and then present such concerns to the common estates, and act with them on a friendly and Christian settlement, as and in what manner it is to be done in the disputed articles of religion until the actual attainment and execution of a general concilii, as mentioned above, in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and thereby the serious abuses that have occurred will be corrected, and the detrimental separation and division of religion, as well as the resulting mistrust, antagonism and unfriendship among the estates, will be reduced, and the above-mentioned harm, damage and apostasy to the German Nation will be stopped and prevented.

81) And in order that between them and such a Diet, and in case the settlement should not be found at the same, peace and unity may be the better maintained between the estates of the German nation, on account of religion, until a perfect settlement is reached in a common, free, Christian concilio, national assembly, or at a Diet, and that the harmful distrust may be reduced: we have also undertaken an act with the common estates, for the sake of peace and justice, of the two Articles, of the fatherly, gracious, and merciful God.

The first article of the book is a summary of the articles in the book, which are intended to be used for the purpose of comparing the articles of the book with good knowledge and good will.

82. However, when we found that the settlement of such articles could not finally be reached between them here for many reasons and hindrances, and that the Estates, being related to the Augsburg Confession, had imposed the same three articles on us, but that the others could not do so for a variety of reasons, and that they nevertheless opposed us, so that peace, tranquility and unity may be preserved in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in submission that we, for ourselves and out of our imperial power and perfection, would make and give order therein, that they would have to allow and tolerate such things to happen, and that we, as Roman Emperor, would not know how to set any form or measure in the same; and that we, as Roman Emperor, for the sake of our imperial office, have to take necessary precautions in this matter, and that it is not convenient or intended to let the same articles remain without all special execution and approval, and to prevent all kinds of unfriendliness and further development that might otherwise easily result between the estates of the Holy Roman Empire: For this reason, and in order that between them and such an Imperial Diet, and in case the settlement should not be reached at the same, until a perfect settlement is made in a common Christian concilio, National Assembly or Imperial Diet, peace and unity of religion may be the better maintained, and the harmful distrust between the estates reduced. In this regard, we have, for these and other more honest reasons, moved our Imperial mind to the points and articles, peace and justice, as it should be kept between them and in perfect harmony with it, by reason of the authorities and out of our Imperial power and perfection. We have decided, set and ordered the following opinion; Resolve, mean, set and order also, as Roman Emperor, from the above touched by Our Imperial power and perfection, hereby earnestly commanding, and wishing, that our land peace, peace state and farewell, erected and proclaimed hitherto, with such modesty as they were previously given to the Estates everywhere and accepted by them, in all their points and articles, shall be firmly and unbreakably held and executed by all parts, avoiding penance and punishment, understood therein; as also

We, together with our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, hereby promise to keep the same and the present peace established here graciously and constantly. And that for this purpose in.For this purpose, in the matter of religion and faith, and for no other reason whatsoever, no one, whether of high or low rank, shall attack, wage war against, rob, see, overrun, or besiege another, nor serve for himself or anyone else on his account, nor descend from any castle, city, market, fortification, village, farm, or hamlet, nor, without the will of another, take it by mighty deed, or dangerously damage it by fire or in any other way, Nor shall anyone give such offenders advice, help or in any other way aid or abet them, nor knowingly and dangerously harbor, house, cauterize, water, contain or tolerate them, but each shall mean the other with right friendship and Christian love; moreover, no estate nor member of the realm shall deprive the other, who may suffer justice in due places, of free access to provisions, food, trade, rent, validity and income, nor withhold it; and that this discord of religion shall not be settled otherwise than by Christian and friendly settlement of a common, free, Christian concilii, national assembly or imperial diet, by virtue of previous imperial treaties and acts of peace, for which we shall use all gracious and fatherly diligence, and shall not allow anything to be done to us.

However, no estate shall force the other to its religion, nor shall it deprive the other of its subjects, nor shall it take them into protection and protection against any authority, and nothing shall be taken away from those who have had to accept protection and patronage from time immemorial, and they shall not be meant by this. Even if since then, after the Regensburg Imperial Decree, this has been acted against, all this is hereby to be abandoned and unrealized, and the clergy are to be prosecuted for their rent, interest and income, of which they were in possession at the time of this Regensburg Imperial Decree, the contents of the same Regensburg Imperial Decree.

84) And in order to prevent further misunderstanding between the estates for the sake of church property, the ecclesiastical monasteries, convents, and houses, regardless of their religion, shall not be deprived of their rent, interest, income, and property located in another principality or authority, so and in such a way that for each monastery, prelacy, or house [where they are] located, they shall inevitably follow, and from the other estate or house, they shall not be deprived of their property.

The authorities (irrespective of the religion of the monastery, prelature, hospital, place of worship or church) shall be faithfully helped to do so.

However, the ecclesiastical princes and other estates that are subject to the realm without means and to no one else, together with their associated estates where they are located, shall not be meant by this, but shall follow them, regardless of where they have moved or turned their residence, in terms of validity, rent and income without hindrance.

(86) Similarly, prelates, religious and other clergy who have left their ordinary residence because of a change of religion and have gone to live in other estates, principalities and lands, shall remain with the properties belonging to their churches, monasteries and benefices, and as reported, located in other estates' lands and territories, of which they were in Posseß at the time of the Regensburg departure, until the final settlement and discussion of the religion.

However, each estate, under which the validity, interest or goods are located, which are to follow another monastery, monastery, prelature, hospital, house or churches into another country, is reserved its secular authority over the same goods, as it had and was in use before the beginning of this dispute in religion, and nothing is thereby taken away from it.

Accordingly, the necessary ministers of the churches, parishes and schools, as well as the elders and hospitallers, whom they had appointed and were obliged to appoint before and during the time of the Regensburg resignation, shall again be provided and appointed from such 1) estates, regardless of their religion. But also the ecclesiastical princes, high monasteries and other estates, which are subject to the realm without means, and otherwise to no one, who have moved their residence (as above), shall not further appoint the ministeria of the churches and schools etc. which they appointed in the time of the Regensburg farewell.

89 Those estates, however, which agree on spiritual goods, rents and interest, or would agree on them later, shall remain so. And if there were any discord or misunderstanding on account of such entertainment, the parties shall compare themselves with some decision-makers and, in the event that they do not agree, we shall appoint commissioners who, after a summary hearing of both parties, shall decide what and how much is to be paid for the entertainment of the affected parts.

1) "such" put by us instead of: "shall".

shall be given. However, those who are challenged for the sake of the ministries, before this amicable settlement or decision of the commissioners is amicably and legally discussed, shall not be deprived or arrested, nor held back, of theirs, if they are in Posseß.

The monasteries and churches should also remain unbroken and unbroken.

Otherwise, outside of this decree, every ecclesiastical estate, irrespective of which religion it is, shall remain unhindered and be permitted to retain all of its goods, income, pensions, and dues, of which it was in possession and use at the time of the Regensburg departure.

As far as the law is concerned, we have considered all the actions that have taken place so far before our commissioners and visitators of our Imperial Court of Appeal, and have found nothing in them that could be harmful or detrimental to the honor and reputation of our judges and assessors of the above-mentioned Court of Appeal. Therefore, we want the above-mentioned judges and assessors to carry out their state of administration of law and justice as before, and furthermore, at the end of the three years that the common estates are granted to maintain the chamber court, but the matters against estates related to the Augsburg Confession, content of this parting, remain suspended. And because all kinds of confusions and difficulties between the above-mentioned commissioners and visitators have occurred, and may occur even more in the future, so that it is to be feared that the visitation will not have any real progress, at least it will be delayed, but it will be necessary to think about the further maintenance of the chamber court after the end of the three years and to make provisions for it: We therefore mean, order and wish that every prince, duke and state, between now and our next Imperial Diet, consider how our Imperial Court of Appeal should be maintained for this purpose, so that such maintenance may be discussed, approved and put into effect at the beginning of the same Imperial Diet; and at the same Imperial Diet we, as well as princes, princes and estates, who are able to do so according to the imperial order, shall present new assessors to our commissioners appointed for this purpose, who are pious, learned, honorable and capable persons, regardless of their religion; and the same assessors shall, according to the occasion of each person from whom they are presented, also present all other persons who have been appointed to the Imperial Court of Appeal by court, office or other authority.

If a person swears and is sworn to do a thing, he shall be released to take such oath according to the old custom to God and the saints, or to God and to the holy gospel, but notwithstanding the golden bull, and until otherwise decreed by us and the commonwealth.

And the assessors shall give equal justice to each one, regardless of his religion, and shall live and enforce the contents of this parting.

The Augsburg and other agreements, such as the common rights described above, against the Estates of the Augsburg Confession, as far as religion is concerned, shall also be and remain suspended until the above-mentioned settlement.

95 And what has been decided at the Court of Appeal in the cases which have been brought before it in previous settlements and councils for religious matters, the same cases shall be and remain suspended until settlement (as above).

96. And after the Court of Appeal has since recognized and proceeded with the recusation of the aforementioned estates in a number of profane cases, of which, however, there are fewer, the same proceedings and cases, in view of the fact that they were decided per contumacium and without hearing of the parties, shall be reassumed in the state in which they were before the recusation: In order that no one may complain, they shall be reassumed in the state in which they were before the recusation, and commissioners shall be appointed, on account of the expenses, costs, and testimony received, to hear the parties, and therefore to amicably reconcile them with each other and finally to decide them.

97 And the Goslarian and Mindian Eight, according to our and our dear brother the Roman King's permission, shall be and remain suspended.

If, however, it were the case that in this article, concerning religion, peace and law, some misunderstanding or error would occur, we hereby reserve the right to declare it and to clear it up.

(99) Although at this Diet of ours disputes about the session, also about rank and vote, likewise about the establishment of a permanent good coinage, and other matters common to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, were to be acted upon and concluded: nevertheless, such marital and honest causes and hindrances have occurred to us and to the Holy Roman Empire that we cannot now settle the points and matters raised and the like; for which reason we have agreed with the princes, princes, and princesses of the Holy Roman Empire that we shall not be able to do so.

and Estates of the Holy Roman Empire and the absent Councils and Messages, and they have again united with us and agreed that for the sake of the first-mentioned, and also other unfinished points mentioned now and then in this farewell, and other more concerns of the Holy Roman Empire, a new Imperial Diet shall be held at Worms on the first of October next year, a new Imperial Diet shall be held on the first of October next, to be held at Worms, to which we shall send our commissioners at the outset, and also the Princes, Princes and Estates themselves shall appear, or else we shall certainly order their fully authorized embassies. And those who will not appear in person at the beginning of our Diet shall certainly arrive there in their own persons on the first day of December, on which we also intend to appear in person (by divine grace), and promote and help to bring about a good settlement and due discussion of the points that have not yet been settled.

100. So that after the end of the next coming month of July, when the maintenance of our Imperial Court of Appeal, granted by the common estates, will take its final turn, there will be no lack of court and law in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation until such a future Imperial Diet, for the purpose of bringing in the affected facilities and other necessary matters, we will appoint and maintain our Imperial Court Judge and several assessors, whom we will assign to him, at our own expense until such a Diet.

101. And when in the beginning of this Imperial Diet some Princes and Estates made a mistake in the session, which mistake led to a prolongation of the Empire's actions and affairs, therefore Princes, Princes and Estates, at our gracious request, kept themselves sociable, harmless and without any order at this Imperial Diet, for the sake of their session: Accordingly, we want that every prince, prince, prelate, count and estate shall have such a harmless session of the Imperial Diet, as well as the subscription, at the end of this parting, in no way detrimental, offensive or harmful to its customary use and justice. We shall and will also, after the surrender of every justice, use all possible diligence to unite and reconcile them on account of such an erroneous session in a proper, agreeable way, as they have been graciously put off by us in several previous decrees.

All and every of the above, which pertains to us, Emperor Carol, we agree and promise to keep steadfastly, firmly, and unbreakably,

not to do anything against it, nor to allow it to be done on our account, in any way. And have affixed our imperial seal to this farewell in witness thereof.

103. And we Electors, Princes, Prelates, Counts and Lords, also of the Princes, Prelates, Counts and Lords and of the Holy Roman Empire's Free and Imperial Cities' Envoys, Embassies and Rulers, do publicly confess with this farewell that all and each of the copied points and articles (outside of the above-mentioned articles of religion, peace and law, which the Roman Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord, out of imperial power and perfection, and with the penalties and punishments in their imperial peace) have been made and resolved with our good knowledge, will, and counsel, the same articles thus resolved with our knowledge, will, and counsel, all together and specially agree to be in force of this farewell; and promise in right, good and true faith to keep the same, together with the above-mentioned articles, as the Roman Emperor has decreed. kais. Majesty out of her imperial power and perfection. We promise, in good faith, to keep and endure the same, together with the above-mentioned articles, which the Roman Emperor's Majesty, out of his imperial power and perfection, has established and decreed, as much as each of his sovereigns, or friends, of whom he is in charge, or may be in charge, truly, steadily, firmly, sincerely and unbreakably, and also not to complain to anyone against them, but to endanger them.

And we, the princes, princes, prelates, counts, lords, and the free and imperial cities, embassy and rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, are those written below:

By the grace of God, we Albrecht, of the Holy Roman Church, title of S. Petri ad vincula Priest-Cardinal and born Legate, of the Holy See of Mainz and the Abbey of Magdeburg Archbishop, Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, through Germania Archchancellor and Primate, Administrator of Halberstadt, Margrave of Brandenburg, of Stettin, Pomerania, Duke of the Cassuben and Wenden, Burgrave of Nuremberg and Prince of Rügen. Johann Ludwig, elected and confirmed at Trier, Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Archchancellor through Gaul and of the Kingdom of Arelat. Hermann, Archbishop of Cologne, Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire through Italy and Elector, Duke of Westphalia and Engern, Administrator of the Paderborn Abbey. Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, Archchancellor and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. John Frederick, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen. Joachim, Margrave of Brandenburg, of the Holy Roman Empire.

Archbishop and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, of Szczecin, Pomerania, the Cassubians, the Wendish, and Silesia, Great Duke, Burgrave of Nuremberg, and Prince of Rügen, all six Electors in person. On behalf of the House of Austria, Wolfgang, Bishop of Passau, and Georg Gienger, Doctor, Roman Royal Vice Chancellor. Ecclesiastical princes in person: By the Grace of God, Christoph, Archbishop of Bremen, Administrator of Verden. Wolfgang, Administrator of the High Master's Office in Prussia, and Master of the German Order in German and French lands. Henry, Administrator of the Worms and Freisingen Colleges, Provost and Lord of Elwangen, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria. Philip, Bishop of Speier. Otto, Bishop of Augsburg. John, Bishop of Constance. Valentin, Bishop of Hildesheim, by authority of the Bishop of Ratzenburg and Lebus. Wolfgang, Bishop of Passau. Philip, abbot of Fulda. Rüdiger, provost of Weißenburg in Lower Alsace. Messages of the ecclesiastical princes: Von wegen Ernsten, Confirmirten to the Archbishop of Salzburg Abbey, Eustachius von der Alben, Court Marshal, and Nicolaus Reibeisen, Keeper of Gemünd. Weigands, Bishop of Bamberg, Siegmund von Russenbach, Canon of Bamberg, Matthäus Reuter, Doctor, and Christoph von Schwabach, Licentiate, of the Imperial Court of Appeal. Chamber Court Advocat. Conrad, confirmed Bishop of Würzburg, Martin von Ußigheim, Canon of Würzburg, Heinrich, Truchsess von Wetzhausen, Court Master, Georg Farner, Chancellor, and Johann Wüst, both Doctores. Erasmus, the elected and confirmed Bishop of Strasbourg, Bernhard von Eberstein, Canon of Strasbourg, and Christoph Welsinger. Moritzen, Bishop of Eichstätt, Matthäus Luxs, Chancellor, and Siegmund Dünger, both of the Right Doctores. Pankratien, Bishop of Regensburg, Sigismundus Bender, Dechant of the Imperial Abbey of the Old Chapel at Regensburg. Hermans, archbishop of Cologne, as administrator of Paderborn, Sibertus von Löwenberg, Doctor of Law. Christoph, Bishop of Trident, Otto, Bishop of Augsburg, Gaudentz, Baron of Madrutz, Afy and Brentoni, Roman Royal Majesty's highest courtier, Nicolaus, Baron of Madrutz, Afy and Brentoni, Captain of Thon and Steinig, and Doctor Nicolaus Steck, Council and Secretarius. Cornelii, Bishop of Liège, Antonius Perenotus, Episcopus At- trebacensis, and Arnoldus a Buchholtz, Archidiaconus of Liège. Francisci, Bishop of Münster and Osnabrück, Administrator of Minden, Nicolaus Meyer, Hermann von der Tristen of Delmenhorst, Heidereich Trost, Amtmann of Verden, and Gerhard Wellefell, Licentiate of Law. Philip-

sen, Bishop of Basel, Wolf von Affenstein, Knight, Adam Werner von Themar, Doctor, Imperial Chamber Court Procurator, and Master Matthäus Stören, St. Theobaldus Stifts zu Than Canonicus. Balthasar, Bishop of Lübeck, Jobst Hutfelder, Provost of Lübeck, and Theodoricus de Reden, Doctor of Law. Robertus, Bishop of Chammerich, Johannes Rudan, both right Licentiate, Johannes de la Canchio Cambacenfis, Petrus Bri-, quet, Licentiatus, and Jakob Curtius, Secretarius. Adrianus, Bishop of Sittin, Prefect, and Counts in Walls, Leopoldus Dick, Doctor. Johannes von Hattstein, Master of St. John's Order in German lands, Georg Schilling, gemeldtes Ordens groß Baley und Commenthur zu Rordorff. Hall and Uberlingen, Christoph von Löwenstein, Commenthur zu Mainz, and Friedrich Kempff, Secretarius. The Abbot of Hirßfeld, Christoph von Schwabach, and Wolf, licentiates of the Imperial Court of Appeal. Chamber Court Advocates and Procuratores. Wolfgang, Abbot of Kempten, Heinrich, Burkhard, Hereditary Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire at Pappenheim, and Jakob Datzmann, Amtmann at Tingau. Secular princes in person: By the Grace of God, Johann, Count Palatine of Wein, Duke of Bavaria and Count of Spanheim. Wolfgang, Count Palatine on the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria and Count of Veldentz. Moritz, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen. Hans, Margrave of Brandenburg. Albrecht, Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Stettin, Pomerania, Cassuben and Wenden, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Prince of Rügen. Henry the Younger, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg. Albrecht, Duke of Mecklenburg etc. Wilhelm, Duke of Cleve, Jülich and Berg, Count of the Mark and Ravensberg, Lord of Ravenstein. Ernst, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg. Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, Count of Katzenelnbogen, Dietz, Ziegenhain and Nidda. George, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg. Messages from secular princes: Otto Heinrich, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Lower and Upper Bavaria, Georg Ludwig von Senißheim, of Hohen-Reuttenheim, magistrate and keeper of Sulzbach, and Gabriel Arnold, rentmaster. Wilhelm's and Ludwig's, Palgraves on the Rhine, Dukes in Upper and Lower Bavaria, Johann Weisenfeller, Georg Stockheimer and Georg Seid, all three teachers of law, and Hans Zeuger. Ulrichs, Dukes of Würtenberg etc., Christoph von Venningen and Philipp Eyrer, Doctor. Barnims, Dukes of Stettin; Pomerania etc., Jacobus Philippus Ußler, der Rechten Doctor. Philipsen, Dukes of Stettin, Pomerania etc., Moritz Damitz auf Uckermünd, Captain, and Ludwig Ziegler, der Rechten Doctor.

Ernsten, Margrave of Baden, Johann Marquard, der Rechten Doctor, and Ludwig von Frauenberg, Vogt zu Durlach. The young Margraves of Baden, Philipsen and Christophen, brothers, Johann Jakob Varenbüler, Doctor. Wolfgangen, Prince of Anhalt, Georg, Noble of Planitz, on the Lordship of Auerbach, and Ludwig Raben, Chancellor. Johann Georgen, Cathedral Provost of Magdeburg, and Johanns, Brothers, Princes of Anhalt, Johann Helffmann, Licentiate of Law. Wilhelm, Counts and Lords of Henneberg, Wolf Malichen, Amtmann zu Mößfelt, and Michael Dieter, Secretarius. Bergthold and Albrecht, Counts and Lords of Henneberg, Simon Engelhart, Doctor Advocate of the Imperial Court of Appeal. Prelates in person: Gerwick, Abbot of Weingarten. Walther von Heussenstam, Landcommenthur of the Baley Coblenz, German Order. Prelates' messages: On account of Johanns of Salmansweiler, Andreas of Elchingen, Georgen of Ochfenhausen, Paulussen of Ursin, Conraden of Rod, Ulrichen of Mindernau, Johanns of Schuffenried, and Johanns of Markthal, all abbots of touched places of worship, Gerwig, Abbot of Weingarten, and Jakob Kessering, the Right Doctor. The Abbot of Reyssheim, Wolfgang Röme, Doctor, Provost of St. Moritz Abbey of Augsburg. The Abbot of St. Heymeran at Regensburg, Christoph von Schwabach, licentiate of the right. Wolfgang, provost and archpriest of Bechtelsgaden, Eustachius von der Alben, of Hirburg and Trumbach, archprince of the archdiocese and at that time court marshal of Salzburg, and Niclas Reibeisen, of Neuen-Keynnis, royal majesty and princely Salzburg council. -The Abbot of Marbach and Luders, Ludwig Wolf von Habsburg, and Rodt Merz zu Staffelder. The Abbot of Corvey, Otto von Ammelungs, Canon of Speier, and Johann Helffmann; Licentiate. The Abbots of Urgfperg and Roggenburg, Weibrecht Ehinger and Martin Weikmann. The Abbot of Münster in St. Gregorienthal, Stephan von Appenocks, and Christoph Stilz, town clerk of Gebweiler. The Abbot of Walkenried, Sibertus von Löwenburg, Doctor of Law. The Abbot of Verben, Johann Gröpper, Doctor, Scholaster Sanct Gereonis of Cologne. About the abbesses: On behalf of the abbess at Quedlinburg, Friederich Reifstock, the Right Doctor, and Melchior Krüger. The Abbess of Essen, Valentin, Bishop of Hildesheim, and Johann Katzmann, the Right Doctor. Counts and Lords in person: Friederich, Count of Fürstenberg, Heiligenberg and Werdenberg, Landgrave in Bare, for himself and from the Counts on account of the Land of Swabia, Jakob, Count of Bitsch, Martin, Count of Oettingen, Lud-

wig, Count of Oettingen, the elder, and by force Carlen, Wolfgang, Count of Oettingen, his brother. Albrecht, Count of Mansfeld. Philipps Franz, Wild- and Nheingraf, Gras zu Salm und Vhinstingen. On account of all Rhine Counts, Wilhelm, Count of Eberstein for himself and instead of his foster son, the young Count of Wertheim. Albrecht, Count of Hohenlohe, on behalf of himself and his brother, Georgen, Count of Hohenlohe, Ludwig Casimir, Count of Hohenlohe. Wolf, Count and Lord of Barbi and Mulingen. Günther, Count of Schwarzenburg, Lord of Arnstadt and Sondershausen. Anthoni the Elder of Eisenberg, Count of Büdingen. Philipp, Gras zu Reineck, Georg, Count zu Helffenstein, Baron zu Gundelfingen. Arnold, Count of Manderschied and Blankenheim, Lord of Gerhardstein. Philipp, Count of Mansfeld etc., Lord of Helldrungen. Reinhard von Eisenberg, Count of Büdingen, for himself and on behalf of his brother, Count Johann von Eisenberg, children. Georg and Eberhard, Count of Erbach. Adam and Ber, Barons of Obersoltzberg, brothers. Hans Marquard, Baron of Königseck and Allendorf. Johann Hohenfels, Lord of Neypolstirch. The Counts and. Lords Messages: On behalf of the Wetterau Counts, namely William, Counts of Nassau, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden and Dietz, for himself and his foster sons,. the young Counts of Hanau, Lords of Münzenberg. Philipp and Bernharden, cousins, Counts of Solms and Lords of Münzenberg. Philipsen, Counts of Nassau, Lords of Wiesbaden and Itzstein. Chunen, Counts of Leiningen, Lords of Westerburg. Ludwig, Counts of Stollberg and Königstein, Lords of Münzenberg and Breuberg. Wolfgang Albrechts, Georgen and Christophs, brothers, of all counts and lords of Stollberg and Werningerode. Philip, Counts of Nassau and Sarbrücken. Johann, Counts of Nassau, Lords of Beielstein. Johann, Counts of Wiede, Lords of Runkel and Eisenberg. Reinhards, Counts of Solms, Lord of Münzenberg, Gregorius von Nallingen, Licentiate of Law, and Dieterich Prackel, Secretarius. Engelhard, Counts of Leiningen and Dachsberg, Lord of Apermund, for themselves, and as guardians of Emmerich, Counts of Falkenstein, Lord of Duhn and Bruchen, Mauritius Breunlin, Doctor, Advocate and Procurator of the Imperial Court of Appeal. Conrads, Counts and Lords of Deckelburg, Anthonius von Erbieth, and Johann Merz. The Counts of Lippe, Johann Helffmann, licentiate in law. Of the Counts of Nassau and Sarbrücken, Johann Leininger. Of the Counts and Lords of Blanckenberg, Hans Landerschied. Johann, Count

fen zu Ostfriesland, as guardians of his brother's children, then Count Chunen, Thomas Ennius, Doctor. Jacob, Count of Zweibrücken, Lord of Bitsch and Lichtenberg, Christoph Welsinger, Doctor. Wolfgangs, counts to Gleichen, lords to Blankenheim, Carlen, counts to ' Gleichen, lords to Blankenheim, Carlen, Wilhelms and Erasmi, brothers and cousins, lords to Limburg, Georg Farner, of both rights doctor and Würzburg chancellor. Wilhelms Philipp, Lamperts, Bartholomäi Friederichs, and Ludwigs, Albrechts Gebrüdern, all counts and lords of Beuchlingen, Johann Helffmann, Licentiat, des Kammergerichts Advocat. Of the minor children and young lords of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, Counts of East Frisia, Christoph, Counts of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, Jobsten, Counts of Heyen and Bruchhausen, Siebert von Laubenberg, 1) der Rechten Doctor. Hans Schenken, Lord of Dautenberg, Ludwig Ziegler, Doctor of Law, Advocate of the Imperial Court of Appeal. Envoys of the Free and Imperial Cities: On behalf of the city of Cologne, Heinrich von Braich, Rentmeister, Johann Rindorf and Johann Helffmann, Licentiat. Aach, Niclas Wildmeyer, mayor. Strasbourg, Jakob Sturm. Augsburg, Marx Pfister and Sebastian Seitz, by force of the city of Donauwerth. Nuremberg, Hieronymus Holtzschuch and Sebald Haller, both , old mayors. Ulm, Weiprecht Ehinger, and Martin Weikmann, with command of the cities of Ravensburg, Kempten, Jßni, Bibrach, Giengen and Aalen. Metz, Michael von Geruaiß, Knight, Lord of Benn, Franz Bantoche, Lord of Maulen, Andreas Alarona, and Franz Dingenheim. Speier, Friederich Mäurer, and Hans Reiß. Frankfurt, Hieronymus zum Lamb, Doctor, with orders from the city of Wetzlar. Hagenau, Hans Stemler, Stadtmeister, with orders from all other towns in the bailiwick of Hagenau, namely, Colmar, Schlettstadt, Weißenburg, Landau,ObernEhenheim, Kaisersberg, Münster in Sanct Gregorienthal, Roßheim and Türkheim. Regensburg, Ambrosius Amman, Schultheiss zu Regensburg, and Johann Hildner, Doctor. Lübeck, Johann Ruddel, Doctor of Law and Syndicus there. Schwäbisch-Gemünde, Hans Rauchbein. Schweinfurt, Ludwig Schöpffer, council relative. Friedberg in the Wetterau, Jakob Zugwolf. Nördlingen, Wolfgraf and Marx Granbaß, with orders from the town of Bopfingen. Schwäbisch-Hall, Martin Wurtelmann. Ueberlingen, Johann Jakob Hain and Georg Eichbeck, both of the town council there, by force Bürger-

1) Perhaps the previously mentioned "Tiberius von Löwenburg".

master and revenger at Buchhorn. Heilbrunn, Jakob Ehinger, Doctor, and Gregorius Kugler, Town Clerk. Dünkelspühl, Albrecht Reckenbach. Wimpfen, Hans Walther. Weyl, Thomas Remminger. Cammerich, Johannes Rudan, licentiate of both rights, Johannes de la Conchio, canonicus Cam- bacensis, Peter Briquett, licentiate of the right, and Jacobus Curtius. Reutlingen, Jobst Schütz. Schlettstatt, Laurentius Busch, old mayor, Gervasius Gebier, town clerk. Memmingen, Christoph Zwick, Rathsperson. Thull, Johannes Balcawo, and Hadrianus Valerius, secretarius. Dortmund, Lambert Borßwort, mayor, and Johann Schmidt, secretary. Bibrach, Peit Böcklin. Winsheim, Conrad Seidler. Offenburg and Zell im Hammersbach, Alexandri Fabri. Kaufb euren, Gordan Wurmann.

In witness whereof we have by God's Grace. Albrecht, Cardinal and Archbishop of Mainz etc., and Friederich, Count Palatine on the Rhine etc., both Electors, for our sake and that of our fellow Electors. We Philip, Bishop of Speier, and Albrecht, Duke of Mecklenburg etc., on account of us and the ecclesiastical and secular princes. I Gerwig, Abbot of Weingarten, for myself and the prelates. I Friederich, Count of Fürstenberg etc., for myself and on behalf of the counts and lords; also we, the mayor and council of the city of Speier, on behalf of ourselves and the free and imperial cities, affix our secret and seal to this farewell. Given and done in our and the Holy Empire's city of Speier, on the tenth day of June, after the birth of Christ, our dear Lord, fifteen hundred and in the fourth and fortieth year, of our Empire in the fourth and twentieth year, and of our realms in the ninth and twentieth year.

1416: Letter of exhortation from Pope Paul III to Emperor Carl the Fifth. Date

Rome, August 24, 1544.

This letter is found in Pallavicmi in the Iiist. eorw. Tri<Wnt., lib. V, cnx. 6 and thereafter in Seckendorf Hisd. Uutk., lid. Ill, x. 479. further in des Wolfius leet,. M6M., tom. II, p.538; inLünigs sxücül. 6661., part. I, x. 463 and in Calvin's opmsc?., p. 352. Calvin had organized a single edition of this writing and had added his scholia to it, but without giving his name or the place of printing.... The title is: Xdmcmitio puterns.

III. rom. pontiüais aä inuictissirnuiri enesarenr Oarolum V. 6uw cm8tiMt, huock 86 lmtlieranis prn6fiu6rit viiuis tucüWrri, ck6inck6 yuock tum in 60Mncka sMvcko, turn in Ü6Üni6ncli8 ücksi aontrouGrgiis üii^uick pot68tatis 8id1 8nrn86rit. Onrn 86Ü0IÜ8 xrolixioriduZ. 1545. octav. - This letter was sent to the

The letter was delivered to the Emperor at the beginning of October by the papal chamberlain David Odosio from Brescia. The latter was informed by the Emperor that, because the matters discussed in the letter were great and important, and because the language chosen in it touched so much on the authority, dignity and prestige of the Emperor, the answer from His Majesty would be reserved for another, more occasional time. Granvella, however, the emperor's secret councilor, played a copy of this letter into Luthern's hands through a friend, giving several arguments that could be used against the pope, and had instructed the bearer to incite Luthern to answer the pope (Aug. von Drnffel "Kaiser Karl V. und die Römische Curie 1544-1546" in the Abhandlungen der historischen Classe der königl. bayrischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, vol. XIII, Abth. 2, p. 215 ff.). When, on January 16, 1545, the Elector of Saxony also ordered Chancellor Brück to send Luther a copy of this letter with the request to write something against it, Luther wrote: "Wider das Pabstthum zu Rom vom Teufel gestiftet," which went out on March 26, 1545. See No. 1418.

Translated into German.

Dearest son, greetings and apostolic blessings! From your Majesty's edict we have seen the history of your Imperial Diet at Speier, of which we do not suffer our paternal love for you to conceal our opinion, nor does the office and dignity of care for the general Church, commanded to us by God through Christ, require us to remind you in clear words.

We are also driven to this by the important example of God's zeal against Eli the priest, against whom, because he was too lenient to his children and saw their faults through the fingers, the harsh judgment of God was pronounced in the following form: Because he knew that his sons behaved shamefully, and yet did not punish them, therefore (says God) the iniquity of his house shall not be atoned for eternally, neither by sacrifices nor offerings. This was God's verdict; then Eli's own sudden and violent death occurred, and his descendants were expelled from the priesthood, so that God's word came true.

But we, dear son, since we see from the stories themselves that you not only concluded some unseemly things at the Diet of Speier, but also actually carried out even worse things, and such that, if they really take place, which God forbid, they will not only plunge you into certain perils of soul, but will also have to disrupt and disturb the peace and unity of the churches more than before, have not refrained from

want to remind you, whom God commanded us to love and honor as the firstborn, by this letter of ours of this danger to you and to the Church. Although we do not consider it necessary to remind you, like Eli's sons, whom a wrong will and a habit of sinning had made completely unruly and wild against right discipline, but rather as one who in many years therefore did not walk in the counsel of the wicked, we therefore hope all the more that our fatherly memory of you will not be lost.

4. But everything, dear son, is based on the fact that you do not let yourselves be turned away from the unity of the church, nor from the custom of your forefathers, the most godly princes, but keep the same custom in everything that belongs to the church discipline, order and institutions, as you have always been eager to keep it for so many years with the greatest godliness. But this custom is of such a kind that whenever anything controversial arises concerning matters of religion, it is submitted to the judgment of the apostolic see, and nothing is decided without its counsel. But you, dear son, if you think of a general concilii as the best means against the distressed condition of the church and Germany itself, or also of a national concilii, or also of an Imperial Diet in the future autumn, in which you promise to act on religion and other matters pertaining to it, act and conclude in such a way that the name of him is completely forgotten, to whom all divine and secular rights, with the consent of so many centuries, have given the supreme power both to proclaim concilia and to act and decide on the things that belong to the church unity and benefit.

(5) And this is not the only thing in which we complain that you have not kept the custom and divine ordinances of the church and of the forefathers, but there are many other things and very many things in the conclusions of the present Diet, which are both contrary to godliness and confound all the ordinances of the laws. For you think that laymen, yes, laymen of all kinds and teachers of damned heresies, could judge spiritual things; that you conclude spiritual goods and their future disputes; that you let those who have long since been damned outside the church and by your edict regain their honors in the courts and offices, and do all this out of your imperial and imperial power. and imperial power, since those who persist in the old and holy obedience are not satisfied with this: what is there in this to the divine laws and ordinances, by which the church has all the

Rather, all discipline and order, without which no community or society can exist, is completely torn away from the church. And because this is so contrary to all the custom and discipline of the forefathers, we can all the less imagine that such a thing was ever the custom of your mind or council, but that the council of other, wicked people, disobedient to this holy see, has for a time hindered and put down your godliness. Who, not being able to obtain from you that you consider good what they want to do against it, nevertheless sought so much to influence you that by such commands you showed some signs of a mind alienated from it. But we are all the more sorry that they were able to do so much with you, since we are assured that this will do you and the church great harm if you do not soon think of something better.

(6) Which we must fear daily more, the more we consider with whom you have made friends. For if, according to the apostle, evil conversation corrupts good morals, how much more is such a thing to be feared from him who enters into counsel and alliance with the ungodly! Although we certainly believe that you have been brought to this under the appearance of godliness, benefit and honor. But there is no council, however wicked, that does not adorn itself with such an apparent name as a beautiful cloak. But you, dear son, rather ask your father, and he will tell you; ask your ancestors, and they will tell you. For all these exhort you with one voice to the unity of the church and to the honor and obedience of this holy see, and have long since exhorted you to it by deeds themselves. But if you ask the holiest and most experienced people in divine law, they will say that it has always drawn the heaviest vengeance of divine wrath if someone, for whatever reason or appearance of godliness, has wanted to usurp the official functions of the highest priest.

7) But it is this principle 1) which the disobedient are wont to invoke when the princes ascend to his throne and exhort them to arrogate to themselves the right and power to decide on religious matters.

1) "Here it is in Latin without sense, with nmxima, without substant., the sense however is probably certainly correct, as here." (Walch.) - But it is not to be read muxiruu, with short j, but maxirnn with long i, the maxim. The old translator offers: "the greatest appearance".

The priests are to use their negligence as a spur to urge them to take upon themselves the care of the church in the matter of religious disputes and the order of church affairs. For who should not think that this is something praiseworthy? Certainly everyone, if one looks at your deed itself. But as in 1) a well-ordered house the offices and duties are so divided that not every one must do everything as he pleases, though everything is good in its way; for those who do this, though they have the best of intentions in doing it, are yet justly punished by the head of the house, because by their untimely zeal they destroy what is most beautiful in the house, namely the good order, without which no house can exist, as much as there is in them, and insult the prudence of him who established it: So also in the church, God's house, since the offices are distributed and each one has to wait for his own, so that the unrulers do not take over the office of the rulers, one is all the less allowed to disturb the order, since the church has been ordered with greater wisdom than any house in the world; and this is always a terrible disgrace against God's wisdom and prudence. But not everyone sees this. Nor do we believe that you, the emperor, see how close you are to divine providence in this house of God, in which the priests are commanded the highest office, since you arrogate to yourselves the same honor and work. Uzzah did not see this either, when he accompanied the ark of God, which was drawn by oxen on the chariot, and when they turned out or stepped aside, he put his hand on it and wanted to hold it so that it would not fall. But who would have wanted to blame such a deed? Yes, who would not have preferred to praise it, that, since the priests were absent, he, in apparent danger of the ark, which, as the Scripture says, had already tilted to one side, laid his hand to hold it? This would certainly have been praised by everyone as something praiseworthy and good, if God had not shown by His severe vengeance that it did not please Him at all. For this vengeance took Uzzah away immediately, for no other reason (as Scripture says) than because he was too insolent to perform for himself what belonged to the priests and Levites alone. But who would have thought that this would have been such a great sin? But by this example, God also wanted to warn us, so that we do not fall into the same snare of God's wrath. Of which I have deemed it good to remind you, my son,

1) In Latin: ex (Walch).

Do not let yourselves be deceived by those who are always talking about the betterment of the church, to lay hands on such a large group, not of wanton cattle, but of priests, by whom it is carried.

8 For this belongs to the priests. Korah, Dathan and Abiram also fell into the same pit (or rope), who were displeased that one alone among the holy people should hold the dignity of high priest before others, and therefore opposed both Moses and Aaron, saying: "It is enough for you that the whole multitude of the saints and the Lord are among them: why do you exalt yourselves above the people? But though it might seem that these words were spoken against both of them, yet we have learned from Moses' interpretation that their whole grievance was nothing but the high priesthood of Aaron; for they thought it unjust that, where the whole multitude is holy, one should exalt others in majesty. But how much this displeased God, the hard example of the divine judgment and zeal made known to them, which the opened earth with all household goods and goods swallowed up alive.

(9) But these old things I touch upon, because (as Paul saith) these things happened unto them for an example. "But it is written for our warning, upon whom the end of the world is come," that all may learn from this, if in the priesthood (which served only the tabernacle and the shadow, and was to cease with the tabernacle, according to the divine will) God nevertheless took such great care that he did not leave unpunished the slightest alteration, that was made out of human arrogance did not go unpunished, how much more the priests are to be honored, who no longer serve the model and the tabernacle that perishes, but that tabernacle that never perishes, and how little they should allow themselves to change the least order that belongs to them.

(10) And how much more grievously, and with more grievous hope, must those sin against Divine Providence who either seek to confuse and usurp this order, or otherwise to conclude something about it, which the long custom of the church, having its foundation in the testimonies of Scripture, holds forth 2) and makes known?

(11) But even though all this may be glossed over and put under as good a pretext of godliness as it pleases, there is no doubt that hope, as the root of this evil, is all God.

2) xromittit stands, but gives no right sense, it would have to mean grant; xornuttit is too little, xromit perhaps rather (Walch).

time is abhorrent. This is especially shown by the example of King Uzziah, in whom both the root of this evil and its severe revenge can be seen. This otherwise so praiseworthy king, even according to the testimony of the Scriptures, is only accused of presumption in this, that he wanted to burn incense on the altar of incense. But who would not have thought that this was something godly rather than proud? But the Spirit of God, coming upon this narrative, says: "The heart of Uzziah was lifted up." In what? Answer: In that he wanted to take hold of a foreign office, of which the priests warned him. And because he disobeyed them, he was struck with leprosy by God.

(12) Now this we tell you, my dear son, that if Uzziah was so proud in burning incense on the altar of incense, how much more proud it is to burn such high incense on the altar of the body of Christ, and to do other things that belong to religion! And do you not think that this is incense before God, to make laws about religion? Of course, this is incense, and it is the most pleasing to God (for surely believe that God likes no smell better than this), but this is not, O emperor, your office. It belongs to the priests of the Lord; it belongs to us, to whom God has given power to bind and loose. But see what part of the temple you are entering, since you are taking this office from yourselves today: not into the court or the holy place, as Uzziah did; for such a deed is not only the holy place, but the most holy. Now that you have entered with your prudence, you are entering the house of the Lord, the holy of holies, the body of Christ, and you are usurping his office.

(13) And it is no excuse for you to say that it is a holy thing, and that you do not want to make laws that last forever, but only for a time, that is, until the future council. For as holy and good as it may be in itself, it is quite ungodly in him to whom God has not commanded it. For you take from yourselves the position 1) which is God's alone, to whom alone belongs the judgment over the priests, which no one may arrogate to himself, not even for some time. For this is God's voice to wicked priests: "I myself will go to the shepherds and claim my flock from their hand." As God will certainly do this in his own time, so he who wanted to snatch such judgment from his hand before the time,

1) personam, actually the role in a play.

He has always dared to do so with his greatest harm and punishment. Just as, on the other hand, he has always testified by clear signs that they are worthy of several pardons, both internal and external, and all kinds of good, which have done love and honor to the priests, increased their number and thus promoted unity in his church, and have also looked upon this supreme see helpfully and graciously. As it happened with Constantine the Great, Theodosius, Carl the Great, who have never been surpassed by any Christian emperor in divine pardons or victories. On the other hand, God not only disgraced those who resisted the priests, but also often inflicted great punishments as a sign of His divine wrath. And we are not only talking about those who wanted to dampen the Church at the beginning so that it would not rise, for example, people like Nero, Domitian and others like them, but about those who persecuted it when it had already grown up, when it began to use its authority over princes, when Peter's chair had already been established and confirmed in the eyes of all princes. For those who opposed such authority were obviously punished by God in such a way that one could see how much reverence for this chair had always pleased God and still does, but how much disobedience and contempt for this chair displeased him.

14 In particular, we read that Anastasius was the first among the emperors who broke out into open disobedience and apostasy against the Holy See, whom the Roman pope Gelasius warned not to keep it with Acacius, the bishop in Constantinople, whom the apostolic see had condemned. But when he did not heed such a warning, and heard Hormisdas, his successor (in the papacy), envoys, who had been sent to him for this reason, that he should leave the heretic's community, first contemptuously, and then let him go with even more insult, the wrath of God finally struck him down by lightning,

15 Many other successors have done the same wickedness, but at different times, e.g. Mauritius, Constans II, Justinianus, Constantinus Pogonatus' son, Philip, Leo. But it would be too long to count all of them, who did not die in one way, but all of them died shamefully and violently, and lost the empire and all sovereignty before, that one can obviously see God's avenging justice over their disobedience. This series could be continued down to that Henry, who had the

The first apostolic see was so long plagued by him, but afterwards he was caught by his son and died in the dungeon at Liège by the righteous judgment of God, so that God thus let the righteous punishment of his disobedience pass over him, that he might be chastised by his son, who had so manifoldly plagued the one whom Divine Providence had presented to him as a father in the Church, and had despised his reputation.

This can also be said of Frederick II, except that he died a more miserable death, in that his son himself was his executioner and strangled him. Although God does not always chastise the disobedient in this way, by rather making some atone for their lust, so that, as far as outward discipline is concerned, he lets them sin brazenly and live in all abundance and superfluity as happy people, it nevertheless happens, as the holy fathers believe, so that if all the wicked were punished here, people would not think that there would be no future judgment at all. Therefore God punishes some here obviously, and others as an example, so that He may be recognized as just, but others, whom He lets pass here, He reserves for His future judgment, in order to punish them all the more severely; but no sin goes unpunished by divine justice. But this is the worst punishment of all, when those who offend God to the highest degree think that they do it unpunished; for all such people are struck with blindness and given over to their passions, shame and wrong mind, which the apostle describes as the scourge of the wicked. And although this is common to all the ungodly, it is especially noticeable in those who have shown their ungodliness by attacking the supreme (apostolic) see and tearing apart the unity of the church.

17 We have seen this in some of them: the more virtues shone out in them before, when they kept their holy obedience to the same, the more terrible lusts and vices of avarice, pleasure and cruelty they fell into afterwards; which, as the histories testify, happened to Aüastasius, whom we have thought of above. And would God that we would not have the same examples in our time. But the divine vengeance has not only struck individuals who have disobeyed this supreme See, but also entire peoples and countries, in which we see that, although those who did not want Christ as their Lord were punished most horribly, those who resisted the power of Christ's governor have fallen into almost as great misery.

have. We see, however, that two peoples in particular have been chastened and afflicted by God, which formerly flourished the most: one of them stubbornly denied Christ, but the other had dealings with the governor of Christ for a time before others. The first are the Jews, whose misery is greater than that of any other people, but the other are the Greeks, whose misery is not much inferior to that of the Jews, because their godlessness was almost as great.

(18) Therefore, if Christ himself has never allowed his governor's authority and prestige to be despised by other emperors, kings, peoples and nations without punishment, and yet this authority has had to remain behind one another in constant succession; if he has always shown with severe punishments that such disobedience and unruliness have displeased him, how much more ugly, O emperors, would you be regarded if (God being for!) you wanted to challenge it, since you come from such emperors who have never given more honor to the apostolic see than they have received from it.) you would dispute the same, since you are descended from such emperors who have never paid more homage to the apostolic see than they have received back from it?

(19) And we do not write this, dearest son, as if we could in the least imagine that you had such a thing in mind or thought it good, but only wanted to remind you, as a loving father who cares for his son's salvation and honor and is concerned about both, as soon as we saw the edict of the Diet of Speier, and all the more eagerly, because we know the danger in which you stand first and foremost and most. And since we have advised you somewhat broadly against taking any unauthorized power from you in the case of religious disputes that arise and of disputes that are to be settled, it has not been done to the end as if we did not sincerely wish that the disputes be settled, which (as our conscience testifies) we would rather lay down our blood and lives, to accomplish this in the right way, but only to warn you, citing examples from sacred Scripture and church history, not to take what is not your office, or to command from your imperial power, but rather to admonish you with the example of Constantine the Great, servant of God and greatest and most blessed emperor: Which we do but for this cause, that ye leave them [the priests] to be tried and punished by their judge and their magistrates. For when he was asked by the priests themselves to be used as judge of their disputes, he refused completely. His words are described by the church scribes who were present.

are quoted thus: God has made you priests and given you power to judge us, and therefore we will be judged by you, but you cannot be judged by men. Therefore wait only for God's judgment and let your quarrels, be they what they may, come to the same divine judgment.

(20) This was said by this great one, not only in the kingdom, which was the greatest, but in godliness and other virtues, to whom we wish and desire to see you, O emperor, equal in everything. But that you have a great desire and zeal that the disputes in religion may be settled and good discipline renewed in the general church, we therefore praise you very much and ask you to help him in this, to whom God has entrusted the care of this office. For as we, as the head of such matters, are by no means willing to suffer you, so we especially desire your help, as the most skillful and capable arm. This eagerness of ours has made it so that we have not only been willing to write out the slightest hope of assembling a common council, and where there has been only the slightest hope that it could be assembled, we have immediately sent envoys to it, as we have also done in the last place, although not with such benefit as we constantly wish. However, we would rather try everything than miss the slightest opportunity, which we always expect from God's goodness.

21 Since we would like to see a concilium for the benefit of the general church, we desire such a thing primarily for the sake of the praiseworthy German nation, which has recently endured much because of the religious disputes and has been thrown into turmoil, whose salvation (as Your Majesty also confesses) we have always hoped to be able to counsel most easily through a common concilium.

(22) But that we complain that you have used their counsel, who are already condemned from this throne: we do not complain that we wish such to be excluded from your friendship always, or that we seek that, because they are once condemned, they should always remain condemned. For God is our witness that we desire nothing more than to bring back the lost sheep to the Lord's sheepfold, and to see the whole noble country united in faith and religion with the head and the other body in all love and friendship, for the sake of the causes touched.

23. but you are acting now, while they are still with the

We are talking about those who are still at odds, since they are outside the church and are condemned by your edict to be too lenient with them, and regard their friendship too highly, although your leniency and the explanations of previous edicts, which you have issued in particular, have not only done them no good so far, but rather, as you have experienced yourself, have given them cause to become more defiant and to take possession of the goods of their neighbors, have not only done them no good so far in bringing them to a better mind, but rather, as one has indeed experienced oneself, have given them cause to become more defiant and to seize the goods of their neighbors, so that it seems that you are helping to spread the disagreements more than to take them away. But because we hoped and still hope to bring these people to a different mind, certainly not in the above way, which is against all usage and custom of the ancestors, yes, against all divine right, but by a common concilium, we have seen to this country's benefit more than to that of any other, and have sent our envoys even to Germany's door, namely to Trent, but have called, and there was no one who listened; we came, and there was no one there.

024 But we do not cease from this, but call and cry unto you and to other princes. But we cry out with the prophet David, "Come, let us weep before the Lord." For it is best to begin the Concilium with this. And with Daniel I pray for my sin and the people's: I am guilty, confess and plead: O Lord, we have sinned, we have transgressed, we have gone astray, we have been ungodly. We are ashamed to lift up our eyes, as were our kings and princes and fathers, because we have sinned; but thou, O Lord, art merciful, and with thee there is reconciliation.

(25) We therefore call you to such a council, in which we hope to have the angels as assessors; who, if they rejoice over one sinner repenting, how much more will they rejoice over the general church, to which they belong, when it is gathered together for repentance. Moreover, we do not see how the welfare of the Christians can be saved against the powerful and sworn enemy of all Christendom, namely the Turkish tyrant, who is coming against us, unless the Christians gather their power against him in faith and love. Therefore, beloved son, pave the way for such a concilio; for this will be fitting for your ministry. But you will pave the way if you either restore peace as much as you can to the Christian people, for which all have sighed so long, or, at the very least, if you give back peace from the

I urge you to refrain from wars until the church is assembled in a concilio, since it is cheaper to settle your disputes there than by force.

26 You and other Christian princes, whom we therefore want to admonish again and again, especially the one with whom you are now at war, should do so. The concilium is already here, for it has long since been announced, and it has not yet broken off, although it has been postponed until a more convenient time because of the war. Therefore, beloved son, turn your diligence to it, and grant first this joy to the Christian people, who have long since been carried away by internal wars, and then also to us, who consider you the most precious thing on earth, who take the place of the firstborn in love with us, and prove to us this test of divine virtue, that you do not only hate and reject a father who remembers you out of an honest heart, Not only do you not hate and reject a father who remembers you out of an honest heart, which is what those do whom God abandons to their lusts as a sign of abandonment, but also that you embrace him with all godliness as a person sent to you at this time, as it were, by God's command, who should protect you from stumbling and save you from great danger to your soul, gladly hear his voice and accept his advice. You will accept it, however, if you, as a man, can be led away by human advice and persuasion from the holy Hege, as the prophet calls it, which is also the right army road of your ancestors, the most blessed princes, and immediately, as soon as you have been reminded which one it is, turn back to it out of a divine mind, and are so minded that you do not arrogate to yourselves the slightest right or authority in matters concerning religion; if you follow the divine doctrine or order and the use of the church, and completely exclude from the imperial assemblies, where there are not those who have power to judge, all disputes about priests and religious matters, and leave them to their own courts, where they belong; If you leave the judgment of the church goods 2) (over which the judgment comes from the Lord himself, to whom they are reserved) to the priests and command them, and do not conclude anything in them yourselves, and with the laying down of arms either make peace, or, if the peace is otherwise, let it be.

1) King Francis I of France.

2) There is no mind in Latin (Walch). - This remark has its correctness. We have, to give sense, the words: Quorum juclicinm ab ipso Domino, oni snnt eonsorvata enclosed in brackets, and thereafter juäioiurn added.

If you are not able to meet the challenge of a common concilio to pass judgment on that which for so long has caused such harmful war and unrest in Christendom, and if you finally overturn and abolish everything that you have granted to the unruly and disobedient against the Holy See with too much leniency. For this, beloved son, is what puts your soul itself in great danger, and disturbs the peace of the church more and more; and therefore you can easily judge from yourselves, if you do not soon control such evil (which you hopefully will do), what trouble we will come to: that we will either be forced to neglect the office and duty given to us by God through His Son, with our own greatest danger, or again, to act more sharply than either our habit, or nature, or will suffer.

(27) Yet we must not completely forfeit our office and duty in such great danger, but will 3) carry it out as much as we can say or promise by the grace of him who has granted us, though unworthily, to take his place on earth. For we always have in mind and before our eyes the example of which we have already mentioned above, namely, the divine wrath against the priest Eli, of whom I do not read that he was condemned because he did not punish his sons at all, for we clearly find in Scripture that he scolded them, but that he, as St. Jerome says, exercised more the leniency of a father than the authority of a high priest in the matter.

(28) We have used the leniency of a father as long as it was almost right. But when these things, according to the edict, are set in motion (since God is for them!), you will see by the example of Eli where you will finally bring us.

(29) Therefore, O emperor, consider what is more due to you; what belongs more to your office toward God and the church; what is more conducive to your honor and benefit: whether you will lend your arm to our severity in the matters belonging to the unity of the church, or rather fall on the side of those who have once torn it asunder, and are miserably endeavoring to tear and divide it still further into many pieces, and desire to do so.

30 The God of Peace Save Your Majesty

3) In Latin, volumus alone does not give understanding (Walch).

according to his great mercy, from such counsel of the wicked graciously, and confirm in your hearts the counsel of peace, that we may with one accord honor God the Father through Jehovah Christ, to whom, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever, Amen!

Given Rome at St. Marcus, August 24, 1544.

1417 A concept or letter from the pope to the emperor, written in even more violent and threatening terms.

Pallavicini commemorates this writing in his üiktorin 6ON0. Dristantini, lik. V, 6 in the last paragraph, calls it "more threatening and vehement" than the preceding one, but notes that it was suppressed, and is of the erroneous opinion that it did not become known to the Protestants. Luther's next writing (he speaks of two letters from the pope to the emperor) is, however, more directed against this than against the previous letter from the pope. It is not known whether this letter Concept remained or got into the hands of the emperor. It is found in the LuMuläus unnnl., tonfi XXI, ncl nunum 1544, No. 7 and printed from it in Seckendorfs Hist. Imtst., lib. Ill, x. 487. German in the translation of Elias Frick in the German Seckendorf,,p. 2384; this has been taken up by Walch, but we have improved it throughout according to the Latin. About the Latin original, Seckendorf remarks that it suffers from many printing errors, which he was not able to correct.

Dear Son and King!

(1) What you have left as a decision in the farewell at Speier has truly astonished many, but has even caused us great grief, since we would have hoped for something quite different and better from an emperor. For, as you yourselves easily recognize what you have done wrong in faith and in the reverence which you owed to God, since we know very well that such is our office, we ask you, according to our fatherly and special love for you, to listen with patience to our just and necessary complaint and serious grievance. You first report that your intention is to bring about conciliation and peace between the German princes; this in itself is good and to be desired, if only it is not such a peace of which the Lord speaks: he has not come to send it, but to destroy it. To this you added that this could not be obtained unless the matters in dispute in faith and religion were settled at the same time; and we hold that this is true. You further added that it did not stand with you that this could not already be done by a proper constitution,

free, common concilium has been ordered. Here we do not know whether you do not want to give us to understand secretly, as the other actions seem to make it quite clear that we are to blame for the fact that no concilium is held; but how far this is in accordance with the truth can be easily concluded, since we have been almost constantly striving for a concilium from the beginning of our elevation to the papal chair, and have never refused it, but rather have often announced it in different places, recently also to Trent, in order to satisfy your request. But whoever does not clearly see that it has happened because of the miserable times, when discord and the flame of war has flared up in the whole of Christendom, that the same could not be assembled anywhere, is blind as a bat. Perhaps someone will object that we are to blame for these wars, but as long as we have been sitting in the papal chair, we have done nothing but want to see peace in our own time, so that we have not spared our old age and have often undertaken arduous and very dangerous journeys.

2 But let us proceed to the matter at hand: How do you, O Emperor, leave off about the settlement of the matter of faith and religion and such important disputes in your Speier's farewell? First of all, you promise a national council, so that the religious disputes may be decided at it; but what prudent and reasonable man should not be surprised at this? partly because you arrogate such things to yourselves and to a national council, which by no means belong to your knowledge and jurisdiction; partly and especially because you have subjected yourselves to it, which, as you know, has been forbidden to you by our legate and dear brother Caspar Contarenus, of laudable memory, in our name and by special order with strong reasons; For that such things belong to the governor of Christ on earth should have been known to you long ago from innumerable sayings and actions of the holy fathers.

3 Moreover, how do you think a national council can have power over this, without deciding for us things concerning faith, Christian life and church customs? since there almost everything has been desecrated, confused and prejudiced against the truth. To no one but to Petro is it said: I have prayed for you that your faith may not cease, and if you are converted one day, strengthen your brothers. Since this is the case and is known far and wide, you are still subject to this, O emperor,

to declare by assumed authority (which we want to have said with your permission) that what you will conclude should be kept until a common concilium, so that if perhaps (yes, not perhaps, but certainly) that on which the Lutheran party, which will have the upper hand, stubbornly insists, and which all truly pious and catholic people would curse, should be decided from now on, you would be so careless as to approve such a thing before you know whether it is to be approved, indeed, after you know with great probability that it will not be approved, you would nevertheless ratify it. Whence can you arrogate to yourselves the power to set anything against true faith, or to approve it? since you are not even at liberty to decide the truth of faith without us? For it behooves you to hear, not to teach; to accept and approve what is already decreed, not to determine and investigate; yes, to protect the statutes with the sword, which you have received from God through us, and to defend them to the death, but not to cling to the adverse party in any way, or to advance it. For if one subjects oneself to such things as you do, what is that but to tear the church apart miserably, even to tear oneself off and separate from the church shamefully and unhappily, and to lead the remaining part of Germany, which by God's grace has so far remained unsullied by such a great stain, with your example into the abyss of error with you, so that they leave the spring of living water and turn to wells full of holes?

4 But should we not be offended, and how much do you think, that in the meantime we have to see such a thing in an emperor, namely in Emperor Carl, to whom God has given and entrusted such great things, as no other, from Carl the First on? And we also wish very much that this will not only be preserved for you, but that it will also be abundantly increased by divine blessing. For we have gladly heard and teach that one gives to the emperor what is the emperor's, if only you also gladly heard that one leaves to God what is God's, but that this would not be stolen from him by you, since it would be up to you to take revenge if another wanted to take it. For if you protect what you consider to be imperial rights with such care, with such heavy wars, and bring it back to you, should not God Almighty protect or avenge His own? But if someone, even if it were an emperor, should rob you of such things, do you not consider that the souls of the faithful, whom the church has made into a living community through baptism, should be protected and avenged?

Who, having been born again of the hope of God, and having redeemed Jesus Christ with his blood, has made God himself and Christ's property free? But did he entrust the care of them to the emperor? Is it said to the emperor: "Feed my sheep"? or is this not only commanded to Peter and in his person to all his followers? These are the foundations of our faith. He who does not know these certainly departs from the boundaries, we do not consider him a member of the household; but he who violates them shall also find Him his enemy, because he steals for himself what is God's, as a thief and a murderer. 1)

(5) But that this does not affect you, O emperor, we think only because we believe that these things do not come from your good mind, but are obtained or forced by malicious people, which the imperial wisdom will show us when it will immediately, as we hope, revoke these things, which it sees have been done wrongly. For how highly could we esteem that which, as we see, you have arrogated to yourselves in the farewell! in that you, the very emperor who decreed at the Diet of Augsburg that the imperial laws against them were in force; the very same emperor, we say (where you are otherwise still the same now), who has revoked and rejected by new arrogance that which you then acted rightly, properly, and admirably for the good of the Christian religion. And because all pious Germans abhor such a shameful deed, you use a milder and more honorable word to cover it up, so that you do not wound godly hearts beyond measure, and call it a suspension, which we, however, consider to be a complete abrogation.

Since anyone can easily guess what will be approved at a national convention, everyone must be extremely surprised that you have done something that will bring no one more shame, harm and condemnation than yourselves. For if you had still considered those whom you held and condemned with us to be heretics, you would certainly have had no cause to revoke or suspend, so that the imperial laws should not remain in force against them, since they are now all the more heretics, because they have persisted so hard and stiff-necked in their opinion for so long a time. But now that you deny that they are heretics, that is to say, that they are not heretics.

1) Here we have omitted a paragraph that is inadvertently included in the text in Walch's old edition, but belongs to Seckendorf's notes 1.0. p. 489a.

and condemned your former opinion, you publicly testified that you had entered into the same fellowship and professed the faith which that godless and adulterous mob preaches, but which the apostolic see condemns with all Catholic churches. We leave it to your wisdom to consider calmly how praiseworthy and proper to imperial highness such a thing is. For we think that you should tremble and shake before this, not only because of what righteous people would think of it, with whom your fame would receive a blow, nor for the sake of the name that you bring to the descendants, in that they would find you in the number of heretic-patrons and persecutors of the holy Church of God, who have come to an unfortunate end, in the histories of the present times, but for the sake of the divine judgment, of which it is written: The mighty shall be mightily punished.

(7) If our lives were in any way separated from the divine customs and if these were endangered by you, we would perhaps yield to the emperor and not oppose him, but let it be. But because your contempt for our authority and our judgment inevitably leads to contempt for God's authority as well, we must no longer look through our fingers, but we are compelled to confront you and to admonish you that you revoke and destroy with better consideration what you have started very badly, so that you do not incur God's wrath on you in heaven and on earth.

(8) We beseech and exhort you in the Lord to be attentive and to hear what the great God says to you through our mouth. For what wonder is it when the pope, thundering from his throne, speaks thus: I (thus saith the Lord of hosts), I am, O emperor, that I am; by me kings rule, and the mighty set up judgment; in my hand is the heart of the king; mine is to give and to divide the kingdoms; I can walk upon serpents and vipers, and tread upon young lions and dragons; I take away the courage of princes, and am terrible among the kings of the earth; I feed them with a rod of iron, and break them as pots. And now, O emperor, hear, and take heed, thou judge of the earth; consider the deeds and examples of thy ancestors, which have come to this throne on which thou sittest. Consider the miserable end of your ancestors, who became ungodly and persecuted my church; I will not name them to you, nor reproach you with anything else, only that you take into your mind why I

I have brought the empire from the Greeks to the Germans through my governors, and have despised that people. This is what I want to report to you instead of a lengthy explanation. This, dear emperor, Christ shows you through our mouth, whose strong voice I would like you not to disregard or consider vain.

(9) For you have entered into an alliance with a schismatic king, who is a repudiated enemy of the Catholic Church, and have done yourselves such great dishonor, having cast off the queen, your mother's sister, his right wife, as a concubine and who has lived with him in adultery, by an irresponsible divorce, whom the apostolic see has condemned (also at your instigation) because of such atrocious vice; that you have placed a pragmatic sanction in Spain, revoked the Augsburg Edict and other emperors' statutes, and have ratified its acts before they appear. You have revoked the Augsburg Edict and other emperors' statutes, promised a national council to the heretics and ratified its acts before they come to light, and finally have not wanted to accept any other council than the one held in Germany, without remembering our name and authority, as if matters of faith did not concern us at all. Who, even if he is so completely limited, should not notice 1) what this means? For these are all too certain signs that you have fallen away from the church to the enemy party, which, in reporting it, also makes us tremble and shake for your sake that this comes from Emperor Carl, who in all his actions before has shown such great zeal for the faith.

(10) But you will say: I have put the matter on a general concilium, if a Christian, free concilium would be; but because you have added the place, namely, that it should be held in Germany, it follows that it cannot be a free, Christian concilium in another place, 2) because it is only free and Christian where the Lutheran party flourishes most and is strongest, so that this may be interpreted according to your sense: Christian is so much as Lutheran. Do you not now, O emperor, feel a sting from the truth, which is painful, but can also be salutary, if you turn back? For I ask again: With what do you turn back? You say that you want a general concilium.

1) This is translated literally. In good German it would mean: Even the biggest fool can memorize etc.

2) Instead of alterum vero we have assumed: alio Itteo. - Seckendorf despairs here of the production of the sense.

If you mean this in truth and from the heart, why then is a national council promised to them? and why is the one that we have written out for Trent not reported with a word? However, if it should be necessary that a council be held elsewhere, even in Germany, we, trusting in God, do not want to refuse it, if only the other things required for a true council are included, namely, that it be free and Christian; for it is written: I sit not in the concilio of vain men, and have not fellowship with the wicked; I hate the congregation of the wicked, and sit not with the ungodly. Therefore, see if there can be a free concilium where one takes up arms; if there can be a Christian concilium where one proclaims the governor of Christ for the Antichrist, and has nothing of Christ but the mere name, which one uses as a pretense and pretext? Although we should bear this disgrace with patience (if it concerned me alone), according to the example of the one who was also accused of having the devil, it nevertheless contains a blasphemy against the Lord, whose place we (however unworthily) represent. Therefore, neither can we bear such things willingly, nor should you suffer them patiently, to whom God has given the sword, for you do not bear it in vain, but for the protection of the Christian name, not for the shedding of the blood of Christ.

We do not want to wound you, O emperor, by any harsh words, and yet we cannot restrain the truth; if you consider it rightly, it will certainly be beneficial for you. For if you carry out what you have begun, you will certainly do that which will very much darken and stain what you have done so far that is praiseworthy, and your name will get an everlasting stain of shame. What could be more disgraceful to you? what could bring about greater and more prolonged hatred than to say: Emperor Carl is a Lutheran? It will therefore be incumbent upon you, dearest son Carl, to take care of your name and to create counsel for your soul, to obey your father's careful and fatherly admonition, and not to rely on your and your allies' power. For since all human power is subject to God, however great it may be, it is not to be counted as a power but as a weakness against Almighty God.

12 But we promise you, so that you will not have to complain about us, that we will contribute to everything that is done.

You want to be ready for what you desire, if only it can be done without violating the divine majesty. Do you desire a concilium? We give you a concilium, and no delay shall be caused by us that it cannot be held. Shall it be held in Germany? We do not want to refuse it, if it can only be a free, Christian concilium there. For in order for it to be Christian, the heretics must not be considered a part of the council there, since they no longer are and have already separated themselves from the church. But who the heretics are, is not for the emperor or anyone else to investigate and declare, but for us who have received judgment from Christ himself. But this you are to provide, that the Concilium may be free, which will also be done if you order to lay down arms, if you direct your minds to peace, or at least to a standstill, precede the faithful with peace, and in the meantime leave the cause of the dispute to the holy Concilio for investigation. If you accept these laws and proposals for peace, you will certainly give peace to the world; but if not, we are excused before the divine Majesty, because we have admonished you paternally, and indicated what is detrimental to you, so that we will be able to compose ourselves all the better if you (which we certainly do not wish) despise our paternal admonition; Nevertheless, with the help and grace of Almighty God, we will carefully consider and firmly carry out what is due to us.

1418. D. Martin Luther's writing "Against the Papacy at Rome, founded by the devil". March 26, 1545.

This writing is directed against the two previous brevias of Pope Paul III to the emperor. Although the former breve (No. 1416) was intended only for the emperor, as the Cardinal Farnese assures in April 1545, it soon became generally known, and also came into Luther's hands, who wrote to Amsdvrf on January 9 that he had at first taken it for a pasquill, but now thought differently of it, since it was being spread at all courts. He wanted to paint that bull with its right colors. In addition, the document was sent to Luther by Granvella. (See the introductions to the two preceding numbers.) That this had happened was established by August von Druffel. He found in the Munich Imperial Archives in the first volume of the Acta Concilii Tridentini, col. 56, behind the Papal Breve by the hand of Jakob Fngger the following

1020 Erl. (2.) 26,131 f. Sect. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. LVII, 1278f. 1021

Note: "Since Nicolaus Perrenotus [Granvellaf, the emperor's most trusted advisor, was secretly affected by this writing, he also secretly gave some arguments against Paul the pope to a shrewd friend, who, as if he knew nothing about it all, was to bring them to Luther with a copy of this letter and spur him to answer the pope. After this was done, Luther became quite extraordinarily inflamed and wrote a vehement writing against him." Then reference is made to the place where this writing of Luther's is to be found in the same volume of acts. Fugger stood in closest relationship to the imperial court, therefore his information can be regarded as a reliable source. After the Elector of Saxony had instructed the Chancellor Brück on January 16, 1545, to ask Luther to write against this papal breve, Luther set to work, and on March 26, this writing went out, as he announced in a letter to the Landgrave Philip of Hesse from March 21 i DeWette,Vol. VI, p.373), and already on April 13 it was in the hands of the legates at Trent, delivered by the secretary of King Ferdinand, Marsupina. Ferdinand himself read through the whole document and said: "If the bad words were out, Luther would not have written badly." - Our writing first appeared in a single edition under the title: "Wider das Bapstum zu Uom vom Teufte! gestift, Mart. Luther D. ^Title image: Pabst going to hell] Wittenberg, 1545. by Hans Lufft." 24 quarto sheets. Another edition under completely the same title is 26 sheets; a third, without indication of the printing place (20 sheets), appeared in the same year. In the Gesamtausgabeu: in the Wittenberg (1554), vol. VII, p. 576; in the Jena (1562), vol.VIII, p. 208b; in theAltenburg, vol.VIII, p. 418; in the Leipzig, vol. XXI, p. 467 and in the Erlangen (I.), vol. 26, p. 108; in the second edition, vol. 26, p. 128. - According to the wishes of the Elector expressed against Brück, Melanchthon was to translate this writing into Latin; however, this did not happen at first, but Justus Jonas made a translation. It was published without a place name under the title: Contra xapatnrn Uornanuni a Oiabolo innonturn, D. Ooot. LIar. Imtb. Ii. Oorina. latins rodäitmn, xor Instuin lonurn. 1545. I3Z sheets in octavo. Another translation is found in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1558), torn.VII, col. 447 b, which has the title: Xdversns xapntnin Roinao a 8atbana lninintnin. D. Mart. Tutb. Xnuo M.V.XTV. Melanchthon will be the translator. What the Erlangen edition says about Jonas' translation does not apply to this translation: that it is very free, because it is very accurate. But that it is a different one than Jonas's, we can see from the citations that the Erlangen edition brings here and there from Jonas. The Latin Wittenberg edition has not been checked by the Erlangen edition, because in both editions there is the wrong proof: "Vitob. II, 447," which is reprinted from Walch's Jnhaltsverzeichniß zum 17. Bande, p. 63. Where we refer to the Latin, the Wittenberg edition is meant.

1. the most infernal father, Sanct Paulus Tertius, as if he were a bishop of the Roman Church, has written two letters to Carolum Quintum, our Lord Emperor, in which he almost angrily states, murmurs and boasts, that he is not the bishop of the Roman Church.

According to the example of his ancestors, it is not the duty of an emperor or anyone else to call a council, not even a national council, but only of the pope, who alone has the power to ordain and establish everything that is to be believed and lived in the church. He has also let a Bulla (to speak with leave) go out, now almost for the fifth time, and shall now once again become the Concilium at Trent; but so far that no one comes there without only his basic soup, Epicurer, and. what he is sorry for. To this I desire to respond with God's grace and help, amen.

First of all, I ask you for God's sake, whoever you are, a Christian, even whoever you still have natural reason: tell me whether you can understand or comprehend what kind of concilium this is, or whether it can be a concilium where the abominable abomination at Rome, who calls himself pope, has such a reservation, power and right to tear down, change and nullify everything that is decided in the concilium, as many and almost all of his decrees roar? Do you not think, my dear brother in Christ, or my dear, according to natural reason, friend, that such a concilium must be nothing but a jiggery-pokery, prepared for the pope's amusement in the carnival?

(3) For what is the need to expend such great expense and effort on the concilium, if the pope has previously decided that what is done in the concilium should be subjected to him and be nothing, since it is quite pleasing to him? and wants to have the power to condemn everything. In order to avoid such a fuss, it would be better to say: Infernal Father, because it is the same what is decided before, or in, or after the Concilio, we want to believe and worship your infernal salvation just as much (without all Concilia). Only tell us beforehand what we should do, Domino, quid vis me facere? then we will sing of your infernal salvation the joyful song: Virgo ante partum, in partu, post partum, so that you may be the pure Virgin Mary, who has sinned nothing, nor can sin henceforth. If not, then tell us for God's sake what the concilia are necessary or useful for, since your infernality has such great power over them that they should be nothing where it does not please your infernality. Or prove to us poor under-

thänigen bon Christian, 1) whence your infernality has such power; where are seals and letters, which give you such, from your overlord? Where is Scripture that compels us to believe such things? Will your infernality not show us the same? Well then, let us seek them diligently ourselves, and with God's help we will surely find them, even in a little while.

4 However, we see and hear how the pope is such a masterful juggler. For just as a juggler juggles florins into the mouths of foolish people, but when they open it, they have horse manure inside: so does this shameful licker, Paulus Tertius, write out a concilium almost for the fifth time, so that whoever hears the words must think that he is serious; but before we look around, he has juggled horse manure into our mouths. For he will not give such a council, so that he may exercise his power and trample underfoot everything that is set within it. For such a council the wretched devil thanks him, and does not enter, because the wretched devil, plus his mother, his sister and his whore children, pope, cardinals, and what is more of the infernal basic soup in Rome.

(5) It is now four and twenty years since the first Imperial Diet was held in Worms under this Emperor Carolo, where I personally stood before the Emperor and the entire Empire. In the same Imperial Diet, all the estates of the empire requested that some great, unpleasant complaints (which were mentioned at that time, and then reported to Pope Hadriano at the Imperial Diet in Nuremberg and printed, which still exist) be removed by the pope and the clergy, or they wanted to remove them themselves. 2) In addition, it was requested that the imperial majesty work with the pope to establish and hold a common, free, Christian concilium in German lands, or to make a national concilium; which the dear emperor has done with diligence so far, but may not receive anything from the popes; therefore, these three words remained in the clamor for these 24 years: free, Christian concilium, in German lands.

6. these three words: free, Christian, German,

1) A mocking name of the Italians for the Germans: "A good Christian", that is, a stupid fellow.

2) See St. Louis edition, Vol. X V, 2146, No. 722.

are nothing to the pope and the Roman court but poison, death, the devil and hell. He cannot stand them, neither see them nor hear them; there will be no other, that is certain. He would let himself be torn apart and become a Turk or a devil or whoever else could help him. This is the reason: In 1415 3) a council was held in German lands at Costnitz, in which John Hus and Jerome were martyred, and three popes were deposed, and the fourth, Martinus V, was killed. But the most horrible and atrocious thing, of which the pope was so dreadfully afraid, was this piece, where it was decided and set that a concilium would be over the pope, and not the pope over the concilium, and the concilium would have the power to judge, sentence, punish, set down and depose the pope, not again the pope to judge, sentence or change the concilium. Oh, ouch, ouch! the little piece hurts them, the pin is deep in their hearts, the stone wants to imprint their hearts, they have burned themselves once, they won't come back, they let the whole world bathe in blood and drown before; As then Pope Eugenius did, and caused a great murder and bloodshed at Strasbourg, by the Delphin from France, so that he tore apart the Concilium at Basel, which, after the Concilii at Costnitz, had begun an example and order and had already named a pope, Amedeum, the Duke of Soffoy, Felix V., but peace was to come. But if there was to be peace, the same pope would have to resign and the council would have to fall, for they could not and would not wait any longer for the game they had suffered at Costnitz.

Now the Concilium at Costnitz, which was unholy enough, had great and unavoidable need and urgent reasons to establish and conclude that a Concilium should be over the pope, and not the pope over the Concilium. For there were three popes, none of whom would yield to the other, and there was great disorder and chaos in the whole Roman Church, as one pope banished the other, and one took away the other's foundation and benefices; for every one of them was a priest.

3) In the original and in the old editions the word "year" is added here.

1024 Erl. (2.) 26, 134-136. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1282-1288. 1025

the some pope wanted to be alone over everything. Nothing good could come from this. Such confusion lasted until 39 years, that all the world cried out and asked for a concilium, so that again a single pope would become. For it was thought at that time that Christianity could not exist without a pope. So the five nations, Germany, France, England, Spain, and the French, joined forces and helped to bring about a concilium at Costnitz, which Emperor Siegmund brought together with great effort.

(8) Now, if the council were to depose the popes, they had to be united beforehand and conclude that a council would be over the pope and would have the power and right to depose him, because in papal law there is no reason why a subordinate should depose the superior. Therefore, great necessity forced them, because it was necessary to depose at least two popes, where the third should remain, that they had to conclude beforehand that they had power and right to depose the popes. Thus it was decided at that time that the pope was under the council and not over the council; regardless of the fact that the pope had shouted and screamed himself hoarse and almost to death so many hundred years before, through all decrees and decrees, that he was over all councils, over all the world, even over the angels in heaven; item, be God's governor on earth, and an earthly god, and the abominations innumerable more, which are terrible for a Christian heart and ears to hear.

9 Then it happened that one of the Popes, called Gregory, willingly abdicated and handed over his papacy to the Concilio, but hoping that the Concilio would see his willing humility and elect him as pope again. Since this did not happen, he died of remorse and suffering. The other pope, called John, could also be persuaded, with great difficulty, to come to Costnitz to the Concilium, with the same and much greater hope that he alone would remain pope, because he had sat in the chair at Rome. The third, Benedictus, remained stubborn in his mind, and was deposed legally and by force according to the law and statute of the Concilium. This is the horrible thing that the popes have so violently perverted up to now, and no longer want or want to do.

can suffer a concilium in Germany with the beasts; they worry that the example of the Costnitz Concilii might be used against them, and that perhaps Paulus Tertius might ride into Trident as a pope, but ride out again as a poor wretch: therefore he is concerned about this, and have considered that they want to remain in Rome, without Concilio and above Concilio, and should the world come to an end.

For the histories tell of a Pope John before, when he had gone to Germany, they went and examined his life and regiment; before, no one was allowed to protest against him as a pope; and it was found that with 40 articles about him, all were worthy of death. Then he escaped secretly and wanted to return to Rome; but Emperor Siegmund seized him on the way and was ordered to the Count Palatine. When the articles were held up to him, he answered each of them thus: "Oh, I have done a great deal of harm! Such an answer astonished the envoys, because among other articles it was written that he had strangled his father, that he had practiced sorcery, malice and many other shameful vices. How could he have done anything wrong? He gave this answer: the worst thing he could have done would have been to let himself be persuaded to come from Rome over the Welsh mountains into Germany. Hereby 1) he meant that if he had remained in Rome and kept the papacy, he would have been free of such accusations and the most holy father would have remained pope, if he had done a thousand times more evil.

(11) From this the popes have become wise, and take the utmost care that they do not commit such great folly and sin, and go over the mountains into Germany, as the same Pope John did. And who can blame them? They do it out of great love and concern for poor Christianity that they love the papacy so much and are reluctant to leave it; for the papacy is the head of all Christianity and lord of the whole world, as well as an earthly deity who makes Christ governor on earth, so that he may teach all souls and make them blessed. The other you understand well, if you only think: yes, devil and hellish fire!

1) In the first edition: "Hie".

Accordingly, just look at the writing of this goody, Pauli Tertii, where he writes to the emperor: 1) Do you want to have a concilium? We want to give it. Do you want to have it in Germania? Behold, we will dare and do it; but so that it be a free and Christian concilium, and in which no place is given to heretics, as they can have no part with the church. Also that you create arma jubeas deponi, that is, good security and peace. You should also know that it is not up to you to judge who is to be ordered to the concilio, but it is up to our authorities. Now you know what language the pope and the holy boys' school in Rome have, and how he teaches us to understand the three words: free, Christian, German, namely that he wants to give a council, which he is sure can never be held. For he knows and feels well that [it] would be much worse for him and his desperate boys' school in the Concilium than it was for Pope John at Costnitz.

13. The princes and estates of the empire have had the emperor work these 24 years for a free, Christian, German Concilium, simple opinion, according to the common sense of such words, without all sophistry; For free means in the German language, and liberum in the Latin language, that in the Concilium the tongues and ears should be free, so that everyone, especially those who are ordered to speak, hear and act, may freely say, complain and answer on all sides what serves the cause of improving the church, and of eliminating annoyances and abuses. This is what the Germans and the estates of the empire meant and still mean, but especially and above all, that God's Word, or the Holy Scriptures, have their course and right freely and unconnectedly (as it must be), according to which everything should be judged and judged. Therefore, there must also be good theologians who have understanding and experience of the Scriptures. This means free, since the Concilium is free and the Scripture, that is the Holy Spirit, is free.

14 But the Roman school of boys and the master of the schools perverted and falsified the word, so that free should mean that he and

1) In Document. No. 1417, § 12.

The pope said that his boys' school was free, that nothing was said, changed or done against them, but that everything and everything as they now live and exist was confirmed. That therefore not the Concilium against the pope, but the pope against the Concilium is free. This is the old fiddle of the pope in all his filthiness and filthiness, namely, that he should be lord and judge over the concilium, and not the concilium over the pope, so that the pope should have power to condemn, to tear down, and to nullify, whether anything is decided against him by the concilium; Indeed, before they undertake to conclude something, they must first ask his grace whether it is to his liking, so that a council is nothing other than a man who sits at the top of the council, next to the handgrip 2) at the door, and listens to what the grace-juniors command above the high table. This is what the pope calls a free concilium.

15. This is the language of the See of Rome, when it gives a free Concilium, that you can understand it away also Roman: when they say free, that it is called caught with us Germans; when they say white, that you must understand black; when they say Christian church, that you understand the basic soup of all boys at Rome; when they call the emperor a son of the church, that it is so much as the most accursed man on earth, whom they would that he were in hell, and they had the empire; when they call Germany the praiseworthy nation, that it means to eat the beasts and barbari, who are not worthy of the pope's dung; as the whale Campanus (as they say) did: having been in Germany (not with his damage), and returned home to the border of the Welsh country, turned his back against Germany, stooped down and uncovered his buttocks, and said: Aspice nudatas, barbara terra, nates: Behold, thou beastia, look me in the sra.

16 So, the little word "Christian", the princes and estates of the empire, simple, sincere mind, mean a concilium, since one should act of Christian things and by Christian people according to the Scriptures. For they even knew well what the pope in the ecclesiastical law of belts, skirts, shoes, chasubles, plates, consecrations of churches, consecrations of pancakes, of prebend-

2) In Latin: pollut-rriin - washbasin.

1028 Erl. (S.) 26,13S-140. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1287-1290. 1029

The first thing was that the church had been dealing with the prelatures, prelates, palliates, dignities, and innumerable fools' works. But because now great, important things and disputations about indulgences, purgatory, masses, idolatry, faith and good works and the like were being agitated on the way, that such things should be done Christianly, according to the holy scripture, not papally, and help the poor simple man, so that he also knew where he was and should finally stay with his soul. Yes, that is called in German, Latin, Greek and in all languages Christian Concilium. The pope with his infernal basic soup smelled this very well, and did not have the snuff; but he took sneezing root and made him the snuff, thus reversing this word "Christian":

17 Christian means nothing more than papal, and what his infernality, together with his boys' school (oh forgive me, God, I would almost have said, together with his holy church!) judges and condemns at Rome; but what is done contrary to this should be unchristian and heretical: namely, where the Concilium wants to conclude that one should let both forms of the Sacrament go freely, as the heretics wanted, that should be condemned by the Concilium, by order of its overlord, the Pope. And those who intend to do so in the Council shall not be admitted as heretics, as the infernal father writes to the Emperor: 1) The heretics shall not have room in the Council, nor part with the Holy Church. And if the heretics wanted to reproach the emperor, God the Father Himself had instituted such an article through His dear Son and commanded all the world to hear the Son, Luc. 3, 22 [Matth. 17, 5]: Hunc audito; and the Holy Spirit would thereafter have preserved it in all of Christendom until 1400 years from now, when the pope forbade such a thing, and the greater part of Christendom, which is not under the pope, still holds such an article and will hold it until the end of the world. All this notwithstanding, the Emperor shall burn, kill, or expel all heretics who hold such things with God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Christianity throughout the world, including those in India, Persia, and the entire Orient. From

1) No. 1417, § 12.

the cause: God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, together with His holy Church, are heretics and un-Christians, only the Pope and his Roman school of boys are Christians. Now it is much better that God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, together with His holy Church, are condemned in the Concilio as the most shameful heretics, than that the infernal father Pope and his hermaphrodites should be called un-Christians.

There are many more such unchristian, heretical articles that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit teaches and holds in His holy church, such as that there is no purgatory, since the infernal father in Rome has invented a fair and stolen countless amounts of money and property with it. Item, that indulgences are a fraud, so that the infernal father has deceived all the world and cheated them out of money. That the mass is a sacrifice for the living and the dead. Item, that the marriage state is free, and much more, since papal holiness strives and rages against it; I will be silent, Simonei and avarice, benefice market, pedastery, 2) and what more the Holy See at Rome does in its most holy life, and has great pleasure in it. All of which the Holy Spirit, the unchristian heretic, condemns with his church to the highest degree, and does not want to hear.

From this it follows that God, especially the Holy Spirit, who is praised that through him the churches are assembled, and everything is done and decided by him, cannot come into the church at Trent, nor into any papal church, and must remain outside. Cause, the Holy Virgin, St. Paula Tertius, writes to the Emperor Carolo, the heretics shall not have room nor place in his holy, free, Christian Concilio. Now it is stated that God the Holy Spirit is an abominable arch-heretic, with God the Father and the Son, because, contrary to papal and Roman sanctity, he has instituted and instituted in his Church, and still today holds and teaches in all the world his most holy Sacrament of both forms, and condemns those who do not hold it according to the manner, nor need it. All of which is contrary to and in favor of the wooden

2) In Latin: mnseulam vsnersm-pederasty.

3) "inside" is missing in the first edition.

The Holy See of Rome, which has condemned such things manifoldly by its bulls as heresy; for, as its patrons say, it has also become a mighty lord and judge over the Holy Scriptures and over God's Word, who may change what God orders and commands.

20 Now there would still be advice and a case that the Holy Spirit, the poor arch-heretic, would come to grace and be let into the holy, free, Christian concilium, if he would not be too stiff-necked, humble himself and fall on his knees before the holy virgins, St. Paula Tertius, Madam Pontiff, and kiss her feet, confess, repent and recant his heresy there. He certainly got a bull of indulgence, without money and for free, both for himself and his holy church. But the troublesome Paul, also a great heretic (who misled all the world, Apost. 17, 6. as the Jews in Thessalonica cried out about him), Rom. 11, 29. says: "God's gifts and calling may not make him regret", that is, he does not change them for anyone's sake. The same heretic Paul also deceives the Holy Spirit that he must remain unrepentant, and cannot find grace nor indulgence for his sin and heresy. Therefore he must remain badly outside the holy, free, Christian Concilio of the holy Madam Pontiff, Paula Tertius, and may meanwhile hunker down and hide in his own heretical church, so that Paula Tertius does not seize him, otherwise he would certainly have to be burned to ashes with fire as an arch-heretic. Saint Paul, the holy virgin pope, will probably find a better and more beautiful, and much more Christian, freer, holier spirit in his holy, free, Christian Concilio.

(21) Would anyone here think that I am atoning for the pleasure I have taken in mocking the pope with such peevish, annoying and prickly words. O Lord God, to mock the pope I am immeasurably too low. He has now mocked the world for more than six hundred years, and laughed in his fist [at] 1) its destruction of body and soul, property and honor; he does not stop, nor can he stop, as St. Peter did in 2 Peter.

1) "about" is inserted by the Jena edition. The Wittenberg edition reads: "their ruin".

2, 14. He calls 'Αχατάπαυστον Αμαρτίας, incessabilem, inquietum, incorrigibiliter peccatorem. No man can believe it, what an abomination the Pabstthum is; a Christian, he must also not be of low spirit, who shall recognize it. God Himself must mock him in the hellish fire, and our Lord Christ, as St. Paul says in 2 Thess. 2, 8, "must kill him with the breath of His mouth and destroy him with His glorious future. I only mock with my weak mockery, so that those who now live and come after us should know what I have thought of the Pope, the cursed Antichrist, and whoever wants to be a Christian should be warned against such an abomination.

The third word "German" or in German lands, he turns and tortures thus: 2) Emperor Carolus should create that no weapons should be feared, that is, there should be peace and no war to fear: Jubeas arma deponis Now the Roman prankster knows very well that Emperor Carol, together with his brother King Ferdinando and all the German princes, is so powerful that he can keep peace not only in Trent, in one city, but also in all of Germania, and there can be no driving from Germany. I say that the prankster Paula knows this and invents danger for him, which is nowhere, so that the Concilium cannot be held. At the same time, he blames Emperor Carolo and the German princes for the fact that no concilium can be held, and that it is not him who is to blame, but the emperor and the estates of the empire, who do not create peace or security, because they do not lay down their swords or armor; which is not present, nor can it be.

23 With these words he confesses that he does not want to hold a council in German lands for eternity. For when will the time come when a pope cannot write poetry and pretend that it is dangerous, that the armor [is] 3) not finished? For even if the emperor had a hundred thousand men escort him on both sides of the highway, he would still say, "Yes, who will trust him? But if the emperor does not, then there is the complaint,

2) No. 1417, § l2.

3) Inserted by us after Latin for ease of understanding.

1032 Erl. (2.) 26, 142-144. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, I292-I29S. 1033

It is annual and not certain; that, as the emperor does, he cannot secure the pope, and the armor or arrva remains an eternal hindrance to the council, which the emperor, even if there were a hundred emperors, could not remove. For everything is in the infernal Father's will and power, which should be called: to take off armor, or to keep armor, which is free and unfree, Christian and unchristian.

(24) Also such a word brings many more evasions, which are not to be counted, but the infernal father knows how to invent daily by his spirit. I will stir up some: he can produce quite a few men and horses at this time, who make a cry that there is a people [in arms] 1) present, and have become quite unsafe. Item, the Turk has now twice been his cover of shame. Item, he can well become a drinker. Ah, who wants to care for the devil, how he finds cause and excuse? This, however, is the most refined for him, that he always incites France against the emperor, as he has done these twenty years with the greatest diligence, especially when the concilium is to begin. Then he can boast: Oh Lord God, how gladly we would hold a concilium, but because our dear two sons, Emperor and France, are at odds, we cannot come to it; as he also does now, since he sings in his Bulla 2) of great joys that the two heads are reconciled, and sets the concilium at Trent. But, oh Lord God! how sorry is the infernal Father that France does not keep the treaty, and the disagreement becomes greater than before.

25 From this one understands the words of the infernal father at Rome, that arma jubeas deponi, so much be said: You Emperor Carole shall make peace, not only that you lay down your sword, but also that you make France lay it down; which he cannot do nor shall. For we want France to cause you trouble for good and all. Therefore, before we hold a concilium, you shall always put out Carole's fire, and France shall always set it on fire. And where France would be slothful in this, then

1) Completed by us according to the Latin.

2) In Document No. 1410, § 5.

We will blow and blow out ourselves, so that you will always have to extinguish and will finally tire of extinguishing. So we will teach you how to request a concilium from the Roman See with your German sows, and yet we will always praise you: Jube arma deponi, jube arma deponi; if you make peace, we will hold a concilium. This will and shall happen when we stop moving arma, which shall never happen.

Here you see what a mischievous answer is given to the emperor and the estates of the empire to their request, which they have now made for 24 years for a free, Christian concilium in German lands. For because the Roman rascals have gone there, and as they have always taken care to confuse the languages, so that the rascal in Rome answers in Red Welsh, where the emperor and the estates of the empire speak bad German or Latin: so they will never be at one in the language, let alone that a concilium can be established. Does this not mean that the emperor and the estates of the empire are finely trumped on the mouth and mocked, like fools? that the rogues laugh in their fists; in addition, they defile and blaspheme the emperor with the same words, as if he had sought an unfree, unchristian, unsafe concilium; but they are the holiest people, who desire a free, Christian, safe concilium. So now the pious emperor and the estates of the empire must have the name with the rascals at Rome that they have sought and still seek a coerced, imprisoned, forced, unchristian, heretical, dangerous, careless concilium. This is the way to scrape the tongues and horns of an emperor and the empire. Ask now more for a concilium with the most holy father!

27 Some think that the Cardinal of Mainz has prepared this exaggeration. But I don't think so; it would be far too small an example of his art, he should do it better than I think; item, he is the right master, also over those in Rome. Thus those at Rome have been well practiced and cunning in such mischievousness and trickery for over 400 years, as can be seen in the Pope's Decretals and in all the histories of the emperors. For behold, how the poor jurists are plagued, that they combine the Roman sophistry with glosses-

to mend, to rhyme, to smooth, before they can give it a small shape, as if a furrier were to mend a bad pelt, since neither skin nor hair is good, and in addition it is salivated and festered and horribly abominated.

28 Go on, let it go as long as it can, the emperor and the empire must bite such a rogue; it is not the first kaif with which the desperate rogue at Rome plays so. They have provided it to no one, 1) sint the time they have come to power. Maximilianus complains no more than that no pope would ever have believed him. This Emperor Carolus, I think, shall have experienced it quite well with Element VII, Leone X and now with Paulo III. Summa, they are the creatures and heirs of Emperor Phocas, who first founded the papacy in Rome, and they faithfully follow him. The same Phocas, as an emperor murderer in Constantinople, killed his master Emperor Moritz with his wife and child. So do the popes; if they could not themselves put the German emperors to death, as Clement IV had the noble blood Conradinum, the last duke of Swabia and hereditary king of Naples, publicly executed with the sword; if they could not kill the emperors with treacherousness and all diabolical malice, it is their complete will and they have always been sorry that their bloodthirsty, murderous, malicious will failed and was prevented. They are, as I said, the descendants of Emperor Phocas, their founder and emperor-murderer, desperate, cunning arch-wit-boys, murderers, traitors, liars, and the real basic soup of all the most evil people on earth, as they themselves say to Rome. They adorn themselves with the name of Christ, St. Peter and the church, when they are full of all the worst devils in hell; full, full, and so full that they can spit, throw and blow nothing but vain devils. You will say this is the truth when you read the histories of how they dealt with the emperors.

29 Well, as I said, Emperor Carol and the Empire have to bite off the rogue at Rome, Paula Tertii, Rothwelsch, does not harm us much yet either; but the chair of

1) In Latin: nullt nnHuam xexsreeruM - they have spared none ever.

Nevertheless, it serves Rome that they uncover themselves behind and in front, and let us see into their butts, that we may know them. For until now we had to believe that the pope was the head of the church, the holy of holies, the savior of all Christendom; Now I see that he, with his Roman cardinals, is nothing but a desperate rogue, enemy of God and man, destroyer of Christianity, and Satan's bodily dwelling place, who only does harm through him, 2) both to the church and to the police, like a bear wolf, 3) and mocks and laughs in his fist, where he hears that God or man is so hurt. Hereafter.

(30) I must include here a history, from which one may know what to think of the holy rascals and murderers of the Roman See. Anno Domini (is right for me) 1510 I was in Rome, there I heard this story: There is a place, named Roncilion, 4) about seven German miles away from Rome; there was in the time of Paul II. (who reigned 70 years ago) a bailiff of the pope, 5) who saw the blasphemous, devilish nature of the pope and his basic people, Rome, and did not give the pope his yearly fee from the office. The pope summoned him; he did not come. And what the pope commanded, he despised. At last the pope put him under ban, and he did not ask anything. After that, the pope had him tolled with bells, and with lights from the pulpit, extinguished, thrown out and condemned, 6) as is the custom; he did nothing about it. Finally, because such obdurate disobedience to the pope must be called heresy in his spiritual right, he had the bailiff painted on a paper with many devils over his head and on both sides, and brought to court, accused, and sentenced to death as a heretic.

3) On the meaning of the word "Bärwolf" see Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. X, 582, Th. 58 ff.

4) Ronciglione on the lake Vico.

5) His name was DeUuko ^NAuiUara, cf. Muratori, rsr. Itnl. 8erixt, torn. XXIII, p. 153 (Erl. Ausg.).

6) According to the Latin this passage reads like this: he condemned him with lights that were lit and again extinguished and thrown down from a high place etc.

1036 Eri. (s.) se, 146-148. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418. w. xvn, issr-iM". 1037

The bailiff had the Pope drawn on a paper in the middle of the Cardinals, and above them and around them everything full of devils. The magistrate also had the pope painted on a paper in the midst of the cardinals, and above them and around them everything full of devils, had court sitting, and accused the pope with the cardinals, as the worst boys that live on earth, and do immeasurable harm to poor people, and if their chief dies, they diligently put in his place the very worst that they can find among themselves; They would be worthy of infernal fire, and many witnesses were presented. Then the judge, the magistrate and the plaintiffs went to them and said: Mail shall burn them; and quickly in a thousand devils' names with the pope and cardinals toM fire to and burned; until the pope drove him out by force.

This story is perhaps ridiculous, but it nevertheless shows a terrible misfortune, that the pope with his horrible, diabolical nature gives Rome excellent, harmful trouble, and the people, who see this, are offended by it and become completely epicurean, just as they themselves are. For almost all who return from Rome bring with them a papal conscience, that is, an epicurean faith. For it is certain that the pope and cardinals, 1) together with his school of boys, believe nothing at all; they laugh when they say they hear about faith. And I myself in Rome heard them speak freely in the streets: If there is a hell, then Rome stands on it; that is, after the devils themselves, there is no worse people than the pope with his own. Therefore it is no wonder that they fear the free Concilio and shun the light. But they have a reason on which they rest, which is: they think that their position, office and doctrine are right; therefore, even though the persons are evil, the position and doctrine cannot be judged or condemned. So they go on and do it with all their might, as if it were certain that their status can have no difficulty; of which we will say more hereafter.

32 And if it were the case that they were reformed in a concilio, which cannot be, and the pope together with his cardinals could not do so, then they would be reformed in a concilio.

1) In all German editions: "Cardinal", but in Latin: oaräiuales.

If they were to keep their blood, it would be lost food and labor; they would be worse afterwards than before, as happened after the Costnica Conciliar. For since they believe that there is no God, no hell, no life after this life, but live and die like a cow, sow and other cattle, 2 Petr. 2:12, it is ridiculous to them that they should keep seals and letters or a reformation. Therefore, the best thing would be for the emperor and the estates of the empire to let the blasphemous, most shameful scoundrels and the cursed basic soup of the devil at Rome always go to the devil; there is no hope of achieving any good. One must do something else; nothing is done with conciliation, as we can see. For the nonsensical fools want to think that we are so afraid and anxious for their concilium, and as if we or Christianity could do nothing without their concilium or state; thus they think that we must always run after them, that they must fool and ape us forever. But that is not our opinion, and I will sing them another little song for it with God's grace. If they do not want to hold a concilium, let them leave it alone; we do not need one for ourselves. And if they are angry, they may put it in the hernia and hang it on their necks, which would be a thephra apple and pacem 2) for such tender saints. God does not consider them worthy to improve themselves or to do good; they are given over to a wrong mind, Rom. 1, 28. There you will find the calendar of papal Roman virtue, also 2 Petr. 2. Let it stay at that.

33 Further, in Pabst's Pauline letters to Emperor Carol, it says: "And you should know that it is not up to you to choose which ones should be in the Concilio, but it is up to our jurisdiction. 3) Drive nicely, dear Paulichen! dear donkey, don't lick! 4) oh dear Pabst's donkey, don't lick! dearest little donkey, don't do it; because the ice is

2) In Latin, thesem apple is given by: dulta. amaraeiiii (aiuArieini will be misprint) - a smelling pillow filled with marjoram and other fragrant herbs; usually it is taken as identical with musk apple (musk). - "Pacem" is translated by oseulum xaois - kiss of peace at Mass.

3) No. 1417, §12.

4) lick ----- lure, bounce, jump, be naughty and wanton.

Frozen very smooth this year, because the wind has been still, you want to fall and break a leg! If, while falling, you were to lose a limb, the whole world would laugh at you and say: Fie on you, how the Pabst has cheated himself! That would then be a great limen cresae malestatis 1) against the Holy See at Rome, which could not grant letters of indulgence, nor plenitudo potestatis; oh that would be a dangerous thing! Therefore, consider beforehand your own great danger, infernal Father.

34. Dear, why should not the emperor have power to name, but to the most wavy some who should be in the Concilio, but to the four highest Concilia, Nicenum, Coustantinopolitanum, Ephesiuum, Chalcedoueum, not the popes (although there was no pope at that time) nor bishops, but only the emperors, as Constantinus, Theodosius, [the] younger Theodosius, Martianus, have assembled the bishops, called and named them to the Concilio, and have also been in it themselves. Yes, we have subsequently stipulated in our decrees that the pope alone should call the concilio and name the persons. Dear, is it true? Who told you to set it thus? Silence, you heretic, what goes out to our mouths is to be kept. I hear it; which mouth do you mean? When the forefathers go out? (you may hold that yourself!) or since the good corso 2) fled in? (a dog shits in it!) You shameful Luther! should you talk to the pope like that? Fie again, you blasphemous desperate knaves and coarse asses! shall you also speak like that to an emperor and empire? Yes, shall you blaspheme and disgrace such high four Concilio with the four Christian greatest emperors for the sake of your forts and Drecketal? Do you think that you are better than big, coarse, unlearned donkeys and fools, who do not know nor want to know what Concilia, bishop, church, emperor, even what God and his word is? You are a coarse donkey, you Pabst donkey, and remain a donkey.

35 Item, about the four high Concilia have been many others now and then, in Greece, Asia, Syria, Egypto, Africa, which have not asked the bishop of Rome before.

1) Intentionally put by Luther instead of: orlruon luesue muskstatls.

2) "Corso" - Corsican Wem.

have been true Christian concilia, especially since St. Cyprian and St. Augustine have been in them, also Carolas Magnus at Rome, at Frankfurt and in France, and his son Louis at Ach, and others have held emperor concilia. Dear, should such filed bishops and emperors have done wrong and be condemned, that the farce at Rome (what else can he do?) shouts from his own mad head, and from his nasty belly farces, that it is not proper for the emperor to appoint a concilium, nor to order or name persons to it? Oh, how the coarse donkey feels so good! he is crying out for someone to put a stick on his sack, so that his loins would have to bend.

36) This is also the reason why he wants to be a theologian (with leave) in the other letter 3) to Emperor Carol, and cites the example of Eli 1 Sam. 2, 29. ff. [3, 13. 14.] how he was punished for not admonishing his sons for their sin; thus he was also forced to admonish the emperor, as his firstborn son, so that he would not be punished either; for it was to be feared that great unrest and disunity would arise in the church from the great evil that the emperor Carol had done at Speier etc. Then the desperate rogue and villain Paul, with his hermaphrodites, speaks his Red Welsh; just as if no one knew what their infernal, diabolical nature was in Rome, and how he himself, the insatiable, groundless miser Paul, together with his son, 4) deals with the goods of the church. No, his son does nothing, sins nothing, that the father Paul has to punish; there are the Roman See's cardinals and servants, hermaphrodites, a parte ante viri, a parte post mulieres, completely pure, must not be admonished, and as the poet Mantuanus 5) writes of the Roman court:

3) Document No. 1416.

4) The illegitimate son of Paul III, Peter Alohsius Farnese, against whose tyrannical outrages the pope showed himself very weak (Erl. Ausg.).

5) "Baptist", usually called Mantua nus by his hometown, illegitimate?) son of a certain Spagnuoli, born April 17, 1448, died as General of the Carmelite Order March 20, 1516. This passage, drawn here incomplete, is in his poem: vs oMumitutibus Uoruln teinporuru kivo äß VII. poooutis cupitulibus, in the Paris edition of 1507, lib. Ill, toi. OOOII. (Erl. ed.). - Luther has omitted from his citation those things that are not of importance for his purpose.

1040 Erl. (2.) 26,150-152. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418, W. XVII, 1302-1301. 1041

Petrique domus polluta fluente Marcescit luxu. Nulla hic arcana revelo, Non ignota loquor, liceat vulgata referre, Sic urbes populique ferunt, ... ea fama per omnem

Jam vetus Europam: mores extirpat honestos,1 ) Sanctus ager scurris, venerabilis ara cynaedis Servit, honorandae divum Ganymedibus aedes. Quid miramur opes recidivaque surgere tecta? Thuris odorati globulos et cinnama vendit Mollis Arabs, Tyrii vestes: . . . venalia nobis Templa, sacerdotes, altaria, sacra, coronae, Ignes, thura, preces, coelum est venale Deusque !

Sed haec vetera, nunc honesti mores sunt.

[And the house of Peter withers away, stained by excessive opulence. I do not reveal secrets here, I do not speak unknown things; may I be allowed to tell known things. Thus say cities and peoples, this tale has been going through all Europe from time immemorial: it (the House of Peter) destroys the honorable customs. The holy field serves the buffoons, the venerable altar the boy molesters, the venerable temples of the deity the ganymedes. Why are we surprised that riches and new houses appear? The soft Arab sells globules of fragrant incense and cinnamon, the Tyrians sell garments; everything is for sale to us: churches, priests, altars, sanctuaries, crowns, fire, incense, prayers; yes, heaven and God are for sale to us.

But this is something old, now the customs are honorable].

We in the German lands are called heretics, because we destroy the churches, monasteries, masses, and the Roman and blasphemous idolatries. But see how they themselves, who teach such idolatry for right worship, deal with it in Rome. See the church at St. Hagnetis, where 150 nuns had previously been in residence. St. Pancratii, St. Sebastiani, St. Pauli, and all the rich monasteries and churches as they stand, inside and out Roman:

In the first indicated gap, the names of various regions; in the second, various trade articles of the peoples, such as ivory, saffron, honey, iron, silk goods, wine, horses etc.

1) The Latin Wittenberger reads: avitos - the ancient ones.

The pope and the cardinals have devoured all of this and are now coming out to us, attacking our monasteries and convents with palliatives, annals, and much other robbery and drudgery. In all these and many abominations, for the sake of which God sank Sodom and Gomorrah, also foust in all lands many cities with fire, drowned with water, reversed with earthquakes; here, I say, the holy Virgin St. Paula, the popes, has no conscience, no worry, no fear of God that they might be swallowed up by the earth like Korah, even that they themselves destroy so many masses, vigils, horas oauoui6a8 and daily worship, which they so vehemently demand of us and heresy over, and they are and live almost all much worse than Sodoma, that it cannot be more shameful: St. Paul Tertius has nothing to admonish.

38 But what Emperor Carol did at Speier, when heaven and earth would fall, Pope Paul took care of his son Carolum, so that no great misfortune would befall him. What did he do at Speier, the dear son Carolus? He did not want to cause bloodshed in German lands, so that the devil, the pope and the cardinal could bathe in it with pleasure, and so that their infernal basic soup would be protected, but he suspended the edict of Worms, because of which all strife had come to Germany, and he did this so that the Turks could be resisted with one accord, as a pious Christian emperor should do to provide his fatherland with good peace and protection. This is what the rascal at Rome is called having done wrong; O great sin! Yes, what are the knaves called well done, without what they do in Rome? because the sun is tired of shining, and the land (as they themselves say) can no longer bear it. For so I have heard it said in Rome itself: It is impossible that [it] should stand thus longer, it must break.

The other thing that Emperor Carolus did at Speier, O may I also say it? horresco referens, I am afraid for it; dear, pray a Father-Unsons for me, that I am not punished like Eli; O dear sun, do not be frightened and blackened by my speech, that I speak of such great sin. This is the sin: Emperor Carl would like to have peace and

Unity in religion, just as he would like to see peace in the empire; But because he has now labored in vain for 24 years with the pope for a common Christian council, and has obtained nothing, except that the pope has trumped on his mouth, and has acted as his fool, he has followed the laudable example of Constantine, Theodosii, [the] younger 1) Theodosii, Martiani, Caroli Magni, Ludovici Primi, and many other emperors more, and wants to establish a national council; whether he has the right and the power to call for a common one, the rogue of Rome may eat whatever he wants in his dirty bowls. O forgive me God, is it otherwise to forgive that I have been allowed to speak of such a cruel sin. Oh that Emperor Carolus would not go out into the sun, that the sun would fall from heaven before such a great sinner, and that we would have to pay for him, and all sit in darkness forever. Oh that the holy fathers, pope and cardinals, with their multitude, would set their good works and merits for us, such as: their epicuric faith, sodomy, simony, mockery, blasphemy against God and His Christians, and all their worship. Perhaps their God, of which St. Paul says 2 Cor. 4, 4, Deus hujus seculi, would have mercy on us.

40. Do you almost want to believe that the Roman See, Pope and Cardinal, are possessed with all devils, and their mischievous Red Welsh can have no reason, end, nor measure? Do you want to believe that such villains must be vain epicureans, enemies of God and of all men? Here you see that the pope would rather see all of Germany drowned in his own blood than peace inside, and would rather have all the world join him in eternal hellish fire than one soul be brought to the right faith. That such a horrible, terrifying will of the pope is not accomplished by Emperor Carol, but is hindered, that the pope cannot forgive him, but reproaches him with Eli's example. Here you have now a gloss on the c. Si Papa, dis. 40: If a pope forgets his own and his brother's blessedness, he will be forgiven.

1) In the original edition: "young"; Wittenberger: "disciple", in Latin: Theodosii junioris.

He is found incompetent and lax in his works, and silent to teach the best, which is all the more harmful to him and to all (quasi talia fieri possint in fide), and at the same time would lead countless souls with great multitudes with him to the devil in hell, who together with him would have to suffer great torment eternally: No living man dares to punish such sin; for he is Judge of all, and to be judged by no one, unless he is found to be wrong in faith (post annum Platonis), but the whole of Christendom prays all the more fervently for his state, so much the more it realizes that its salvation, next to God, depends on his welfare.

Everyone sees such a decree, that it must have been blown with unanimous breath into the pope and the Roman chair by all devils everywhere. And I, when I read such a thing 26 years ago, thought to God that it would be vain words, like the Donatio Constantini, and impossible that a pope should be so wicked that he would accept such a decree or build upon it. But since Sylvester and others wrote against me and led such against me, I had to believe it, as you also see here in the letter of Paul III, that he is also of the opinion and would like to lead all the world to hell with him. Whoever does not want to believe that the papacy is the devil's own property and his own rule, may go with him. We hear our Lord's word Matth. 7, 15: "Beware of false prophets". 1 Cor. 2, 15: Spiritualis omnia judicat. More about this hereafter. We want to and shall be the judge of the pope, and no one shall defend us.

(42) But let us also see how the ass is twisted in the Scripture, when he brings in Eli and his sons. The text 1 Sam. 2, 12. ff. says: The sons of Eli were bad boys and had three things on them. The first: they did not know or respect the Lord. The second: they did not know the priestly law for the people. The third: they committed unchastity with the spiritual wives who served God at the tabernacle; these were widows who, after the death of their husbands, went to the service of the tabernacle, as Luc. 2:37 says of St. Hannah, that she never came from the temple, fasting and praying etc.

43. the first piece, not knowing the lord

1044 Erl. (2.) 26,1S4-157. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418. w. xvii. 1306-1309. 1045

nor respect, is not believing in God, despising His promise or word, and living in unbelief crudely and nefariously, without all fear of God. The second, that they did not respect their priestly office, that is, how they should sacrifice and teach the people, but, as the text says, they did with the sacrifice as they pleased, and must have been right, which they sinned against the law, that even the people were highly offended at it. The third, that they committed adultery with widows, 1) for they had wives of their own, and did it in the holy place of the foundation before the face of God, who had promised himself to dwell there presently. Eli was guilty of these sins in that he did not punish them; he spoke of them for the sake of the people, but not seriously, for he did not remove them from office, did not want to disgrace them, and allowed them to remain as they were. This is what God says: Eli honored his sons more than God, because he had the honor of his sons to keep them in office, rather than God's word and obedience.

44. This example has a fine form, and rhymes enormously: where Emperor Carl turned it around, and held it before the noses of the pope, he would be thrown on his plate with his own sword, namely thus: First of all, you have no faith, and you do not respect God together with your sons, cardinals and Roman court servants, for you are Epicurean Jews, as are all the popes, your ancestors; for if you read the papal decrees from beginning to end, you will not find a single letter that teaches what faith is, or how to believe Christianly, nor can faith fall into a papal or cardinal heart; that is certain. Secondly, you and all your Roman court and ancestors do not know what a priestly office is, how to instruct the people with God's word and commandment, or how to praise God, for nothing of this is found in all the decrees, so that a sermon could be preached, but it is all man's teaching and his own conceit, which is vain idolatry. Third, you and your children are doing shameful things.

1) Latin: vso dieati"-consecrated to God, given to the service of God.

Fornication, because the cardinals and your court puserons 2) and hermaphrodites lead such an abominable life that heaven and earth tremble and shake before it. You see this and hear it, and know it well: yet you remain silent about it, punish and improve nothing, but laugh at it and take pleasure in it, Rom. 1:27. Therefore it will not be as good for you as it was for Eli, but you will have to join your ancestors in the abyss of hell. Yes, in this way this example would come to the head of the pope in the right form, and it would be found that the pope and his cardinals are coarse, unlearned asses in the Scriptures.

45 Now he comes, the hermaphrodite bishop and puseron pope, that is, the devil's apostle, and makes this example against Emperor Carolen; and just as he and his ancestors are mischievous in their red welsh, so he also wants to make God a mischief in the holy Scriptures. He pretends that Emperor Carol is a great sinner, that he suspends the Edict of Worms for the sake of peace, and wants to establish a national council; makes sin and condemnation out of such laudable, high, princely, imperial virtues. For this, among other idolatrous abominations of the pope, is also one of his, that he makes sin and damnation, since God does not want any, as can be seen throughout the entire decree. The reason is this: because he is, as the lawyers say, an earthly God, therefore he must make sin and damnation, which the heavenly God considers virtue and innocence, as St. Paul says 2 Thess. 2, 3: "Man of sins, and child of damnation." Man of sins is called here Ebräisch, who is not, only in his life a sinner, but causes sin by false teaching, that others must sin with him, as Jeroboam, the king of Israel, sinned, or, as the Scripture says [1 Kings 14, 16.], made Israel sin, by his idolatry.

46) So also the sodomite pope, founder and master of all sins, wants to bring sin and damnation upon Emperor Carol, knowing well that his mischievous tongue lies shamefully in this; and such damned evil-doers want to persuade all the world that they are the head of the church, the mother of all churches, and masters of the faith, when they can be seen by their

2) That is, sodomites.

Works in all the world recognize, if we were stones and blocks, that they are lost, desperate devil children, in addition, mad, coarse asses in the Scriptures. Someone would like to curse that they would be struck by thunder and lightning, burned by hellish fire, have pestilence, Frenchmen, St. Velten, 1) St. Antoni, leprosy, carbuncles and all plagues; but these are vain fox-tails, and God has long since forestalled them and punished them with much greater plagues, just as God's despisers and blasphemers are to be punished, Rom. 1:26, namely that they have become so publicly furious and mad in their right mind that they do not know whether they are a man or a woman, or whether they want to remain one, yet they are not ashamed before the female gender, since their mother, sister and mothers are among them, who have to hear and see such things from them, with great pain. Fie on you popes, cardinals, and what you are in the Roman court, that you are not afraid of the pavement on which you ride, that [it] might swallow you up.

The imperial laws say a lot about furious people, how they should be kept; how much greater would be the need to put the pope and the cardinal and the whole Roman see in sticks, chains and dungeons, who have not become mad in a common way, but rage so deeply that they now want to be men, now women, and do not know a certain time when the mood will come upon them. Nevertheless, we Christians should believe that such furious and raging Roman hermaphrodites have the Holy Spirit and may be the supreme heads, masters and teachers of Christianity. But I must stop here, or save what I have to write more against the letters and bulla; for my head is weak, and I feel so that I might not be able to carry it out, and yet have not yet come to the point that I have resolved to write in this little book, which I want to finish before my strength escapes me. For I have resolved to write three pieces. One, whether it is true that the Pope of Rome is the head of Christendom, over concilia, emperors, angels, and everything etc.

1) That is: the falling addiction; "St. Antony" -the Antony fire, the red run, the rose.

boasts. The other, whether it is true that no one can judge him, put him down, as he roars. The third, whether it is true that he has brought the Roman Empire from the Greeks to us Germans, as he prides himself and thunders about it beyond all measure. If I have any strength left, I will go back to his bulls and letters and see if I can comb the big, coarse donkey's long, unkempt ears.

The first.

48. It is very easy to prove that the pope is not the supreme and head of Christendom, or lord of the world, over emperors, concilia, and everything, as he lies, blasphemes, curses, and rages in his hells, after the infernal Satan drives him; for he himself knows, and is as clear as the dear sun, from all the decrees of the ancient Conciliar, from all the histories and writings of the holy fathers, Hieronymi, Augustini, Cypriani, and all Christendom that has existed before the first pope, called Boniface III., that the Roman bishop has been no more than a bishop, and should still be so. And St. Jerome may freely say: All bishops are equal, all heirs of the apostles' chairs; and sets examples, that a bishop of a small city is equal to a bishop of a great city, as Eugubii and Rome, Regn and Constantinople, Thebes and Alexandria; but that one is higher or lower than the other, makes one bishopric richer or poorer than the other, otherwise they are all equal to the apostles' heirs. Haec ille. This (I say) the pope of Rome knows very well, also that St. Jerome writes such, and is drawn as a landmark in the decree, 93. c. Legimus. The pope may still blasphemously and wantonly lie against it and deceive all the world.

49 St. Gregory, since it was offered to him by some great bishops, refuses it harshly, writing that none of his ancestors had been so presumptuous as to accept or want to use such a title, even though the sixth Council of Chalcedon had offered it to them. In short, he says that no one should call himself the supreme bishop or of all Christendom; just as several other decrees say that even the

a1048 Erl. (S.) 26, 159-161. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1312-1314. 1049

Roman bishop, even if he is the greatest, is not to be called universalis, the supreme over all Christendom. This is the certain public truth, regardless of how he himself and his hypocrites torture and crucify these words, for they are too clear and too powerful. The work is also in broad daylight: for he has never been over the bishops of Africa, Grecia, Asia, Egypt, Syria, Persia etc., nor will he ever be; indeed, he has not had under him the bishops of the French countryside at that time, especially Milan and Ravenna.

This St. Gregory was the last bishop of Rome, and after him the Roman church has had no bishop until this day, nor will it have one, unless there is a miraculous change, but only popes, who are the devil's larvae (as you hear), who have ruled there, and have spiritually and physically destroyed all the churches. For it is certain, as has been said, that in St. Gregory's time there was no pope, and he himself, together with his ancestors, did not want to be a pope, and condemned the papacy with many writings, even though he was painted in the pope's crown and many lies were invented about him; but he is not a pope, and does not want to be a pope, as his books testify, to the shame of all the popes who have risen up after him and against him.

But after his death, Sabinianus was bishop for a year and a half, whom I count among the popes, because he was as great a blasphemer as a pope is, and wanted to burn the books of St. Gregory, his closest ancestor, perhaps because St. Gregory did not want to suffer the pontificate in his writings. After him, Bonifacius III was mentioned. There the wrath of God began. This Bonifacius obtained from the emperor's murderer Phocas that he should be pope or the supreme over all bishops in the whole world. Then the bell was cast, and the Roman abomination accepted it with joy, as he would now be lord over all the bishops in the world. For some ancestors had long before sought and sought such things, 1) but could not obtain them, because St. Gregory and some pious bishops,

1) Latin: captaverant - to capture.

his ancestors did not want to suffer such. There we have the origin and beginning of the papacy, at what time, and who founded it, namely, Emperor Phocas, the emperor murderer, who had his master Emperor Moritz beheaded with wife and child. Emperor Moritz beheaded with his wife and child. They know all this themselves, that it is the truth.

52 Until then, it was customary for emperors to confirm all bishops as patrons; for even St. Gregory, when he was chosen by the people and priests at Rome, asked Emperor Mauritius in writing not to confirm such an election; for he was reluctant to become a bishop, as a humble, pious man; but his writing was undertaken 2) and Emperor Moritz confirmed his election against his will. Afterwards, the popes thought that because they had the papacy from Emperor Phoca, another emperor might take it from him again. For so it must be in the secular regime, that if an emperor gives by grace, he may take it again, where the malice of the owner deserves such. Thus our German emperors, Friedericus, Lotharius, Ottones, often took from the princes what they had given, and after repentance also gave it back. That is why the following popes went on, and now wanted to have the papacy not as from the emperor, nor from concilia, but from God Himself without means; they made decrees, one after the other, boasting, shouting and screaming that the Roman Church and the pope were not founded by men nor by concilia, but by Christ Himself over the whole world. They especially adorn themselves with the saying Matth. 16, 18. 19.: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; what you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven". etc. Lead also this, Joh. 21, 16. 17.: Pasce oves meas. But with the saying Matth. 16 they did the most, frightened the world, suppressed all bishoprics, also trampled on the emperors and the secular government.

Now they knew very well, the shameful liars and blasphemers of divine word,

2) In Latin: soripta intkroixikpaiitnr-undercut.

and still know very well that this sentence does not serve their cause, nor does it rhyme with it, which is against them in all letters and brings the papacy to ruin and destroys it, as I argued 25 years ago in the ResoIutionibus, 1) and against D. Sau-Ecken in Leipzig in a public disputation, and will do afterwards. But it has been gentle in the hearts of the desperate rascals at Rome, the popes, that the world, both bishops and emperors, have allowed themselves to be frightened and driven in with this sentence, when they did not like to act against God and his word, as right Christians should. For this is the Pope's first insinuation and blasphemy against God in his holy words.

54. Seeing that they had succeeded and succeeded in such mischief through the terrible wrath of God against the world for the sake of sin, and that everyone was afraid of such words, they were certainly neither lazy nor sleepy, they confidently pressed on with all the mischievousness and help of the devil, and began to establish their papacy or primacy, which they wanted to establish by their self-declared lying decrees, and by blasphemous, false and mischievous interpretation of the saying Matth. 16, so as to interpret, sharpen and strengthen it, that the pope would be the supreme one, not only for the sake of honor and procedure (which would be granted to him), also not only for the sake of the tendency to snobbery, that he would be an overseer of doctrine and heresy in the churches (which is much too much for one bishop to do, and impossible in all the world), but for the sake of power, that he would force the bishops, as their lord, violently and worldly, even tyrannically, under him, imprison them with oaths and duties, make them servants, appropriate the bishoprics to him, set and move them, change, steal, take, give, estimate, sell, in addition to burdening them with palliæ, annatas and innumerable mischievous things in the most ruthless way; And whoever would not do this, or would not suffer it, must be eternally condemned as a disobedient and heretic to the Roman church, as if he had sinned against Matt. 16 had sinned.

1) Luther's Explanations on the 13th Thesis on the Authority of the Pope, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XVIII, 720.

55 A chancellor from Mainz, named Martinus Meyer, wrote to Aeneam Silvium, who was then called Pope Pius II (for he had been his good companion while he had been with Emperor Frederick III in German lands for several years), and complained that the pope was burdening and plundering the monasteries with annals and pallia. The haughty Hypocrita answered him, among many other nasty and annoying words, that Germany would have to bear such a burden, because the pope had turned the Roman Empire over to the Germans, and the pope would have to have a lot of money to defend himself if the emperor wanted to overpower France, or if France wanted to overpower England. Then look at the desperate boys and villains, what they have in mind and their secret council, namely, that they want to keep the two heads at odds, and have a quandary, so that they may stick now to this, now to that, according to which the wind blows, so that they may be safe from the beasts, and may not be afraid of the Reformation or Concilium. This is also evident from the works and histories through and through, so that even in our time Clement VII sent help to France before Pavia in 1525 against our Emperor Carolum, and when it went against them, he wiped his mouth, like the whore Proverbs 30, and said that he had done it for the Emperor's benefit. So Emperor Carl had to mock and harm him by trumpeting on his mouth; although he was subsequently attacked and captured in Rome in Anno 27, he did not receive his deserved reward because of the emperor's great kindness.

56 How can a pope do such a thing; count for yourself that if a desperately wicked, cunning prankster puts on the guise and name of Christ or St. Peter, and gains such advantage that the Christians fear him and flee for the sake of the name of Christ and St. Peter, then he has won and does what he wants, committing one evil after another, especially when God's wrath is inflicted on the devil, so that he lifts and pushes. For Christ warned us enough, Matt. 24:23, 24, that many would come in His name, saying, I am Christ; and Matt. 7:15, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing." So

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Under the guise and name of Christ and St. Peter, the pope has also invaded the whole world and has done as he pleased, and through the devil has pretended great devotion and spirituality, until he has brought it to the point that he now rages and rages publicly with violence in all vices, so that now there is no defense. But the boy Aeneas Silvius would have well deserved that the scholars illuminate him; he boasts gloriously that the pope should mix in war between the kings, so he plunders the monasteries cheaply. Why doesn't he seek other means than to get along with kings through prayer and preaching? But what is the pope concerned with prayer and the word of God; he must serve his god, the devil.

But all this is the least, although it is unbearable and insufferable. This is first of all the very worst basic soup of all the devils in hell, that he strives for such power that he wants to have the power to make laws and articles of faith, to interpret the Scriptures (which he has never learned, does not know, and does not want to know) according to his great sense; wants to force all the world to believe his doctrine, and yet teaches nothing but vain idolatry, as we will hear hereafter, and destroys everything that the Son of God, our Lord, has purchased for us with his blood; takes away faith, Christian liberty, and right good works, and that is what he means in his devilish, mischievous filthiness, and obedience to the church, and therefore roars, as if possessed and full of devils, that whoever is not obedient to him and his Roman church cannot be saved; He who is obedient will be saved; and everything is to be done so that all the world may be obedient and subject to him; he asks nothing of God's and Christ's obedience, no thought of it occurs to him.

58 By the word "Roman Church" you must by no means understand the true Roman Church, especially the one that existed before the papacy, which did not want to accept the papacy nor suffer it, as we have heard in St. Gregory, even Christ undoubtedly still has some, Lot and his daughters, in the Roman Sodoma, who are displeased by the abominable nature of the papacy. The nature of the papacy displeases them, but you must call it papal, mischievous and diabolical.

understand that the pope uses the name of the holy Roman church in the most shameful and blasphemous way, and means by it his school of boys, whore and hermaphrodite church, the devil's basic soup, just as he mischievously means the words "free, Christian, German Concilium" above. And if you do not understand the decree of the pope in this way, it is impossible that you can obtain the pope's opinion: for this is the language of his Roman church, and whoever has to do with the pope and the Roman see must know this, or he is certainly screwed. For the devil, who founded the papacy, speaks and works everything through the pope and the Roman See. But what to believe the devil, as the murderer and father of all lies, a Christian should know well, Joh. 8, 44.

59) After the pope had thus driven in the bishops, captured them and brought them under his control; for they had been honest and long enough. 1) honestly and long enough, as the histories testify; he took the secular authorities before him, and could not rest until he also forced them under his power, just with the same saying Matth. 16, even to the extent that they had to kneel before him and kiss his feet, yes, he trampled them underfoot on their necks, persecuted them with sword and ban, stole land and cities, beheaded some, set son against father, embittered one king against the other, He has caused discord, murder and bloodshed among the kings, as if he were the devil himself in the flesh, hoping that when the beasts (as he calls them) have devoured each other, he will be emperor, king and lord of the world in their place. Therefore he boasts that he is emperor and has the power to depose emperors and kings at his pleasure. Although, by God's grace, he has not yet completely succeeded in such a diabolical plot, and never will, he has nevertheless caused great misfortune and heartache many times, as he is still doing and has done so far, between the Emperor and France; which two heads, if he were not a pope, but a bishop of the right Roman Church, like St. Gregory, he would have done with all his might.

1) In the old editions: "trawen".

The Roman pope does not tolerate them, or does he tolerate them, as he has done several times, but it is all mischievous and devilish antagonism. But this is not convenient for the Roman pope; or does he tolerate them, as he has done several times, so it has all been a mischievous, papal and diabolical antagonism under a good pretense.

60. And if the emperor Phocas had been asked at that time whether it would be his opinion that such a chaos should be founded in Rome by his order, which would throw all bishops, monasteries, convents, churches under itself, tear and devour everything that was there, found new doctrine and faith, violate Christ and Christian faith, cause innumerable idolatries, deceived all the world for body and soul, and robbed them of countless money and goods, with great deceit, then trampled the emperors underfoot, banished, killed, persecuted them, robbed their land and cities, mocked them, as his fools, and laughed in his fist, then consumed it and squandered it with his whores and hermaphrodites: thinkest thou that Phocas, how wicked he would be, would say yea to this? Yes, perhaps he should deal with them in such a way that they would be silent and forget about the Pabst.

Yes, that is how it is, and that is how it must be, when one paints the devil over the door and asks him to be his godfather. It is still hard enough to go out blessed (as Peter says [1 Ep. 4, 18]: Vix justus salvabitur), if one blesses oneself before the devil in God's name and starts a thing with prayer. What is it to be and become, then, when one begins a thing in the devil's name and against God's will? Then the window and door are opened, so that the devil enters with all his might. So the pope also began his piety in the devil's name with all kinds of lies and blasphemy, and brought it to the infernal soup of all vices and disgraces, which we now see in Rome publicly in the day, so that even by the fruits it can be seen what kind of tree it is and who planted it.

62. for the papal abomination did not come from God, nor did it begin in God's name, but by God's wrath.

The fact that the devil founded the church as a punishment for sins, and that he came into the church in his name, is shown by these fruits; so I will prove it further.

First, a sufficiente divisione, and to begin below, it is not founded by the worldly authorities; and if they did it, it would still be of the devil. The reason is this: for worldly authority has no power to do such things in the kingdom of God. So we have heard above that Emperor Phocas' opinion was certainly not to put such a power into the church, nor can it do so. He may have thought that the bishop of Rome alone should be a superintendent who would take care of the doctrine and life of the churches for the sake of God, as the Nicene Concilium had decreed. For to take care of the doctrine and life of all churches and bishops in the whole world is an impossible thing. Summa, the pope himself does not want to suffer that he should have it from the emperor, but the emperors and kings should have the crowns and kingdoms from him; that is one thing; and notice well: The papacy is not from the emperor, and cannot come from the emperor, the pope does not want it from him either.

64 Secondly, the papacy did not come from the spiritual authorities, that is, from Christendom and the bishops of the whole world, or from the churches; they cannot do it, nor have they the power to do it; indeed, if one looks at the histories, one finds neither a bishop nor a church in the whole world that accepted the pope with will, but almost all bishops and churches have opposed him and increased their numbers. Just as to this day the bishops and churches of the whole Orient have not accepted the pope, and still do not. That is why he blasphemes and denies that he is set by God over all the churches in the whole world; which God has not said nor done, nor does he want to do; thus he makes a liar out of God, and heresy out of all the churches through his evil spirit, which rages in him against God and His Holy Spirit and Church. Even when there were still bishops in Rome, before the Pope and the end-Christ were thrown away by the devil, the Concilium Nicenum commanded the bishop of Rome to stop the

1056 Erl. (s.) S6, 167-170. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1322-1325. 1057

He was the first to see the churches around Rome, but he did not make a pope out of them, nor did he give him any ruling power over some churches. Thus we have heard above that before Emperor Phocas and Boniface III the papacy was nothing, and the churches all over the world knew nothing about it. St. Gregory, as a pious Christian bishop of the Roman Church, condemned such things and did not want to suffer.

What need is there of many words? The pope himself does not want to be appointed by the conciliar or spiritual authorities of Christendom, and is angry about it. How he roars, raves, rages and spouts, as one possessed with many thousand devils, in his decrees. 16. 19. 21. etc. And de Elect. c. Significasti, when the pope Paschalis sent the pallium to the archbishop of Palermo in Sicilia, with such an appendix that he should commit himself to the pope with an oath of prescribed form, and the bishop very humbly wrote again, not more than with these words: it astonished the kings (of Sicily) together with their councilors that such an oath would be demanded of him, when Christ Matth. 5, 33. had forbidden to swear, and it was not found in any law of the concilia that it should be so. Then the holy, noble jewel Paschalis was enraged, because the bishop had hit him so hard with the word of Christ that his brain was dizzy and he did not know what and how he should speak, and he tortured the words of Christ Matth. 5, 33. as a pope; as I wrote against it in Latin 25 years ago, and hereafter, when I do not forget it in front of the crowd, as it falls to me, I will also do it in German. But on the attracted concilia he opens his jaws as if he would like to devour heaven and earth, and cries: Do you think that the concilia have the power to set a goal for the Roman church (listen, his whore and hermaphrodite church)? Do you not know that all Concilia are done through the Roman Church, and have their power from the Roman Church?

Thus, thus, thus shall one lie and lust, who wants to be a true pope. Dear God, how utterly insolent and blasphemous a liar is the pope! He speaks as if there were no man on earth who knew that the four main concilia and many others,

but think thus: As I am a rough donkey and do not read the books, so there is no one in the world who reads them, but if I let my donkey bray Chika, Chika resound, or let a donkey bray, then they must take it all for articles of faith; if not, then St. Peter and Paul, even God Himself will be angry with them. For God is no longer God anywhere, except for the donkey-God of Rome, where the big, rough donkeys (pope and cardinals) ride on better donkeys than they are.

67. From all this you now hear that papal holiness is not instituted by spiritual authority, or by the holy Christian church in the whole world, that is, it is not from God; for God dwells in Christianity and works through it; nor is it from temporal authority; nor does papal holiness want to be instituted by one or the other, as we have heard, that is, he hereby confesses that he does not come from God, that is, from the church. And the same is certainly the truth, and so we accept it, being completely at one with his holiness in these two things. Even though he speaks such truth ignorantly, as a man possessed, he still means to strengthen his lies and blasphemy. Now let us come to the main point: Since God has not ordained any more estate on earth (I am not talking about marriage and what is attached to it) to rule than the two, namely spiritual and secular, by which he wants to help the human race, through the spiritual to eternal life in heaven, through the secular to temporal life on earth, the question now arises: Where does the papal state come from, because it does not want to be either heavenly (that is, from the Christian church, where Christ is), or earthly (that is, from the worldly sovereignty); it cannot come from sleeping monkeys, because who would be so unreasonable, and sin so highly against the most holy father pope.

68 Doctor Luther is a rough fellow; if he should hear such a thing, he would, like a peasant, jump in with boots and spurs, and say: the pope would be thrown out of hell into the church by all the devils, as said above; for the same shameful, cursed heretic is in the running.

He is drowned in error, that he believes: What God wants to do, He certainly does through the two regiments, and does not want anyone to do anything special. Go on, jest lie down! Where does the papacy come from? I still say, as before, that it comes from the devil, because it does not come from the church, which Christ rules through his Holy Spirit, nor from worldly authority; so I will prove this powerfully, so that even the gates of hell will not be able to oppose it.

69 St. Peter, 1 Peter 4:11: "If a man speak, that he may speak it as the word of God; if a man hold office, that he may do it as of the ability which God hath offered, that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. etc. St. Paul, too, in many places harshly condemns the doctrine of men, especially Titus 1:13, 14: "Punish them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, and not heed the commandments of men, which turn away from the truth"; and the Lord Himself Matt. 15:9: "In vain do they serve Me with the commandments of men. Here it is forbidden to preach or hear the doctrine of men in the church, as it does not bring glory and honor to God, but leads away from faith and seeks the glory of men. For God alone wants to speak, work and rule in His church, so that He alone may be praised; as we, praise God, have brought about in our churches, and with God's help have come into the swing and course, so that almost everyone knows how to beware of the doctrine of men as of the devil himself, and hear only our Lord and Savior, as the Father says of Him to us at the Jordan [Matth. 3:17], "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, him ye shall hear"; and he himself, John 10:17, 5: "My sheep hear my voice, but the voice of the stranger they hear not, but flee away, because they know not the voice of the stranger." This lovely, funny picture, which the Lord sets here of the sheep, you may see for yourself, if you wish, among the sheep. When a stranger calls to them, whistles or beckons, "Shepherds, shepherds!" they run and flee, and the more you beckon, the more they run, as if a wolf were there, for they do not know the stranger's voice; but where the shepherd lets himself be heard a little, they run all the way.

because they know his voice. So should all true Christians do, who hear no voice but that of their shepherd Christ, as he also says there, John 10:8: "All who came before me were thieves and murderers, but the sheep did not obey them."

From this and many other such sayings, it is clear and powerful enough that the teachings and works of men in the Christian Church are strictly and harshly forbidden by God, as they are contrary to faith and lead away from the truth, that is, they are vain lies and deceit before God. And where the devil strikes to adorn them with God's name or the apostles' names, and sells them under their name, they are no longer bad lies and deception, but also God's abominable blasphemy and idolatry or abomination, for there the devil makes God a liar and deceiver, as if God had spoken such lies and done such work, and people fall for it, and believe it and trust in it, as if God had spoken and done it; thus giving their trust and honor, which is due to God alone, to lies and the devil. This is called true idolatry and blasphemy, in all prophets through and through, as Isa. 2, 8.L "The land is full of idols, they worship the work of their hands, which their fingers make"; Jer.29,31.: "Therefore, that Shemaiah 1) has shown you, and I did not send him, and has made you trust in lies" etc. Then you hear that he who is not sent does not have God's word, and through his teaching of men he makes people trust in lies; that is, he practices idolatry.

Here we come to the right covenants. 2) It is now certain that the pope and his position are nothing but a human poem and a little bundle. For, as we have heard, he is not and does not want to be from the order of worldly authority. He is not, nor does he want to be, from the order of the church or the church; so it is also known for certain that no letter of divine word is found of him in Scripture, but has placed himself in such high places out of his own pride, thirst, and iniquity, then adorned himself with God's word, thereby disgracefully praising God.

1) In the original according to the Vulgate: "Semejas".

2) "Bünden" - flush things, main things. In Latin: "sput.

1060 Erl. (2.) 26,172-174. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1327-1330. 1061

blasphemed, made himself an idol, and filled Christianity with his abominable idolatry, lied to it, deceived it, and made it into idolatrous damned people, who believed and trusted in it, as if God had commanded it through his word, and thus had to fear and honor the devil, worship him, and serve under God's name. There you have the pope, what he is and where he comes from, namely an abomination (as Christ says Matth. 24, 15.) of all idolatry, brought forth by all devils from the bottom of hell.

Yes, you say, he truly wants the word of God and to come from God, because in many verses he says Matth. 16,18: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven" etc. This is to say: The pope at Rome is lord over all of Christendom. Traun! 1) I would like to do that! Who would have provided himself with a high mind to the most holy father? One would like to have warned a poor journeyman before he sins so deeply and so highly, and calls the pope an ass, a fool, an idol, a devil. It is good for me that I have huddled hard today, I was already coughing like a sheep from the great fright of such high understanding of the pope, and would have easily happened, if I had not worn pants, I would have done it, which 2) people do not like to smell, so fearful and frightened I was of such papal, high wisdom.

But I wonder why His Holiness took such a dark saying for Himself, when much brighter sayings in Scripture would have served the cause, as first of all Genesis 1:1, 2: In the beginning (that is, at Rome) God created (that is, founded) heaven (that is, the pope) and earth (that is, the Christian church); the earth was desolate and empty (that is, the Christian church is subject to the pope etc.). This saying would have done much more. Item, Is. 1, 3: The ox knows his master (that is, the pope at Rome is master over all) and the donkey the manger of his master (that is, Christianity is in bondage to the pope), and the whole scripture is full of sayings, all of which are much brighter.

1) Erlanger: "Trust,".

2) Erlanger: "that".

The following is a description of the logic unb parva Logicalia,3 ) as, nullus et nemo mordent se in sacco, id est, Papa est caput et dominus ecclesiae. Item, propositio hypothetica (id est, Papa), induta cappa categorica (id est, in urbe Roma) sedet in arbore Porphyriana (id est, caput ecclesiae universalis), et devorat genera et species (id est, habet potestatem condendi leges), and so henceforth it is written, painted, dug and formed in all creatures, that the pope at Rome is the head, lord, judge over all that is in heaven and earth.

For also ex c. Solitae, de majoritate, the most holy father Pabst according to such a way to interpret the Scriptures, and to defend the Pabbacy, thus writes to the emperor at Constantinople: Have you not read that God has created two great lights, the sun (that is, the pope) and moon (that is, the emperor)? Now, as far as the sun is greater than the moon, so far the pope surpasses the emperor; that is, the pope is (as the gloss calculates sharply) 47 times greater than the emperor: that wants to become a little popes, when it grows to zero! 4) Do you hear it, reader, you do not have to laugh here, or you might also, like me, get the sheep cough, and where your pants do not fit tightly, you might also cause an unpleasantness, which one would have to chase away with spite 5) and junipers, and the most holy father would never want to forgive you such a stinking sin, not even in mortal distress. Therefore, beware of laughing in such serious matters, and think that the pope is not joking nor lacking in the scriptural interpretation, as you see here.

Before I show the Christian sense of this saying, I must first tell this tale. The Glossa 50. e. 0ov8iä6-

3) The I-oZiea will be that of Thomas Aquino; the parvu I^OMoaliA in partes ao oapitu üistineta is the first textbook of logic in that time, written by Petrus Hispanus. Compare St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 1010, § 289 and 1016, § 306. - About the tree of Porphyrius see St. Louis edition, vol. VIII, 1387, note. Compare also vol. X V, 2401.

4) Original edition: "grown out"; in Latin: uüowverit.

5) In Latin: suMinentis - incense. Compare St. Louis Edition, Vol. XX, 2401 s. v.

randum, and Abbas1 ) c. Significasti say that this saying Matth. 16, 18.19. does nothing to confirm the papacy, but the saying Joh. 21,17.: Pasce oves meas, "feed my sheep". So they disagree, the pope and his jurists, on what the pontificate is based. The pope says it is founded Matth. 16,19. and proclaims this by many decrees. His lawyers say no; and here the servant punishes the master and the master punishes the servant. Let the devil mingle between these quarrels. However, let us let them quarrel, and meanwhile do not consider the pope to be the pope, until they become one in the matter. To speak juristically (if I wanted to be a jurist), methinks the jurists have a better case than the pope, because they base their argument on the fact that Christ did not give the keys to St. Peter in Matth. 16, but promised them only; therefore the pope must prove where they were given to him. We theologians, for the benefit of the jurists (where the pope wanted to condemn them), can very well help such an argument, namely thus:

It is not enough for Christians to refer to the prophets who promised Christ, but they must also present the apostles who testify that the promise has been fulfilled and that the promised Christ has come and has been given. Therefore, the pope is also obligated not to use the promise of Matth. 16, but to present a clear text that such a promise has been fulfilled, and that St. Peter has been pointed to the posits. Here the pope's pants will stink, because where will he always find the text that clearly says: the keys were given to St. Peter by Christ, as he is guilty of proving according to his jurists' judgment, and no letter in Scripture speaks of the keys, except Matth. 16, 19.

From this it follows that because the pope snatched the keys of St. Peter's before the right is proven, he can never prove that 2) he stole them as a villain,

1) Ultras is Nicolaus äs DuässeNis, usually called norraitunus because he had become archbishop of Palermo (kunorwus); as such he died in 1445. Earlier he was abbot of a monastery near Messina.

2) The second edition of the Erlangen edition: "that". But the construction is (also after the testimony of the Latin): From this it wants to follow etc. that he has robbed as a villain etc.

that is not his; or must be false, painted keys, which are nothing but a painting, and we are free to believe him nothing but a desperate liar and rogue, yes, as a devil's ghost. For this purpose, we may with a clear conscience take his coat of arms, where he holds the keys, and his crown on it, to the secret chamber and use it for our lower needs, then throw it into the fire (it would be better if it were the pope himself); for in such great matters, concerning the whole of Christendom, to act falsely, blasphemously, with God's word, is to commit idolatry, which no temporal punishment can sufficiently avenge, God Himself must punish in the deepest hell. However, when a Christian sees the Pabst's coat of arms, he should spit on it and throw dirt, no differently than when one spits on an idol and throws dirt in honor of God. For such a coat of arms of the pope is a public lie and a devil's specter, of which people have feared in vain, trusting in it as if it were God's command, when in fact it is a vain lie and blasphemy, a true arch-idolatry. This, I say, follows from his lawyers, the best, own confession, when they say that the text Matth. 16, 19. does nothing to make a pope; this is said so much: The pope lies and blasphemes God with it, that he applies the text Matth. 16 to his vile, blasphemous papacy and makes his cursed emblem and crowns out of it, to frighten the world with it and to throw it under himself, to catch and destroy the consciences that were redeemed and made free by Christ's blood.

For the pope praises this text Matth. 16 so highly for himself that he 22.3) c. Omnes, and c. Sacrosancta, may shout how the Roman church alone (none else) was founded by God Himself. The other churches were founded by the Roman Church, and God gave the Roman Church such a privilege over others that it has power over heavenly and earthly kingdoms; and whoever does wrong to the other churches does great wrong, but whoever does it to the Roman Church is a heretic, and many such things. Now because his lawyers

3) In the editions except the Erlanger (2.): "20."; but that the Erlanger notes: "Luther citirt falsch: 20", is too much to say, because below in s 121 all editions, except the Erlanger, have the same citation correctly in the text.

1064 Erl. (S.) 26, 176-178. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418, W. XVII, 1332-1335. 1065

Saying no, and considering such things as lies, what shall we theologians do, who have to see and hear such great lies adorned with God's word? We say that it is an atrocious blasphemy, even idolatry. For, as we have heard above, there is much another lie of mere deed, and lies of doctrine, and still much another lie of mere doctrine without God's word, and lies of doctrine adorned with God's word. For he who thus lies in doctrine, adding God's word to it, makes the devil God, and God the devil, as if God were speaking the devil's lies, and thus deceives me into honoring and worshipping the devil under God's name, and taking the lies for truth. With such blasphemous idolatries innumerable the pope has filled the world.

79 O now reach out to emperor, king, princes and lords, and whoever can reach out, God will not give happiness to lazy hands here. And first of all, take from the pope Rome, Romandiol, Urbin, Bononia, and all that he has as a pope, because he is possessor pessimae fidei, he has it with lies and deceit; ah, what do I say lies and deceit! with blasphemy and idolatry he has shamefully stolen it from the kingdom, robbed it and subjected it to him, and for this he has seduced countless souls into the eternal hellish fire by his idolatry (as he himself boasts 40. Therefore he is called an abomination of destruction, Matth. 24, 15. After that, he himself, the pope, Cardinal, and all his idolatry and papal holiness minions should be taken and their tongues (as blasphemers) should be torn out from behind their necks and nailed to the gallows at the bar 1) like they hang their seals on the bulls in the bar. Although this is all very little compared to their blasphemy and idolatry. After that they could hold a concilium, or as much as they wanted, on the gallows, or in hell among all devils. For they did not unknowingly, nor out of infirmity, start the troublesome Pabstacy. They knew very well that their ancestors, St. Gregory, Pelagius, Cornelius, Fabianus, and many more holy bishops of the Roman Church, had committed such abominations.

1) "Squad" - series.

had not practiced, as reported above. They knew well that St. Cyprian, St. Augustine, St. Hilarius, St. Martin, St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Dionysius, and many other holy bishops all over the world had not known anything about the papacy, nor had they been under the Roman Church. They knew well that the four high Concilio, Nicenum, Constantinopolitanum, Ephesinum, Chalcedonense, and many other Concilia, had never recognized such papal abomination.

What more can I say? They knew it well, and still know it well, that the whole of Christendom has no head over it in the world, except the Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom St. Paul calls the head of his body, which is the whole of Christendom, Eph. 4:15 and more. They know well even today that in all the Orient, where Christians are, they are not under the pope. They know well that they have no word of God for themselves, but everything against them. They are still such impudent, impudent, obdurate heads that, against such strong testimony and admonition of their conscience, of all the world, of all the Scriptures, they have willfully, knowingly brought about the unpleasant, blasphemous, idolatrous papacy, and still keep on about it, and at the same time condemn as heretics all their ancestors before Bonifacio, also all Christianity that existed more than 600 years before the pope, together with all holy fathers and councils, also all Christians that existed these 1500 years and still exist in the Orient. For if the papacy is an article of faith, and such a high, necessary article, as the pope roars in all the decrees, and wants to base it on Matth. 16, 18. 19. Augustine and Cyprian, indeed all the apostles with all Christendom throughout the world for more than 1500 years, must be heretics and eternally damned, even Christ himself together with them, who taught them such heresy through his Holy Spirit, and no one has become blessed or holy except the papal Christians alone. Such a judgment is fitting for a pope, and he should not be pope if he is not allowed to pronounce such a judgment.

Now let this legal reasoning against the pope be enough, let us see how the words of Christ Matth. 16, 18. are to be understood in a Christian way, and how masterly the pope has understood them.

knows how to lead to the foundation of his ministry. Joh. 6, 63. the Lord says: "My words are spirit and life. Accordingly, these words of Matth. 16 must also be spirit and life, namely when he speaks: "I will build my church on this rock. Here building must be a spiritual, living building. Rock must be a living, spiritual rock. The church must be a spiritual, living assembly, yes, so living that it all lives forever. For flesh is of no use etc., it dies and does not live forever. Therefore this rock alone is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and no one else, as the Scriptures are full of, and we Christians know well. Building or being built on this rock cannot be done by laws or works, because Christ is not taken with hands or works, but must be taken by faith and word. So also the church cannot make itself spiritual or alive by itself or its own work, but by faith it is built on this rock, and thus spiritual and alive as long as it remains built on the rock, that is, until eternity. From this you see that the opinion of Christ in this saying is exactly that, where he says Joh. 11, 25: "I am the life and resurrection. Whoever believes in me will never die"; item, Joh. 8, 51: "Whoever keeps my word will never see death." And summa, this text Matth. 16 speaks of faith, that whoever believes is built on this rock, as one says: He who trusts in God has built well. Notice that Matthew 16 speaks of faith and not of our works. For from this it will be found what a pious man the pope is.

Thus St. Peter himself (whom the boys wanted to make Pope of Rome, also Christ Himself, 1) as Platina does) interprets 1 Peter 2:3 ff: "If ye have tasted that the Lord is good, unto whom ye are come, as unto a living stone, rejected of men, but chosen of God, and precious. And you also, as the living stones, let yourselves be built up into the spiritual house, and into the holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through

1) In Latin: whom they would like to enter in the album of the popes, even Christ himself etc.

JEsum Christum." But that such building on this stone or rock, Christ, is faith, is soon after proved by St. Peter, through the prophet Isaiah 28:16, saying, "Therefore it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a chosen and precious cornerstone; he that believeth on it shall not be put to shame. Now unto you that believe it is precious; but unto them that believe not it is a stumblingblock, and a rock of offence; who stumble at the word, and believe not him on whom they are set." St. Peter uses the word "believe" so often that there can be no doubt that building on this stone is nothing other than believing in Jesus Christ.

Also St. Paul Eph. 2, 19. ff. agrees with St. Peter: "So then you are no longer sojourners and strangers, but citizens with the saints and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, since Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, on which 2) the whole building is joined together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord, on which 2) you also are being built into the dwelling of God in the Spirit" etc. All these things must be diligently remembered, so that we may despise the obscene fool's linen that the popes lead in their decrees about their Roman church, that is, about their devil's synagogue, which separates itself from common Christendom, and from the spiritual building that is built on this stone, and invents for itself a carnal, worldly, vain, lying, blasphemous, idolatrous supremacy over all Christendom. For two things must be true: If the Roman church is not built on this stone with all the other churches, it is the church of the devil; but if it is built on this stone with all the other churches, it cannot be lord or head over the other churches. For Christ, the cornerstone, does not know about two different, unequal churches, but only about one church, just as the child faith, that is, the faith of all Christianity, says: "I believe a holy Christian church", and does not say: "I believe a holy Roman church". Because the Roman church is and should be a piece or member of the holy Christian church,

2) In all German editions: "welchen"; in Latin: in quo.

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not the head, which belongs to Christ alone, the cornerstone. If not, it is not a Christian, but an unchristian and unchristian church, that is, a papal boys' school.

From this, let us take the text of Matthew 16 ourselves and see how strong he wants to stand with the pope, who insists so proudly and firmly, even against his lawyers. Thus says Matthew 16:13, 14:

Jesus asked his disciples, Who do men say that the Son of man is? They said: Some say that thou art John the Baptist; others, that thou art Elias; others, that thou art Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

This now goes its way, and you may read about it St. Jerome, who interprets this finely, how flesh and blood can speak nothing certain of Christ, although it sees the great miraculous deed of Christ, and thinks highly of him. Further, he does not ask what the people think of him, but what they themselves, his disciples, think of him, and says [v. 15. 16.], "Who do you say that I am?" (Notice here that he asks them all in a crowd, "Who do you say that I am?") "Then said Simon Peter, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter makes such an answer on account of all the apostles: for where a multitude is asked, they cannot all answer at the same time, but one must lead the word on account of all; as it is said, Two may sing together, but with one another they cannot speak. Therefore the Fathers, Augustine, Cyprian and Chrysostom, rightly say that St. Peter was the mouth of the apostles and answered on behalf of all of them, because they all asked and were obliged to answer.

86 For this reason the pope lays a foundation here, and builds on a rotten foundation: because St. Peter alone answers, he is lord over the other apostles, and the pope over all the world. For it is clear from the text that Christ does not ask St. Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" but all the disciples, saying, "Who do you say that I am?" And St. Peter must answer for them all, and his answer must at the same time be the answer of all; just as also happens in the secular and domestic government, where a servant, town clerk or syndic has the word of the council and community, or the word of the church.

Gesiuds, but thereby is not lord of the city, and a lawyer or chancellor of the emperor, king, prince speaks word, but therefore still lukewarm is not himself emperor, king, prince, as the pope from this answer St. Peter wants to be lord over the apostles, and all the apostle churches. I say that this is lazy, and the pope stands badly, if he does not bring up something better, as he will now do; as follows:

V. 17-19. And JESUS said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon, BarJona, flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will bind my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Whoever has eyes here, let him not put them into bags, and whoever has ears, let him not send them over the field, so that he may see and hear how the pope is here made lord over heaven and earth, over churches and emperors; which high article of faith Christianity has not known from the beginning until the pope, even the two jurists (as said above), John Teutonicus 1) and Panormitanus, deny as desperate heretics and confess nothing to the pope in this text. But what is God, Christ, Church, world, jurists against the pope?

Simon, Bar Johanna (says the Lord), you are blessed.

(88) Blessed art thou, O Simon, that thou knowest these things, that I am the Messiah, and the Son of the living God; which thy father John taught thee not. 2) For thus he calls him John at the last [v. 17]: "Simon John, do you love me?" Which here Matthew 16 Hebrew says Simon Bar Johanna, or still shorter, Bar Jonah, that is, son of Jonah, or son of Johanna. Yes, sol-

1) Johannes Semeca, called ^eutonieu8 after his fatherland, died in 1243 as provost in Halberstadt, wrote glosses on the vserstum, through which he received the epithet Imx vserstorurn, also vnx voetorum (Erl. Ausg.).

2) Original: "learned".

You have not received such a high understanding from your Father, nor the other disciples together with you, from flesh and blood, or from their fathers, nor from some 1) men, but my Father in heaven has revealed it to you. For in these few words of Peter, which he confesses together with the other disciples (for they all stand for one man in this answer of Peter), is comprehended the whole gospel, yea, the whole holy scripture. For what else does the Scripture want from beginning to end, but that Messiah, the Son of God, should come, and through his sacrifice, as an innocent lamb of God, bear and take away the sin of the world, and thus redeem from eternal death to eternal bliss. For the sake of the Messiah and the Son of God, the holy Scriptures were written, and for his sake all things were done that have come to pass.

So we read almost in the beginning of the Scripture, Gen. 3,15: "The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head"; and Heva, Gen. 4, 1. when she says of Cain: "I have the man, the Jehovah. These words are almost like the words of St. Peter, for she wants to say: "I have the seed, the right man, the Messiah, the Jehovah, that is, the God and the Son of God, who is to do what is promised to us. But it lacks in the person; otherwise its words are very similar to the words of St. Peter in this place. Behold, such a great thing is in the words of St. Peter; this is a true apostolic speech. Thus all the apostles, not only St. Peter, have preached in the whole world, and continue to preach until the end of the world. For, as we have heard, it was not St. Peter alone, but the others who, through his mouth, gave the Lord this answer to his question. The Lord continues:

And I say to you, you are Peter, and out of this rock I will build my church.

90. john 1,42. he calls him Kepha: "You shall be called Kepha." Keph in Ebra, Lopim in Chaldean, and Petros or Petra in Greek, Uup68 in Latin, means rock in German, as there are the high rocks, where the castles are built on. Now the Lord wants to say, you

1) Thus the Wittenbergers; Jenaers and Erlangers: "unite".

are Peter, that is, a rock. 2) For you have recognized and named the right man, who is the right rock, as the Scriptures call him, Christ. "On this rock", that is, on me, Christ, I will build all my Christianity; just as you and the other disciples were built on it through my Father in heaven, who revealed it to you. In the German language, it is said: "You say that I am Messiah or Christ, the Son of the living God; well then, I say to you again, you are a Christian, and on the Christian I will build my church. For in the German language the word "Christ" means both the Lord Himself, as one sings: "Christ is risen, Christ went to heaven", and also the one who believes in the Lord Christ, as one says: "You are a Christian". 11, 26, that the disciples of Antioch were the first to be called Christians. Hence such a name remained: Christians, Christianity, Christian faith etc. So the Lord Simon gives Jonah the name "Rock" or Christian because he recognizes the Rock or Christian from the Father and praises him with his mouth because of all the apostles.

(91) From this it is clear enough that Christ, by building His church on the rock, or on Himself, calls nothing else than the common Christian faith (as is said above from the apostles Peter and Paul), that whoever believes in Christ is built on this rock and will be saved, even against all the gates of hell. He who does not believe in Christ is not built on this rock, and must be damned with the gates of hell. This is the plain, simple, certain understanding of these words, and can be no other, as the words clearly and powerfully give, and rhyme with the word Marci 16, 16.: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," and Joh. 11, 26.: "He that believeth on me shall never die." Yes, I say, notice it well and mark it diligently, that the Lord does not speak here of laws, ten commandments, or our works, which we should or can do, but of the Christian faith, or of the work of the Lord.

2) That is: a rock man; so the old German editions. But the Latin Wittenberg offers: petra.

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of the Father, which He works in us with the Son and the Holy Spirit, namely, that He builds us spiritually from the rock, His Son, and teaches us to believe 1) in Christ, so that we may become His house and dwelling place, as 1 Peter 2:5 and Ephesians 2:19 prove above. Further:

V.19. And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose from earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The Lord wants to take good care of his church, which is built on him and believes in him. For because they preach and confess the gospel to the world, and rule with it, that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, he will honor their word and hold it in contempt, but it shall be believed and held in such honor, as if he himself had spoken it personally from heaven. Now whosoever heareth the gospel from the apostles, or from the churches, and will not believe, let them pronounce such a sentence that he shall be damned. Item, after he has believed, falls, and will not return to the faith, they shall also pronounce such a sentence that his sin shall remain, and he shall be damned. Again, whosoever heareth the gospel, and believeth, or is converted from his sins unto faith again, they shall pronounce such judgment that his sins be forgiven him, and he shall be saved. And over such a judgment he will keep in heaven, as if he himself had pronounced it. Behold, these are the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and this is their office, that there may be in the church an everlasting remission and forgiveness of sins, not only at the time of baptism, or once in a lifetime, but without ceasing unto the end; remission for the impenitent and unbelieving, forgiveness for the penitent and believing.

93] Now notice, and mark diligently in your heart, that the Lord does not speak here of laws or of our works that we are to do, but of his works, namely, the keeping and forgiveness of sins; for the keeping and forgiveness of sins is the work of the divine Majesty alone; but he does not speak of our works, but of his works, namely, the keeping and forgiveness of sins.

1) Original: learns.

wants to do and accomplish such a work through his church; therefore he says: "What they bind or loose from earth, that shall be bound or loosed with him in heaven". That is why in the children's faith the two words follow each other: "I believe in a holy Christian church, communion of saints, forgiveness of sins", that where the church is, namely the building from the rock, there are also the keys to the forgiveness of sins.

94 Secondly, notice that the keys and their power to bind and loose sin were not given to the apostles and saints to rule over the churches, but only to sinners for good and profit. For where there are no sins, one may not use the keys and their authority. For St. Paul and his like saints are not to be loosed nor absolved from sins, for they have none, without the daily and the rest in the flesh, which remain unto the grave; as he saith 1 Cor. 4:4, "I am conscious of nothing, but thereby am I not righteous," and Rom. 7:25, "I serve the law of sins according to the flesh," but let them be commanded to the rock upon which they are built. But sinners need them, which either are not built of the rock, or are fallen from the rock, to be built up again. Therefore it is not a temporal power, by which the bishops may boast and rule over the churches (beneficium, non dominium), but a spiritual power, given to sinners for good and salvation, that they may seek and find the same from the bishops and churches as often as they need it, so that sinners may be saved, and not the bishops become lords and sovereigns. Just as if a prince gave a thousand florins to his servant to divide among some poor people; by these thousand florins the servant shall not become rich nor lord over the poor people, but, as the Lord has commanded, shall freely seek and find from the poor people, but he alone shall show himself a willing servant in this, for the poor people's comfort and benefit. Mark this well, it is for the pope.

95 Thirdly, note well and hold fast that the keys are not given to St. Peter alone, much less to the Pope alone after St. Peter. For although the Lord alone

Peter does not stand for himself alone, but in the place and person of all the disciples, with whom Christ began to speak and to ask questions; as all teachers, before the pope was founded by the emperor Phoca, understood, taught and held in all of Christendom, and still hold in the Orient today. Ah! what may it be much words? Light cannot be darkness. Matth. 18,18. Christ does not speak to St. Peter alone, but to all disciples: "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. These are the very words of binding and loosing that he speaks to St. Peter above. Yes, this is the text, since the promised keys (as the jurists want) are given in fact and de praesenti. "I say unto you"; saith not, I will give, but, "I say," and give it unto you now. 1) And though here there is no report of the keys, yet the office of the keys is, as above Matt.

16,19, powerfully expressed. And in addition he speaks here clearly of sins that are to be bound and loosed. For just before this he speaks of sinners who do not want to listen, and says: "You shall keep such a one as a Gentile and a tax collector. Quickly after, "Verily I say unto you what ye shall bind" etc. [Matth. 18, 17.)

96. and that is probably even more, in the same place he says [v. 19. 20.]: "Where two of you become one, why it is that they want to ask, that shall be done to them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Here we hear that even two or three gathered together in Christ's name have all the power that St. Peter and all the apostles have. For the Lord himself is there; as he also says John 14:23: "He that loveth me shall keep my word, and my Father shall love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Hence it came to pass that often a man who believed in Christ resisted a whole multitude; as Paphnutius in the Concilio Niceno, and

1) The preceding, from the words: "Yes, that is the text" up to here, is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Jena edition.

as the prophets confessed to the kings of Israel, priests and all the people. In short, God wants to be unconnected to the multitude, greatness, height, power and what is personal among men, but wants to be alone with those who love and keep his word, and should be vain stable boys. What does he ask for high, great, mighty lords? He is the greatest, highest and most powerful alone.

97 If the pope could stand as stiffly and proudly as he cannot on the saying of Matthew 16, we, on the other hand, stand even more proudly and stiffly on Matthew 18. For it is not another Christ who speaks Matthew 16 to Saint Peter, and Matthew 18 to the other disciples, speaking the same words, and not promising, but actually giving the power to bind and loose sin. So let the pope go with his Peter, binding and loosing what he can, "with the promised keys which he does not yet have. 2) Let us hold the power of the other apostles to bind and loose like that of St. Peter, and if a hundred thousand St. Peter's were a Peter, and all the bet were a pope, an angel from heaven would stand with him. For we have here the Lord himself over all angels and creatures, who says that they shall all have the same authority, key and office, even two bad Christians alone, gathered in his name. Let us not make this Lord Pabst and all devils a fool, a liar or a drunkard, but let us trample Pabst underfoot and say that he is a desperate liar, blasphemer and idolatrous devil, who has snatched the keys to himself under St. Peter's name, when Christ has given them to all alike in common, and wants to make the Lord Matt. 16 a liar; yes, this should be praised!

98. item Joh. 20, 21-23. says the Lord, not to St. Peter alone, but to all the apostles or disciples: "As my Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he blew on them (not St. Peter alone), and said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost; to whom ye forgive sins, to them they are forgiven; to whom ye retain them, to them they are retained." I would like to hear what

2) In the original (instead of -the speech marks we put) there are brackets to emphasize.

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the Pabst could say against it; and if he had a thousand mischievous tongues, they must all be put to shame here. For the words of the Lord are clear: "As my Father has sent me, so I send you, you, you," not you Peter alone; this is what I preached by the Father's command, and built upon me rocks, the same and no other you shall preach and build; and you shall have all the same power, and the keys to forgive and retain sin. For these are the very same words of binding and loosing that he speaks to Petro in Matt. 16 about keys. This is the Lord Himself who speaks these things; therefore we do not ask anything of it, which the Pabst is raging against in his filthiness.

And here is the text (that we may also help the poor lawyers Johanni Teutonico and Panormitano), where the promised keys of Matth. 16 (as they think) are in fact given to St. Peter, and he is pointed to the possession, so that it may be clear that the promised keys of Matth. 16 are not promised to Peter alone; for the fulfillment of such promise is not given to St. Peter alone, but to all disciples. I say this to the poor lawyers as a service. For we theologians have stronger reason, and do not dispute de verbo futuro and praesenti in such high matters. Therefore this word, which the Lord saith unto them all, Whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them; is as much as if he had said to each one severally, Behold, Peter, take the Holy Ghost, to whom thou forgivest sin etc. Behold. Andres, receive the Holy Spirit, to whom thou forgivest sin etc. Behold Jacob, behold John, Thomae, Bartholomae, Philippe, Simon Judah etc. It is just as much (I say) when he addresses them all together, as when he addresses each one in particular. For each one must accept the other at the same time, because it is said to all alike; therefore St. Peter, with the common keys and common office of the keys, which is forgiveness and retention of sins, can neither understand nor have anything peculiar or special above the other apostles. And here is no exclusiva, as the Roman donkeys mend and seal. It is not said: tibi Petro soli. And if it were so, then the

Exclusives not against the apostles, but perhaps against Caiphas and the Mosaic priesthood. Otherwise Peter remains in place of all the apostles, as these two sayings Matth. 18, 18. and Joh. 20, 21. f. forcefully prove and enforce. This is certain.

Finally, there is also the work and the deed. For St. Matthias was not confirmed as an apostle by St. Peter, but by lot through Christ from heaven, and was placed with the other eleven apostles, Apost. 1:26. 1,26. Now if it is an article of faith, as the Roman asses would like to condemn and lie about, that St. Peter alone has the keys as a privilege (that is what the fools of Rome call it), then St. Peter together with all the apostles and Matthias are also vain heretics, that they act against such an article, and do not allow St. Peter to be the only apostle. Matthias of St. Peter alone, who alone should have the keys over the whole world, be ordered and confirmed; and Christ himself will have to be under the pope's ban for having confirmed such heresy committed with St. Matthias. O, the poor sinner Christ, how will he ever obtain forgiveness of his heresy and sins from the Roman See? I would have said: with the mules'.

And although papal holiness would leave the Lord Christ in power as a prince who is not subject to any law, and who might well appoint more apostles after his ascension than he would have appointed on earth, yet none of these apostles can preach or ordain bishops on earth, but must go out of the world into the land of the Swan, preach there, establish churches, and ordain bishops. The reason is this: The most holy father with his St. Peter, as his Decreta say, is bishop of all the world, and no one preaches and orders bishops in it, but the pope alone; therefore St. Matthias and the other ten apostles must have neither room nor place to preach or to endow churches, nor to order bishops in the whole world, but only the papal holiness; you understand well what I mean.

Or should it be that every apostle had equal power with St. Peter, and every one preached in his place in the world, founded churches, and appointed bishops without St. Peter's knowledge and command,

but by Christ's command, as stated above, Joh. 20, 23. it would follow that the papal holiness would have to do three things: first, condemn his decrees as desperate, fabricated lies and strike himself in his lying, blasphemous mouth, since he boasts of being the high priest and head of all churches on earth, and makes Christ Matth. 16, 19. Joh. 20, 23. and here Apost. 1, 26 as liars and heretics. The other thing is that he must first search and make sure which churches St. Peter preached in the world and which bishops he had appointed, so that he does not take hold of the churches and bishops of the other apostles, who are all as good and high as the Roman bishop. For all of them are ordered by such apostles, who in all things are set equal to St. Peter by Christ. Oh, here the most holy father would have to do so that he would not come to an end even after the last day; meanwhile where would the Roman chair and the mule regiment at Rome remain?

Thirdly, he would have to make sure that St. Peter had not founded any churches on earth, nor had he appointed any bishops, nor had he preached in any church except in Rome. If not, the pope should also lose St. Peter with the key and everything. For if St. Peter has preached more in the world, has ordered churches and bishops, then the one in Rome cannot boast that he alone is St. Peter's chair heir, but the others can all boast as well as the Roman one: St. Peter is our apostle, has ordered our churches and bishops; therefore his keys are ours, and not the bishop of Rome. Now it is certain that St. Peter was an apostle in Jerusalem, in Antioch, and, as his epistle testifies, in Asia, Ponto, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Galatia: all these may boast against the bishop of Rome (much more against the pope, who came after the bishops, neither bishop nor Christian1) ): Dear bishop, St. Peter is our apostle, we have from him the keys, and are over the Roman Church. For to us he has written his beautiful, long epistle; but to the Roman Church he has not written a stiplein of the least letter. How do you like the carver, Pabstesel?

1) "Christians" -a Christian.

Yes, St. Peter is martyred in Rome with St. Paul, as the decrees boast. That does not matter. There are many thousands of martyrs in Rome who were martyred there, and yet none of them was a bishop in Rome. St. Stephen was martyred in Jerusalem, but he did not become bishop of Jerusalem. One asks about St. Peter's ministry, preaching, and how he ordered bishops in Rome, on which they lead and base Matth. 16, 19. However, there are some scholars here who want St. Peter never to have come to Rome, and if the pope should get angry, to resist such a writing. I do not want to be a judge in this. St. Peter may have been there or not. For only St. Paul, who certainly was there (as Lucas writes in [the] Acts of the Apostles, and he himself in his Epistles), can have ordered the church and bishop at Rome; but this I can cheerfully say, as I have seen and heard at Rome, that it is not known at Rome where the bodies of St. Peter and Paul lie, or whether they lie there. The pope and the cardinal know very well that they do not know.

But they put up two heads on St. Peter's and St. Paul's Day, pretend, and let the common man believe that they are the natural heads of the apostles. There the devout mob runs to Hansen of Jena. 2) But the Pope, Cardinal and their servants know very well that they are two wooden, carved and painted heads, just as they do with the Veronica, pretending that it is the face of our Lord pressed into a sweat cloth, and is nothing but a black board squared, there hangs a little cloth 3) in front, above it another little cloth, which they raise when they point out the Veronica.

2) "Hans von Jena" (Jhene), the emblem of the city of Jena, which already became a proverb in the 16th century: a head on the clock face of the town hall clock, which, when the bell rings, snatches at an apple held out by a bearded man, naturally in vain; as much as: a stupid boy (Erl. Ausg.).

3) "Klaretlin" - a silk cloth. So it is called in the Tischreden, cap. 27, s 124, St. Louis ed. vol. XXII, 911 and in Bindseil's eollognia, torn. II, x". 9 mentioned. In the Latin of the Wittenberg edition it is translated by: P3QUU8 6x )ino perspiouus. Grimm also explains it this way, with reference to this passage. Jonas translates it both by 8M<Iou (fine linen) and by 86ri6uin (silk). See Erlanger Ausg. (2.), vol. 26, p. 193, note.

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Hans von Jena did not see more than a small plaret in front of a black board; that is called the Veronica pointed and seen. And here is great devotion, and much indulgence in such unswung lies. The damned Pabst and his cursed school of boys in Rome have such great, immeasurable pleasure in aping, fooling, mocking the poor Christian man, even in blaspheming God in heaven, and in creating such idolatry in his holy church; laugh into your fist that he may see such his blasphemous, idolatrous lies worshipped; Robs and steals for it all the world's goods and obedience, so that one must take hold that the papacy is (as said above) a lying ghost of the devil, therefore put into the church, that it should do nothing else, but create lies, blasphemy, idolatry, thereby destroying the faith and the word of God, and for it rob everything that the world, which is under him, has and is able, and lead all souls to the devil.

Now, as I said, the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul may or may not be located in Rome, it does not matter, but who founded the church and bishopric there. For St. Paul is not located in Corinth, Philippians, Thessalonica, Colossians and other churches, since he has appointed bishops and ordered churches, so that, as far as St. Peter is concerned, there is almost no church that has a more "uncertain" beginning than the Roman one. You write. St. Peter sat in Rome for 25 years; but such a lie eats itself. For he was still in Jerusalem when St. Paul came to him more than 8 years after the Lord's ascension, Gal. 1, 18. and 2, 11., and is said to have been in Antioch for 7 years, from which the feast of St. Peter is still called the Feast of the Chair. Such number together makes 45 years. So St. Peter will have lived eight years after Nerone, by whom he is said to have been martyred. For Nero stabbed himself 37 years after the Ascension of Christ. They lie and conflate St. Peter's hundred into a thousand, so that I have the delusion that neither St. Peter nor St. Paul laid the first stone of the church at Rome, but that a disciple of the apostles came to Rome from Jerusalem or Antioch and preached the faith of Christ in a few houses; or, as was the custom at the time, some of the apostles were preached in a few houses.

Jews living in Rome, as Aquila and Priscilla etc., traveled to Jerusalem on Easter and Pentecost, learned the faith there and brought it home to Rome among their friends, Jews and Gentiles. I am moved to this by the 16th chap. Rom. where St. Paul greets many saints at Rome by name, and yet he himself had not yet come there, nor had St. Peter; for afterwards Aquila and all the Jews were driven out of Rome by Claudio, Apost. 18, 2, who had previously been greeted by St. Paul.

Now this is no disgrace to the Roman church. For afterwards, when St. Paul came there, he certainly did everything right and improved it, as he promises in Romans 1:10 ff. and praises their faith, which neither he himself nor St. Peter had planted. St. Peter also did the same when he came to Rome. For also in Crete the disciple of St. Paul, Titus, organized churches and bishops, as St. Paul commanded him in Titus 1:5.

108 Yes, what happens to St. Paul, the great apostle, Apost. 9, 3. 6.? When he was struck down by heaven at Damascus, the Lord told him to go to the city, where he would be told what to do. Is this not a miracle? Such an apostle is not directed to Jerusalem to St. Peter and other apostles, but to a bad disciple, Anania, who laid his hand on him to receive the Holy Spirit. What will the lying ass of Rome say to this, who wants to be lord and master of all the churches of the world with his Petro? This apostle Paul is a greater blow to him than St. Matthias and the other ten apostles, whom the Pope chases out of the world into the land of the sleeping monkeys, together with their apostleship, because he wants to be the teacher of all the world. Panlus unveils the mischievous one, behind and in front, so that one can see under his lies, as in the infernal Satan's kingdom. For there are his epistles, well 14, which testify enormously what he has arranged for churches and bishops in the world without St. Peter, admittedly also without the pope, who can all say that St. Panlus is their apostle and not St. Peter. Therefore, the pope with his petro, even with his devil, has neither right nor power over them, and his lying mouth must be cursed, since he boasts of being the head and master of all churches.

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ster of the Christian faith, yes, to speak Roman, master of all lies, blasphemy and idolatry.

109. ah, what will one say much? It is said, as St. Paul says [Rom. 2, 11.]: Non est apud Deum personarum respectus. The church at Antioch was founded by no apostle, but by Barnaba, or, as Apost. 13, 1, by the prophets and teachers, Barnaba, Lucio, Simon, Manahen and Saulo, so that it is certain that Saul was not yet an apostle among the Gentiles at that time (as will happen soon after in the same chapter). Now the church of Antioch was an excellent church, far above the Roman church, and had (as it is written) as many martyrs as there are stones in the wall; although Rome also had many martyrs beyond measure, but it never had such a school and such learned people, that is true, and it never will. That is why it is nothing: This church was founded by an apostle, therefore it is more than other churches that were not founded by an apostle. 1) These are carnal thoughts which God does not respect, and they are also lies. For Antioch resists, it was not founded by an apostle, and it surpasses many others, even those founded by apostles.

So the church of Alexandria was not founded by any apostle, but by St. Mark, whom some call the evangelist, some call something else; but it is certain that no apostle came there: nor is the same church far, far above the Roman church. For there has been a good school, which has helped many countries: from it came Athanasius and many other great teachers. At Rome there has never been no school, and not particularly learned people come from there. These two churches, Antioch and Alexandria, are the best and most useful, as is known from all histories, but have never been under the Roman Church, much less under the master (I wanted to say: liar) of all the world, the pope.

Hippon is a city perhaps as large as Wittenberg, which had a bishop, namely St. Augustine, who did more.

1) In the original edition: "is"; so also the Wittenberg and the Jena. In Latin, the plural.

in the church, for all the popes and bishops at Rome melted into one heap, and from his school many fine bishops are ordered to the countries here and there, and St. Gregory confesses that his writings are against St. Augustine's writings, as chaff against wheat. And this is true. In addition, this bishop St. Augustine was not under the bishop of Rome, much less under the soul-murderer and world-eater, the pope. Therefore, it is nothing that one wants to judge this matter by the person or the body, and pretend: this church is greater, this one has an apostle, this one is richer, this one is nobler, this one is the church of an imperial city. Worldly and temporal things may and must be judged by this. God does not ask anything about it, he wants to be uncaptured with his spirit and gifts, but to have free power, as cheap, to give such people or teachers to a small church, which he does not give to all large churches, as Hippon is an example, and our Wittenberg also. For the Holy Spirit and his gifts are not hereditary goods, subordinated to secular law, or bound to a place; his rhyme is: Spirat ubi vult, and not: Spirat ubi nos volumus.

The pope may think that the Holy Spirit is bound to Rome, but if he could put on good seals and letters, he would have won. For if he wants to be the head of all churches (which is impossible), he must first make us certain that he and his successors must have the Holy Spirit certainly and hereditarily, and cannot err. Yes, I would like to see the letters and seals. For the fact that he claims in Matt. 16 that the Roman church is founded on the rock, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, is clear enough from the above that this is spoken of the whole of Christendom, and not of the Roman papal see. And in sum, as said, God does not inquire in His kingdom about the great, the high, the mighty, the many, the wise, the noble etc., but, as Mary sings [Luc. 1, 52.]: "He looks at the lowly." And, as he often tells his apostles Matth. 18, 4. and elsewhere: "Whoever wants to be great among you, let him be the least, and whoever wants to be the most noble, let him be your servant; just as I came, not to be served, but to be among you as a servant [Matth. 20, 27. 28.).

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113. But in the papacy and in all decrees, the reason is that he alone is the greatest, supreme, most powerful, to whom no one should be equal, no one should judge or pass judgment, but everyone should be subject and be judged, and yet boast that he is a servant of all servants of God, that is, Roman and Papal, Lord of lords, King of kings, also over all Christians, that is, over God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, who dwells and lives in Christians, Jn. 15 [14, 23.]. Which St. Paul calls 2 Thess. 2, 3 "the man of sins and the child of perdition", the end-Christ, who sets himself against and exalts himself above God. For Christianity has no head, nor can it have one anymore, except the only Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has seals and letters that he cannot err, and is not bound to Rome or any other place.

Now that we come back to the saying of Matthew 16, tell me how the pope could point out a finer, more powerful saying from the whole of Scripture against himself and give it into our hands, so that we might condemn and destroy his blasphemous papacy to the ground? The rock on which Christ wants to build his church, he interprets in his decrees thus: "The rock is not Christ, but the power and supremacy of St. Peter, that is, his own, fictitious, lying authority over all the world, which Christ is said to have given to St. Peter and the pope with the word "rock"; all churches built on such a rock mean that they must all be obedient to the pope, or be eternally damned, so that even Christ's blood cannot help. Is this not a fine interpretation? The Lord says, "I am the rock, and the building upon it is faith in me. The Pope says: "The rock is my power and authority, and the building on it is the obedience of all Christians to me; so lead Christians away from the faith of Christ to yourselves, and teach them obedience to him instead of faith; which is a work of men, even of the devil, on which Christians should rely, that is, have the devil for an idol and worship him. For we Christians know that even the works of the commandments of God, which is holy, right obedience, are not enough, where the building is based on this rock, that is, the

If faith in Christ did not sustain us, what would obedience to the pope, that is, imaginary works of man, or rather works of the devil and idolatry, help us?

For the pope, or rather the evil spirit in him, knew well where this mind should remain, that the rock was Christ, and the building upon it was faith, and the words should be understood thus: upon this rock I will build my church, that is, my Christians shall and will believe in me, Christ, then he could have done nothing, nor made a pope. For what can you make of these words: My church will be built on me rocks, or it will believe in me, rely on me and trust in me? What can you make of these words (I say), but that all Christians, or all Christendom, and whoever wants to be a Christian, will believe in Jesus Christ, and put his trust as in a rock, so that even the gates of hell, that is, all devils, will not harm him? This opinion can neither give nor suffer a pope, nor direct us to a pope, bishop, or any man, be he emperor or king, but gather us all under the one Son of God, the right rock of our salvation; gather us so entirely on Christ that we must also leave ourselves and our good works, and be justified and saved by faith alone in him.

Therefore the evil spirit had to make another, false understanding of this saying and say: "Rock" means St. Peter and Pabst, or their power (is the same); "to build on it" means to be obedient to the Pabst. Then a pope could be made out that it is no longer said: He who believes in Christ will be saved, but: He who is obedient to the pope will be saved. But he, the pope himself, as the rock, no one should be obedient or subject to him. You have the summaries of spiritual law and all the decrees and all the understanding from which you can grasp that the pope and his papacy is a devil's specter, out of a wrong, falsified mind, Matth. 16, 18, that is, out of lies, blasphemies, as born out of the devil's butt. Therefore, nothing good has come out of Pabstism, but the disturbance of faith, lying, and the destruction of the soul.

The abomination, blasphemous idolatry, our own work, also destruction of the worldly state, murder and all misery, in addition fornication, so shameful, as now publicly before the eyes of Rome; for this, the bishopric and all goods of Christendom, almost also of the kings, are stolen. What does the pope deserve, who has made such an abomination and jumble of all lies and idolatry out of this blessed and comforting statement of the faith of Christ? He belongs in that judgment, all chastisements on earth would be much too small.

117. further, that which follows [v. 19], "I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," has the understanding, nor can have any other, as we have heard that the dear Lord and faithful bishop of our souls has left us the power to bind and loose sins. For there must be discipline and punishment in the church for the sake of the rough, impudent people; again also a comfort and hope for the sake of the fallen, so that they do not think that their baptism is now lost, as the Novatians, but much more the pope, have taught. Now, this binding and loosening is not enough for the pope, and he cannot rule over the others with it, because such binding and loosening must also have bad pastors and chaplains. Summa, it also belongs to the faith, and not to papal obedience, as said above. Therefore he interpreted it differently and better, thus: What you bind, what you give, what you last, what you want to have on earth, that shall be commanded, set and willed in heaven, and whoever does not obey you and keep such, shall not be saved etc. How thinkest thou of the journeyman? Then see if the Roman church, that is, the papal infernal foundation, does not rightly boast of being the mother of all churches and the mistress of the faith, since we are to do what the most stubborn boy on earth commands and wants to have, regardless of whether God forbids it or does not want to have it.

118) The word of Christ our Lord, Matth. 16, 19: Quodcunque, "everything", 1) forces him to do this and makes it very useful to him.

1) Again, in the original (as above § 97), the words: "all" are in brackets to emphasize them.

in his Decretals: "All that thou bindest" etc. "All" does not mean sin, of which Christ speaks alone, but all that is on earth, churches, bishops, emperors, kings, perhaps also all the forts of all asses, and his own forts as well. Oh, my dear brother in Christ, take it easy on me when I speak so rudely here or elsewhere about the tiresome, cursed, monstrous monstrosity of Rome. He who knows my thoughts must say that I do him much, much, much too little, and with no words nor thoughts can attain this shameful, desperate blasphemy, which he carries out with the word and name of Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, then laughs in his fist, as if he had finely mocked Christ's fool, and his Christians, who believe him such glosses, and yet pretends great pompa, as if he were Christ's Vicarius, and wants to make all the world blessed with his holiness.

119 Thus, the word "on earth" is used: as far as the earth is, so far have I to bind, that is, to command, to set and to do, and all the world owes me obedience. The dear Lord and bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ, as 1 Petr. 2, 25. has meant it thus: What you bind or loose among yourselves on earth, that shall be bound and loosed on high, for I am with you on earth until the end of the world; has not meant that the whole earth should be bodily obedient to the pope, but, as we Germans say "on earth", that means "on earth"; what we say "on high", that means "in heaven"; thus no dominion is given, neither to the bishops nor to the churches on earth. For Christ's kingdom is a spiritual and heavenly kingdom. And even though it is on earth, and must live in the flesh, it does not rule in the flesh, as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 10:4. But here one must exclude the Holy Father, who has a higher spirit, neither is Christ Himself: therefore one must believe His creeds alone, and not the Holy Spirit, or Christ, nor God His Father. For he is against and above God, as St. Paul says 2 Thess. 2, 3. 4.

120 And here it can be seen that the pope must be possessed and full of devils, that he has lost all sense and reason. For the words of Christ about the keys are

Certainly divine, strong promise: what you bind shall be bound; they must be fulfilled. God does not have to and cannot lie, because he is not a pope nor a cardinal; what he promises, he keeps firmly and surely [Ps. 33, 4]. Now ask the histories whether St. Peter has been lord over the whole world, as the pope interprets the words. Either Christ must be a liar who has not kept his word, or the pope must be a desperate, blasphemous evil-doer who tells such lies to our Lord that he has handed over the whole world to St. Peter and him in time, when even now the Turk says no strongly enough, without what the rest of the world does. Should I, as a Christian, and all lovers of our Lord Christ, not be impatient, angry and offended here, and not curse the accursed papacy and call it most shameful, who is not ashamed to blaspheme our Lord most shamefully, and make a lie of his promise? For here it is not only a lie that Christ promised authority over all the world to Peter with the word "everything you will bind on earth," but it is also a lie that St. Peter or the popes have received such authority, brought it into effect, or taken it into their possession.

121 And lest anyone think that I speak these things of the pope out of an angry and troubled mind, let us hear his words for ourselves. 22. 1) dis Omnes speaks the pope Nicolaus (which is also briefly reported above): The Roman Church founded and established all churches, be they patriarchal, archbishopric, primate, and whatever dignities or orders they may be; but it, the Roman Church, was founded and established on the rock of the present-born faith by him alone, who has given to Petro, the key-bearer of eternal life, the power and right both over earthly and heavenly kingdoms; Therefore no earthly judgment, but the Word, by which heaven and earth were made and all elements were created, founded the Roman Church. For it has the privilege of the one who established it; therefore there is no doubt that whoever takes away the right of one of the other churches does wrong, but whoever takes away the right of the other churches does wrong.

1) So all editions correct; only the Erlanger has "12." in the text. Cf. ? 78 of this paper.

Roman Church Privilegium, which the supreme head of all churches has given her, take null, he falls into heresy; and as the former is an unjust man, so is the latter to be reproached a heretic etc.

Here you hear that Christ's word, "Upon this rock I will build my church," does not mean that all of Christendom should believe in Jesus Christ, but rather that Christ alone founded the Roman church; all the others, that is, all of Christendom, were not founded by Christ, but by the Roman church. The dear Lord Christ knows no more than of one church in the whole world, which he builds upon himself, the rock, through faith; but the pope makes two kinds of churches: the Roman, which alone is said to have been founded by Christ upon the rock; the other churches (perhaps the devil, or that we do not do much better2) ) were not founded by Christ, but by them, the Roman church. Item, the keys are not to bind and loose sins (as the Lord says), but to give power and right to the pope over all earthly kingdoms and heavenly kingdoms. I have to stop, I don't like to swelter in the blasphemous, hellish devil's filth and stink any more; another one read also. Whoever wants to hear God speak, let him read the Holy Scriptures; whoever wants to hear the devil speak, let him read the Pabst's Drecket und Bullen. Alas, alas, alas for him who comes to be a pope or a cardinal, it would be better for him if he had never been born. Judas betrayed and killed the Lord, but the pope betrays and corrupts the Christian Church, which the Lord preferred and cherished neither himself nor his blood. For he sacrificed himself for her. Woe to you, Pope!

This is the origin of their fearful raging and fury after the Roman Empire; they call themselves emperors and lords over kings and emperors, depose and install them, have their feet kissed, banish, murder and curse them. How have they done with our German emperors, Friderico the First and the other, until they publicly judge the only heir Conradinum by the sword, with Philippo, with

2) In Latin: not to speak too harshly. After that, the meaning is: or, to put it more mildly, not much.

Henrico the Fourth and Fifth, with Ludovico Bavaro. They always wanted to make the Empire without a head, so that the Pope could be Emperor. But King Philip of France made a fine example of Pope Boniface the Eighth, the great chief shawl among the popes. The same Vothrich deposed King Philip, forbade France to pay homage and obedience to the king, and pretended that the kingdom had fallen to the See of Rome, because he did not do what the pope wanted. But King Philip pursued him through a columnist, who caught him at Anagnia in the very chamber where he was born, led him to Rome, threw him into the dungeon, and there he died like a dog, from great suffering and impatience. But such punishment is still far too small, so that it would not be good to do the same to the other popes and cardinals. For it is a blasphemous, condemned state, that even if one wants to be pious, he must be a blasphemer of God and an enemy of Christ, because of his state.

But they have great, much foul-mouthed hypocrites, who provoke them to such raving, and write that the pope is by all rights king over all kings, lord over all lords. Among them is one who writes that the Emperor Nero should have given up the Roman Empire of St. Petro, and that Constantinus Magnus was guilty of handing over the Empire to Sylvestro, the Bishop of Rome, even against the consent of the Council of Rome. Hence is invented the great lie de Donatione Constantini, Dis. 96. and Ludovici primi, and Otto- nis primi Dis. 64. Ego Ludovicus, and, Tibi Domino Jobanni. Such lies and tickling 1) the popes like, their belly grows from it, and thus one fool makes the other nonsensical. Not that they take it for truth; they know very well otherwise; but they would like [it] to come to the people, and all the world to take it for truth, so that the emperors and kings would get an evil conscience, that they possessed their kingdoms against God and right, as taken and stolen from the pope with sacrilege, to whom they would be obliged to concede and cede them, whether it would once be advisable that the kings should present themselves before the painted devil,

1) In the original: "hollows"; Latin: titillationos.

or their own star, 2) or would be afraid of the pope's power, and ask the pope to accept their kingdom. For the fact that he carries the keys in his coat of arms with the three crowns, he does not do so because he is much interested in binding and loosing sins, but he paints this triangle of omuos before the eyes of the kings, preaching and forewarning them that they should think how with great sacrilege they hold their kingdoms before the pope. For all earthly crowns are his, which Christ has given him through the keys; as Nicolaus Pabst, Omnes, raset und farzet hier.

Therefore the papal crown at Rome is not called a bishop's hat, but Regnum mundi, the empire of the world, of which St. Gregory and pious bishops of the Roman church knew nothing before the pope came. For the world is divided into three parts, which are called Europe, Africa, Asia; these are the three crowns of the pope; for all the kingdoms in these three countries are the pope's, like the Cap. Omnes, and his hypocrites (I would have said, like the devil's forcers) boast that he is lord of the whole world. This crown the devil held up to our Lord Christ, Matthew 4:8, "when he brought him up into the high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, saying, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. But the Lord said unto him, Take thee away from me, Satan. But how saith the Pabst? Come here, Satan, and if you had more worlds than these, I would accept them all, and not only worship you, but also lick your ass. These are the words of his decrees and decrees, in which nothing is taught about the faith of Christ, but everything and anything about his majesty, power and dominion over churches, over concilia, over emperors, over kings and over all the world, even over heaven; but everything is sealed with devil's filth, and written with Pabst's princes.

126 Now, let this be said briefly about the first damage that the pope has caused with his "bandage. For who can

2) Ueber "Star" stehe St. Louiser Ausg., Bd. XV, 1536, § 173; Bd. VIII, 396, s 296. According to Bd. V, 1083, § 63 at the end it will be as much as the star in the eye, because it is explained there by: "before yourself".

1092 Erl. (2.) 26,206-208. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1368-1371. 1093

tell everything what the devil has practiced to murder and betray with kings and emperors through the pope? They are worldly lords, ordered by God, why do they suffer such from a rotten belly, coarse Pabstesel and Farzesel at Rome? Why do they not ask God's word and right preachers? But God's wrath has thus punished the world.

The other damage that the devil has done through Pabst's, even through the devil's key, is much worse and greater; for the worldly goods of all kingdoms are nothing compared to the spiritual, eternal goods. Here he has stretched out his bonds or territories into the spiritual regiment, in the name of all the devils, so that it should be called making laws over the consciences of the whole of Christendom, as he, Junker Pabstesel, boasts in c. Omnes that he also has jura coelestis imperii, power to create in the kingdom of heaven. And to some extent it is true that in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in Christ's kingdom, in the church, he has much to create and much to accomplish (just as his god the devil also does), for he has much to do, so that he breaks and destroys everything that Christ has built and is still building. So his God also had work to do in the house of Job, when he slew all his children, his servants and his cattle, and also afflicted him himself [Job 1:15, 16 ff]; the same work his holy child, the pope, also has to do in the kingdom of Christ.

First of all, as we have heard above, the Lord wants his church to be built on himself, the rock, that is, he who wants to be a Christian should believe in him. No, says the priest, it means that one should be obedient to me and consider me a Lord, such work makes one blessed; and disobedience, or not considering me a Lord, that condemns.

Item, the Lord gives his Sacrament entirely to his Christians. No, says Farzzel Pabst, one form is enough for the laity, but it belongs entirely to the priests.

130 The Lord has given the sacrament here to strengthen the poor conscience through faith. No, says Pope Farzesel, it is to be sacrificed for the dead and the living, to be sold, to make a trade and a fair out of it, so that we may feed our bellies with it, and eat up all the world's goods.

131. item, the lord wills that whoever is in the right

If any man die in faith, he shall surely be saved. No, says Donkey Pabst, one must first go to the sweeper, and do enough for sin; for without works that do enough for sin, if I bind or command, one must go to the sweeper; there no one but I can help with keys and masses; Christ and faith can do nothing here.

132 The Lord wants the power of his baptism to remain as often as we return, as long as we live here. No, says Eselfarz-Pabst, baptism is soon lost; that is why I have preached to keep the holy monastic orders equal to and better than baptism, even though I myself do not desire such baptism, nor am I allowed to.

133 The Lord wills that whoever confesses or confesses his sins, and believes the absolution, they shall be forgiven. No, says Donkey Pabstfarz: Faith does not do it, but your own repentance and atonement, also the recounting of all secret, forgotten and unrecognized sin.

The Lord wants all creatures to be free according to faith and brotherly love, so that there is no sin or righteousness to be sought there. Oh no, says the infernal Father, Christ is drunk, mad and foolish, has forgotten what he gave me with the keys for great power to bind, namely, I have power to bind and forbid that:

Whoever eats milk on Friday, Saturday, the apostles' evening, or my saints' evening, which I have made, is a mortal sin and eternal damnation; but that I am not obliged to keep it. Whoever eats butter, cheese or eggs on the same days, that is a mortal sin and hell.

But whoever eats meat 1) on such days is damned far below hell; except me and my cardinals, who are not subject to such binding. Cause, whoever has the power to bind, will undoubtedly bind not himself, but others.

Whoever does not fast and celebrate the Holy One, whom I have created, it is a mortal sin and damnable disobedience. Cause, I have power to bind and loose. Yes, perhaps

1) Wittenberger: "isset"; Jenaer and Erlanger: "esse"; Latin: comsäerit.

also: Whoever does not worship my forz, that is a mortal sin, and hell, for he does not hold that I have power to bind and command all things.

138. whoever does not kiss my feet, and where I would so bind, lick me in the butt, that would be a mortal sin and deep hell; for Christ has given me the keys and power to bind everything and anything.

If any king, emperor or prince does not surrender his kingdom and dominion to me, it is a mortal sin and eternal damnation. For I have such power to bind and to command.

If any bishop does not buy the pallium from me, he sins mortally and is condemned. Cause, I have power to bind and to command such.

Whoever makes such a purchase (which is not robbery) is called Simonei, he sins mortally and damnably. For it is I who shall bind and loose.

Whoever complains about the burden of the annals, the pontifical months and the like, sins mortally. For I have power to bind such things. That is what he means, Dis. 19 In memoriam, that one must bear and suffer everything that the Roman See interprets, even if it is infallible.

And that I come back to the right things, Christ wanted marriage to be free. No, says the farzer in Rome, priests, monks and nuns should not be married, and it is far better that one should live chastely (according to the Roman, papal and cardinal chastity, whereas Sodoma and Gomorrah would like to be virgins) than to become married.

Item 144: Laymen are also not to marry or have a wedding in the joined times. For the infernal Father has bound and forbidden it in mortal sin and eternal damnation.

145 After that, he raises all monks' and nuns' sects, with all their statutes of clothing, food, gifts, etc., and what every fool invents, confirms such innumerable and intolerable laws, crowns them with indulgences and graces, so that Christian freedom and faith are no longer known, but all the world, all corners, all clothing, all persons, all food is covered with ropes and bands.

that where it should have lasted longer, perhaps sin and hell would have had to be, where someone would have coughed, sniffed, sneezed, or otherwise done his need; I am silent now, what he has done with his lying indulgence, golden year, holy water, 1) Agnus Dei, Chresem, fire, wax, herbs; oh, who can tell it all! There is almost no creature left on which he has not used his rope and poison, so that where someone has walked, stood, or done something, he has come into danger of sins and death.

But he did not do all this to establish discipline or good government in the church, as the preaching ministry, the father of the house and the secular sword do. For such his bands and cords are neither useful nor necessary for discipline, but everything must have the high title of lying to God, blaspheming and desecrating, namely it must be called service to God and holy good works, through which forgiveness of sins and eternal life are obtained. This is said so much that the Christians are hereby caught to believe that the pope has power and authority, as a god over the churches, to bind and do anything he wants; Yes, he has strengthened his power with it, and subjected us to his obedience, robbed all the world of goods and money for it, then laughed softly and merrily in his fist that the Christians are such great, coarse fools, and let themselves be so easily fooled and fooled about their faith, freedom, body and soul, goods and honor, temporally and eternally. Yes, that is what the devil wanted in the first place. For this (as I said) is not the greatest pity, that he has thrown our body, goods and honor under himself with his accursed binding; but that he has entangled and bound the consciences or souls with them, as if they were divine commandments, divine services and works for salvation, and makes sin where there is none: so the consciences have become frightened and stupid, faith weakened and finally strangled and suffocated, Christian freedom lost.

147. it is fulfilled what St. Paul Col. 2, 20. f. says: "Why do you allow yourselves to be caught with

1) In the original: "Weichwafser".

1096 Eri. (2.) se, 210-212. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418. W. xvn, 1373-1376. 1097

Statutes as if you were still living in the world, saying: You shall not touch this, you shall not taste this, eat this, nor drink this, you shall not touch this or put on this." These are the powerful errors that God sends upon those who do not love the truth, but believe the lies. And if the devil himself should rule in Rome, he could not make it worse; indeed, if he himself ruled, we could bless ourselves before him and flee, that he could not create anything. But now the pope has given himself over to him as a larva, adorned with God's word, under which he 1) could not be known, that is God's wrath: then it has happened, everything that his bitter, diabolical, infernal resentment against Christ and his church could have conceived; then he has become our idol, whom we have worshipped under the name of St. Peter and Christ, together with all his lies, blasphemies and idolatries. That may be called bound, and the keys need for violence, not for faith.

Here you may read for yourself 2 Thess. 2, 4, and see what St. Paul means when he says that the end-Christ sits in the temple of God, that is, in the church of Christ, as if he were Christ and God himself, as his hypocrites blaspheme, saying that the pope is not a pure man, but a mixed person of God and man; just as our Christ is alone. And what a man of sins is, you can easily hear from the previous pieces, since he is not only a sinner in himself, but with sins, false worship, blasphemy, unbelief and lies he has filled up the world, especially the temple of God, the church, so that he is also a child of perdition, that is, he has led himself with countless souls to hell and eternal damnation.

The Turk also deceives the world, but he does not sit in the temple of God, does not bear the name of Christ and St. Peter, nor the Holy Scriptures, but storms Christianity by heart and boasts that he is the enemy of it. But this inward destroyer wants to be a friend, wants to be called father, and is twice worse than the Turk. That means an abomination of desolation or disturbance,

1) In the original: "jnen"; Wittenberger: "jn" - him; the same recurs more often.

an idol, who, against Christ, has destroyed everything that Christ built and gave us. Oh how terrible such abomination is to behold and to hear! Let this be said recently of the other harm, by the Pabst's binding, soul-murdering, idolatry, lies and destruction of faith, imprisonment of Christian liberty, and corruption of the conscience.

(150) When the devil had put himself in such immense power, and did nothing but bind, catch, lie, rob, murder and blaspheme (as his works are, John 8:44), he began the other thing, not to forgive sin, but to bargain and sell it.), he now also began the other piece, namely, to redeem; not to forgive sin, but to have such of his laws for sale and to sell; for he also has power to redeem, that is, to sell for money; He has made a market and stuff in all the world, which he would not give for the market in Venice or for authors; 2) He has sold butter letters, egg letters, milk letters, cheese letters, meat letters, indulgence letters, fair letters, marriage letters, and everything that he has shamefully bound, and still more shamefully gives away for money. There is the ulcer and vermin of his stuff: indulta, privilegia, immunitates, without all measure and number. Thus his laws are not only snares and bonds of the poor consciences (as said), for which he has robbed and stolen all money and goods, but also money snares and nets, so that he may also rob and steal what is left. Here we have our Christian freedom, acquired through Christ's blood and graciously given, must buy for our money, as Jerem. Klagl. 5, 4. laments the same.

151 Nevertheless, we could not be sure whether we were doing well and right. For there was no faith that could assure us. The pope does not ask that he only gets the money and confirms his power. What should the pope and his god, the devil, ask for the salvation of souls? For I, who have seen much, have also been one myself; hold well, there are still many in the papacy who would not have relied on such a purchase and release of the pope, even if they had deserved the world, and was much a greater sin and deeper hell, where one would have taken meat on Friday, than if he had committed a murder and a crime.

2) Antwerp.

committed adultery. But if a monk (as often happened) had bought his plate, cap and monasticism from the pope, he was considered an apostate, a renegade Christian, whose soul would never be a councilor.

So a desperate, deep, devilish poison is the doctrine of man, where it rightly seizes the conscience, especially where long habit and the name of God are falsely added to it, that God's commandment is not respected one thread, against this iron chain of human, devilish doctrine. Well, this is a masterly interpretation of Christ's words: "What you bind and loose on earth shall be bound and loosed in heaven. But let us also be grateful to God, who has delivered us from such devilish bonds, so that nothing bad will happen to us.

The third harm that the pope has done with the keys in the church is first of all that he should bind, banish and punish the right sins against God's commandment, for which alone the Lord has given the keys to his church, Matth. 16, 18. 19. and 18, 18.Here the pope does not have a binding key, but only a loosening key; he lets such a free life go on in Rome and in all the monasteries, in all fornication and whoredom, that even Sodoma would be holy against them; and he himself is also the abbot in such a holy order, the worst knave of all knaves on earth. Hence comes the cruel fear of a right, free concilio. For he wants to be unreformed and will remain so forever. He does not want to suffer the keys over him, but to have them under him, as he rages in many decrees, that no one should bind him nor judge him, and that it is therefore impossible to hold a useful, fruitful council. For afterwards he does as before, and disassociates himself from the council, as he has always done, and henceforth prides himself freely on doing so. To have power.

Oh, why do we trouble ourselves with no accursed pope; how should he bind sin? He doesn't know, he doesn't understand, the big, big ass and fool, what sin is, he can't know it either, he doesn't want to know it either. I know that our children or catechumeni, that is, who know the Catechismum,

are more learned than the pope, the cardinal and the entire Roman court, together with all their followers. For you must not worry that the pope with his Roman school of boys understands a single commandment among the ten, nor a petition in the Lord's Prayer, nor an article in the faith, or how baptism and sacrament are to be understood and used, how a Christian should live, what good works are, God grant that he may count the ten commandments one after another, as our children of four or five years can. For they do not read it, they do not handle it, so their great books, Decret, Decretal, Sexti, Clementin, Extravagant, Bullen do not give it either. Not a word can you find from all these books together with their scribes that would teach you to understand the first commandment or to pray a petition in the Lord's Prayer. It is no wonder, either; they consider it to be a kind of sewerage and a fool's work, which we Christians glorify: they call us bon Christians, that is, great fools, who may believe such things.

For if he should understand the first commandment, "Thou shalt not have other gods," and what is contrary to it is called sin, he would have to burn all his Dreckets, Drecketal and bulls, and himself with them, along with all the Cardinals. For, as we have heard above, his decrees are all great lies, terrible blasphemies and abominable idolatries. How should he not have other gods, who in all the world causes idolatry, blasphemy, lies, as a man of sins and child of perdition must do? [Therefore here is nothing with the keys to bind sin, 1) to banish and to punish. For there is no one here who knows or knows what sin is. One must let him go, as he is possessed, always to the devil; God's wrath has come upon them, and they sin unrepentantly in the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, when he comes to the solution of right sin, that is, to the forgiveness of sins done against God's commandment, he makes the comforting solution key null and void in all the world. For this is how he teaches

1) According to the Latin: Therefore the keys here have no power to bind sin etc.

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with its schools, that the key is not loosed, nor are sins forgiven, unless there be repentance, confession, and atonement; directing us therefore from faith to our work, that we may never be sure whether sins are forgiven, unless we be sure first that we are worthy of and have merited forgiveness by our deeds; which is a vain, impossible thing. O this is a terrible plague in Christendom, that men are made uncertain, and left to dwell on their own uncertain works.

Our dear Lord and Savior gives us an excellent, comforting promise with these words: "What you loose shall be loosed," as it was said above, that what we loose shall be loosed with Him, as John 20:23 states more clearly: "Whose soever sins you forgive, they are forgiven him. These are words of promise, in which he promises forgiveness of sins. Such promise does not demand our work, as the law does, but our faith. For God does not want to give us heaven because of our merits, but out of pure grace and mercy through Christ. And it should not be said (as they teach) that repentance would be so great that one would go up to heaven from the mouth. Yes, like Judas with the rope to the tree, and Saul to his own sword. But the Pabstian knows nothing, neither of faith nor promise, nor of God's commandments, considers the church to be a stable of donkeys or sows, since he may rule with his filth inside.

Enough has been said about this saying in Matthew 16, I have made it too much and too long; but the papal abomination has no measure nor end. And here you see (I mean) how finely the pope knows how to interpret the words of Christ, and how well he has founded his papacy on them. That is, as Christ says [Matt. 12:37], "Out of thine own mouth thou shalt be condemned"; and 1 Cor. 3:19, "The wise he exalteth by their own prudence." This is the mastery of the Holy Spirit, that he takes the very same words that are led by the foolish spirits for themselves, and leads them against themselves, and overthrows them with their own weapons. Suddenly I could not think of a more powerful saying from the Scriptures to lead against the pope (as above).

The first one is the one that is reported, for it is precisely this one that he wants to found, build, set and defend, and is recently seized and caught by his own prudence. That means in German, in his cleverness to throw himself. There the pope lies in his own filth, and is found that his regiment and state is not from God nor from men, but from all devils from hell, vain idolatry, blasphemy, lies, soul murder, murder, robbery, rebellion, enmity against God, emperors, kings and all men, especially against Christendom, much worse than the Turk.

Yes, you say: He asks nothing of your crying and writing; he remains well before you; he is too powerful. I am well content with that; it is enough for me that I am safe for myself, and know how to judge him according to the word of God, which is against him, and I may with a clear conscience consider him a fool and an enemy of God. He cannot consider me an ass, for he knows that by God's special grace I am more learned in the Scriptures than he and all his asses are; not only I, but many more fine people almost in all countries. He has the devil for himself: so we have God's word for us. Let fresh go here; if we die over it, we live the more gloriously with Christ; if he lives over it, he dies the more horribly with all the devils, quia Em- manuel is here, God with us, there the devil with him. Let him rejoice who in the end retains the victory.

160 The other saying, which is supposed to prove that the pope comes from God, is this, Joh. 21, 16: "Feed my sheep. Here is in the Pope's Clement III Extra, de elect. cap. Significasti this gloss: We are commanded the sheep of Christ in St. Petro, since the Lord says, "Feed my sheep," and makes no distinction between these or those sheep, so that each one may know that he does not belong in his sheepfold, if he does not recognize Petrum and his chair heirs for his shepherds and masters etc. I was startled and thought that it was thundering so much that the Pabstsel let loose such a great, terrible thunder; he certainly pressed with great power that he blew out such a thunderous thunder. It is a miracle that his hole and belly are not torn.

161 If I now ask here: What did all the other apostles feed, especially St. Paul? The great prince of Pabst will perhaps say that they may have fed rats, mice and lice, or if it turns out well, sows, so that Pabst alone may be the shepherd, and all the apostles remain sow-herders. But what is it that Christ said, not to St. Peter, but to all the disciples, Marc. 16:15: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"? Christ's sheep are not only commanded to St. Peter, nor to the apostles alone, but also to the 72 disciples. Here you must hear the master and shepherd of all sheep, and understand the text correctly. For it depends on a good interpreter, says one, as you have heard above, that rock is called the pope, to build on it is to be obedient to him, to bind is to catch emperors, kings and all the world. In the Holy Father's decrees, you must learn and understand not Latin, Greek, or Ebrew, but the new Roman language; just as the Virgin Paula Tertius interprets the words "free, Christian, German" to the emperor and the empire in his Roman. So now the Roman opinion here is: Go (that is, you Peter, go alone) into all the world (that is, to Rome), and preach (that is, set your pope, who is God and Lord) to all creatures (that is, who has power over bishop, emperor and kings, over heaven and earth, c. Omnes). Whoever believes (that is, whoever is obedient to the pope) and is baptized (kisses the pope's feet) will be saved (will not be damned); whoever does not believe (is not obedient) will be damned (is a heretic).

162 For you have now heard enough from Matthew 16, where Christ our Lord speaks of the word and faith, that this must be understood from the violence, avarice, idolatry and abomination of the pope. This is the rule and handle of interpreting the Scriptures, therefore the Roman See does not unreasonably boast of Magistram fidei, that is, who knows and does better, neither Christ himself nor the Holy Spirit, who are his poor fibulists 1). Therefore, where the Scripture speaks of faith or the Word of God, this is all to be understood from the pope's

1) Graduating students.

We are in the power and in our prison, as Rom. 1, 17: "The righteous lives by faith", that is, the pope is lord over all. Joh. 1, 14.: The word became flesh (that is, the pope is lord over all), and has become accustomed among us (that is, we are his prisoners with body, soul, goods and honor, as well as the whole world). For so this saying Matth. 16: "Upon this rock I will build my church," does nothing else but make the pope God and Lord over heaven and earth, no letter in Scripture can resist doing the same, not even Virgilius, 'since he says: Tityre tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi, that is, you pope sit at Rome; Sylve- strem tenui meditaris arundine musam, that is, you are lord over all Christendom. And Ovidius: Hanc tua Penelope, lento tibi mittit Ulysses, that is, [the] pope is lord and god over heaven and earth. Nil mihi rescribas, attamen ipse veni, that is, whoever is not subject to the pope with body and soul, goods and honor, is lost. Does this seem ridiculous to you? Why don't you laugh much more at the great ass Clement III. c. Significasti, who cries out this saying of Christ: "Feed my sheep", which rhymes just as finely as all the verses in Virgilio and Ovidio. So the little song would also serve here: The cuckoo has fallen to his death (the pope is master of all churches) from a hollow willow (that is, in Rome). Who wants to drive away our time and our way during the summer (that is, the Christians are guilty) (that is, to kiss his feet).

163 We have just heard that if St. Peter alone was commanded to feed all Christ's sheep, which is not the case, nor is it possible, for we must not let the other apostles, especially St. Paul, be shepherds of mice or lice for the sake of the pope's grace and power, it does not follow that even the pope, like St. Peter, is commanded to feed all the sheep. Nor did the pious bishops of the Roman Church, before the devil raised up the pope, ever submit or undertake to do so (who would all have to be heretics and eternally damned, because they did not believe the impudent article of the pope), but the contradiction would follow from this, namely, because St. Peter did not obey the Roman Catholic Church.

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Since St. Peter the Apostle alone, but many others in Bithynia, Asia, Ponto, and Cappadocia, the same and any other church can boast of being shepherds of all sheep, as well as the Roman church, because they come from the same apostle, and can boast of the same: St. Peter the Apostle, and not the church at Rome, founded us, and his epistle was attributed to us, and not to the Roman church, as said. If these same churches are not shepherds of all Christ's sheep, then how can the Pope of Rome be? He does not have such a strong testimony of St. Peter as those, indeed, he cannot prove any testimony at all.

We have just heard that they are very uncertain about St. Peter, and that the church at Rome was not planted by St. Peter or St. Paul, but by the least disciples, Aquila and other Jews, who were accustomed to Rome and were born there, as they lived in all the countries, Acts 2:5. 2, 5. They all say. St. Paul was converted in the same year in which Christ suffered and rose again; eodem anno astronomico, non legali, namely, Christ suffered on the 25th day of March, and Paul was subsequently converted on January 25, as it is written in the calendar, since the year is not yet over. Whether this is so or not, it cannot be far from it, perhaps hardly a year. From this it follows that the Roman church had the gospel and faith 27 years before St. Paul or St. Peter came to Rome; and my opinion wants to be sure that Aquila and others, named Rom. 16, 3. ff, went to Jerusalem to the great feasts, heard the apostles there, and brought the word home with them to Rome.

For St. Paul says in Romans 16:7 that Andronicus and Junias, his blood friends, are famous apostles and were Christians before him, and there [v. 6] praises a woman, Mary, who was especially diligent among the Roman Christians. If Andronicus and Junias were Christians before St. Paul, they must have become believers in Jerusalem in the same year of Christ's passion, soon after Pentecost, and preached the word to the Jews from time to time, and thus became famous apostles.

The first sermon of St. Peter, Apost. 2, 41. 2, 41. Now from the year of Christ's passion until the second year of Neroni, 27, Paul came to Rome, Acts 28, 16. 28, 16. Therefore he praised the faith of the Romans, Rom. 1, 8. which he had not planted. Hereby it will be that the first founders and bishops or preachers of the Roman church are St. Paul's cousins, Andronicus and Junias; where will the pope bring such testimony from St. Peter? And it is credible that during the 27 years some Christians, young and old, baptized and died; the first saints in Rome, went to heaven to the Lord Christ, who saw neither St. Peter nor St. Paul.

But if a disciple or an apostle establishes a church, then it is a true church and does not depend on the person, Gal. 2, 8. For God does not give any other or better baptism, gospel and faith through Peter or Paul than through Androuicum, Juniam, Aquilam, or how lesser a disciple he is. We have also said above that the churches of Alexandria and Antioch were excellent churches, more so than those of Rome, gifted with special gifts and people, although they were not planted by apostles, especially that of Antioch, which, as Apostles 11:20 ff. say, is not the church of Alexandria. 11, 20. ff., was planted by the scattered disciples under the tribulation that rose over St. Stephen's, and yet it has increased so much that the believers there, and not in Jerusalem, were the first to be called Christians. If the pope had such an advantage that the disciples in Rome were called Christians first, all ten heavens, as the astronomers count, would be much too narrow for the arrogant belly of Rome to comprehend his glory; and yet it is nothing, for in Christ all churches are equal. There is no Greek or Gentile, no male or female, no Roman or Antiochian, no serf or free; we are all one in Christ, Gal. 3:28.

Without the pope having to raise up mobs and cry out: I am Petrine, and he who is not Petrine is condemned; which Paul harshly reproaches in 1 Cor. 3:4, and calls them carnal who say, I am Petrine, I am Pauline, I am Apollonian. Ah, why do I speak so kindly and mildly in such matters? The pope Clement III says that all the sheep

Christ's people in the world shall be under him, and shall be fed. That God may punish you! (I am not allowed to say desecrate, because you are already desecrated too much, because you desecrate God and his apostles, church and scriptures without ceasing) that God punishes you! I say, you insolent liar, blasphemer, devil-mouth, who before God, before all the angels, before the dear sun, before all the world may spit out that you alone are the shepherd of all Christ's sheep, regardless of the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles Peter and Paul, against which you so knowingly spit, and throw out your devil's filth. For there is no child who does not know about the twelve apostles and St. Paul.

168) What is it, my dear brother, that I alone am the shepherd of all Christ's sheep, and the master of all the churches, for this much: St. Paul and all the apostles are not apostles, or, if they are anything, they must be heretics, damned and false teachers, because they are contrary to this article, since St. Peter alone is to feed all the sheep, and his chair heir, the pope, has undertaken to feed more sheep, neither St. Peter, and they are commanded nothing. I would like to speak a German word here: That the pope will do this and that! 1) Can you do nothing more than lie, deceive, blaspheme God, desecrate the apostles, curse, devour churches, disturb physically and spiritually, malign kings, trample underfoot, create idolatry, devour the goods of all the world, and all this under St. Peter's name? that Pope this and that will pass you by! But I may not speak such beautiful German, the Pabst would be angry; so it is also not proper for a preacher to curse, who is called to bless. But I speak my great challenge with clumsy words, which my Lord Christ will forgive me, for the sake of which I do and speak everything. Yes, says Clement III, Christ speaks indistincte: "Feed my sheep", makes no distinction between these and those, therefore "my sheep" must mean all sheep. Ei, dat is a skarper jurist and sophist, but not with the skärpsten, you holy maiden St. Clemens; who you donkeys, shooters 2) and Bachanten with Ruthen

1) "Bestehe" is given in Latin by: invaäat - meet.

2) "Schützen" - abcschützen. - "Bachant" - an unlearned person. - "Donat" - the first textbook in Latin.

that the blood flowed from your arse, and taught the Donat to decimate the pronoun Meum.

I must give rough examples to the rough ass: If Emperor Carol would speak to his captain, as in Brabant or Flanders: I command you my people, see to it that they are protected and that everyone does right, and think that they are my lands and people, not your people, with whom you would do what you desire, as they often do. Then the captain would go and boast that Emperor Carol had indiscriminately commanded all his people to him, and thus wanted to be captain as far as Emperor Carol was master, in Hispania, Italy, Germania etc., and yet would know well that Emperor Carol had many other captains; would that not be a lovely, desired captain? So every prince and lord, if he said to one of his officers: I command you my people or subjects, see to it, and keep well Hans, and think that [they] are not your, but my country and people; so will the same officer be over all the people of the same prince?

Item, any pastor, will also appoint me: I am a preacher of the church at Wittenberg; now I must accept this command, since Christ says Jn 21:16: "Feed my sheep." For it affects all pastors and preachers in the whole world, universally and especially. But because my Lord Christ would not have said to me differently, "Feed my sheep in Wittenberg," but freely, "Feed my sheep," I would go and make Christ's sheep serve me in all the world, and be lord over them, regardless of the fact that he has many other preachers now and then. What should they do to me here? They would have to run to me with chains and ropes and say that I had become mad, crazy and foolish. So, even if Pabst knows, or should know, that Christ did not send St. Peter alone, but twelve apostles and St. Paul as his ministers into the world to feed his sheep: yet he leads to, and points the words of Christ to St. Peter alone, because Christ does not say differently: Feed my sheep in Rome. For Christ could also not speak so differently; otherwise it would have read, as if Christians were alone at Rome, and

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and St. Peter is not only apostle of the church in Rome, but also of Cappadocia, Asia, Ponti, Bithynia etc. The nonsensical fool and Pabstian still wants to have the apostle St. Peter alone, and his chair inheritance alone, and to have all the sheep in the world alone, which St. Peter did not have; and even if he had them, which is impossible, and the other apostles with Christ say no to it, still the one bishop at Rome may not be St. Peter's inheritance. Bring here chains, ropes, fetters and sticks, we have here a raging, senseless fool, the mad Pabstesel.

But God's grace was not at all absent in such great wrath, and did not let the devil speak with a whole free tongue, but bound it, so that he had to stumble, stammer and babble through the pope with a half and heavy tongue, so that his elect would have a sign and warning, so that they could know that the devil dwelled in the pope and spoke through him, interpreting the Scriptures so shamefully with his babbling, to deceive the world. For the devil must make it so that he leaves a stink behind him, so that one knows that he has been there.

The dear Lord Christ has other things to do with the saying, "Feed my sheep," than that he wanted to set up a pope or devil against himself and his church with it, just as pious holy bishops of the Roman church held and taught before the pope arose in Rome in the name of all devils. For he speaks to St. Peter and says: "Simon John, do you love me? (which word Pope Clement, as his poison, wisely keeps silent) then feed my sheep." Here it is clear that he who is to feed Christ's sheep must love Christ; or if he could feed, and does not do it out of love, this saying does not concern him, which demands love and desire for Christ. Here help, and now all the devils of hell help your priest! This saying wants to repel his heart, on which he is so high and so well grounded. For if he does not love Christ, he is not the pope, as they themselves must say, because they have this saying for themselves. As long as he does not prove that he loves Christ, he cannot pasture, nor be a pope, and all the world is free to say nothing of the papacy.

nor to know. For in this sentence he has caught himself by his own mouth and judgment, condemned, damned, fallen from the papacy, that he is nothing at all.

Now behold, how God exalts the wise in their own prudence, so that they have to trust in their wisdom. The saying Matth. 16, as we heard above, on which the pope bases himself, plunges him into the abyss. So does this saying, that for once I do not know how to find a saying that would overthrow the priest more powerfully. Therefore it is said with the scripture: Noli me tangere, leave the Scripture in peace, if you do not want to seek the right meaning, and leave it unturned, or it will turn you into the abyss of hellish fire, and here on earth into all disgrace, as happened here to the pope. It is a consuming fire; if you think you have caught it for your mind, you will be consumed to ashes before you turn around. Now what did the pope gain from these two sayings? First, eternal hell fire. Secondly, eternal disgrace here and there, as he is publicly found to be a forger of the Scriptures, a liar, a blasphemer, a desecrator of all the apostles and of all Christendom, a lying villain and tyrant over emperors and kings and all the world, a thief, a prankster and a robber, both of church goods and of worldly goods; yes, who will tell it all? All these things he has done by these two sayings, and he has brought them to pass, as it is in the day.

174 "Pasture" here does not mean, as the Pabstteufe! implies, to be pope, to be overlord, to have power, and to force Christians under oneself, to trample emperors underfoot, to catch kings and bishops with oaths and to throw them under oneself; the Turk and the devil are entitled to such works; but it means the great service, that one preaches the gospel and faith, or creates to preach with earnestness, and thus builds the church on the rock, Matth. 16, 18, help souls with baptism and sacrament, rebuke and punish the restless, as Paul says [1 Thess. 5, 14], the unruly, comfort the fainthearted, carry the weak, have patience with everyone. Item [Eph. 5:20], praise and thank God without ceasing. Item, pray diligently for all the world, and lead a chaste life for a good example, 1 Petr. 5, 2, so that through

his service or pasture much will be blessed. Yes, the Lord wants such shepherds. But no one will do this unless he loves Christ. Therefore it is a great word: "Peter, if thou lovest me, feed my sheep. For they are such shepherds, and not so mean as the two-footed buffaloes and pabstles of Rome.

175 Especially because one should do such great service for free, as he says Matth. 10, 8. That is, through the ministry of preaching one should not seek greed, honor, pleasure, or violence on earth; we have rich rewards in heaven above; but Christians should also feed and honor their shepherds in vain for Christ's sake, as he says there: "Eat and drink what they have, for a laborer is worth his wages." 1 Cor. 9:14: "The Lord hath ordained that they which minister the gospel should feed on the gospel"; not as if they sold, and the Christians bought the gospel of them, but both should do it for nothing, and for Christ's sake, these preach, and those feed; the treasure is too great, cannot suffer purchase nor handling, as it must be in the worldly estate.

176 And what is more, not only shall the shepherds feed in vain, but they shall also wait for the reward of the prophets, as the Lord says to Peter, as an example to all others, "Peter, if you love me, feed my sheep. The reward, if thou shalt wait for it here on earth, shall be this: "When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and wentest whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not go," John 21:18. 21:18 Then behold, good fellow, what it is to feed Christ's sheep, to serve freely, and to preach the gospel, and to wait to be girded and led, that is, to put and to venture body, wife, child, goods, and all, into the road. Who would do this if he loved Christ and did it for his sake? A miser, an honor-seeker and a servant of the belly will not do it. In this way the apostles and prophets have pastured; item, bishops holy to the Roman church, Fabianus, Cornelius, Sixtus and their like, have shed their blood over it, and have become martyrs. So now we are grazing too. For

The pope and his mob have girded and led us to fire, to water, to the sword, to the dungeon, to the land, from house and farm, wife and child, solely for the sake of the pasture and the Gospel, and have not yet stopped, for they have long since condemned us all to death, solely for the sake of such pasture; They are anxiously hoping for the hour, if God will once decree that they (as they often fiercely try to do) would gird and lead us all with each other, together with our princes, with lands and people, schools and churches, in such a way that one could turn back with a feather duster. In such a journey we must nevertheless sit, and see, know and wait for such bitter, poisonous, diabolical anger, snarling and knife-twitching in them. If we do this for the sake of money and goods, for the sake of honor and carnal air, we are the most senseless people the sun has shone on for five thousand and five hundred years, that is, since the beginning of the world.

177. Oh, if emperors and kings also wanted to be Christians for once, and to do the Lord Christ a service, as they would be well obliged to do, and to procure with the pope that he should be a bishop of the Roman church, as those have been who were not popes before the papacy, but true bishops, as mentioned above, and to hold him to the saying: "Feed my sheep", item: "Build my church on the rock", namely to feed and build, because he so nearly desires and boasts of such, and also waits for the gates of hell to storm, or the belt and guide, where he did not want to go. And so that he would not be burdened too much, it would be enough for him to take his highest parish church in Rome, St. John Lateran, in front of him, to start grazing there, or to keep a shepherd there for himself, and try what would be grazing Christ's sheep and waiting for the belt. What does it matter? He would not feed one hour, nor one soul, who now wants to feed all the world, and curses all who do not want to be fed, when the world cries out and calls for such shepherds who can feed, and the Lord Christ himself complains that he lacks such shepherds. "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few:

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Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest."

Yes, of course, the whole world is open to those who only want to shepherd, as St. Paul says [1 Tim. 3:1]: "Whoever desires a bishop's office desires a good work. They must not be forced; they call, run, and seek (the Christians I mean, who would gladly be blessed) such shepherds, and cannot find you enough. For even the burghers and peasants now say: What! should I let my son study? He will become a beggar, [he] must become a priest! I would just as soon have him learn a trade or become a merchant. Well then, if the church and school also become desolate from God's word, then those may answer for it here and on Judgment Day who have given cause for such desolation, whether by robbing the church goods, or by keeping the children from the schools, or by what you hinder or help to hinder. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit testify that to feed the sheep is the work dearest to Him, for which reason the Son became man and shed His blood, so that people might be saved. Whoever does the work or helps to do it (which cannot be done without schools and churches) shall be a great saint in heaven, with the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs 1) and all the saints. If this does not apply to you, and if you have neither hope nor faith, God forbid you to become a pope, cardinal, or member of the Roman See, and you will have what you are supposed to have.

Yes, says the pope, I do not understand the pasture. Dear little virgin Päbstlein, how do you understand it? So: I meant that under St. Peter's name I would frighten all kings and all the world, so that they would surrender to me to feed and serve me, and I would thereby become a lord of the world, and thus re-establish the old Roman Empire in Rome, more powerful and greater than it was in the time of Augusti or Tiberii, and I would be called the right Roman emperor, Lord of lords, King of kings, Revelation 19:16, as my prophets told me. Yes, yes, little virgin Päbstlein! If you are torn, the devil and his mother will mend you! But are you not afraid of God, that he will not let you be torn apart for the sake of such shameful deeds?

1) In the original: "Martern".

for the sake of falsification and blasphemy of his words would like to lower with thunder and lightning from heaven through the earth into the abyss of hell? Ha, ha, ha, bon profacit, mi ser porko,2 ) mean ibr Todeske Embrigek, 3) that we are such fools, as you are, and want to believe such Güucherei and Narrentheiding of God and your dead Christ? Why do you then lead his words from the rock, the key and the willows? Dear, it is better to be ruled by beasts than to be ruled by beasts. Don't you know, if you want to catch a tit, you have to whistle a tit, and if you want to catch a Christian, you have to learn to talk like a Christian. Therefore, we must take you, Christian, by your faith, so that you German beasts can be held and led where and how we want, just as bears are led by the ring in their nose, so that you do not grow over our heads and play with us, as your ancestors, the Goths, Lombards and some emperors have done. Gremmerze, mi ser asine, por la bon informatione4 ) sata- nissime Papa!

If I were emperor, I would know what I wanted to do. The blasphemous boys all together, pope, cardinal, and all papal servants would be bound and girded together, and led no farther than three miles from Rome to Ostia (for they would not go there ungirded and led if they did not want to), there is a little water, called Mare Tyrrhenum in Latin, a delicious spa against all pestilence, harm, infirmities of papal sanctity, of all cardinals and his whole see, there I wanted to put them clean and bathe them. And whether they would be afraid of the water, as commonly the possessed and insane people are.

2) According to Seidemänn, "Luther's Italian Memoirs" (in Schnorr von Carolsfeld's Archive for Literary History IV, 2), it reads: bnon pro lo lueein, mi 86r ( - 8iZnoro, not miboro) poreo, Wohl bekomms, mein Herr Schwein! (Erl. Ausg.)

3) According to Seidem'ann as much as todoseUo uddriuo elbso, you German drunkennesses! or me the Spanish: tudoseu omdrinAuo?, German drunkenness (Erl. Ausg.s.

4) According to Seidemann as much as: Orunmorei, mi 86r g.8Mtz, por In Uuonu inkormu^iono Great thanks, my Lord Donkey, for the good report. - All German editions have only a comma before this sentence. We hold that this is to be regarded as a word of Luther.

I wanted to give them the rock on which they and their church were built as security, and also the keys so that they could bind and loose everything in heaven and earth, so that they could command the water whatever they wanted. They were also to have the shepherd's crook and the club, so that they might strike the water in the face, so that its mouth and nose bled. Finally, they should also have the willow with them, for the rennet drink and pleasure drink in the. All decree, decreetal, sexti, clementin, extravagant, bulls, indulgence, butter, cheese, milk letters should be hung on their necks, so that they would be safe everywhere: what if they had bathed in the same healing bath for half an hour, all their pestilence, damage and infirmities should be relieved and cease; then I would be guarantor for them, and put my Lord Christ as a pledge.

This little book has become too big for me to handle, and, as they say, age is forgotten and washed away; perhaps that is what has happened to me. Although the Pabst's diabolical abomination is in itself an infinitely unspeakable jumble, I have nevertheless, I hope, who will let him say (for myself I am certain), the first piece, which I undertook above: whether it is true that the Pabst is the head over Christendom, over emperors, kings, and all the world, so clearly and powerfully elaborated, that, praise God! no good Christian conscience can believe otherwise than that the Pope is not, nor can be, the head of the Christian Church, nor governor of God or of Christ, but is the head of the accursed Church of all the worst boys on earth, a governor of the devil, an enemy of God, an adversary of Christ and destroyer of Christ's Church, a teacher of all lies, blasphemies and idolatries; an arch-church thief and church robber of the keys, of all goods, both of the church and of the worldly lords; a murderer of kings and inciter of all kinds of bloodshed; a whoremonger of all whoremongers and of all fornication, even that which is not to be named; an Antichrist, a man of sins and child of perdition, a veritable bear-wolf. Whoever does not want to believe this, let him always go with his God, the pope. I, as a called teacher and preacher in the church of Christ, and the

I owe it to you to tell the truth, and herewith I have done mine. Whoever wants to stink, let him stink; whoever wants to be lost, let him be lost; let his blood be on his head.

182 We know that in Christendom it is so done that all churches are equal, and there is no more than one church of Christ in the world, as we pray, "I believe one holy Christian church." The reason is this: For if there be one church in all the world, it has no other gospel or holy scripture, no other baptism and sacrament, no other faith and spirit, no other Christ and God, no other Our Father and prayer, no other hope and eternal life, than we have here in our church at Wittenberg; and their bishops are like our bishops or pastors and preachers; no one is master or servant of the other; they have the same mind and heart, and everything that belongs to the church is all alike, without, as 1 Cor. 12:8 ff. and Rom. 12:3, one preacher, or Christian, can be of stronger faith, have different and more gifts than the other. One can interpret the Scriptures better, one can govern better, one can preach better, one can judge the spirits better, one can comfort better, one can speak more languages, and so on. But such gifts do not make inequality nor dominion in the church; indeed, they do not make a Christian, Matth. 7, 22. 23. but must first be a Christian 1). But the pope wants to be lord in the church, even though he is not a Christian, believes nothing, and can do nothing more, except to mope like a donkey.

Listen to St. Peter himself, who is an apostle, not Pabst Peter (who is the infernal devil under St. Peter's name, as Pabst Christ is the devil's mother, under Christ's name), but the right holy St. Peter. Peter, who writes in his epistles to his bishops in Ponto, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia thus, 1 Petr.ö, 1.2.: "The elders who are among you, I exhort, the fellow elder and witness of the sufferings which are in Christ, and partaker of the glory which is to be revealed, feed the flock of Christ which is with you" etc. Behold. St. Peter calls himself a fellow elder, that is, a fellow parish priest, or

1) "a Christian" put by us instead of: "Christians".

1116 Erl. (s.) 26, 232-S34. Section 5: Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 W. XVII, 1399-1402. 1117

Co-preacher; does not want to hover over them, but to be like them, although he knows well that he is an apostle. For the office of preacher or bishop is the highest, which the Son of God Himself held, and all the apostles, prophets and patriarchs. For God's word and faith are above all, above all gifts and personnel. The word "elders", Greek presbyter, is once a name of age, as one says: an old man; but here it is a name of office, because one took to office old and experienced people; now we call it pastors and preachers or pastors.

The other piece.

184 Whether it is true that no one can judge the priest, nor judge how he rages in his filth, I cannot go into at length this time, but I will do so later, if I live, whether God wills it. Recently, in the first piece, you heard what a devilish specter, blasphemer and founder of all kinds of idolatry the pope is, and a man of sins and a child of perdition; therefore, the answer to this piece is recently that no one has the power to judge or condemn the pope on earth, but only everything that is baptized or still has human reason, and all God's creatures. For a man who is baptized must first, or his godparents in his stead, pledge that he renounces the devil and all his works and all his nature. Now the nature of the pope and his works is nothing but the devil's work and nature, as is sufficiently proven; therefore, in baptism, every child is not only made a judge over the pope, but also over his god, the devil; and he is commanded that he should and must judge, condemn, shun, flee, and trample underfoot the pope, the devil, and all his creatures, as Ps. 91, 13. says: "You will walk on the lions and vipers, and tread on the young lions and dragons"; and 1 Cor. 6, 2. 3.: "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If therefore the world shall be judged of you, are ye not sufficient to judge lesser things? Know ye not that we shall judge the angels?" etc. Eph. 2, 6.: "God has judged us together with

Christ was raised from the dead and seated with him in the heavenly being. I hope that in the heavenly being one can judge the devil, the pope, the world, sin, death and hell.

Secondly, all human reason says that he who does not understand a thing, nor can he, cannot judge it, nor judge anything according to it, praise or reproach, condemn or praise. For it must be known and understood what one is to judge. Now it is proven above, and is the public truth, that the pope, cardinals, and the entire Roman court and the rudiments are nothing else than a stable full of big, coarse, foolish, disgraceful donkeys, who know nothing in the Holy Scriptures, who know nothing about what God is, what Christ is, what the Church is, what bishops are, what the Word of God is, what the Spirit is, what baptism is, what the Sacrament is, what the keys are, what good works are; that there are strong enough witnesses to their books, Decret, Decretal, Sext, Clementin, Extravagants, Bulls and innumerable books. Thus I, Doctor Martinus, am still alive, among others, who was educated in the Pabst's school and donkey stable and became Doctor Theologia, yes, a learned good doctor, also praised, so that I know very well and can truly testify very well how deep, high, wide and long their art is in the holy scriptures, namely, that they are very hostile donkeys.

Thus the jurists themselves testify in public words that the spiritual law stinks of vain avarice, honor, and violence; and that a canonist is an ass; and both are true. Dear, from where do they get such a judgment other than from human, natural reason? And thus judge the pope that he is an ambitious, proud, insatiable miser, a servant of the belly and of mammon, which St. Paul calls idolatry and idolatry [Eph. 5:5]. If the jurists thus judge, praise and extol the pope, where do we theologians take words to condemn and rebuke him? Does this not mean that the pope is rightly painted, hated, possessed and driven by the devil in deed and doctrine? And it is found that he is Magister fidei, Regula ecclesiarum, that is, a teacher of mammon, avarice and vain idolatry, a doctor in the boys' school. So, dear lawyers, praise

the pope only well and confidently, and makes it so annoying that we theologians cannot have room to judge him more harshly. Well, that is what reason does, which judges in this way.

Thirdly, even a natural donkey that carries sacks to the mill and eats thistles can judge the holy Roman court, yes, all creatures with him. For a donkey knows that he is a donkey and not a cow. Item, he knows that a male is not a female; a stone knows that it is stone, water is water, and so on through all creatures. But the raving Pabstans of Rome do not know that they are asses, nor do they know whether they are women or men. Summa, they can do nothing but devour monasteries, convents and the world's goods, rob and steal the crowns of kings, and lead a vain, unnatural, perverse, devilish work and being, so that all creatures tremble, shake and cry out over the donkey stables to him who has subjected them to such pernicious service, Rom. 8:23, that he might redeem them as he will do in a little while.

Yes, what does the pope ask for such a judgment, because no one may punish or depose him. Well, I did not want him to ask about it; he is not worthy to ask about it. Balaam also does not ask about the fact that he was punished by his donkey and then by the angel. The Sodomites also did not ask about being punished by Lot. How (said they), art thou judge here? It is enough for us that we know that the priest is condemned by God Himself, by all angels, by all Christians, by all reason, by all creatures, by their own consciences, and also by all devils; that we may be free from him and his idolatry and blasphemy, with a cheerful conscience, teach and pray against him, spit upon him, shun him and flee him, as the devil himself, and put him out of our hearts and lower him to the bottom of hell; even his accursed doctrine (since he cries out: He who is not obedient to the Roman See cannot be saved!) can be reversed and contradicted, saying: "He who is obedient to the pope cannot be saved; but he who wants to be saved must avoid, flee and condemn the pope, as well as the devil himself, with his works and his nature, as our holy baptism teaches and admonishes us. Let

The judgement will not be delayed, as St. Paul says in 2 Thess. 2, 8: "The Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him with his bright future.

Yes, but you and your crowd are damned heretics, your judgment is nothing against the judgment of the Roman See, as St. Paula Tertia writes to the Emperor Carol, that you should not be admitted to the Concilio. First I answer in Latin: Provoco et appello omnium nostrum nomine ad sanctam sedem Romanam, illam scilicet, in qua explorantur Papae,1 ) an sint viri vel mulieres. Si sunt viri, ostendant testes contra nos haereticos. Si sunt mulieres, dicam illud Pauli [1 Cor. 14, 84.]: Mulier in ecclesia taceat. Hoc facere cogit vulgata fama per omnem jam vetus Europam, quae mores extirpat honestos. Reges enim et Reginae in Curia Romana dicuntur ut plurimum esse palam Hermaphroditae, Androgyni, Cynaedi, Paedicones, et similia monstra in natura. At illis non competit judicium de haereticis facere.

190] Secondly, I have proved above that the Popes of the Roman See are great, coarse asses, ignorant of the Holy Scriptures beyond measure, so that they do not understand the Lord's Prayer, nor the Ten Commandments, nor the infantile faith, as their books testify; therefore it cannot be their business to judge what is heresy or Christian. For to such a judgment belongs the understanding of the holy scriptures, because heresy is nothing else, according to the testimony of all old and new teachers, than a stubborn error against the holy scriptures.

191 Thirdly, when our confession was heard before the emperor and the whole empire in Augsburg in the year 30, some of the princes asked their theologians whether it could be displaced by the Scriptures, and they answered: No, it could not be done with the Scriptures, but with the Fathers and the Councils; whereupon some of the great ones smiled and said: Our theologians defend us finely, saying that that part has the Scriptures for itself, but we do not have the Scriptures for ourselves.

1) The ssila "tereorAria.

1120 Erl. (2.) S6.236-S39. Section 5: Imperial Diet at Speier in 1544, rcr No. 1418, W. XVII, 1404-1407. 1121

192 From such confession and testimony of our adversary we have that we cannot be heretics, because we have, believe, and confess the Scriptures. For if they be heretics, and not Christians, who believe and confess the holy scriptures, who then are they that may be Christians? Are they those who read Marcolfum or Dietrich of Bern or Ulenspiegel? or, which is equally and even worse, those who read Pabst's filth and stink? Well, we are not heretics, as our opponents themselves testify; henceforth they may not call us heretics either, but some have called us schismatics, some the inconvenients, some the innovators, until they now call us the protesting estates. For they must be ashamed of the word "heretic," as they know very well that it is a public lie and blasphemy, which they cannot prove with a letter; and defiance be commanded them.

193 And here the pope is also judged and punished by his theologians as a liar, because he calls us heretics, because they say no; just as he is judged and punished by his lawyers as a liar, because he does not have the keys from Matth. 16, because they alone are promised there and not given. So it is quite certain that no one can judge or punish him. I will neither judge nor punish him without saying that he was born of the devil from behind, full of devils, lies, blasphemy, idolatry, founder of it, enemy of God, Antichrist, destroyer of Christianity, church robber, key thief, whore-keeper and Sodom boggart, and what more is said above. This does not mean judged, condemned or condemned, but are vain praises and words of honor, so that no one is to be praised and honored, except Satanism, the pope; and would be fine, that first had to wear on his crown and forehead dug and burned; that should be much more honest to his Satanitati (because it is the fair pure truth), than that he lets him kiss the feet.

194 And if the pope had done nothing else, except to set himself over all churches and bishops, to be judge of all, to be judged by no one, nor to be punished by anyone, thus leaving the devil and the flesh in the bridle, and free to exercise all will of courage.

If they practice as it is in the day, and Judah in his epistle [v. 4]: "They are ungodly, and take the grace of our God in vain, and deny God and our Lord Jehovah Christ, the only Ruler," then that one piece of mark would be enough, by which one could recognize the pope, that he must certainly be the right final abomination, the end-Christ. For, you calculate, the holy Christian church has the Holy Spirit and the gospel or God's word, as no one can deny, so that it should teach what is good and punish what is evil, as it does and has always done, according to Christ's saying: "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin". 2c, Joh. 16,8. The Pope wants to sit over this word and be unpunished by the Holy Spirit; that is, to sit over God, whose word is, as St. Paul says [2 Thess. 2, 4.]: "Who sets himself against and over everything that is called God or worship." Now one cannot serve God higher than with His Word, over which the Pope sits, and rages against it, as all His decrees roar and race.

What does the Lord Himself say about this? Matth. 18, 15-18. He says: "If your brother sins, punish him alone. If he does not hear you, take one or two to yourself. If he does not hear them, tell the congregation. If he does not hear the community, consider him a Gentile and a tax collector. Verily I say unto you, what ye shall be bound in the earth" etc. What will become here? Here the Lord puts all those who sin under punishment, first of all his nearest Christian, and in short wants him to be punished; if he does not want to be punished, the church should punish him; if he does not want to hear this either (notice what the Lord says), "then consider him a Gentile and a tax collector. Here it is commanded, not only to the church and to every church, but also to you and to me, that we judge, condemn, and condemn the pope with a sentence, as condemned by a public church tribunal, a heathen and a publican. For he will not hear nor be punished, neither by one nor by two, nor by the congregation, nor by all Christendom, as he rages by many decrees and ordinances; and he will be praised for it, and be called well-done, and compel the Christians to obey such an abomination.

to perform, praise and worship as a divine truth.

Here there is no legal process, nor the long right 1) exception, appeal; all things are notoria de facto et jure, evident is the deed of the pope, evident is the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ah, here silence jurist, theologians, emperors, kings, even the angels in heaven and all creatures; here speaks and judges, who sucked not women's milk, but virgin's milk, and on the cross was so poor that he had no room to lay his head, and yet there gave paradise and the kingdom of heaven to the thief, and in the manger was worshipped by all the angels in heaven; yes, it is the same Lord, who here judges and speaks: The pope is said to be a heathen, because he will not listen, but boasts of such his stubborn disobedience as a great holiness. For in the same way he commanded the apostles to punish all the world because of the idolatry that was evident, and not first to be just with the idolatrous Gentiles; otherwise they would never have come to the preaching ministry.

197. Accordingly, I accept the judgment of the holy Christian church, yes, of the Lord Jesus Christ, and proclaim it with this writing, as I have often done, to all who do not know or understand it, that the pope, yes, the pope himself, which will not nor can not listen to his decrees, is a heathen and pagan sinful thing, condemned by God and rejected from his church, that is, is the devil's and unchristian regiment, from which everyone must bless and flee, pray against and do.

198. when we know such a verdict, we do not do well, especially emperors and kings, princes and lords (for the preachers and bishops of the church will be right in this - that they will adorn, praise and adorn the pope for a devil), that they let them so disgracefully feed in the mouth, trump and ape, so that they (if they wanted to be Christians) should recognize themselves guilty to the cursed heathen.

1) In all German editions there is a comma after "Rechten", but in Latin it says: lon^is itlis umdnAidus exoextioLnm eto. - of the long circumlocutions of the exceptions.

Rome as he deserved to act. They share in all the sins that the pagan devil in Rome has practiced in the church for so many hundred years, and in all the books, decretal, sext, clementine, extravagant, bulls, that is, in all the devil's filth and stink, so that Christianity is choked and strangled. I am sure that if it were not for the pope, the Turk (which devil is the pope's cousin, brother-in-law and sister) would not have had such great power.

Since the pope is not a Christian, nor is he called one, but is rejected from the church, a condemned pagan by the judgment and commandment of Christ, and is not to be judge or lord in the church of Christ, much less such a condemned man of sins and child of perdition, all emperors, kings, and bishops are obliged to abandon the oath and duty they have taken, and to do against it with all their might, which even the pope, if he were a bishop of Rome, would not have the right or the power to demand. For a bishop of the church cannot take an oath or duty from foreign, free, secular lords, nor from another bishop, because all bishops and churches are equal (he would also have secular, own subjects besides). And less has such a pope power and right, who can neither be a bishop nor a Christian, nor ever has been, but is the fruit of the devil, a cursed, damned, foreign regiment, which is nothing but the ruin and desolation of Christendom. No one can take an oath against God, and if he does, it is just as much as if he had taken it against the devil himself, which, if it is recognized, should be torn up immediately, as the Jurassics themselves also say, and done against by virtue of the first and other commandments: "Thou shalt have no other God, and shalt not take His name in vain. So emperors and kings and bishops are loosed from their oath, which is made to the pope, and in return they are obliged to resist the pope in all his works; for such an oath is made to the devil, as if the sheep had sworn to the wolf, under the name of their pious shepherd.

And here the lawyers (because the pope wants to be a lawyer and teacher of all lawyers) should play repetundarum 2) with him. Because

2) That is: restitution.

1124 Erl. (S.) 26, 241-843. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418. W. xvu, 44IÜ-I4I2. 1125

because he is not a bishop, nor a Christian, but a pagan, yes, an untamed bear wolf, who tears up and devastates everything, and has snatched the keys of the church to himself, which were never commanded to him, but promised to St. Peter alone, as the words Matth. 16 clearly read, and the jurists understand de futuro; we theologians, however, further say: Even if they were promised to St. Peter, even if they were given to him, it would still not be proven that only the Roman church could have such keys, because St. Peter would have founded more churches than St. Peter. Peter had founded more churches than the Roman Church (if he founded them otherwise, which remains uncertain and unproven forever), to whom the keys must have been given by St. Peter, their apostle, as well as to the Roman Church: but the pope, after no more bishop had been in Rome, stole and stole such keys before they were given to St. Peter. Peter, stole and robbed them, subjected himself to them, and acted with them as if they were his alone and his own, when he has entered the church [as] a foreign animal and a bear wolf, and is condemned by Christ, as has been heard:

Therefore the lawyers should admonish their lords, emperors, kings, bishops, princes and sovereigns, as they are guilty (if they want to become Christians and blessed), and not stop until they force the damned pope ad restitutionem to return and reimburse everything that he had stolen with the keys and robbed and done in the church from the beginning of the papacy. For it is certainly true that the pope's keys are sacrilegium et ineffabile spolium, a church robbery, the like of which has not happened from the beginning of the world, if all church robberies were to come in one heap. Now the emperor should take Rome, Urbino, Bononia, and all that the pope has stolen from the empire, because it is all stolen and robbed by the lying keys; then also force him to restore all the souls that he has seduced into hell by the keys, although this is impossible for him, and must be restored in the eternal hellish fire.

However, the temporal goods could be taken from him again, and one could count on how many years he has been a key thief and church robber, how much he has used, squandered, squandered, squandered from other people's stolen goods,

and would have been banned. And if he had not to pay nor to reimburse, that one played with him and all cardinals and the whole court of the fox right, stripped the skin over the heads, and thus taught to pay with the skin, then threw the stockings 1) into the spa at Ostia or into the fire. Behold, behold, how my blood and flesh wallet, how gladly would I see the papacy punished; yet my spirit knows well that no temporal punishment is sufficient for this, not even for a bull or decree. But nevertheless this is the summa of it: the poor Roman church and all churches under the papacy can neither be advised nor helped, the papacy and its regiment, together with its filth, will then be done away with, and a right bishop will again be appointed at Rome, who will preach the gospel purely and loudly, or provide to preach it, and leave the crowns and kingdoms in peace, which he is not commanded to govern, nor to cast among himself with oaths, and be a bishop, like other bishops, not their lord, nor tear up their churches, nor rob them of their goods, nor take them with oaths, nor burden them with palliæ and annals and pontifical moons.

One can be a bishop in Rome and in all the world, if one does not sell the pallium, or steal annals, and other drudgery, trample kings underfoot and have feet kissed. St. Peter was an apostle, in my opinion as good as a bishop, without a doubt better than a pope: nor did he want to suffer the centurion Cornelius to fall down before him, but raised him up and said, "Stand up, I am also a man," Acts 10:25, 26. 10:25, 26, and gladly allowed himself to be judged and punished by St. Paul, Gal. 2:14, and by the apostles and all the disciples, Acts 11:3. 11,3. And because I remember the pallium 2), I must tell the history of what it has wrought. This quarrel, which has arisen between me and the pope, has arisen over the pallium. The pallium is a thread, knitted and knitted as a cross, which can be thrown over the back and front of the cape, as the crosses on the cauldrons commonly are, is about three fingers.

1) "Stockings" - hulls.

2) So put by us instead of: "I's pallium".

1126 Erl. (2.) 28, 243-245. cap. 18. of comparative religions. W. XVII, E-I4IZ. 1127

All of it shall be worth 6 or 7 lion's pence or a sword's groschen; it is such a precious thing. The pope blesses it on the altar in Rome, and he consecrates it over the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul, because they have neither St. Peter's nor St. Paul's bodies; then he sells it to the bishops, one higher than the other, so that the bishoprics are great and rich. In the past, the bishops gave it for free, and offered to give it for free, as the Decretal still say, it was enough for them to gain dominion and power over other bishops. After that they took oaths and put money on it, as desperate boys.

204 Now it is said that the pallium in Mainz costs 26,000 florins; the hemp thread in Rome is as expensive. Some think that it cannot be brought from Rome for less than 30,000 florins. The bishop could not pay for such a pallium. So he sent out some bagmen with the indulgence to collect money from the people that was not his; they did it so roughly that I had to preach and write against it. So the game has gone on for a long time, and no one yet knows the end of the game. May the pope be strangled and suffocated by the same thread; may my dear Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of us all, praise be to him forever, amen. Yes, I say, one can be a bishop without the pallium, and it is not necessary to let the archchurch thief, monastery robber, monastery eater, and soul murderer in Rome steal so much money and give us his devil's filth and stink, vain lies, blasphemy, idolatry, and eternal damnation as a reward; we Germans want to invest such money otherwise, so that the pope may not steal it from us so shamefully.

205. Let this be said briefly of the other piece, whether no one or anyone could judge, condemn and depose the pope, and it is certainly found that not only the churches, but every baptized Christian may judge, condemn and at least depose him from his heart as an Antichrist and bear-wolf, as an enemy of God, of Christ, of all Christians and of all the world; and that thus judging and teaching, singing and saying (whoever wants to be a true Christian and be saved) must know that whoever wants to be obedient to the pope, must know

that he is obedient to the devil against God, helps to strengthen the pope in his abominations; as St. John 2 Ep. v. 11 says: "Whoever greets him makes himself partaker of his evil deeds. Moreover, the Lord Himself has publicly judged him, Matt. 18:17, and cast him out of the church and the number of Christians, so that he should not be called a Christian, as has been heard; because he wants to be unjudged and unpunished, that is, a free devil and bear-wolf, he must be publicly condemned by God and all creatures.

Yes, truly, the Son of God must have died and shed His precious blood for this reason, so that a wanton wicked man in Rome could boast in the name of all the devils that he had been set free by Christ's blood and death, and that he had received power to sin, to rage, to rage, and to do whatever he wanted, against which no Christian, not even the Holy Spirit in His Church, could speak or judge, as St. Paul teaches us in Galatians 1:8,9, that they also have the power to judge and condemn an angel from heaven, where St. Paul teaches us in Galatians 1:8,9. 40, Si Papa, teaches us, although St. Paul attributes to Christians the power to judge and condemn even an angel from heaven, if he wants to preach another gospel. But what is the Pope, Cardinal and all the devils in one heap against an angel from heaven? Not only does the pope have to reveal his blasphemy and cursed lies and idolatry, but he also has to show his big, coarse ass's head to the whole world, as he does not understand what a Christian, church, God's word, spirit and God are. For if he understood, he would know that God's Word is the supreme judge over all creatures; and he who has this in right faith is called spiritual, 1 Corinthians 2:15, who judges all things, and no one can judge him; not because of his person, but because of the Word and Spirit that dwells in him, and speaks and judges through him, as St. Paul says there [v.16]: "We have Christ's mind." Therefore, it is nothing, but coarse Roman nonsense with pope and cardinals.

So the pope runs away himself, judges, passes judgment, and puts himself out of the Christian church, just because he does not want to be judged, and makes himself a pagan, and goes, as the Lord says [Luc. 19, 22.]: "Out of your own mouth you will be condemned". For because thou wilt not be punished

1128 Erl. (2.) SS, 245-248. sec. 5. Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418, W. XVII, I4IS-14I8. 1129

(Matth. 18, 15. ff.) then you are certainly not a Christian. If you are not a Christian, then you must certainly be the end Christian or pope among Christians in the name of all the devils. Yes, that is how the pope wanted it, so he contended that whoever wants to be a Christian should and must have the pope for the devil's ghost, pen and property, from which one should flee, against which one should pray, and against which one should do and live with all seriousness, as against the devil himself; so finely has he pasted himself 1) with his filth that no one could do him such harm as he himself, since he wants to set himself up and protect himself in the best possible way, just as he did above with the two proverbs about building. Sayings about building on the rock Matth. 16, 18. and about feeding the sheep Joh. 21, 17. on which he bases himself, so he overthrew himself that no writing against him could overthrow him so mightily. This is what was recently said about the other piece.

The third piece.

Whether the pope had turned the Roman Empire from the Greeks to us Germans? That is, after all, a gross, public lie that everyone can see and grasp. First of all, where did the pope want to take such an empire, and how did he want to give what he himself did not have? Even in Rome he was not safe from the Longobards, who had ruled in Italy for 200 years. What a fine gift it would be to me, if I wanted to give the Kingdom of Bohemia or Poland to the Elector of Saxony as a preacher in Wittenberg! And that I should lead an example of our time: was it not a fine gift when Pope Leo X gave to this King Francisco of France the Empire of Constantinople? If the king had not been wiser than the pope, and had not despised the pope's folly, how could he have brought disgrace and ridicule upon the emperorship of Constantinople? They are truly quite mad and foolish, the Roman donkeys, with common sense, that is a monster.

209. The devil, through God's wrath against our sin, has beguiled us with great, wicked fools and great, rude asses in Rome, 2)

1) "verpafteiet" - arrested, entrenched.

2) "betünget" - bedünget. Jonas: eoneaeavit. Wittenberger: pinKNkteeit.

who do not think otherwise, for thus: We do not read books, therefore no one will read them, but what we donkeys farzen and tüngen, the beasts must probably think for articles. They believe that we are the heirs of St. Peter and cannot be mistaken.

210. The histories thus say that nothing is valid against the farces of the pope: Since Constantine the Great turned the imperial seat from Rome to Constantinople (which was a sign that Rome should come to its end), Rome was then reduced from day to day, until the Goths came, and under their emperor Honorio won Rome with the French country; then came the Wendish, then the Longobards, so that Rome was won and destroyed four times in 100 years by the Goths and the Wendish alone; of this you must read the histories. The Goths and Longobards were Germans. Since Rome and Welshia had come to a dead end, and the emperors at Constantinople could no longer save or help, because they themselves had enough to do with Goths, Persians, Saracens, and now the lands, Germany, France, Hispania, were gone from the Roman Empire, even Italia was subject to the Longobards, so that Rome was no longer anything, they attached themselves to the pope; And when they heard that Carolus Magnus was a powerful king, when he had Germany and France under one crown, they lured him to them against the Longobard king, who had now ruled neatly and moderately for 200 years in the French lands, and had become cousins, mothers, sons and daughters, brothers-in-law among themselves, from which the country of Lombardy still has the name.

Then Carolus came to the pope in the case against the king of Longobard (do you hear it? read the histories!), and Carolus was now a pious, devout Christian; when he was in the church in Rome on Christmas Day, the pope shouted that Carolus was Roman emperor, without his knowledge and will. Afterwards Carolus said that he would not have come to church if he had known, nor would he have accepted the name Roman Emperor because of the Pope's shouting, until those at Constantinople asked about it and granted it. So Carolo was given the name that he should be called Roman Emperor in the evening, as those at Con-

Constantinople towards the morning, because those at Constantinople now lost the empire towards the evening and could not maintain it. And such a division of the Roman Empire was not new at that time, nor was it the first, because before Theodosius had divided his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius; item, the great Constantinus his sons, Constantius, Constans, Constantinus, also into the empire, yes also Augustus and Antonius; Julius and Pompey, Diocletian and Maximian, and so from then on the Roman Empire was divided into two or three heads, and rarely came under one head.

But the Pope's words are as if he had taken the empire from the Greeks and turned it over to the Germans; this is a lie and entirely Papal twaddle. First of all, because he could not take anything from the Greek empire and give it away, but the Roman empire remained in Constantinople against tomorrow, and the same emperor in Constantinople has always called and written himself Roman emperor for and for; Just as our emperor wrote himself Roman emperor, without being called Constantinople, ours German emperor, because none of them had the seat at Rome, but the one at Constantinople, the other in German lands; but both were one Roman empire, divided (as said), one part towards the morning, the other towards the evening. And on both sides of it all got along. For Carolus had his embassy with the one at Constantinople, and the latter had his embassy with Carolo at Achen. And such a treaty was first established with Carolo by the Empress Irene, and after her by Nicephorus and Michael; and as a sign Venice was excluded from the treaty, that it should be a sovereignty for itself, neither subject to this nor to that emperor. This is also written in Pabst's Historici itself, as Platina etc.

213 They further say that Otto the Other, our German Roman Emperor, son of the great Ottoni, had the sister of the Roman Emperor John at Constantinople, named Theophania, from whom Otto the Third came, and that Otto the Other reinstated his brother-in-law, Emperor John, at Constantinople, since he had been repudiated; that Otto the Third therefore came from the mother of the Emperor John.

The Roman emperorship at Constautiuopel could also have been inherited by her. That is why the pope has not turned a hair's breadth from the Greeks to the Germans, as his useless words fool.

On the other hand, the pope has directed or given much less of the Roman Empire, partly towards the evening, to the Germans. What should he give who had nothing himself? Carolus had at that time inherited Germany and France from his father Pipino, and warred with the Saxons for 30 years; for these lands, Germany, France, Hispania (as said), had long since fallen from the Roman Empire, and Carolus had to win Welshia with the sword from the Lombards and save the pope. After that, he also won Hungary; it is true that Carolus had nothing from the pope, except the mere, unmarried name of Roman emperor, which he also did not want to accept behind the emperorship of Constantinople, as we have heard. But such a single name has stood the Germans in good stead, for the popes have subsequently made our emperors their servants. If they lacked something, our emperors had to come to the aid of the popes and the German lands on their own account, for which they subsequently paid them back and killed them with all mischievousness and malice, poisoned some emperors, beheaded some, or otherwise betrayed and murdered them; as papal holiness and the devil's ghost should and must have done.

21,5. but with their empty names and titles, they have nevertheless hammered in their claws more and more the longer they have 1) strengthened them with the coronation and char, and have striven further and further for the empire, so that they might take, as the foundation robbers and emperor murderers, what the Germans have inherited or won with the sword; according to the saying of our Lord, Jn. 4, 37. 38: "Another works, another takes it. Yes, I say, they would like to be emperors through our Germans' good and blood, the lazy shameful forests. So they would also like to have the election, Ex. de electio, c. Venerabilem; item, Cajetanus also tries it with this kai-.

1) Thus the Wittenbergers and the Jenaers. Original: "and". Latin: rnaKis aUMS runN".

1132 Eri. (2.) 26,250 f. Section 5: Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1418 f. W. XVII. 1420-1422. 1133

ser Carolo; have caused great misfortune with it, deposed the emperors by the ban, and commanded to elect others, most willingly. In the end, they also brought the emperors under themselves with oaths, which the devil told them to do; but all because they wanted to be emperors themselves in foreign property; they also often tried to turn the vacant title back from the Germans to France, so that they might also play with the same king as they did with the German emperors.

But it would have been fine if the emperors had left the pope his grease and coronation. For they could be emperors without the pope's smear and coronation, who do not make an emperor, but the princes make an emperor, even if he would never be smeared by the pope; as Ludovicus III, Conradus I, Heinricus I, Conradus Suevus, Rudolphus, Maximilianus and many more remained unsmeared by the pope. For the pope makes too much unhappiness and misfortune in the empire with his smearing. Some bishops have remained without pallia; only the election of the bishoprics makes bishops, as is right, and it would be enough that the next bishops lay their hands on him, and let the blasphemous, devouring, bearish monstrosity at Rome use his smear and hanseed thread for what he could.

Here now, Pabst, with your long ass's ears and damned lying mouth! the Germans have the Roman Empire not from your graces, but from Carolo Magno, and from the emperors at Constantinople; you have not given a hair's breadth of it; but immeasurably much you have stolen from it with lies, deceptions, blasphemies and idolatries; as you have also acted with the bishops first by lies, then with palliæ, oaths, estimates as a devil. But here I must leave it, God wills it, in the other booklet I will improve it. However, if I die, God grant that someone else may make it a thousand times worse. For the devilish pastorate is the last misfortune on earth, and the closest thing that all devils can do with all their power. God help us, amen.

1419 "Wittenberg Reformation," or essay of the Protestants on Christian Reformation and church government, compiled at future Imperial Diet, and signed by Luther, Pomeranus, Cruciger, Major and Melanchthon. January 14, 1545.

In the farewell to the Diet of Speier in 1544 (in this volume, No. 1415, K 80), the Emperor promised that he would have a Christian Reformation written by learned, good, honorable and peace-loving persons for the future Diet of Worms, and called upon the Estates to do the same through their own. Accordingly, on Nov. 23, 1544, Elector John Frederick of Saxony gave his theologians the order to draw up such a document. They carried this out in the present writing, which was sent to the Elector on January 14, 1545, at the same time as the next accompanying letter. Although Luther signed both writings first, he is not the author of them, but Melanchthon; the latter also made the Latin translation, prompted by a rescript of the Elector from February 14, 1545, and on April 4, the Chancellor Brück reported to the Elector that Melanchthon had completed the translation (Seckendorf, Nist. Imtb., Ud. Ill, p. 522 a). The original of the Latin translation is found in the Weimar archives and is subsequently published in Seckendorf's nist. Imtb., bb. Ill, p. 522b, more precisely than in ?626lü oonsil. ?bü. Llolnnobt, pari. I, p. 586. Seckendorf carefully indicates Pezel's deviations from the original. The German original is printed in Cyprian's "Nützliche Urkunden zur Reformationsgeschichte," vol. II, p. 410; according to this, the writing is reproduced here. German and Latin in the Oorx. Lei, vol. V, 579.

Right Christian church government stands primarily in these five pieces:

First of all, in right pure doctrine, which God has given, revealed and commanded to the Church.

On the other hand, in the right use of the sacraments.

Third, in the preservation of the ministry of preaching and obedience to the pastors, as God would have the ministry of the Gospel preserved, and Himself preserved mightily.

Fourth, in the preservation of right discipline, by ecclesiastical court or spiritual jurisdiction.

Fifth, in the preservation of necessary studies and schools.

Sixthly, bodily protection and a fair amount of entertainment are necessary.

From the first [article, namely, right doctrine].

God created the human race primarily for this work and end, that it should know Him, call upon Him and praise Him forever.

Therefore, before the fall of Adä and after the fall, he also joined the human race in certain

He has revealed his testimonies and given a special doctrine and word, and bound his right knowledge to it, that those should be his church and his people for and for, if they would teach, learn, accept and confess his doctrine and word, and that no one else should or would want to be God's people and church, who would not have or follow the same word.

And after the fall he revealed himself that he would send his Son, and through him and for his sake give forgiveness of sin, grace, righteousness and eternal life. This Son, Jesus Christ, he also sent afterwards with certain testimonies, and thus the Church of God is always founded on this Savior Christ and on the same Word, by which the Son was revealed, as it is written in 1 Cor. 3: "No other foundation can be laid, but this alone which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." And Ephes. 2: "You are fellow citizens with the saints and God's people, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, on the cornerstone JESUS Christ, on whom the whole building grows up together into a holy temple through the Lord, through whom also you are built up into the dwelling place of God in the Holy Spirit."

From these and other very many sayings it is clear and certain that these alone are God's people, elks who accept, teach, learn and confess the teachings given by God through the prophets, through the Lord Christ and through the apostles. And the noblest, highest commandment is to hear and accept this teaching and the Son of God, and to keep the teaching pure; as the eternal Father spoke from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, this is the one you shall hear"; and as Psalm 2 says: "Kiss the Son" etc., that is, accept him warmly and with joy and listen to his teaching etc.

Whoever therefore will not hear this Son, Jesus Christ, and despises, denies or persecutes the gospel, in whole or in part, cannot be God's people. This is public. Therefore, first and foremost, it is necessary in the Christian church to keep the gospel whole and pure; as God has often commanded, and our Savior Christ says John 14: "He who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him."

Therefore, in the Christian Reformation, this should be the first part, that the holy gospel be kept pure and unadulterated in churches and schools, just as the first and old concilia are kept primarily for doctrinal reasons, as

Apost. 15, and the Nicene Concilium made a praiseworthy symbolum, for the preservation of the right pure understanding of the Son of God.

And although in these latter times reformationes have often been carried out, yet little has been done in them of noble articles of Christian doctrine, although it is publicly evident that many abuses have been torn down, thereby obscuring the gospel.

- But after some defenders of the abuses gave cause a few years ago to punish the errors, God has granted His grace that thus in these punishments the doctrine of the Gospel is declared in all necessary articles. We delivered a confession of this to the Imperial Majesty at Augsburg in 1530, and by the grace of God we intend to remain with it, as it reads in its proper sense, and is held and understood in our churches. For we do not doubt at all that the same doctrine of our churches is certainly the eternal and uniform doctrine of the true Catholic Church of God, given by the prophets, Christ and the apostles; and is in harmony with the Symbolis Apostolico and Niceno, and with the ancient holy Conciliis, and the understanding of the first pure Church.

Therefore, we also consider it necessary, for God's glory and right invocation, for the blessedness of many people, for the planting and strengthening of right faith and right invocation in the descendants, that the understanding of the same. Doctrine, which we confess and teach in our churches, confession and catechism, be preached and held in all churches with one accord; namely, of all articles of faith, as those in the Symbolo apostolico and

The same articles have been explained in a necessary and correct way by the old holy Conciliis, Niceno, Constantinopolitano, Ephesino and Chalcedonensi.

And for the explanation of the articles in Symbolis of Christ, and of the high immeasurable goods, so our Savior and Head Christ obtained for us, the articles, as further reported in the Confession, are necessary for all Christians to know: of original sin, of grace, faith and good works, and of the sacraments.

Namely, that it is certainly true that all men conceived of male seed bring original sin with them; and therefore all men who are not brought to Christ and born again through baptism remain in the eternal wrath of God and are condemned.

Item, that young children should be baptized, and that their baptism should be right and powerful for grace and eternal life.

Item, that original sin is lack of the righteousness that was planted in Adam, which should be in us; and this lack is guilt, and destruction of the human powers of mind, will and heart, that the will is not turned to God, and the heart is miserably inclined against God's law; for which guilt and destruction man is in God's wrath and condemned, if he is not redeemed from it through regeneration.

This has certainly always been the teaching and understanding of the holy catholic church of God, the prophets, apostles and Christian scribes about the great damage in which the human race came through Adam's fall.

But that some dispute this article, they do very wrong, for they publicly dispute God's word and strengthen the blindness in people, so that sin, grace and faith cannot be rightly understood.

For from this root is the great doubt in the heart of God; item, that the heart is lazy and cold in fear and love against God; item, that it is much more inclined to trust in visible things than in God.

This and other evil inclinations must be recognized as sin and striven against, which does not happen if the article of original sin is obscured.

Then follows the article of grace and redemption from sins, namely, that we obtain forgiveness of sins, grace and the Holy Spirit, and are reconciled to God, justified and heirs of eternal life, not on the merit of our works, but for the sake of the Savior Christ through faith in Christ.

This article is abundantly explained by God's grace in our churches; and that it is necessary to teach this article purely, as it is taught and understood in our churches, is quite public. For thus, and not otherwise, does God teach us of the glory of Christ and of the forgiveness of sins; as Apost. 10 it is written: "To this all the prophets bear witness, that there is forgiveness of sins in his name for all who believe in him.

And where this article is not kept pure, much blindness follows; the hearts remain in doubt, like the heathen, and have no certain comfort, flee from God, and have no right invocation; then invent their own merits, monasticism, and such like work, so that the doctrine of Christ and faith is much more 1) obscured.

1) In Latin: inaZis inriUSHue.

And in sum, this article, as it is explained at length in our churches, is the main doctrine of the Gospel, which no creature in heaven or on earth has the power to change, but it is God's unchanging counsel, who out of immeasurable mercy through His Son wants to thus absolve us of sins and make us blessed by trusting in this one Savior, Jesus Christ.

Then follows the doctrine of good works: that when faith and trust in Christ receives forgiveness of sins, God gives His Holy Spirit into the believing heart, and kindles a new light and life in the heart, fear of God, love, good intention according to all the commandments of God.

And so it is God's earnest will that we live in good works, and keep the gifts, grace and forgiveness, and not spill them.

And since right doctrine of good works has been very falsified throughout the world, and is still being falsified in many countries, the great need is to teach the churches rightly and unanimously about what works God demands, how they please God, yet sins still remain in this miserable life in all men; item, from distinction of sins etc.

Of these high things, Christian teaching takes place in our churches, which 2) we do not consider to be unnecessary school disputatian, therefore we do not know how to change anything in it.

But if anyone takes it for a debate and thinks that it is a fable that can be interpreted and turned around on any occasion and colored with words and passed over, he will have his judge.

From this article follow the other articles that speak of the right and wholesome use of the sacraments.

And first of all, infant baptism is to be protected and administered with seriousness; and it would be useful for the remembrance of those who are at baptism that baptism be held in every place in a known language, and it is not necessary to arrange more or longer ceremonies for it than is now customary.

Confirmation.

This would be highly necessary, to hold the Catechismum in all churches on certain days, to instruct the youth in all necessary articles of Christian doctrine. For this purpose, confirmation would be arranged; namely, when a child comes of age, to hear publicly his confession, and to ask whether he is to be admitted to this one or two years of age.

2) In Oorp. Lei.: "because".

and, after the confession and promise, do a prayer with the laying on of hands. This would be a useful ceremony, not only for appearance, but rather for the preservation of correct doctrine and pure understanding, and for good discipline.

Ordination.

Although further mention is to be made of the ordination and preservation of the ministry of preaching or ministerii evangelici, it should be remembered here recently that this work is to be held in high and great esteem. And although God preserves the preaching ministry and chooses competent teachers, as it is written in Eph. 4, the rulers are still obliged to do their work so that preachers and priests may be had, and that these may be ordained, interrogated, accepted or rejected in certain places by learned, God-fearing people.

This work was commanded to the bishops; now they have already 1) for a long time persecuted the divine truth, and let the churches in their own areas stand alone, become desolate and pagan: therefore it is necessary to consider how Christianity is to be advised; and if they are to be commanded ordination, they must first declare themselves of the doctrine.

For if they remain persecutors of Christian doctrine and do not want to ordain without commitment to false doctrine and persecution of the truth, ordination cannot be sought from them; but if they want to accept right doctrine and help maintain it, and ordain competent persons for interrogation, they could do much good. For it is truly important that ordination be ordered in a needy manner.

And if the rulers would consider the great good deed of God, which is based on the ministry, namely, that through this office, and not otherwise, God gathers His eternal church, and has commanded us wretched people to appoint persons who understand Christian doctrine, by whose voice and service in the ministry of preaching and sacraments He certainly wants to cooperate and give blessedness: then they would have greater diligence to order the ordination rightly and properly.

The people should also be diligently informed of this, so that they may learn to recognize and greatly esteem this good deed of God, that God certainly wants to work through this profession and this office, and love the ministry and help maintain it, as we all truly owe, each according to his station.

1) "already" put by us instead of: "now". Latin: ckiu jrun.

Are;' as is often commanded, and Christ saith, "He that despiseth you despiseth me."

However, ordination has come into the greatest abuse, since right doctrine has no longer been respected, and the error has taken hold that one must have priests who sacrifice for the people, and that the increase of this sacrifice is the highest service of God.

Now if one wanted to make unity and seriously order the ordination of the bishops, there must first be unity of doctrine, as has been said.

For this purpose, the orders of ordination must be focused on the ministry of preaching and the administration of the sacraments, not on other works of sacrificing for the living and the dead.

Nor should our consciences be burdened with the unchristian prohibition of marriage, which has always given rise to great and terrible sins on the part of many people, and has resulted in public pagan fornication and insolence in the priestly class, which sins are committed by all who help to strengthen and administer this prohibition of marriage.

Of repentance and confession.

It is quite public and undeniable that the monks' doctrine of repentance is so confused and full of error that not only the people but also the scribes have not understood it. They have composed a penitence and said that it deserves forgiveness, but no one knows when it is sufficient.

Of sins they also have terrible errors. They do not respect the great inward sins, doubts and all kinds of inward impurity; on the other hand, they have invented their own childish sins from human statutes etc.

According to this, they have such gross errors of narration, pardon, indulgences, that one would like to grasp them; and it is evident that they have not spoken a word about faith and trust, by which one obtains forgiveness of sins; and therefore their doctrine of repentance is basically a pagan doctrine, which leaves the conscience in doubt about forgiveness, or relies on pardon, as the Alcoran says, which one must do for every sin.

Now the doctrine of repentance, of the knowledge of sin, of true repentance and faith in Christ, and of right correction, is one of the most noble pieces of Christian doctrine, and it is highly necessary that it be kept pure. And we should be thankful to God for this great blessing, that God has again made this doctrine appear pure and clear to His Church, so that God-fearing hearts may know better what is sin and what is not sin, and recognize its misery and

divine wrath more than before, and seek grace and comfort through Christ, and know how to obtain forgiveness.

Whoever does not hold this knowledge in high esteem is far removed from the Christian nature and understanding.

Since all those who understand know that this very article is taught and explained in our churches quite faithfully and purely, and that it is necessary for all of Christendom that it be kept pure, we do not want to and cannot permit any change, any obscuration, or any tinkering with the teaching of this article.

And although the present new jugglers, who paint new colors on the old errors, brood and seek to censure our doctrine, yet all those of understanding know that this article is taught rightly and blessedly in all things among us. Thus we ourselves are inclined to keep the confession in a right Christian form, to teach the people in it, to interrogate them; item, that the understanding may remain, and this testimony of the church, that the holy gospel certainly proclaims forgiveness of sins, in general and in particular.

And if one wanted to carry out a salutary reformation, it would be especially necessary to preach and handle the whole article of repentance, also the doctrine of confession, private absolution and of faith in such a way as we have now often given a thorough and Christian account of it.

But of the ban, and of the punishment which should follow the ban, is said hereafter in church courts. For now we are still talking about the Christian custom of the sacraments.

From the Communio and Mess.

As soon as God first established ceremonies through Adam, and then through Abel, Cain and his successors, and henceforth all the wicked, perverted the divine ceremonies, and established various idolatries; so it also happened among the people of Israel that the ceremonies ordered by God were perverted, and others, such as Baal and the excelsa, arose.

Now, human reason does not see that this transgression or inventing new services 1) is sin, but considers these works to be high and great holiness.

When Israel placed many chapels on all the mountains, they thought they were multiplying good works and the

1) In Latin: exeoZitare; in the rec.: erect.

The most distinguished services, as well as the wisest pagans in Graecia, were full of chapels in every corner.

This great sin and this deviation from the one right invocation will be clearly understood by men in the last judgment and in the life to come; but for the present we should know this, that one is obliged to remain at the divine command and word, and that one should not turn the communion and mass into other works than as they are ordered by Christ, and as the same order has testimony of the apostles' custom and attitude in the first church.

Namely, that the people should come together; for God wants His church to hold public honest assemblies, that His gospel should be publicly preached and heard before all creatures, and that He and the Savior Christ should be publicly praised and called; as many Proverbs say: "Let peoples and kings come together and serve the Lord", Psalm 102.

In this meeting, for prayer and teaching, one should sing or read something from divine Scripture, as is always done in the Christian church.

Item, one should also preach a Christian sermon, as Christ commanded at his supper, to proclaim his death and resurrection and gifts, that is, to preach. And the people are all to be exhorted to prayer, as Christ gave a special promise to such a congregation of prayer.

For he wants to urge and urge us to help maintain these meetings, to come to them, and to take care of our common needs.

Therefore, one should pray for spiritual and temporal government, for peace, fruits and one's own need, spiritually and physically etc.

The communion is to be held in this way: that the priest, after prayer, speak the command of Christ earnestly and with devotion, and know what he is doing, and then distribute the Body and Blood of Christ to him and to others who are admitted to Communion, and who have been previously interrogated and absolved, and who do not persist in public vices; Who also shall have a right understanding of what this sacrament is, namely, the partaking of the true body and blood of Christ, and for what purpose this partaking is to be done, namely, that faith may be awakened and strengthened, inasmuch as Christ by this his ordinance gives us his body and blood, that he may surely make us members, forgive us our sins by grace for his death's sake, and not on account of this ours.

Obedience, may we be graciously heard and governed etc.

Item, that we give thanks for his death and resurrection and all gifts here.

Item, that we also recognize that we are members of one Savior Christ, and should show love and goodness to all members, to please our Savior Christ etc.

This is the ancient and pure form of Mass and Communion, as Christ instituted and ordained it, and as it was kept by the Apostles in the early Church; so also, by God's grace, it is kept in our churches with devotion and Christian reverence.

And it is highly necessary that all Christians, and especially the high rulers, help to preserve this right communion and mass, and consider how cruel abuses are introduced against it.

First of all, it is public and undeniable that the greater part of priests throughout the world become priests and say mass for the sake of food alone, and remain in ignorance, not knowing what this work is for, and practice the ceremonies like children; many also are and remain in public vices.

Now these are terrible sins and defilement of divine name, against the other commandment, and against this saying of Paul to Corinthians: "They make themselves guilty of the body and blood of Christ"; item: "They bite it to condemnation for them".

These sins bring eternal damnation, and much temporal punishment, war and destruction. And all rulers, ecclesiastical and secular, are obliged to prevent this gross public defilement of the sacrament as much as possible. This is quite certain and public.

On the other hand, the mass is praised, and by this false glory 1) is thus increased in the world, namely, that the priest holds a sacrifice, by which he earns forgiveness of sins for the living and deliverance from purgatory for the dead, even if the priest lies in public vices.

Now it is public that the Communion or Mass is not instituted for the dead, for the text expressly states that the death of Christ is to be commemorated, etc. which is not to be applied to the dead.

So also it is public that the living do not obtain forgiveness of sin because of this or another work of other men, but for Christ's sake alone, through their own faith.

1) Oorp. Usk.: Schein. In Latin: 6x1iÄ0 P6rkuamono.

according to the high and wholesome doctrine of faith, as the saying goes, "The righteous lives by faith."

Now the world clings to the mass as such a work and merit, and the great lords and others think that when they have seen a mass, they have grace, happiness and salvation, although they otherwise remain in public sins; and many great causes come together that the world holds fast to these errors and abuses of the mass.

First of all, there are many wise rulers who say that all change should be avoided; and if the mass were to be slackened, the people would have no worship, would stay out of church altogether, would become pagan etc.

Furthermore, habit, enjoyment, and authority of the priesthood are the main reasons why the mass is held so firmly. Therefore, we know that the reformation of communion and mass is very difficult.

However, since the above-mentioned errors and abuses are so gross and tangible, it is highly necessary that such defilement of the sacrament not be despised.

And this alone is the sure way, that the first and old custom of communion and mass be again instituted, and that the purchase and private mass be dropped; but on Sundays and other feast days, and on other days, if anyone desires communion, hold a Christian, honest mass, wherein the priest gives the body and blood of Christ to some interrogated and absolved persons, as has been said.

Furthermore, this is also to be considered, because the common man now knows this, that it is right and ordered by Christ, that both forms of the sacrament are to be administered and not to be eaten: so there are many, who receive only the one form, with a burden on their conscience and in doubt as to whether they are doing right. And in many countries, Bavaria, Austria, Jülich and the Netherlands, there is great complaint about this.

Now this doubt prevents proper invocation of God, and makes the heart unwilling toward God, and shy away from the Sacrament, and often results in final despondency.

This burden of conscience is the responsibility of all the Potestat to remove. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to restore both figures.

It is the same with the priests in many places. Many know that they do wrong, that they keep private masses and 2) masses for the dead for the sake of custom and out of compulsion, and yet they are still

2) Oorp. Lot.: "or"; in Latin: 6t.

hard pressed by the rulers that they hold such mass.

These afflicted consciences should be helped by the Potestat, according to the rule that no human statute in the church should be strengthened to corrupt the conscience and prevent divine invocation and right works commanded by God, as Paul says: "To us is given power, not to bring about destruction, but correction"; and Christ punishes the Pharisees Matth. 15, that they prevented divine commandments with their human law.

Oh God! grant grace that the high authorities also consider these great things and think about it, so that idolatry and defilement of the divine name and the sacraments are stopped, and the doubt of the godly is given comfort, and right knowledge of God and invocation, right worship and correction are established. These things are not so hidden or subtle that a God-fearing Christian man cannot judge them, but the truth is clear and easy to understand to him who desires it from the heart.

Further, it is quite public that persecution against both figures, as well as against other public truth, is a great sin that causes God's wrath and terrible plagues, as Christ said Matt. 23, "Let there come upon the persecutors all the blood of the righteous, which is shed from Abel even unto Zachariam" etc.

Whoever then fears God, and does not want to make himself liable to persecution, and does not want to help strengthen harmful errors and defilement of the divine name, let him help to right reformation in 1) this and other articles, and namely, in this article, let him work so that the churches are properly instructed in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, what is administered there, and for what purpose this administration is used and useful, and that the communion is held with right understanding and faith, and with right discipline, so that the holy sacrament is not thrown to the sows, as it is, unfortunately, terribly to be seen all over the world, with the great multitude of unlearned and godless priests and monks, who serve only the belly with their taking of mass.

Item, among the Anabaptists and others who blaspheme the sacraments, saying that bread and wine alone are given, and that they are only signs for Christians to show their unity among themselves, and that they are not a testimony of divine grace 2) against us; thus they destroy the doctrine of faith etc.

1) "in" is missing in Oorp. Ret. Latin: in.

2) Oorp. Itsk.: "gifts". Latin: Arntiny.

Thus, it is clear from the histories of the ancient church that three hundred years after the time of the apostles, private masses were not yet common, and were subsequently introduced out of ignorance and increased out of avarice.

It would also be good, if God would give grace to unity, that a fair equality of the Mass be kept with honest ceremonies, with preceding confession of the communicants, with standing before the altar; that there not be such disorder, as is in some places, that the priests sit behind the table etc.

From calling the deceased saints.

Here we also want to append this article; for it is quite public that the world is full of idolatry, with the worship of saints. God clearly says in Matthew 4: "You shall worship the Lord your God," that is, the one who has revealed himself to you through his word and testimony, "and serve him alone. Now one knows how a refuge to the saints is, as if they gave temporal or eternal goods, which is public idolatry.

Some, however, want to color and decorate this cruel pagan custom, saying that the saints should be invoked as intercessors, not as creators or workers of gifts.

A clear answer to this is that one should not preach, establish or confirm an invocation among God's people that has no commandment or example in God's Word. Now we know that in the prophets' and apostles' writings there is no commandment and no example of such an invocation.

Item, what is not of faith, that is sin, Rom. 14. Now there is no word of God about this calling, therefore one should not confirm it.

Above this, it is true that the recognition of the hearts of men and the hearing of invocations in all the world belong to the Almighty Being alone. Whoever calls upon the deceased saints gives them this honor and makes them recognize the hearts and hear the call in all the world; thus omnipotence is given to them. This is public idolatry. Therefore, all rulers, spiritual and secular, are obliged to put an end to this error and abuse.

What kind of harshness is this, that one still wants to confirm the invocation of the saints, when one sees the cruel abuses before one's eyes, and knows about it that not a single word or example can be used.

3) 6oi-p. Itsk.: "to stand". Latin: aZsiüsntiuna.

pel in divine Scripture stands that this invocation is pleasing to God?

It does not follow, as some blame us, that we do not honor or love the saints; item, that we destroy many old festivals.

To God and our Savior Christ, as the Almighty Being, belongs the invocation, but to the saints belongs other honor. And a godly, learned preacher can recite to the people much high useful teaching from their histories.

First of all, to learn from them about the supreme grace and the supreme work of God, that God revealed Himself and gave His word to them, namely the prophets and apostles, and gave certain testimonies to them, and gathered a church to Him through these persons. This benefit is to be praised, considered and thanked, if one wants to say of the saints.

Secondly, in all the Sacred Histories the whole church government is to be considered, that he gathers to him for and for a church, calls many, strengthens etc.

Thirdly, all kinds of examples of divine grace are to be considered in them; as God forgave David, Petro, Paulo and all others their sin, so He will certainly forgive us etc.

Fourth, how he punished, saved, threw under the cross and comforted his saints. By this we are to know how he governs the saints.

Fifth, they themselves are also to be praised for diligently keeping God's gifts, living a chaste life, studying, learning and practicing God's word; which virtues should be an example and admonition to us.

One can and should speak of these things when one remembers the saints. From this also follows proper reverence and love for the saints in heaven and on earth.

What is more beautiful for a reasonable person to see than such a man as Joseph or David? First, that one recognizes God in them, who reveals Himself through them. Then, that one may consider in them how God gathers and governs His church. Third, that the beautiful virtues in them may be viewed with great delight and longing. This also brings reverence and love toward [the] saints on earth.

From Marriage.

Marriage is also considered here, since some count it among the sacraments; and there is no disagreement about what the marriage state is, as only men know that by God's grace there are more of these three states necessary in our churches.

Christian and wholesome instruction is given, namely on marriage, church office and princely office, of which the popes and monks have spread much error in the world.

But now there is a dispute as to which persons should be allowed to marry, and whether priests and persons who have been in monasteries should also be allowed to marry. This, we say, is a necessary part of the Reformation, that marriage be permitted to the same persons, priests and monastics, and that the old shameful and harmful prohibition be removed and eradicated; as St. Paul clearly calls the prohibition of marriage the doctrine of the devil.

Thus it is evident and known in history that this prohibition causes great fornication, despair and eternal damnation of many hundreds of thousands of people, for which eternal misery the rulers who made and approved this prohibition are guilty; and henceforth all who protect this prohibition are guilty of present and future sins and ruin.

And it is terrible that one wants to handle this prohibition with murders, as one knows that many priests have been killed, only for this reason, that they became married. 1) And it is also to be seen that this prohibition is of the devil, as Paul speaks, because one forbids it with murders. And it can also be seen that this prohibition is from the devil, as Paul says, because it is forbidden to keep it by murder.

There are now in Germany more than ten thousand married priests, who have so many more pious wives and many more children, of whom there are many, who serve God rightly and blessedly, call upon and praise God rightly, and will come to eternal blessedness and remain eternal members of Christ. It would be a terrible thing to commit bloodshed against such limbs of Christ.

There is also a common need for the churches to be considered. For if the prohibition of marriage is not abolished, the churches will not have pastors and preachers. For God-fearing people now flee the priesthood because they do not want to burden their consciences with this prohibition and the sins it entails; as it is known that noble princes, counts and nobles have left their canonries so that they would not live in fornication. And such things happen a lot to lowly, yet God-fearing persons and good ingenues.

Above all this, it is terrible that one would rather have celibate, frivolous, lewd, unlearned priests than celibate, God-fearing, learned priests. 2)

Furthermore, what needs to be considered for the preservation of marital status in proper Christian discipline is the spiritual

1) Latin: parrieicküs; in the old edition: "words".

2) 6orp. Rkk.: "persons". Latin: 8Ä66rckot68.

The courts are to be ordered to ensure that the same are done properly.

Until now, we have spoken of Christian doctrine and the sacraments, which are first and foremost necessary to know and keep in Christian life and church government, and to plant and handle faithfully.

And since no human being and no angel has the power to change the eternal, unchanging will of God, which He revealed in the Gospel, in the teachings, commandments and sacraments commanded by Him, we should also not change anything in it, and by our own wisdom establish other things that are contrary to the Gospel or uncertain.

The devil started this temptation in paradise, and afterwards plagued the pagans, Israel and Christianity in such a way that they took God's word out of their eyes and created their own thoughts about God. That is why the most rational pagans, Egyptians, Syrians, Chaldeans, Greeks, Romans, have established all kinds of worship and bound their worldly regiments with it.

The true church of God should not do this, but should remain with God's word, and preserve and maintain the one, eternal understanding of the prophets and apostles, as Gal. 1 is written: "If an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel than I preached to you, he shall be banished. And all men are commanded to learn, handle and confess the one, eternal truth, as the eternal Father from heaven says of Christ, "This is the one you shall hear"; item, Matth. 10: "Whoever confesses me 1) before men, him will I also confess before my heavenly Father."

Now follows the third piece, about the ministry of preaching or ministerio evangelii, in which to say of the persons and of the bishops.

Of the preaching office and episcopal regiment.

How the high wise rulers establish worldly kingdoms with sovereignty of persons, order of election and succession, determination of cities with laws, courts, execution, protection and goods, and such establishments do not suit one and the other; as, Cyro, Augusto and some more it is suited. But many, such as Pisistrato, Pompejo, and others, it is not advisable, because it must also be God's will and gift.

So much more in the church regiment the sages have had much great trouble and work to arrange sovereignty of persons, election and succession,

1) Oorp. Loc.: "you".

and dioceses to the benefit of the church. But it was done very unequally. For if they have well conceived it, these same bishops and rulers have themselves become destroyers of the churches; as can be seen publicly that for many hundreds of years the bishops and their courts have had little regard for Christian doctrine.

God Himself once established a bishopric with Aaron, which lasted a little over a thousand years, and yet had many incompetent bishops.

Previously, God's Word and Church remained longer than 2000 years, although there were no established bishoprics at that time, bound to certain places and succession. And afterwards in Judaism, prophets and preachers were often awakened by God, who were persecuted by the high bishops.

Therefore, a distinction is to be made between the ministry of preaching, which God has given to the Church at all times and graciously preserves for and for Himself, and the episcopal sovereignty, which is bound to certain 2) places and persons and succession.

Paul says Ephes. 4, that the Lord Christ sits at the right hand of his eternal Father, and gives gifts to his church, namely prophets, apostles, pastors and teachers; and adds that Christ therefore sends and keeps these preachers, so that a unified doctrine may remain in the church; just as it has remained in the true church from Adam to this time. And that the church may not be led astray from God's word, and be driven into various errors, as the heathen daily invent new services.

Here St. Paul clearly testifies that through Christ the right preaching ministry is preserved in the church, namely, that Christ Himself raises up and preserves right preachers for and for, who teach His given gospel purely, and if it is obscured, make it clear again. And is vigorous with the preaching ministry, gathers to him his eternal church, gives his Holy Spirit; thus himself preserves his book, preachers and disciples, as it is written in Isaiah, Cap. 51: "I have put my words in your mouth, and will protect you under the shadow of my hand, that you may plant heaven for me" etc.

And this promise, often repeated, is a great comfort to all Christians, because we know that God wants to preserve His church, doctrine and preaching ministry Himself. For if it were built on human prudence, diligence, power and protection, it would have a weak foundation, and would soon be completely destroyed along with the cities and kingdoms that have been destroyed.

2) Oorp. Lak. "large"; in Latin: oartis.

The old pagan religions with their cities and kingdoms have been destroyed.

But God says in this chapter of Isaiah that He wants to preserve His preaching ministry and gospel for His own sake and for the sake of His name, and not let it be destroyed.

So also in the other Psalm Christ says that he wants to preach this word: "The Lord has said to me: You are my son" etc.

Christ will do this preaching of his for and by himself and his servants, and will not let it be suppressed.

First of all, let it be said of the ministry of preaching, that it may be known that we confess, as it is also an eternal, unchangeable truth, that the ministry of preaching and the service of the sacraments is necessary; and that the church is bound to it, and that no people of God, no elect, are without it alone in the multitude where the voice of the gospel and the sacraments are.

Secondly, this great benefit is further to be recognized and thanked for, that God has commanded the church that she herself should elect persons to the preaching ministry and service of the sacraments, and wants to be strong through the same persons elected by the church; awakens much among the same, and enlightens them with special gifts, for the betterment of the churches, as Paul commanded Tito to set and ordain priests in the cities, and [it] is also remembered of the ordination [in the letter] to Timothy.

Thus it is known that usually the Church, that is, honest and God-fearing persons of all ranks, have appointed and elected bishops.

Thirdly, it is true that the persons who are called to the ministry of preaching and the service of the sacraments, and thus carry out the high divine work, teach the gospel rightly, and administer the sacraments according to divine command, they are called bishops, pastors, pastoral ministers or pastores, are owed obedience by God's command in all matters which the gospel gives or forbids, while avoiding eternal damnation, according to this saying: "He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me."

Furthermore, one is obliged to be obedient to the same pastors in the ecclesiastical courts, which are to be appointed with the church, so that the defendant shall appear, and if he is referred, accept the punishment.

According to this, external ordinances of time and lection are to be made in right Christian sense by the pastors, according to the occasion of each place. In this the people owe obedience,

so far that it does not act angrily against it, to unnecessary separation of the churches.

And in sum, the ministry of preaching or ministerio evangeIii, through which God works and is with us, is owed right heartfelt reverence with right humility; and the highest service of God is to help maintain this ministry with nourishment, protection, and all goodwill.

Therefore, God also promises rich rewards to the godly who show good to the ministry, as Christ says: "Whoever gives a drink of water to the least of these who are mine, for the sake of doctrine, it shall be rewarded to him" etc.

This is spoken in general of the ministry of preaching, that is, of all pastors who, in the teaching and administration of the sacraments, carry out their profession properly, each in his own place.

It is further said: "Among these pastors there must nevertheless be order; they do not all have the same gifts, they cannot all be judges in difficult articles of doctrine, they cannot all order and keep the courts; and because in this miserable nature all kinds of afflictions occur for and for, there must be some special places and persons, where one knows how to get counsel; item, which have an impact on others. And these places must be so provided with persons and entertainment that, as much as human prudence can consider, there is a constant order. Therefore bishops must be as a degree above other priests; and these must have appointed regiments, and need many persons for ordination, for instruction of the ordinands, for visitation, for courts, for counsel, for writing, for embassies, for the synods and concilia; as can be seen that Athanasius, Basil, Ambrose, Augustine had much to do to keep their and foreign churches in right doctrine against all kinds of heretics. For this work they needed and had to send many people etc.

If the present form of the episcopate were to be torn apart, barbarism would follow and a devastation that no one could see an end to. For the secular potentates and princes are burdened with other things, and there are few who respect the churches or think about the doctrine.

Answer: We do not like to see disorder, and heartily wish that the bishops and their co-rulers would do their episcopal office. And in this case we offer ourselves to obedience, that is, if they slacken in the pursuit of Christian doctrine, and are not tyrants or murderers of our poor priests, but have seen to the planting of the pure doctrine of the Gospel and the Christian administration of the sacraments, and help to administer this.

The division of this time was caused by the bishops, who banished us and murdered our priests, who did them no harm, but worked for them in the church in a useful and blessed way, and undoubtedly served many people for salvation.

And if the bishops continue to persecute Christian doctrine, as they have done until now, we priests and teachers can make no agreement with them. What our princes and sovereigns want to do, they may consider for themselves. We, however, who are now in the ministerio evangelii, will not make any agreement with the persecutors, and want to command it to God, who is the just judge and has promised to administer the ministerinm Evangelii, which part, and how he wants to preserve us, as the apostles had to wait from God, as he wanted to preserve them and the church for and for. For, as said before, we know well that the ministerium evangelii is not built on human will and power, but our Savior Christ wants to preserve it wonderfully, as it is written in Hosea: "I will help them, but not with bow and sword, but through the Lord their God" etc.

And in sum, there is no other way to Christian concord and unity than this alone, that the bishops plant right doctrine and Christian custom of the sacraments, and that we then, as church prelates, be subject to them.

Which we offer to do; more and higher we cannot offer and do with a good conscience and without violating divine honor.

From this commandment of ours it is also public that we and all our churches are sufficiently excused if we are interpreted as causing disobedience and divisions.

To this is our answer: that we offer ourselves for obedience, if they do not want to force us to deny divine truth. And if they pretend that things still need knowledge, they should not condemn and persecute us before a right Christian cognition. But many of them themselves know that our doctrine is right and Christian in the sense in which it is now often made known and explained by us at the imperial congresses and elsewhere, and that it is to be understood sine calumnia.

Furthermore, if the bishops wanted to plant Christian doctrine, and thus become united, those who would henceforth serve Christianity usefully should also appoint their necessary offices. And although some direct the reformation of the bishops to the old canons, there is no distinction between necessary works and those commanded by God, which the time has not yet brought.

and change of kingdoms should not change, and between human orders that change with time and kingdoms for and for to notice difference.

As all those with understanding know, divine and eternal law is a different thing than human transient order of mean things. As if the council of Sparta, which is still standing, 1) wanted to re-establish the old laws of Lycurgi, that all fields must be built together and the fruits distributed according to each householder's need, that would be an unnecessary thing and would bring much disruption; but that a council of Sparta keeps divine commandments, punish the murderers etc., this is necessary. So, in this reformation one knows that all governments need goods and maintenance of many persons.

Now if there are to be bishops who have an impact on others, they must have goods.

And it is true that secular government and abundance of goods hinder spiritual government and studies; and before this present time many complain that prelates of the church have too much to do with secular government and goods.

Nevertheless, because the regiments and estates are now thus ordered, and God-fearing bishops could use them properly, we leave this order as it is, and want that these episcopal canons, dominions and territories are also brought to right wholesome doctrine and knowledge of Christ, and that the pagan nature that now exists in the canons does not remain as it is, unfortunately, in view of the fact that the canons generally know nothing of Christian doctrine, are impudent, lewd people, and above that they completely despise the ministerium evangelii, which should be their noblest work.

For first of all, the monasteries were very proper, honest assemblies of the holiest and most learned men on earth, together with their disciples. Thus John the Evangelist, and afterwards Polycarpus and many others, have had around them very beautiful assemblies of the holiest and most learned men. And there is nothing more beautiful to see on earth than such collegia.

But how the chapters have a shape now, everyone wanted to see for himself.

Now there are many in chapters who are not epicureans, but fear God's judgment. We would also like to serve them for salvation, and as much as God would bestow grace, these

1) This sentence is supposed to mean: If the council of the present Sparta etc.

bring the present dioceses to improvement. For this last time of the world will no longer make schools out of the cathedral chapters of Elia or Elisäi; but, if they wanted to, they could still serve the church usefully, with the preservation of necessary offices and the goods for which people are also needed.

To be poor is not holiness, to be rich is not sin; to have temporal rule is not sin, although it is difficult to bear temporal and spiritual government at the same time. But a God-fearing bishop could be quite suitable, as David, Ezechias, Constantinus, Theodosius and now and many secular lords wait for their secular government at the same time, and still have quite a stir on the churches.

St. Paul had nothing to do with the imperial matters, he only waited for his office. But St. Ambrose, besides his office, had to be a merchant between the Emperor Valentiniano the Other and Maximo, just as nowadays a pious priest has to hear and agree on many things between his neighbors. And St. Bernard was a merchant between the Emperor Conrado and the Emperor Lothario. Such is not unjust.

And one can make canons as strict as one likes, if the persons are not God-fearing and despise the ministry, then the church is not helped by the canons.

On the other hand, if people are God-fearing and want to serve the right minister and do not consider the churches to be a pigsty, they can do right in the present state of the principalities and estates and serve the church according to its measure. Therefore, this reformation of ours is not based on human commandments, but only on the most necessary divine commandments.

First of all, it is known among them that God commanded the bishops first of all to appoint the preaching ministry by themselves or others, and to hold proper Christian ceremonies.

Therefore the bishops should appoint godly learned men to their monasteries and dominions, who teach rightly; for this they can well find prebends, if the will is good and Christian, and should abolish the abuses in ceremonies.

On the other hand, they also know that it is God's commandment that they should hold ordination in all seriousness, namely with proper examination and instruction. The bishops themselves know well that ordination has been regarded for ages as the special work of the bishops; no doubt not without reason, not only for the elevation of the state, but rather so that great diligence may be done with the examination and with the instruction.

of instruction that unfit persons would not be admitted, but only fit ones; as St. Paul speaks 1 Tim. 5: "You shall not lay hands on anyone soon" etc.

And if the examination and the instruction are kept right, this helps to understanding and unity in the teaching.

Thirdly, this is also God's commandment, to pay attention to the parish priests and preachers for and for, that they teach and govern rightly. For this purpose, the visitation was held in ancient times, and is now highly necessary; namely, that the bishops have some God-fearing learned men, from the chapter or otherwise, who visit the churches in the country and diocese at the appropriate time, and interrogate and instruct the lowly preachers, and likewise inquire what the people understand and learn; item, inquire about the good and evil life of the parish priest and the people.

For these two works are the high divine works of the very highest estate in all creatures: right doctrine of God, and maintaining good morals, which are to be the noblest works of the episcopal estate, not baptizing bells and consecrating pancakes 1) etc.

Although the bishops hold the ceremonies of ordination as well as they can, it is public that there is no proper examination, no proper instruction, and they make the world full of unlearned, frivolous, godless priests. That is why God punishes the world with cruel wars and all kinds of plagues.

Furthermore, it is public that no visitation is held without what some have recently undertaken to suppress the Gospel.

Fourth, it is God's command that the church courts be held as Christ taught in Matt. 18 and Paul taught in 1 Tim. 5, namely, that false doctrine and vice be punished with anathema, and that right doctrine and good discipline be maintained, for the worldly authorities have little regard for doctrine and show no seriousness against public immorality and adultery.

But how these courts have been held until now, and how the ban has been abused, is in the day; for that they have not punished fornication is proved by their lives; and hereafter it shall be further said of these courts and the ban.

Fifth, it is sometimes 2) necessary to hold synods, and it is not a small wisdom to know when to hold them and how to hold them.

1) Instead of "patties", in Latin we find: paristes.

2) 6orx. Ksk: "among many". Latin: 8L6P6.

Sixth, the bishops, as overseers of doctrine, should take special good care that the universities and particular schools are properly appointed and provided for. For the universities, like the first chapters and collegia of old, are now custodes doctrinas, which are to preserve Christian doctrine, and are to be witnesses where the doctrine comes from, which they distribute to the churches.

And it would be highly necessary that ecclesiastical and secular authorities let them be better ordered to the study and discipline of the youth, so that the young people would not grow up so wildly, but would have a more serious discipline that would accustom them to Christian exercises.

To all these works belong godly learned men, whom one would like to have, if one would do this diligence, that such men, whom one could use, would be elected to the prelatures and prebends.

For how many learned people are to be found on the foundations nowadays is obvious, and especially few are those who have a thorough understanding of Christian doctrine. And if one wanted to have honest men, the marriage state would have to be left free to the canonicis and foundations.

Above all this, if a Christian salutary reformation were to be brought into being, it is most necessary that the episcopal election be held henceforth in such a way that such bishops would be chosen who were not only considered fit for secular government, but also who had a fair understanding of Christian doctrine, and did not despise the church government, but recognized the proper episcopal offices and had a good will for them.

However, although the old canons of the election regulated a lot which persons and estates should have votes in the election, we take care to leave the election with the chapters, if they would accept Christian doctrine, and what further justice the princes have in it, that this remains unchanged.

For that one wants to bring the election in the old way, namely, that the people, or the noblest of all estates give their votes.

1) Oorp. Rot.: "in" instead of: "one".

This has caused many disruptions in the past, and would now also give birth to unrest.

If the chapters cannot be induced to a Christian reformation, which is based solely on God's commandment, by this gentle way, so that all their sovereignties, dignities, goods, administration and glories remain unchanged, they are to be respected, because the greater part are obdurate people, like Pharaoh and the Jews, 2) are epicureans, full of defiance and fornication, so they will be much less induced to reformation, if one wanted to bring them back under the old canons and take away their sovereignties and glories etc.

If they want to remain persecutors of the holy gospel, as they have been until now, and still are, then we must let God be the judge, and these actions are in vain; for we should not deny the holy gospel, and not drop the ministry of the gospel, and should hope and wait for protection and help from our Savior Christ.

From church courts.

God has commanded worldly authorities who wield the sword to protect and maintain outward honest discipline according to God's commandments, and to punish with bodily coercion all who act against outward discipline and against common peace, and only knows what to drag into this judgment.

Furthermore, God has also ordered a judgment in the church, and because this is to be a way to repentance, it does not kill man with the sword, but punishes with God's word, and separation or expulsion from the church.

And according to the gospel, this court's work is to punish only unrighteous teaching and public sin.

Matrimonial cases are now also brought before these church courts, which is not badly considered. For questions often arise where the judge must advise the conscience, which the secular courts do not respect.

But now, for many hundred years, all kinds of guilty cases have been brought before these courts; item, that the popes put the emperors under ban to increase their power in Italy and Naples, and that the ban and the church court are not used to punish fornication, adultery, disobedience of youth to parents, contempt of Christian doctrine and sacraments. These abuses shall henceforth be abolished.

And is high necessity, the church courts with

2) Oorp.Rot.: "Gentiles" instead of: Jews. Latin: 4uckaoi.

To be appointed and handled seriously. And first of all, all those who understand know that matrimonial matters are a large part of human life, and occur so often and in so many ways that they require their own court. Now not every priest can have so much sense to judge such things.

For these things are often so intricate that even the most intelligent and learned can hardly conclude among themselves.

Therefore, it is necessary that in some convenient and noble places, which people can reach without great expense, certain courts and consistoria be established in bishoprics and provinces, which judge marriage matters in a Christian manner according to the Gospel and the honest laws, which are considered honest and pleasing to God by God-fearing and understanding Christians in Christendom since the time of the Apostles, so that pagan and Turkish fornication does not break in.

Item: that the parish priests of each place report the public disturbances in their parishes to the same judges.

Then the consistory shall cite the accused and interrogate the matter, and punish the guilty, as in these cases, namely, who does not want to respect secular authority; if someone preaches false doctrine; if someone despises the Christian religion or the sacraments; if someone does not confess and communicate within a year; item, if anyone commits violence and sacrilege against the priest or other church servants; item, if anyone keeps a lewd woman with him; item, if anyone is so notorious of adultery that there are strong suspicions against him; item, usurers; item, young people who practice public defiance against their parents or others to whom they are commanded, and will not cease their forbidden games and drunkenness.

And these judges shall have orders to pronounce sententiam excommunicationis, and the sentence shall be publicly proclaimed or posted in the parish where the offender is.

And let the people be admonished, according to the doctrine of Paul, that they will not draw him to baptism and such Christian societies.

And it would be necessary for the secular authorities, according to the circumstances, to punish those who violate the ban.

For the secular authorities are obliged to help the church to maintain Christian discipline, as it is written in Romans 13: "The secular authorities shall honor good works and punish evil ones"; and Isaiah 49: "The kings shall be nurturers of the church", that is, they shall show help to the preachers with protection and regulation of the entertainment and promotion of the gospel.

In all cases, however, the matters are to be heard beforehand and judged in an orderly manner, to which interrogation not only the priests are to be called, but also God-fearing, learned persons from the secular classes, as noble members of the church. For since our Savior Christ says: "Tell it to the church", and with these words commands that the church should be the highest judge, it follows that not only one class, namely the bishops, but also other God-fearing scholars from all classes are to be set as judges, and should have voces decisivas, as is also still to be found in the Concilio of Ephesus, where priests and deacons had voces decisivas.

From the schools.

It is quite public that schools are necessary for the preservation of Christian doctrine and government, and it would be very useful that Christian, sensible bishops would take special care of the schools, because of many things.

First, that the Christian doctrine be taught by the theologians purely and unanimously.

Secondly, that the first youth would be educated in the arts and languages necessary for the explanation of Christian doctrine.

Thirdly, that Christian discipline be established in universities, that the young people do not live in the free disorderly manner, as is now, unfortunately, to be seen in universities, that they live like idle, muthwillige lansquenets, and the youth are not only not kept to spiritual exercises, but also pay little attention to worldly virtues.

If such impudent people come into the regiment afterwards, who have been brought up without spiritual exercises, without invocation of God and prayer, and without good morals, what good can follow?

From bodily entertainment.

Because God wants His church to be and to remain in this life and on this earth, even though He Himself raises up teachers and wonderfully protects and preserves the faithful, He nevertheless gives shelter to this church of His, so that some kings, princes and cities give room to the churches, although many other kings, princes and cities persecute the churches.

Those who are God-fearing rulers, let the churches be commanded to them, so that they may honor the ministry of the gospel above all things on earth, and ordain entertainment for the pastors, and promote the doctrine; as it is written in Isaiah, "The

Kings shall be thy nurturers. But it has always happened in this evil world that the rulers do not long give the church good lodging; when Joseph was in Egypt, the church had quite a bit of outward peace for a while; then came the cruel Pharaoh, who persecuted it, so that it had to look for another lodging. So after that often. Therefore also punishments and change in kingdoms follow.

But in order to preserve among the descendants for and for the ministry of the Gospel, right doctrine, public honest 1) meetings in churches, it is necessary that the secular potentates prove their faithful service to the church.

From monasteries.

It is public that the vows are unlawful and the bonds of many sins, as fornication and false worship; and this article belongs to the doctrine that the monastics be taught that these fictitious vows are void and rejected by God. Therefore, the authorities should allow those who intend to leave the monasteries to do so without hindrance.

If the potentates wanted to keep some monasteries for the education of the youth, as schools without vows, it would be up to them etc.

Martinus Luther, D.

Joh. Bugenhagen Pomer, D. Caspar Creutziger, D. Georgius Major, D. Philippus Melanthon.

1420 Letter of the Wittenberg theologians, which they sent to the Elector of Saxony together with the above document.

January 14, 1545.

From Cyprian's "Useful Documents," vol. II, p. 408.

Also in Ovrp. Rec., vol. V, 577.

God's grace through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Savior beforehand.

Most Serene, Highborn, Most Gracious Prince and Lord! By E. C. F. G.'s order, in submission to the entire church regime and Christian Reformation, we have brought together our simple opinion and have urged it to the utmost.

1) "honest" is missing in the 6orp. Lsk. Latin: nonesti.

where, by God's grace, we intend to remain at last. And although it is not to be hoped that the bishops and the unlearned, godless, proud chapters will accept Christian doctrine and ceremonies for eternity, we have nevertheless made a humble offering, and given them a mild reformation, from which it is sufficiently to be understood that we cannot be charged with seeking their sovereignty and goods, or being the cause of division.

We cannot meet all peril by human counsel, but will do according to our profession what we are commanded, and command the rest to God; as the Psalm says, "Cast thy care upon God" etc.

The respectable and esteemed Doctor Gregorius Brück, our dear godfather and favorable gentleman, has also sent us a foreign book, which has been read by some of us, who have given relation to the others.

Therefore, on the most noble article of the same book, of application to Imperial Majesty, we put our submissive concern, which we hereby also send, to move everything E. C. F. G. higher and further.

2) To E. C. F. G. we also add in subservience to know that we have talked about a capable man for the parish of Liebenwerd and show E. C. F. G. in subservience one, Martinum Gibertum, who is very well known to us, and has been with eight years allhie in the university. After that he governed the school at Luckau, and from there he is required to the Marienberg as a preacher and is at forty years, and we consider him capable.

However, we place in subservience to E. C. F. G. what E. C. F. G. will conclude for his sake. The eternal God, Father of our Savior JEsu Christ, always graciously preserve E. C. F. G.. Date Wittenberg, Wednesday, January 14, 1545.

E. C. F. G.

understated

Martinus Luther, D.

Joh. Bugenhagen Pomer, D. Caspar Creutziger, D. Georgius Major, D.

Philip Melanthon.

2) Marginal gloss: This article is finished.

1421: The Hessian theologians' concerns about the "Wittenberg Reformation.

From Cyprian's "Useful Documents," vol. II, p. 479.

Also in Oorp. Ukk., vol. V, 672 d.

Although in the Wittenberg theologians' objections to the Reformation all things are fairly explained, especially with regard to the bishops, that they should be people of pure Christian doctrine; for the highest authority is attached to righteous bishops and judges in spiritual matters: Nevertheless, as they say, a superfluous assurance cannot do any harm; therefore, it follows in which points of the advice, which the Wittenberg theologians have given for a Christian reformation, we have some reservations.

The baptism half

These words stand: 1) "that all men, if they are not brought to Christ and born again through baptism, are in the eternal wrath of God and are condemned" etc.

We agree that baptism is a necessary thing for the young and the old for salvation, and that everyone who despises it must therefore expect judgment; however, regardless of divine power and authority in the following case, namely, if a child of Christian parents dies in the womb or otherwise after birth so early that it would not be brought to baptism, we have this concern with us, that these children are not condemned for this reason; as Pomeranus and Luther himself have written about the 29th Psalm in print Anno 42. Psalm, printed in Anno 42, 2) which explanation must be added to this article of baptism, for the sake of many errors, have also written this and publicly printed it.

Concerning the Ministerio of the Churches,

That the bishops are to order the same at their pleasure in our and other countries: this is well to be considered; but if they accepted the pure doctrine, it would be so much less burdensome, so far that the secular authorities might have notice, that they, the bishops, could not act in this case, as has been done before in the papacy etc. -

1) Above Col. 1135 towards the end.

2) See Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. X, 730. See also the preface there, col. 83.

For the sake of the spiritual court in matrimonial matters

In all cases, it would have to be ensured that in such a consistory, pious people would sit, who would look to God and, according to the divine word and gospel, would give guidance in all matters. For the fact that the clergy alone, who were not created and made in such a way, should have such authority, would be highly questionable for excellent reasons and motives, and for this reason the same point, which says about such a consistory, should be set as follows:

Therefore, it is necessary that certain courts and consistoria be established in bishoprics and provinces in some convenient, noble places, which people can reach without great sacrifice, to judge matrimonial matters in a Christian manner according to the Word of God and the Gospel and the honest laws, which were considered honest and pleasing to God in Christianity by God-fearing Christians at the time of the apostles and afterward. 4) The courts and consistoria of the bishoprics and provinces should be established according to the Word of God and the Gospel and the honest laws, which were considered honest and pleasing to God by God-fearing Christians at the time of the apostles and afterward.

1422: The theologians of the Church of Saxony reply to the Hessian concerns about the "Wittenberg Reformation," addressed to the Elector and the Duke of Saxony.

From Cyprian's "Nützliche Urkunden", Vol. II, p. 470. - That this document was not addressed to the Hessian theologians, as it seems from Walch's inscription, but to the Saxon dukes, can be seen from the title at the beginning of the document and at the beginning of the second article. As we can see from the 6orx. Vol. V, 686 d, the Hessian concern was sent by the Elector to the Wittenbergers on March 1, 1545, so that they should give their answer to it. Therefore, this writing is to be placed in the beginning of March. - That this concern was not addressed to the Landgrave of Hesse (at least not directly), seems to be clear from the fact that in the third article, the concern of the Hessian theologians (No. 1421) is referred to with the expression: "the Landgrave's list".

Of the Christian children who die before baptism.

Although we would like to see unity of Christianity and peace, because the Turk will make too much misery and drive the Christian name into a narrow place, E. C. and F. G. see that the opposite is getting worse the longer, and this year so many people were burned just because of religion, right, intelligent, learned Christians,

3) Oorp. Uek.: "M".

4) Oorx. Uek.: "marry".

untainted by rebaptism, and also beside them several others who, out of ignorance, have also been somewhat contaminated with rebaptism. Nevertheless, the cruelty is so great, and the rulers do not seek to help this great, miserable misery properly, that we have great heartache from such misery, and do not hope that the bishops and the emperor's monks and theologians will propose or hear of some means of Christian settlement.

And although King Ferdinand promised the Hungarians to come to their assembly to seek protection from Christianity, he did not come. And although he gave little order about other things, he nevertheless had edicts against the gospel presented there, so that the Hungarians themselves were frightened by such a beginning of the war.

The Christian blood will cry out to heaven, and it is to be feared that great punishments and destructions will follow; for this murdering and burning cannot stand the length of it.

This grief is the cause that our Reformation is so cold and short-sighted, and is only based on E. C. and F. G. and the named further concerns and considerations, and is not opposed to us that others also indicate their opinion, and improve what is considered to serve Christian unity and God's praise.

We have knowingly bypassed many great disputations, so that every good-hearted person could notice that we do not seek quarrels, but are inclined to unity, as far as it is always possible, and have opened ourselves to the utmost, so that the opposing party does not let themselves notice whether they want to give in.

And it seems to us to be a great change that we want to honor the episcopal authority, as it is reported, if they want to accept and plant right doctrine, and offer ourselves to obedience.

From the doctrine, which is an eternal, unchanging counsel of God, we cannot forgive anything.

Item, that we do not want to dispute that they have worldly sovereignties etc. and such large estates, since abuse certainly follows at all times; they also do not press for keeping the old strict Canonum.

Therefore, if they were serious about promoting God's honor and peace, we would have shown the way. For their politics, dignities and goods, which they mainly fight over, would remain unchallenged according to this form of ours.

Now let it be done what God wills, so let us keep to these words of the Psalms, Ps. 69: Ego vero orationem meam ad te, Domine, and

We want to report on the teachings as much as God gives us.

Therefore, nothing is reported in this book about Christian children who die before baptism, and many more questions are omitted. For this book speaks of the ordinary and appointed ministerio, and of the rule, and does not speak of the emergency cases, where a dispensation must be sought apart from the rule. And it is rightly said that baptism is necessary, namely, in the manner of the minister, that is, where it may be had, and that it may not be despised.

This understanding entails the dispensation that nevertheless the children of Christians who die before baptism are not condemned; but so that over these children nevertheless 1) the name of Christ is invoked, and prayed earnestly, and baptism is not omitted out of contempt. For this is true, and must be preserved, that the children of the Jews and Turks, that is, where the name of Christ is not invoked over the children, but is cursed, do not belong to the inheritance of Christ and to eternal blessedness.

Therefore, Christ clearly said, "Let the little children come to me, for to such," that is, those who are brought to Christ, "is the kingdom of heaven."

And this understanding we have given to the reasonable reader, but very briefly; for in the said book, which we handed over, are these words: 2) "And therefore all men, if they be not brought unto Christ, and born again by baptism" etc. In the word "brought" we have understood, but not expressed, the same case of which the question speaks. For we do not want to give the emperor and others cause for suspicion, as if we were alleviating the Anabaptists' error.

And let us take care that it is neither useful nor necessary to put this question in this writing, which is meant to be a common guide to comparison, and not to excite extensive disputations.

From the other article. Of the appointment of church offices and ordination.

3) We are not opposed to the fact that the Electoral and Princely Grace are diligently considering how to improve this article. We are not opposed to your electors and princes diligently considering how to improve this article. We ourselves consider, if the bishops are to order the ordination, that little diligence, fidelity or seriousness is applied in it.

But while we want to give in to something, it must nevertheless have a name, and

1) "nevertheless" is missing in Oorp. Rsk.

2) See above Col. 1135 towards the end.

3) Oorx. Lot.: "The".

The most important thing is that this work, which they have always considered to be the only episcopal work, namely ordination, be delivered to them.

However, every patron retains his justice with the presentation, as reported in our Scripture; however, it may be put more clearly in the article of ordination, thus or with similar words: And if the ordination is delivered to the bishops, nevertheless, every patron shall retain his justice, as before age, to nominate and present etc.

And if God would give unity, and the bishops would appoint their church offices with pious, learned people, it would be useful for the sake of cost that they hold the ordination, visitation and church court; for a considerable amount of money is spent on such works, which otherwise pastors and legates cannot bear; otherwise the princes are so burdened that they do not like to spend much on church needs.

And if one intends in the future to appoint the churches fairly with persons, as God has commanded and is most necessary, then one must appoint the ordination in every place with a stately examination, so that one keeps the unlearned, since there is hope that they may be instructed and gain better understanding, for several weeks and teach them diligently.

Truly, governing churches for the praise of God and preserving studies are great, heavy burdens, which require God's grace, great prudence, expense, people and work. And even if people argue for a long time about how they want to order it, it is not done according to human thoughts, but where God gives His help, and awakens pious servants, preachers and leaders, it goes on quite well.

But it is public that the bishops do not think that they want to rule rightly, but think only to preserve their glory and splendor.

From the third article, namely, matrimonial matters.

It is true that it is very prudent to put the bishops on the judgment seat again, and thus to strengthen and increase their power.

But if we are to talk about settlements, we must offer something. And our offer is not a mere pretense, but our proposals would be very acceptable to the episcopal regiment, if they want to consider them properly.

Now we give them the matrimonial courts) for they have goods for it, after all, and could rightfully be

if they wanted to, yes, wanted to! Even if a fair settlement were to be made, the authorities, who are responsible for maintaining discipline, would still have to see to it that the marriage courts were kept Christian. And how to speak in general sem in cases that often occur in which we do not keep the papal laws, one could then easily unite.

And it is not contrary to us that the words, as they are placed in the landgravial register, are thus placed in the book from word to word. For to our form only this addition is added: "according to the word of God," for our form reads thus: "Which Christianly judge the marriage matters according to the Gospel. 1) In the Landgravian form it is thus: "Which judge the marriage matters Christianly according to the word of God and the Gospel" etc. 2)

Now let us not excite further disputation; for this word: "gospel" gives due measure even to the article.

May our Savior Christ himself graciously govern and maintain his church and the rule of Christian princes. For human strength cannot order anything lasting and protracted without God's help.

But what shall we talk much about, the bishops and many others are not serious about helping the church; they are vain temptations, which they undertake to extinguish the gracious light, which God has let shine out of great mercy for the knowledge of the Gospel and right worship and right comfort in God.

But we want to ask God earnestly and diligently to save and protect His honor and knowledge Himself.

Martinus Luther, D.

Joh. Bugenhagen Pomer, D. Erspar Creutziger, D.

Georgius Major, D. Philippus Melanthon.

1423. farewell of the Diet of Worms, erected anno 1545. Aug. 4, 1545.

From Lünig's Imperial Archives, purt. Mn. eont. I, p. 744.

We, Carl the Fifth, by the grace of God, elected Roman Emperor, at all times the ruler of the Empire, King in Germania, in Castile, in Arragon, in Legion, in both Sicilies, in Jerusalem,

1) See Col. 1158.

2) Col. 1163.

to Hungary, to Dalmatia, to Croatia, to Navarre, to Grenades, to Toleten, to Valentz, to Gallicia, Majoricarum, Hispalis, Sardiniä, Cordubä, Corsicä, Murciä, Giennis, Algarbien, Algezirä, to Gibraltaris and the islands Canariä, also, the islands Indiarum and Terra Firmä of the sea Oceani etc.Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, of Lotterich, of Brabant, of Steyer, of Carinthia, of Kram, of Limburg, of LUtzelburg, of Guelders, of Würtenberg, of Calabria, of Athenarum, of Neopatria; Count of Habsburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol, of Goertz, of Parsiloni, of Arthoys, of Burgundy; Count Palatine of Hanigau, of Holland, of Zealand, of Pfierdt, of Kyburg, of Namur, of Rossilion, of Ceritan and of Zütphen; Landgrave in Alsace, Margrave of Burgau, of Oristani, of Gotiani, and of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of Swabia, of Catalonia, Asturia etc.Lord of Friesland, of the Wendish Marches, of Portenau, of Biscay, of Molin, of Salms, of Tripoli and of Mechelen etc.., confess and declare to all men: After the recently held Diet of Speier, we have, for many excellent and legitimate reasons, held and appointed a common Diet in our and the Holy Empire's city of Worms, the first day of October next verschienen: Thus, at the beginning of the above-mentioned month of October, we have ordered our commissioners and rulers to attend such a Diet with proper authority and command, and have instructed them, in addition to the Estates of the Empire, to take into their hands the unresolved issues that have been postponed to this Diet and, as much as possible, to bring them to an equitable settlement.

1. And although, due to our conceded weakness of body, we may not appear in person on the first day of December, next, according to our done request and gracious intention, we have nevertheless, out of the but fatherly love and affection which we have and bear for the German nation and the Holy Roman Empire, moved and been able to persuade our friendly dear brother, the Roman King, that his love, although with great inconvenience and discomfort of his loved ones and the same kingdoms and lands, so that they may be burdened in more ways in this time, kindly and brotherly granted, especially to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and then also to his loved ones kingdoms and lands for welfare and good, to go here, and beside our ordered commissioners to act and promote the things so that the same may be decided for our arrival really and for the most beneficial.

2. as his loved ones also appeared conducive to it, and' together with our appointed com! missaries, let nothing be lost in their good and faithful diligence, effort and work.

3. Thus we have also, as soon as we have always liked, due to our conceded weakness of body, raised ourselves 1) in our own person, and, unhindered by other of our kingdoms and hereditary lands of many matters and concerns, submitted to the gracious fatherly mind, will and opinion, together with our dear brother, the Roman king, and then with timely counsel and assistance of our and the empire's electors, princes and common estates, to act and to settle all matters of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and common Christianity, and especially the matters and concerns that have been postponed here, by appropriate means and ways, so that peace, tranquility and unity may be preserved among all the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and the incumbent burdens may be averted, as we have been paternally and graciously diligent to do during the time of our reign, and, as much as possible, have not let any lack appear in us.

4. And at this Imperial Diet there also appeared among us a small number of Princes, Princes and other Estates in their own person, and several of them by their messages, among which, however, some were not drafted with perfect authority and command for the important things that were to be done there: The matters and concerns of Christendom, and especially of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, which are to be settled and compromised at this Diet, are in part created and shaped in such a way that they cannot well be settled or compromised without the personal presence of several imperial estates.

5. According to all this, we have, for the above-mentioned and other more excellent causes and marriages, moved our imperial mind to extend and relocate this Imperial Diet; We also hereby knowingly extend and transfer it, by virtue of our agreement, to our and the Holy Empire's city of Regensburg on the Feast of the Three Kings, in view of the unavoidable burdensome matters and obligations of the Holy Roman Empire, appear on the above-mentioned day in Regensburg in their own persons, and those who may not appear on account of their noticeable and obvious weakness of body and fortune, and then also our and the Holy Roman Empire's freemen and

1) Here we have deleted ",off".

The imperial cities are to send their fully authorized embassies and rulers with a perfect mind, without hindsight, and there they are to discuss and conclude the common matters of the Holy Roman Empire, especially the points and articles that are to be dealt with and implemented at this Imperial Diet, and help to bring them to actual execution, implementation and action.

(6) Thus we are also graciously resolved to come to such an appointed day at Regensburg in our own person, by means of divine grace, and to act and perform, with the advice and assistance of the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire, everything that may be useful and conducive to the settlement and averting of the common grievances of the Holy Roman Empire, and to the planting and handling of peace, tranquility, unity and justice in the Holy Roman Empire.

7. Since we, out of our own gracious fatherly spirit, which we bear to the Holy Empire of the German Nation, desire and seek nothing more than to bring the discord of our holy religion to Christian unity and equal understanding in the future: As Christian Emperor and protector of our holy faith, we, in virtue of our imperial office, and in accordance with our most gracious request, have been graciously inclined and eager to promote the matters of the disputed religion at the present Imperial Diet for Christian union, reformation and settlement; but all the estates are well aware of the marital and important causes for which such settlement may not be effected or obtained at this time. Therefore, and so that we may nevertheless promote, raise and bring about such a necessary settlement with the help of divine grace, we have deemed it useful and good to hold a Christian discussion and colloquium of some pious, God-fearing, learned, good conscience, different, honorable and peace-loving persons, in small numbers, and to have the above-mentioned Imperial Diet proceed.

8 Thus and in such a way that we, as the head, decree one or more presidents, and then, according to our traditional religion, four colloquents and four auditors; likewise, the Estates of the Augsburg Confession also decree so many, namely four colloquents and four auditors, and appoint to us those in between next to the fifteenth day of September.

9. and shall such presidents, colloquents

and Auditores on St. Andrew's Day of the Holy Apostle, the last day of November, at Regensburg, and shall immediately take up the matters and points of the disputed religion with God, and shall also settle as much as possible in a Christian and friendly manner only that which would be in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and serve the Church for good and for the abolition of abuses, and in this shall look solely to the glory of God and true Christian union and reformation of the Churches, and shall not allow anything to err in this, nor prevent it.

10. They shall also give us and the common estates a perfect account of all their discussions, as they will take place between them in all ways, at the future Reichstag, so that we may further compare the articles of the colloquium with the common estates, both compared and uncompared, and consider what action should be taken and what should be done, so that all matters may be brought to friendly, Christian and perfect unity and settlement according to necessity, for which we are graciously inclined to help with all graces and fatherly loyalty.

11. In order that peace, tranquility and unity may be better and more securely preserved in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, we hereby renew and confirm our previously established and proclaimed peace, as well as all and any peace agreements and treaties, as accepted by the estates everywhere, or as we have decreed and established by the authorities until now, We have also seriously enjoined and commanded all and every of our and the Holy Roman Empire's high and low estates and subjects, whatever their dignity or nature, by virtue of this agreement, to keep and enforce it firmly and unbreakably in all its points and articles in all its parts, and not to oppose or complain against each other, all while avoiding the penalties and punishments stipulated and understood therein.

12. And after the common penny was granted at the recent Imperial Diet at Speier, for the performance and execution of the defensive aid against the common enemy of all Christendom, the Turks, and for this reason, by virtue of this Imperial Decree, the measure and order were given as to how the same common penny was to be collected; But for reasons and hindrances that have arisen, this time the matter was not finally discussed, nor was it decided how the reported defension aid should be brought into effect and provided, and for this reason, along with other articles, it was also postponed and postponed to a future Imperial Diet: Accordingly, we have decided with

The following has been agreed upon by the Electors, Princes, Estates and the absentees: that in places and ends where such common pennies have been brought in, the same money shall be kept with each other unaltered and unchanged for a future supply, that no estate shall take hold of it, and that such money shall not be used for any other purpose than that for which it has been granted and decreed, The same shall be confiscated in the most favorable manner, by virtue of the above-mentioned Speierian decree, and shall be kept in safe custody until further decree.

13. And even though we have provided for it, our Imperial Court of Appeal shall have been established and staffed again from this Imperial Diet and at the beginning of the same; but because of all kinds of causes and hindrances this may not happen, nor may it be drawn into the work: So that until the next Imperial Diet the appellants may not lose their fatalia, nor may anyone be violated against the peace of the land or the law, and the outstanding annexes be brought in, we want to continue our Imperial Chamber Judge, together with the assessors whom we have assigned to him and will do so, in their command and administration until such Imperial Diet, when the same Chamber Court is again to be established and filled. We also wish to confirm what they have done in the above-mentioned matters from the first of October until now.

14 And since, in view of the present time and circumstances, nothing may be done at this Imperial Diet in the contentious session, for the sake of status and vote, the Princes, Princes and Estates have, at our gracious request, put their complaints and grievances to rest at this Imperial Diet, for the sake of the contentious session, for the sake of status and vote, and have kept themselves sociable and harmless therein.

15. Accordingly, we want each prince, prelate, count and estate to prepare its complaint and grievance for the next Imperial Diet, and then we will graciously let these estates hear all their complaints, grievances, answers and reports, and then, with the advice of the Electors, Princes, and common estates, we will make a proper, amicable, or final settlement, so that these many estates' complaints may one day be remedied, and so much better will and friendship may be planted among them, the estates.

16 We also want that every prince, prince, prelate, count and estate may have such a session without danger of this Imperial Diet, also estate

and voice, together with the subscription, to its customary use and justice in no way be detrimental, infringing or harmful.

(17) All and any of the foregoing, concerning us, Emperor Carln, we agree and promise to keep steadfastly, firmly and unbreakably, and not to permit anything contrary thereto, in any way. In witness whereof we have hereunto affixed our Imperial Seal.

18. And we Electors, Princes, Prelates, Counts and Lords, also of the absent Electors, Princes, Prelates, Counts and Lords, and of the Holy Empire's free and imperial cities, envoys, embassies and rulers, hereafter named, publicly confess that (outside the article touched upon, reporting from the Colloquio, which the Roman Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord, ordered for himself, and we Estates, related to the old religion, and yet could not give their Majesty either measure or order therein, just as we Estates related to the Augsburg Confession have neither given nor relinquished anything in the recent Speier Imperial Treaty) this Treaty and the peace and peace conditions therein, to the extent previously granted and accepted by the Estates everywhere, have been made and resolved with our good knowledge and will; We also hereby agree to the same, and speak and promise, in right, good, true faithfulness, to keep and endure such a farewell, as much as it concerns or may concern each of his sovereigns or friends, by whom he is sent, or who are at his command, true, steadfast, sincere and unbreakable, and also not to complain to anyone against it, without any danger.

And are these subsequently written, we the Electors etc. etc. etc.

In witness thereof we, the Councillors of Mainz, of our most gracious Lord, the Cardinal and Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg etc., Secret, by his Electoral Grace; and we Friederich, Count Palatine on the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Elector etc., have our seal by his and our fellow Electors Trier, Cologne, Saxony and Brandenburg. We Melchior, elected and confirmed as Bishop of Wuerzburg, on behalf of ourselves and the ecclesiastical princes. I Georg Stockheimer, Doctor of Law, on behalf of my most gracious lord, Duke Wilhelm in Upper and Lower Bavaria etc., and the secular princes. I Gerwig, Abbot of Weingarten, on behalf of myself and other prelates. I Matthias Rasch, the Right D., on behalf of the counts and lords. And we, the mayor and council of the city of Worms, on behalf of ourselves and the

and imperial cities, attach our tariff and insignia to this farewell. Given and done in our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Worms, on the fourth day of the month of August, after the birth of Christ of our dear Lord in the thousand five hundred and five and fortieth year, of our Empire in the sixth and twentieth and of our kingdom in the thirtieth year.

Carolus.

1424 Martin Luther's and the other Wittenberg theologians' special order on the question of whether the Schmalkaldic League should be continued and whether the Swiss should be included in it. 1545.

The original of this objection, together with a copy not containing the objection about the Swiss, is in the archives at Weimar, Reg. II, col. 612-630, uy. 196, int. 8; reprinted in the 6oix>. Itok. vol. V, 720. only the first part in Hortleder, toni. I, lik. 8, oup. 16, p. 1358; also in Pazel's "Melanchthon's Christian Concerns," p. 274, also in Melanchthon's German "theologischen Rathschlägen," printed at Neustadt an der Hardt in 1603. The original seems to be written by Cruciger's hand. Bretschneider considers Bugenhagen or Cruciger to be the author. It is attributed to Melanchthon in the "Gründlichen warhafftigen Historia von der Augspurgischen Confession" etc. Leipzig, Georg Defner, 1584, col. 337. In Seckeudorf's List. Imtü., lid. Ill, 577, there is an extensive description of the contents of the entire document, including the second part, in which the theologians answer in the negative to the question posed to them: whether the Swiss would also like to be admitted to the Schmalkaldic League. Our time determination is according to Seidemann-De Wette, Vol. VI, p. 374. We have inserted the second part, concerning the Swiss, from the 6orx>. kok. Incomplete, according to Walch, also in the Erlangen edition, vol. 65, p. 83.

As far as we understand, and are still at work at present, we hold that these of the sovereigns and princes, and other estates and cities, who have pure Christian doctrine preached, understanding and unity have been good and pleasing to God.

First of all, it is public that God has graciously prevented war and destruction through this unity, and if this resistance had not been stopped, some lesser rulers would undoubtedly have subjected themselves many times to causing greater trouble to their neighbors, princes and cities.

3. on the other hand, it is very likely, if not dse rulers themselves thus held together with Christian kindness, that

even greater disruption in the doctrine would have occurred. For it is true that God made the beginning of this great change in the world, and out of great mercy allowed his teaching to shine again, that in this last time he still gathered a church for him, and taught us right invocation, and at the same time punished the old papal errors, and averted the epicurean nature that had broken into Italy, so that it should not tear into German lands and further: so it is public that, as has always happened, besides the divine gracious doctrine of the devil also "aroused many sacrilegious men, as Münzer, Schappler, Stenck, Balthasar etc., who, under the name of the gospel, have spread great errors, and caused riots and all kinds of trouble. Now, there always remain wicked evil ingenues, and the devil does not let up, he seeks where he can cause disruption; and, if the sovereigns and princes and cities had not held together, these same wicked people would have had more room and freedom. And there is no doubt that if this unity were to be disrupted (God forbid), there would again be a cruel upheaval with various opinions and sects.

Thirdly, the work itself now proves that God is graciously helping this unity, for it is known that a countercovenant has been practiced and made with great wisdom, in which not a few princes have been King Ferdinand, Duke George, Bavaria, Mainz, and Brunswick. Now they are dead in several parts, and the free man, the one from Brunswick, 1) who had posed for a captain, is imprisoned. These are all God's works, and agree with the rule: What is not of God does not stand firm, and soon falls into heaps of itself. Just as the common rule is otherwise: What is good holds together, and what is evil destroys itself. On the other hand, these churches and rulers who honor the holy gospel, even though they have incurred great cost, labor and

1) Seckendorf, nist. Lutk., lib. Ill, p. 577d says: because of the mention of the capture of Duke Henry of Brunswick, this writing could not be set before November 1545. De Wette, vol. V, p. 770 dates it: "end of Novemb. or beginning of Decemb." But Bretschneider and Seidemann put it in March.

1176 Erl. 65, 85 f. Section 5: Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1424 W. XVII, 1474 f. 1177

They are still standing by God's grace, and their authority has not fallen, but has been increased.

(5) These causes move us not to try to break this unity; rather, we ask that the Almighty God give hearty, constant, inseparable unity in the hearts of princes and rulers, as our Savior Christ asked with great earnestness before His Passion that God would give true unity to the teachers and rulers in the Church; which we also ask and desire with all our hearts with Christ our High Priest. For there is no doubt that as soon as the present unity is broken up, new sects and opinions will follow with clusters, which wise Christian rulers should prevent as far as possible. One sees how the Christian church is a stupid, weak corpus that easily falls apart if it is not held together with great wisdom, patience and kindness. This is well to be remembered, and one must not hurry to separation, disunity [and destruction]; we have great fear and sorrow of the future time, for the devil will all too soon seek a hole to tear the princes and rulers, who are now in considerable unity, from one another, one must not show him the way.

6th Now this is said, that we consider it Christian and useful, that these sovereigns and princes, estates and cities, which are now with each other, maintain their unity, as all Christians are obliged to bear costs and work with each other for the common protection of the churches, as it is written 1 John 3:16: "By this is known love, that Christ laid down his life for us, even so we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. All Christians owe this at the same time, insofar as they can save one another. And where covenants are made for such Christian protection, so that help may have an order, such covenants are Christian and pleasing to God.

(7) And if other Christian princes, estates, or cities see that they are benefited by these expenses and labor, they shall do right to them also, and not let these alone work. But it is not uncommon in the world that others work and provide, and

Others have enjoyment of it, without work and worry.

(8) Wisdom is also needed in making and using covenants: namely, that hearts seek God's glory first; item, that they not mix in people who themselves cause disruption and division; item, that one trust in God first and foremost. Thus God punished Judah for clinging to Egypt, and when Judas Maccabeus soon made a covenant with the Romans, his luck ran out. Item, God punished Jehoshaphat because he had joined himself to Achab, 2 Chron. 19. Therefore it is to be considered which people are to be accepted or not.

And the fact that the Swiss ask for it is due to all kinds of worldly reasons that affect the German land and the principality, therefore this should be carefully respected. For the Swiss have learned in Saphoy [Savoy] to seize the principality, and rule hard in Saphoy, and if sovereignty came upon them, they would like to remember further, as all nations have done in unequal alliances, that the stronger have pressed down their own weak allies.

This we leave to the lords themselves, who by God's grace are gifted with high intellect, to signify to themselves.

But it is public that the preachers of Zurich write against our churches, and have some articles that are reprehensible. Now we cannot expect, if we contend on both sides with writings against each other, that the hearts would be inclined to equal protection.

On the other hand, they would understand and need this acceptance as a strengthening and spreading of their opinion.

Thirdly, Switzerland is a wild, impetuous nation, and when it becomes powerful, it will show more audacity and outrage, as indeed Zwingli spoke of many things in an outrageous and pagan manner. Therefore, we are justly concerned about the Swiss community.

Fourthly, we consider that the estates, which are now together, would be separated because of this.

1) What follows here up to the signatures, we have taken from your Oorp. Uet. inserted.

Because Dunemark and the Saxon cities would have no will to get involved with Switzerland. If one should now tear apart this present praiseworthy unity, since God is with, and establish another, uncertain one, that would not be useful.

For this reason, it is our humble concern and advice that Switzerland should not be included in the understanding and covenant that has existed for a long time on account of the Christian religion between princes and other states, but that these lords, rulers and cities should remain together faithfully and unanimously, as they have done until now.

It cannot be without great danger to doctrine and secular regiments, if one accepts such a large, impetuous and wild people, who want their advantage and freedom in all things, do not want to suffer an equal right before these estates, so that in the future all sorts of things would happen that they would grow older than would be convenient for the princes and other estates.

When a great wave of water has swept into a country, it cannot easily be brought back. Thus, after the Hispanics have once been led into Italy, and the Turks into Europe, they cannot be driven back again. Such are old sayings: Ulm will lie in the middle of Switzerland, which, if it were to happen, would greatly weaken the princes, and much and various change in religion and secular government would follow.

Therefore, in this great, important matter, from which eternal change in the highest things wants to follow, there is no need to hurry.

May our Savior Jesus Christ guide the hearts of Christian rulers to good counsel. The world looks as if great, terrible divisions will follow, as Christ says: there will be one people against the other, which wise rulers, as long as it is possible, should endure with faith and patience, as Isaiah says: "In silence and in hope shall be your strength", in silentio et spe erit fortitudo vestra. What God wants to do, He will give urgent cause for.

It can also happen that the emperor of because of Saphoy a war with Switzerland

that this part could have no semblance of helping those against a prince of the empire. '

E. C. F. G.

understated

Martinus Luther, D.

Johannes Bugenhagen, Pommsr., D.

Caspar Creutziger, D.

Georgius Major, D.

Philip Melanthon.

1425: Martin Luther's conversation with Georg Major before the latter left for the colloquium in Regensburg. Mid-January 1546.

This document is found in the Altenburg edition, vol. VIII, p. 502; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXI, p. 688 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 65, p. 86.

Doctor Major was then sent to Regensburg for the colloquium instead of Philippi by Luther's advice and discretion; for D. Lutherus was careful about Philippi's weakness and wrote to the Elector 1) with these words: Because it will be a void and futile colloquium, since there is no hope, Philippi, who is truly ill, should be spared: so D. Major is more than enough for it, even if he could say nothing but no or yes to it. So Schnepfius and Brentius are also there, who let them take nothing etc.

But since D. Major wanted to leave for Regensburg, he first came to D. Luthero to bless him. Luthero to bless him, and found these words written in D. Lutheri's hand in the entrance to his study: That is, our professors are to be examined by the Lord's Supper. For this reason he began to say: "Venerable Father, what do these words mean? The great doctor answered him: What you read, and what they say, that is the opinion, and when you return home, and I too.

1) In the letter of January 9, 1546, in De Wette, vol. V, p. 774. Walch, vol. XXI, 504.

an examination will have to be set up, for which you should be required just as much as others. But when D. Major wanted to rid himself of the suspicion with great prayer and clear confession, he finally received the answer: You make yourselves suspicious by silence and cover-ups; but if you believe as you speak before me, speak this also in the church, in lectionibus, concionibus et privatis colloquiis, and strengthen your brethren, and help the erring back to the right way, and contradict the wanton spirits, otherwise your confession is only a larvae work, and of no avail. He who holds his doctrine, faith and confession to be true, right and certain cannot stand in the same stall with others who hold false doctrine or are devoted to it, nor can he ever give good words to the devil and his scales. A teacher who is silent about error, and yet wants to be a true teacher, is worse than a public fanatic, and with his hypocrisy does more harm than a heretic, and is not to be trusted; he is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a belly servant etc., and may despise and hand over doctrine, word, faith, sacrament, churches and schools; he is either secretly in cahoots with the enemies, or is a doubter and wind-farer, and wants to see where it will end, whether Christ or the devil will prevail; or is entirely uncertain of himself, and not worthy to be called a disciple, let alone a teacher, and does not want to anger anyone, nor to speak Christ's word, nor to hurt the devil and the world etc. D. Major considered this, thought about it, and faithfully promised to follow it, and thus blessed Luther; he also often recounted such serious speech, which the great man of God did to him.

1426 Content of the speech of Petrus Malvenda, with which he opened the Regensburg Colloquium on February 5, 1546.

This speech is found in the "Bericht von dem Colloquio, so in dem 1546. Jahr zu Regenspurg der Religion halben gehalten", which Georg Major had printed in 1546 in 4. at Wittenberg. From it in Hortleder's "Von den Ursachen des deutschen Krieges," tona. I, lid. I, eax. 40, x. 366.

1. that they, the Catholic Collocutores, have been appointed by Imperial Majesty. Majest. to this Colloquio, thanked God that in such discord and disunity of religion, by which Germany has now been miserably plagued for thirty years, he gave this Emperor, who would be more holy and inclined to peace than one could wish for an Emperor, who would always use all possible diligence, so that such discord and disunity would be settled, and the noble German people would live in good peace and unity, as so many imperial diets and colloquia held so far, as well as this one, which should now be established and started in Christ, testify.

2. that they also thanked Imperial Majesty, their most gracious lord. Majesty, their most gracious lord, not only for the benefit now told, but also most humbly thanked him for appointing these two gentlemen as presidents, and they took this matter upon themselves, and promoted and governed it with such high diligence, in which effort and work, as they had begun to continue, they would have humbly asked.

3 As far as their person is concerned, one would have sensed in many other things before, and would continue to sense in the progress of this work how Christian and faithful they meant the cause of religion.

4 They could also say this by God and with a good conscience that they did not come to this action with a hateful mind: They could also say by God and with a good conscience that they did not come to this action with a hateful mind, but that they desired nothing more than that the German people, which Christ our Lord redeemed with His precious blood, should again be brought to peace and harmony in the Christian religion.

. 5 It would also be their wish and heartfelt desire, as we see them before our eyes, that we might also see their hearts, minds and thoughts: then we would learn what a heartfelt and ardent desire they had that common and catholic unity and harmony might be established.

6. But they wanted to have conditioned and attested to two things at the beginning: First, that they would neither say nor defend anything in this colloquy that would be contrary to the holy Scriptures, the apostles' tradition, and the Catholic Church's decrees and statutes; and in case, out of human weakness and imprudence, they would say something contrary to the same, they would revoke the same now at the beginning, and consider it not spoken by them, and subject it to the knowledge of the holy Church, and humbly ask for it from this time on.

(7) The other thing they protested about was what was done here in the articles of settlement or movement, which was to be understood and accepted, not that they wanted to hand over, accept, or decide anything, but only as if they had discussed and talked about it in a friendly conversation, and thus reserved the knowledge and discussion of all these matters to the Imperial Majesty and the Estates of the Empire.

1427 The nine theses drawn up and handed over by Malvenda, on which the colloquium was to be held, with D. Georg Major's rebuttal.

This document is taken from Major's report on the Regensburg Colloquium in Hortteder I. e., p. 367. The theses are found in Latin in the tat. Wittenberg edition (1551), toenn. II, toi. 501 and in Alslnnetwllonis opsra, torn. IV, col, 542, in both places 38 counter-theses of Melanchthon are set against them. The Latin theses alone are brought by Seckendorf, nist. I^utü., lid. Ill, p. 624. The German translation of the theses is by Georg Major.

When a sinner is justified, his sin is forgiven through Christ the Mediator, and grace is poured into him, and this happens by the grace of God alone, without our merit.

This proposition seems to agree with the true doctrine preached in our churches, and are words taken from Augustine; but the Sophists' understanding is far from the truth, and first of all this error is in that they do not say how man's conscience accepts forgiveness, but speak of a work of God in man, as if they were speaking of John Baptist, since in him, in his mother's body, a new miraculous work occurred, and speak nothing at all of faith, which is a trust in Christ. They do not speak at all of the faith that is a trust in Christ, but, as is clearly stated afterwards, they expressly and publicly reject the same faith. But they call "grace" ingiven love, and think that man is pleasant because of such love. From this it can be seen that their understanding does not agree with the right teaching.

To this justification also belongs, in the ancients, the free will, which is moved by the grace that is given beforehand, and also works with it.

In this other proposition their mind is also different from ours. For they want to make merit, namely, that man earns forgiveness of sins by the work of free will, and reject "certainty" from the Mediator Christ, saying that one should doubt and not trust in Christ, but that free will should prepare itself diligently with works, and yet remain uncertain that God will know when it is enough.

This is vain blind law teaching and Pharisaic holiness, against faith.

What else they praise about free will, that it can do enough for the divine law, will be said later.

But that in the conversion of man there should be repentance and terror, and on the other hand heartfelt faith and trust in the Son of God: these are works,-which the Holy Spirit initiates in the heart through the sermon, and the will of man is also involved. This is not in dispute.

The faith by which we believe the Gospel history, and that God the Father sent us His Son as a propitiation for our sin, and that we have forgiveness of sins through His blood, is necessary in the justification of the ancients.

There you hear what faith Malvenda and his clergy and monks have, namely the faith of the gospel histories, that God has sent a far son etc., which faith also the devils have, as Jacobus says, and yet they will not be saved. But we teach that faith is not only a knowledge of the histories, that you believe it to be true, all that the prophets and apostles write about Christ, but we teach that it is also a certain, constant and living trust in the grace and mercy of God for the sake of Jesus Christ, that I believe that God the Father has sent JEsum Christ His Son to me as my propitiation, and that by His blood and merit alone, not by my works or merit, I have forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and such faith is

I have built on Christ alone, the precious cornerstone, and not on my own merit; for even if I should rely on the works that the Holy Spirit works in me, though they are still stained with sins and weakness and imperfect, such trust and building on the sand will not last long, but I will soon fall into despair in the time of temptation.

For it is certain that God, not for my merit, but out of grace and mercy, for the sake of the Lord Christ, will blot out sin and give eternal life, as God says Isa. 43: "Yea, thou hast labored with me in thy sins, and hast troubled me in thy iniquities. I, I (as if he meant to say, not you) blot out your transgression for my sake (not for the sake of your holiness, work or merit), and remember not your sin." Malvenda and his priests and monks do not know what faith is, and do not admit that it is a confidence of God's mercy, that He does not impute sin and gives eternal life for the sake of the only Mediator Jesus Christ.

For although they state in this proposition that we have forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ, they do not understand this to mean that faith alone should rely on the blood and merit of Christ, but that man should also rely in part on his works, as hope and love, and call faith not a confidence in the mercy of God, but a knowledge of history, and such a virtue, with which hope and love also stand, through which faith is alive, strong and active, and thus their trust stands partly on Christ, partly on their works, hope and love, as they have declared in the Colloquio; their following proposition also indicates this, since they speak thus:

However, such faith alone is not enough for the justification of man, but hope and love are also necessary, and such repentance, which is followed by love.

Malvenda together with his monks and priests and the whole papacy are full of ghastly errors, because they do not know what dre justificatio, justification, what faith, grace and righteousness is and is called in the holy scriptures; they only follow their school art and sophi-

They want to adorn their errors with the Holy Fathers' Scriptures, which they often do not understand and often draw on their opinion by the hair, so that if the fathers, whose Scriptures they use and falsify, were still alive, they would cry murder on such falsifiers. But I will indicate hereafter what they, and also what we justificationem, call faith, grace and justice.

In this proposition you see clearly that they do not understand faith [as] the confidence of God's mercy through Christ JEsum, but when they call faith, or hear, they understand the knowledge of the history of Christ JEsu, in whom also is hope and love, by which one may be saved. So they are all confused with one another, and do not know what they are playing at. But we, when we call or hear the word "faith", do not look at love or hope, or some virtue in us, but look at and understand Christ, the Lamb of God, who bears and pays for the sin of the world, and has purchased for us grace and mercy, forgiveness of sins and blessedness with God the Father, and thus do not rely on some work in us, but only on the mercy of God, which was purchased for us through Christ.

We also know, and very well, and teach it also, and shall teach it also, that in repentance is necessary knowledge of sins, faith, hope, love, and other Christian virtues; but we say, together with the prophets and apostles, that not by such repentance and its following virtue, but for Christ's sake alone, by grace and mercy, sin is remitted and eternal life is given to us; Therefore we also teach that faith alone justifies, not that we want to exclude Christian virtue, but only the merit of forgiveness of sins and salvation from such virtues. You should hope, love, live chastely, live modestly and have all kinds of virtue, this is what God wants from you; but you should also know that God does not want to forgive your sins and make you blessed for the sake of such virtue and your repentance, but only for the sake of Christ Jesus, whom He has made a propitiation for you and all of us.

If there has been a man on earth, Christ alone, and perhaps Mary also excepted, who repented greatly of sin, who also suffered an austere life, much heartache, weeping and wailing, misery and sorrow, it has been Adam; who, after he had repented of

had he not been strengthened and preserved by the promise given to him by his wife's seed, he would undoubtedly have died because of such affliction.

When his sons murdered one another, he saw that this heartache had been brought into the world by him; he wept and wept, and abstained from his wife for 130 years. As if he should say, "If it is to be so, I will not beget any more children"; and perhaps he would not have begotten any more children if he had not been urged to do so by the commandment of God, "Grow and multiply". He led such a strict life, as no man on earth, that all monks and hermits' lives are nothing but fool's work and monkey play compared to this our first father: Drinks only water, eats neither fish nor flesh all his life, but only the fruits of the earth; lies under heaven on the bare earth, is covered only with goatskin, suffers cold and heat, snow, rain, thunderstorms; does great work, fasts, prays, watches; leads this austere life 930 years in the desert among the unreasonable animals and with his children; is adorned with great hope, love, patience and all kinds of glorious virtues. Oh, what a long time he has had to suffer, and how great and manifold snakebites, great spiritual trials! However, the hope and trust of this excellent, high and holy man is not based on such a hard and severe life, which he had to spend miserably for many hundred years, nor on the high virtues with which God gifted and adorned him, but he comforts and rejoices in his whole life only in the seed of the woman, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, that through Him he has reconciliation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Thus have all the saints of God done, relying on Christ JEsum alone, and on none their hope nor love, as our wretched priests and monks and papists do.

Since St. Bernard, a great, pious, holy man, who also led a very strict life, is now to die, he speaks and confesses thus: "Oh my God, you find nothing good in me, which you should reward me for! I have spent my life in vain, then led a sinful life, and I cannot now atone for nor pay for this. But I take comfort in the fact that you, God, will not despise a troubled and broken heart. Behold, St. Bernard has a different faith than our monks and priests, namely such a faith, which does not rely on the hopes of the people.

The Pope did not rely on the virtues of love and charity and other virtues that St. Bernard had, but only on the mercy of God. There would be much to write about this, but it is too much in this report, and has been abundantly described by others, if it should help with the papists. But it is as the 58th Psalm, v. 5 f., speaks of these people: "Their raging is like the raging of a serpent, like a deaf adder that plugs its ear, so that it does not hear the voice of the sorcerer, the conjurer, who is able to conjure.

In short, they persist, as the hardened ones, in what is their proposition, that we have forgiveness of sins not only through faith, that is, out of the mercy of God for the sake of Jesus Christ, but also through our hope and love and other good works. This is their doctrine, which they defend with sword, fire and murder, as devil's limbs, as you see now.

Against this St. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 1, 9: "Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ before the world began. Rom. 3, 28: "Therefore we hold that a man is justified without works of the law, but by faith alone." Titus 3:5: "Not for works of righteousness which we did, but according to his mercy he saved us."

When such clear and bright sayings are put before the eyes of the priests and monks, they smear such slobber and snot over them (to speak with breeders), that one is disgusted and grayed by it. However, there are some donkeys who consider all this to be nothing but sugar and honey; but as the cattle are (as he said), so is the stable. Disputire and colloquy with them now, whoever has a mind to do so, I have had enough, for all is in vain, and there is nothing more burdensome in such colloquies, than that one has to hear horrible falsification of the divine Scripture and blasphemy. If you don't believe it, try it and find out.

The works of repentance, which are necessary for the justification of an old man, do not deserve justification.

The sophists do not use the speech and language of the holy scriptures, but use a red-white language, which they invented themselves out of all barbarism, and which they themselves do not always understand, and which they use with diligence.

1188Section 5 Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1427. w. xvn. use-E. 1189

so that they are not to be understood, and they may interpret and direct their speech as they wish, therefore to speak evil to such people. It is an old saying: Veritatis oratio simplex, what is true is easy, right and understandable, what is false is dark and requires much mending and covering.

In the next proposition they say that faith is not enough for the justification of men, but that hope and love are also necessary. But here they say that such works do not merit justification, thus mixing one thing with another and not knowing what they are saying; therefore there is nothing consistent in their teaching.

Although it is certain that all sins that have ever been forsaken, or will ever be forsaken, are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement, yet if anyone firmly and certainly believes that his sins are forgiven, and does not consider his weakness and infirmity, he follows his own presumptuous thoughts rather than the Scriptures.

There you see what a beautiful, comforting doctrine the pope and the sophists lead in their church; for here you hear that they confess that all sins are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement, and yet they say that no one can certainly believe, nor should believe, that remote sins are forgiven him by that same blood. I am to believe that sins are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement, but I am by no means to believe that they are forgiven, but I am to stand in eternal doubt as to whether my sins are forgiven or not. For since I am still weak and frail, it would be great presumption for me to believe that my sins are forgiven; and the blasphemers contend that this is not founded in the Holy Scriptures, that a man may be sure of the forgiveness of his sins.

Now behold and consider what a frightening and horrible doctrine the Pope and his followers teach, that no man can have constant comfort from it, and that he should always be in doubt about the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins throughout his life until death, and they consider such doubt to be a special virtue, and call it the fear of God, and allegorize the saying Proverbs 28:14: "Beatus homo semper est pavidus, qui vero mentis est durae, corruet in malum. 28,14: Beatus homo, qui semper est pavidus, qui vero mentis est durae, corruet in malum, "Wohl

to him who fears all things, but he who is stiff-necked will fall into calamity."

There you will hear their grammatica and art, that "to fear" means to doubt His mercy and forgiveness of sins. When you have done all that you can, the pope then teaches you that you should doubt the forgiveness of your sins, and not know whether God is gracious or ungracious to you, that is, you should go to the devil with such doubt, with the pope and all his people into the abyss of hell.

This teaching of the pope that one should doubt the forgiveness of sins is not the pope's, but the devil's own affliction, and it is contrary to the holy scripture and God's promise. There would be much to write about this, if it would not be too long in this report, which is supposed to be short.

If there were no other abomination or error in the papacy than this alone, it would be reason enough why everyone should flee and avoid the papacy as the devil himself.

Tell me here, you Pabst, why does God the Lord give the promise of His Son Adam to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all their descendants, that in Abraham's seed all nations on earth shall be blessed? Is it not because of this that Abraham, you and I, and all the people of the earth should certainly believe that through Jesus Christ, Abraham's seed, we have the blessing of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, as promised here, and subsequently fulfilled through the death and resurrection of the Lord Christ, and extended through the preaching of the gospel? God the Lord takes a great, heavy oath by Himself, when He swears Ezek. 33:11, "As surely as I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way of being, and live."

This is a great oath and a great promise, which God has given to me and to you, who are sadly ungodly, for our comfort and blessedness: that as truly as God lives (which is certain and not doubtful), I should certainly know and believe, as I am commanded here and in the first commandment, that I have such a God, who has no pleasure in my death or in yours, or in the death of any sinner, but that I, you, turn from our nature and live. And that he has no pleasure in my death or in yours, that is, that he will forgive us our sins and make us blessed; this God confesses and confesses by a great oath, sworn by himself, that I may believe it certainly and firmly.

But what do the pope and his followers say and admit? They say, as you hear here in this proposition, that you should not believe this for certain, but doubt it. Well, that God may punish you, you blasphemer! If I am not to believe God, who swears so dear to me, and who is truth itself and trusts no one, whom am I to believe? Yes, perhaps you and your father, who from the beginning is and remains a father of lies and a murderer.

There you see what a blasphemy the Pabst's teaching is, which God wants to make a liar, and admit that I should not certainly believe what God swears and promises me. If only it were not a miracle that the earth would rise up and the papacy together with all its people would be swallowed alive in the abyss of hell! Still one wants to force Germany with sword and war to leave the right doctrine of God and to accept the doctrine of the pope and the devil again.

Christ, who sitteth in the bosom of the Father, and knoweth the will of the Father concerning me and thee, saith thus, This is the will of the Father which hath sent me, that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have everlasting life. Then you and I hear that if I and you believe in Jesus Christ, we will certainly have eternal life. This is what Christ, the Son of God, the eternal truth, says, sealing such a promise by His own death and blood, and confirming it by His resurrection and ascension.

But what does the pope and his collocutoribus say? These, as you have heard, say that you should believe that sins are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement, but you should not believe that they are also forgiven by such blood, for such would be great presumption, and that you should not do so because of your weakness and infirmity; but Christ says, "He who believes in me," be he who he will, "has eternal life."

You may believe whom you will; I will believe Christ, who will not deceive me nor tempt me, I am sure of it.

Tell me, why does God give us such a promise? Is it not so that I and you may accept it by faith, and believe Him to be a faithful and true God, who can and will give all that He promises and promises to us? If I am still to doubt His promises and assurances, as these Collocutores teach me, what else do I do but not believe God to be true?

but for a liar, who is not to be trusted nor believed?

Yes, they say, so certainly to believe the forgiveness of sins, that is presumption. To this I say that [it] would be true if I were to believe forgiveness of sins without God's word and promise, or because of my merits, as they do. Word and promise, or because of my merits, as they do, that I would believe that I have forgiveness of sins. That would be presumptuous. But since God's word and promise are before my eyes, and since I am commanded by the first commandment, in case of the loss of my soul's salvation, that I should believe God, my Lord, in what he says and promises to me, it should not be called presumptuousness, but rather a guilty service and obedience to God, that I consider him to be a faithful and true God in his word and promise.

Yes, they say further: "There is still much great weakness and frailty in all of us, half of which no one can be certain of the forgiveness of his sins. It is said that weakness and infirmity notwithstanding, God's word and promise should and must remain true and constant, and that God should not become a liar through my weakness, as St. Paul says in Romans 3:3 ff: "If some do not believe what God has said, what is the point? Shall their unbelief nullify God's faith? Far be it from them! Let it rather remain that God is true, and all men false, as it is written, That thou mayest be just in thy words, and overcome when thou art judged." I know, alas, that great weakness and frailty are still in me, and I weep over them daily; but because of my weakness I will not despair nor doubt, for for this very reason God the Lord gives me such a promise of His grace and mercy that I will not despair like Saul or Judas, and my frailty shall not cause me to forsake the promise of God's grace because of it.

And even though fear and terror remain in Christian hearts for ever, because of their own uncleanness, you should nevertheless take hold of the promise and overcome the terror, and not fall away from the promise because of your own unworthiness; for, as it is said, we are not worthy, but needy; but see to it that I and you do this, that we recognize our weakness and sin, weep for it, and complain to God our Lord, repent and amend ourselves; then, as He promised us in His promise, and as He bound Himself against us by His own oath, and afterwards by the sending of His Son against us, that we may believe and be saved.

that His will is not that we should die and perish, but live and be saved, as Christ also says in John 3:16: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

This is the first reason why one should not doubt, but be certain of grace and forgiveness of sins, and firmly believe the same, namely, the promise of God, who has promised us that He will not impute our sin to us for the sake of His Son. For if I doubted such a promise of God, I would want to make God the Lord a liar, as these Collocutores and their priest do. God protect me for that! Therefore, you see that these are all blasphemers who teach that I should doubt God's gracious will toward me, when He has revealed His will to me through His Son, through His dear prophets and apostles.

The other reason why I should not doubt is Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was sent to me and to the world. For it is certain that this Lord was not sent into this horrible torture and torment and into the death of the cross in vain, but that this happened for this reason, as St. Paul says in Gal. 3:13 and 4:5, "so that he might redeem those who were under the law, and we might receive the adoption. Item: "Christ became a curse for us because he redeemed us from the curse of the law.

If then I should not believe assuredly and firmly that I am under grace, and no longer under the curse of the law; that I am a child, heir of God, and joint heir with the Lord Christ, then Christ died in vain, and all the benefits of the Lord Christ are in vain, and of no use to me. For this reason Christ, according to the promises made before to the fathers and according to the prophecies of the prophets, was sent by God into the world, suffered, died and rose from the dead, so that everyone might be sure that through him atonement had been made, and, as Paul says to Colossians, all sin had been forgiven us, and the handwriting that was against us had been blotted out, and righteousness and eternal life had been given to us through him, as he says in Romans 4:25. 4:25: "Christ was given for our sakes, and for our righteousness He was raised."

Therefore, it is not Christians but devils who teach people to doubt the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins, as the devil is in such doubt. For

For this reason we are Christians, and for this reason we are also called Christians, because we know and believe that we have a gracious Father in God through our Lord Christ, who will not reject us, but will hear our prayer, protect us and make us blessed.

The third reason why I should not doubt, but know for certain that I am a child of God, is the ministry of preaching the divine word and the administration of the sacraments. For it is certain that the preaching of the Gospel must not be commanded and instituted by God in vain; such an office must have a special power and effect, as St. Paul gloriously praises it when he says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God that makes blessed all who believe in it" [Rom. 1, 16].

For it is certain that the church, the congregation of God, is not given and commanded to maintain the ministry of preaching because people should remain in constant and eternal doubt about the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins all their lives; for such doubt is, unfortunately! and one of the greatest and most grievous parts of the corruption of our nature and original sin; therefore, it is not necessary to teach people to doubt God's grace and will against us, since we ourselves do this, unfortunately, by ' nature, but God has therefore instituted the ministry of preaching, so that He may thereby help the corrupt nature, and control and ward off such doubt.

For God the Lord sees that the consciences who recognize their sins and are terrified of His wrath either doubt His grace and goodness, or fall into horrible contempt of God, or completely into despair, like Cain, Saul and Judas. So that this does not happen, he calls people to repentance through the gospel, and at the same time promises and gives them forgiveness of sins for the sake of Jesus Christ his Son.

Above this he gives them the sacraments and the Holy Spirit, as certain tokens of his goodness and grace toward them, for the further assurance and strengthening of their faith, so that through the voice and preaching of the gospel, as a letter, and through the sacraments and the Holy Spirit, as seals of his grace, they may be abundantly and superfluously assured of the forgiveness of sins and blessedness.

Where no one can be sure of the grace of God, of the forgiveness of sins and of salvation, as the Collocutores teach us, the preaching of the Gospel is completely in vain, and the sacraments are not worthwhile.

mente nothing but futile spectacula. Confession and absolution are also in vain. For thou hearest that thou shalt doubt it, when Christ himself saith in many instances, Whose sins ye shall touch, they are touched unto them; and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained." Item: "Woman, your faith has made you blessed."

For this distinctio of theirs, quod saqramenta, quoad autoritatem et virtutem Dei operantis in illis, certum effectum gratiae operantur; sed quoad suscipientem, incertum operantur, that is, the sacraments, because God is powerful through them, work certain grace; but he who receives the sacraments cannot be sure of such grace: This is pure sophistry and the devil's doctrine, who has tried to introduce his doubt into the church against the doctrine of faith. For the sacraments were instituted not only to work grace in general, in the church, but also so that everyone who receives them may be sure of God's grace, which is promised and given to him through the sacrament, just as the words of the institution of baptism read: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved. If then I believe and am baptized, I am to be sure that I have salvation through Christ JEsum; for thus says Paul Gal. 3, 26. f.: "Ye are all the children of God through faith in Christ JEsu, for as many of you as were baptized have put on Christ."

They teach that baptism works grace, but I should not be sure whether it also works grace and forgiveness of sins in me: what use is baptism to me if I am not to know that my sins are washed away by it? The chamberlain of the queen of Moorland is not baptized by Philip because he believes that through baptism sins are forgiven for Christ's sake and people are accepted by God in grace, but because he believes that through such baptism his sins are washed away and he himself is accepted by God in grace.

Lastly, in this proposition they say that it is not written in the Scriptures that you may have forgiveness of sins through your constant and firm faith in Christ.

Oh, dear Lord God, poor, miserable, stubborn and blinded people they are, and yet they want to be the leaders and teachers of Christianity; they do not know what Christ, faith and righteousness, fear or love, this or that is. They may thank their sophistical teachers, who read them alone and not the holy scriptures themselves.

Tell me, what do all the Scriptures teach other than the teaching of the law, but that you

and I and all others who believe these things have forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ our mediator? and that through faith we receive the Holy Spirit, who does not leave us in doubt, as the papists teach their people, but makes us certain that we have forgiveness of sins and "eternal life" through Jesus Christ by grace, without our merit.

And that this is the summa, and the main doctrine of all holy Scripture: hear, then, not what I say, but what the holy apostle Peter says, who speaks Apost. 10, 43. Thus, "Of this man all the prophets testify, that through his name all who believe in him shall receive forgiveness of sins." There you have the testimony of all prophets in one heap, that you have forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Nor are these shameful Parisian and Löwian sophists so impudent that they may say that this doctrine is not founded in the Holy Scriptures.

Now there is no need for the testimony of the holy Scriptures, because all the prophets testify to this, and the voice and teaching of the holy apostles agree with the Scriptures of the prophets. However, I will show only one or two sayings more here.

So St. Paul says Rom. 8, 1: "There is therefore nothing condemnable in them which are in Christ JEsu, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Item: "Whoever does not have Christ's Spirit is not His."

Item: "Whom the Spirit of God impels are the children of God, for you have not received a servant spirit, so that you should fear again, but you have received a childlike spirit, through which we cry, Abba, dear Father, this same spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are the children of God. If we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Gal. 3:26: "Ye are all the children of God through faith in JESUS CHRIST."

Then hear what clear and bright sayings all Scripture is full of, all of which indicate that righteousness, forgiveness of sins, and salvation come through faith in Jesus Christ, and that we should be certain of these glorious things and by no means doubt them, for nothing is so contrary to faith as to doubt.

In this proposition, however, there is still a special poison, which the unintelligent also need to indicate; namely, that they teach that all sins that have ever been or will ever be forsaken are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement.

will be. And yet they teach afterwards that no one should be certain of his forgiveness of sins, 1) for that would be presumption, and would mean not fearing God, as they say.

There you hear what their doctrine of forgiveness of sin is. I am to believe that in general, in the common, sins are forgiven through Christ; but I am not to know whether they are also certainly forgiven to me; this is the faith of the pabst and these collocutors.

But what kind of faith is this? Tell me! Does not the devil also believe that sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Yes, of course he believes it, that is why he rages and rages so fiercely against this faith. But he does not believe that he, the devil, will be forgiven his sins for the sake of Christ; he cannot and will not believe that. Therefore you see that there is no difference at all between the faith of the priest and the faith of the devil.

The angel says: "The Savior is born to you today, who is Christ the Lord. If then I do not believe that Christ was born to Me, the Son of God, for my righteousness and salvation, and that I had to suffer and die for my sin, so that I may be assured of my salvation through His death and resurrection, then Christ is of no use to me. For St. Bernard also says in sermone de Annunciatione Mariae: If you believe that your sins cannot be blotted out except by Him against whom alone you have sinned, you do right. But it is also necessary that he also forgive your sins, for this is the testimony that the Holy Spirit gives us in our hearts that your sins are forgiven. And this is the opinion of St. Paul when he says: "We hold that a man is justified by grace through faith.

Now you see what the Papists and Sophists teach about the forgiveness of sins, that you should believe that all sins that have ever been forgiven or will ever be forgiven are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement; but you should not believe with certainty that your sins are also forgiven by such blood of the Mediator, but stand in eternal doubt until your end. What kind of doctrine and religion this is, I consider, that (praise God!) our Germans, who have now heard and learned the Gospel, should be able to judge and judge, that thus through the Pope's doctrine the promise of God of His grace, mercy and forgiveness of sins, the doctrine of the Gospel, the right use of the sacraments,

1) "Certainly" put by Us instead of: "uncertain".

the gift of the Holy Spirit is annulled completely purely, and people are led into eternal doubt, that is, into the abyss of hell to the devil.

For we ever (praise be to God!), as heard above, know that the promises of God, the preaching of the Gospel, the sacraments, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are given to us by God for this reason, so that we may not believe in forgiveness of sins in general and in common, but that I also, and you, and each one in particular, may be sure of his own forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and blessedness, as God lives in heaven, and that all this is thus commanded and appointed by God for the assurance and strength of this faith.

Therefore, no human tongue can say what a blasphemous and damning doctrine the pope and the sophists have taught, which is in direct conflict with God's word and command, and is nothing but a pit of soul murderers, which has led so many countless souls miserably into the abyss of hell that all creatures should lament over it and cry murder over such horrible soul murderers, as they will cry and lament on the last day; yes, as St. Paul says in Rom. Paul Rom. 8, 22, they are already struggling and struggling over it, so that it will be too difficult for the pope and his people.

For he who follows the teaching of the Pabst, as you have heard, because he should doubt and not be sure of the forgiveness of his sins, as they teach, he can have no lasting comfort, let him do what he will. For even if he gives all he has for the sake of God, even if he fasts himself to death or beats himself to death with rods and scourges, as the Hispanics do, he should and must still doubt. If he hears that sins are forgiven by the blood of the Atonement, he should not be sure, but doubt whether his sins will be forgiven.

This can be a doctrine and life for me, which the papists and sophists lead, which goes along in eternal doubt, like the devil's life! Still they want to deny the right pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from which we have constant and certain consolation of our souls' bliss, and to force and enforce the acceptance of this devilish and soul-murdering doctrine on the country and the people by force, war and murder.

Therefore, see and consider diligently what is to be done in this matter. The teachings are both clearly before your eyes, so that, if you wish, by God's grace you can judge and evaluate them well. If you want to do what you owe to God and what is useful for your soul's salvation, you can do that. But if you want to

If you also despise divine truth and follow the devil's teachings, that is also up to you. Now choose whichever one you like, and you will find and understand everything in its time. I have reminded you of this. Now follows the seventh proposition.

The person whose sins are forgiven can, by the help of God's grace, keep and fulfill God's commandments in such a way that he can give and do to God and his neighbor what he owes. Because he does this, he not only does not sin, but is righteous with God and fulfills the law, and such people are truly righteous with God and fulfill the law. For they have grace, which completely cancels sin and gives them the power to keep and fulfill the law, not only so that the sins that remain after they have received righteousness are not imputed to them, but also so that the righteousness, which was not done by them but by Christ, is imputed to them through Christ.

Behold, thou hast a beautiful sophistical and pontifical doctrine of the fulfillment of the law, which, however, leads thee from Christ to thy work and merit, that is, into doubt and into the abyss of hell. But let us take this proposition before us, and explain it a little bit by bit, so that everyone may see what kind of a doctrine it is, which they lead from the fulfillment of the law.

First, they say that a person who has been forgiven of his sins can, by the help of God's grace, keep and fulfill God's commandments so that he can give and do to God and his neighbor what he owes. This is the first part of this proposition.

Then I must ask the collocutores where or who the man is who can do such a thing? For I would like to see him with all my heart. But I find no one, and these Collocutores themselves have said in the next proposition: that sins are forgiven through the blood of the Atonement, but that no one should certainly believe that his sins are forgiven. Because in this Collocutore and the Pope's church, according to their doctrine, there is no one who can certainly say and believe that his sins are forgiven.

For such faith they forbid, they themselves do not know who the sins are forgiven; so they will also not be able to point out to me the man of whom they impudently spout here, who can perfectly keep the commandments of God. God's commandments perfectly and fulfill. For they have no such man in their church, who should be sure that his sins are forgiven, because they do not suffer such a man in their church. It must also follow that they have no one who keeps the law perfectly.

For thus they speak: The man whose sins are forgiven can fulfill the law. Yes, where is the man in your church who can say with certainty that his sins are forgiven? Do you forbid such things and do not want to suffer them, and teach people that they should doubt the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins. Forasmuch then as ye have no such man among you, nor will ye suffer any such to be forgiven of sins, neither have ye the man that fulfilleth the law.

Yes, they say, we will let God judge who has forgiveness of sin and fulfills the law; of this we can say nothing for certain. Your Father thanks you for that! Behold, such are the teachers of Christendom, who teach to the wind of the forgiveness of sins and the fulfillment of the law, and so leave the people in doubt and in an uncertain mind and delusion; that is, they neither teach nor comfort the consciences, but rather deceive and mislead them.

They teach you that you should not be certain of the forgiveness of your sins, for this would be presumption, and yet they subsequently say that he who has been forgiven of his sins can fulfill the law. But they do not tell thee that thou canst keep the law; for therein lies the knot, I and thou wishing to know whether I could perfectly keep the law, and thereby stand before God's judgment, that is my heartache and secret sorrow; but as they teach me that I should not certainly believe that my sins are forgiven me, so also they teach me that I cannot be certain whether I fulfill the law of God or not. What good is such teaching to me? It only makes me more mistaken and distressed, and finally brings me to despair. However, they assume that there is someone (perhaps in the land of the sleeping monkeys or in Calicut) whose sins are forgiven, who also fulfills the law. What does that help me? What matters to me is whether I know for sure whether my sins are forgiven, whether I can fulfill the law;

tell me! There they speak: No man can and shall know this for certain. Behold, thou hast the doctrine of the pope and of these collocutors; thou hearest plainly from themselves that no man in their church shall be assured of the remission of sins; so also it follows that there is none among them that fulfilleth the law: neither do they say that there is one, but they know not where nor who he is.

Tell me, what is this teaching? They are blind and blind guides, so whoever follows them falls with them into the abyss of hell. Well, we see that now is the time, of which St. Paul prophesies, 2 Thess. 2, 11. s.: "Therefore God will send them strong errors, that they may believe the lie, that all may be judged who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness. Now the rulers want to defend such horrible errors with all their power and violence, and force the people to accept them with war and blood. But let the devil accept them along with them; we, with God's help, do not want to accept them; it is up to us how God wills it.

For other people than we are have to suffer and die because of this teaching than the holy prophets, Christ, the Son of God Himself, and the apostles, and countless martyrs. But no one should make himself a party to this blasphemous doctrine, so that he would help to protect and handle it, but would go to the devil together with them.

Well, we have heard that these collocutores and their idol, the pope, have no man in their church who could or should certainly have the forgiveness of sins, and that from this it also follows that, even against their own propositions, they have no one who fulfills the law.

But in case, and thus to put it, that there was one among them who would certainly have forgiveness of sins, which they deny and do not allow, as then (praise be to God!) we in our, the Catholic and true Christian Church, know as certainly that we have forgiveness of sins by grace for the sake of our Lord Christ, as God lives: nor is this a false and deceptive doctrine, that they say: such a man, whose sins are forgiven, can by the help of God's grace thus keep and fulfill God's commandments, so that he can give and do to God and his neighbor what he owes.

The reason is that the law requires not only outward works, but also inward purity of heart and complete, perfect obedience, since the Pabst. Hypocrites and Pharisees

The law speaks only of the outward works of the law. For thus it says: "You shall love God your Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself. There you hear what God wants from you, not only the outward obedience of works, but that you should cling to Him alone with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength, comfort yourself in Him alone, have your confidence in Him alone, and rely on nothing else but Him. Your heart should be full of right and perfect ardent love, fear, faith and trust in God, should not be attached to anything temporal; there should be no evil desire, nor lust, no distrust or doubt in your heart, but everything should be pure and holy, as he also says: "Be holy, for I am holy." Yes, where will you find such a person? There is no man on earth that ever came, except One, JESUS Christ, who would be so and without all sin; for thus saith the Scripture, "God hath concluded all things under sin." Ps. 14:2 ff: "The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if any are wise, and ask after God; but they are all gone astray, and are all unfit: there is none that doeth good, not one." The Holy Scriptures are full of these testimonies.

And lest you say that the Scripture speaks only of the ungodly, know that it also means those who have been baptized and are holy. For although Paul and John were baptized and have the Holy Spirit, and thus through baptism and faith in Jesus Christ what was condemnable in them because of original sin and also the sins they themselves committed is now accepted, nevertheless the inherent weakness that strives against God's commandment still remains in them; Fear is too little, love too cold, trust in God too weak, and there are doubts, carnal certainty, much ignorance, and a great many disorderly flames and desires against God's commandment, all of which it would be too long to recount here. As St. Paul confesses about himself and publicly confesses, and even cries out and laments about an evil and terrible thing in his flesh and nature, when he says in Romans 7, v. 23 ff: "But I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and takes me captive to the law of sins, which is in my members. I wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And St. John speaks of himself and all the saints of God: "If we say that we are

have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us." And David, the great, holy king and prophet, speaks Ps. 32, 5. thus: "For the iniquity of their sins all the saints will ask you in due time."

These great saints of God, although they have the Holy Spirit, yet they freely confess publicly of themselves that there is still sin and great weakness and infirmity in them, with which they struggle and lament, thereby also confessing that they cannot perfectly keep and fulfill the law of God as it should be kept and fulfilled, as heard above.

Although such infirmities are in the saints, they are not imputed to them for the sake of Jesus Christ, which otherwise would be condemnable sins by nature. Besides, this is to be understood on this opinion, that in the saints there cannot be sins against the conscience. For where there are sins against the conscience, as blasphemy, contempt of God, adultery, and the like, holiness ceases, faith is extinguished, and the Holy Spirit is lost; but those who turn back to God, God also accepts again; of which to speak further would be too long.

Although the pope denies this and his sophists smear much slobber and snot over such clear and bright testimonies of the holy prophets, we know (praise God!) that this is the right catholic divine truth, which bears witness to the whole holy scripture, yes, also to the heart of every pious, God-fearing man.

For if you are not an obdurate hypocrite and hypocrita and have a true knowledge of God, you must, even if you were as holy as John the Baptist himself, ever confess that there is still much weakness and evil desire and inclination in you, rbelche, even though you have the Holy Spirit and the help of God's grace (which is what the sophists speak of), prevent yourself from doing such things, even though you would gladly do them, you cannot keep and fulfill God's commandment, and thus, as these hypocrites say, you cannot give God and your neighbor what you owe them. For you ever cannot give such a heart as is heard, and God demands of you, to God, you then want to make these sayings false: "God has decreed everything under sin," etc., and think that you are so pious that you no longer have to pray with all the saints of God: "Forgive us our trespasses." Let this be said of the first part of this proposition (for there is much to be said about it).

Now they continue in their godless proposition, speak, colligiren and conclude thus:

Because a person does this (fulfills God's commandment), he not only does not commit mortal sin, but is righteous with God and fulfills the law, and such people are truly righteous with God and fulfill the law.

So they conclude. But since we have proved the opposite, that no man can fulfill the law, for thus it is written: "Christ is the fulfillment of the law", and Rom. 8, 3. f.: "For that which was impossible for the law (because it was weakened by the flesh) God did, and sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness required by the law might be fulfilled in us" etc. Col. 2, 10. "Ye are perfect in him"; for in this life we have neither perfection nor fulfillment of the law, but by faith alone in Christ JEsu etc. Let us conclude the contrary from these constant and unanimous testimonies of the holy Scriptures, and say thus:

Because man cannot fully keep God's commandment, since he does not believe in Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law, he not only does not do a good work and only mortal sins, but rather is unrighteous with God and does not fulfill the law, and such people are truly unrighteous and condemned before God and do not keep the law.

This is to be our counter-conclusion; which [doctrine], that it is right and the divine doctrine, I prove by this, that the epistle saith to the Hebrews, "Without faith it is impossible to please God"; and Paul Rom. 14:23, "Whatsoever cometh not by faith is sin." Jac. 2:10: "If any man keep the whole law, and sin in one, he is wholly guilty."

For our,>the holy church's teaching is that if one wants to start keeping the law and doing good works, three things are involved:

First, believe that you have forgiveness of sins for the sake of Jesus Christ, by grace, without your merit or worthiness, and that for this mediator's sake you are pleasing and acceptable to God.

Secondly, you shall recognize the corruption of your nature, that even with the help of divine grace, as heard above, you cannot fully keep the law. And such your corruption and weakness, which also remains in the saints in this life, you are to give to God the

1204Section 5 Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1427. w. xvn, isor-isio. 1205

Lament to the Lord and weep for them, that He would help and heal such corruption through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

Third, you shall nevertheless take the ten commandments of God before you, and do and live according to them, believing that such your life and good works are pleasing and acceptable to God for the sake of Jesus Christ His Son, in which faith you do them and offer up Christ to God in thanksgiving.

So we teach people to know that it is impossible for them to keep the law fully, which they are guilty of, and would also be condemned for disobedience; but because Jesus Christ, as St. Paul says to Galatians, "redeemed us from the curse of the law, since it was a curse for us". Paul says to the Galatians, "He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being a curse for us"; so we teach people not to rely on the fulfillment of the law, which they cannot keep, nor to despair because of the law, which they cannot keep completely; but to rely on the mediator Jesus Christ, whom God has set before us as a propitiation, and to believe that they have forgiveness of sins, redemption from the curse of the law, righteousness and salvation through this mediator, and that the obedience begun in this life and our good works for the sake of Jesus Christ, as now heard, are pleasing to God.

But they, the papists, as you hear, do not lead people to Christ, who is the only foundation and noble cornerstone, but teach them to build and trust in the fulfillment of the law, saying that people become righteous before God not only for the sake of Christ, but by keeping the law completely. From which righteousness Christ Jesus protects us. For we do not want to know about any righteousness except Christ Jesus, who was made righteous for us by the heavenly Father, 1 Cor. 1, 30. The third part of this proposition follows:

For they have grace, which utterly blots out sin and gives them power to keep and fulfill the law.

The 'Sophists' stick to their old fiddle, which they learned from Thomä, Scoto, Bricot and Holkot. For they are not the prophets and apostles, but the disciples of the same, therefore they use their language and not that of the apostles. When they call it grace, they do not understand the mercy of God, that by grace, that is, without our merit, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we are pleasing and acceptable to God, but they understand the word "grace" to mean an infusion of grace.

power of God, which cancels sin, and by which man may fulfill the law. This is contrary to the Holy Scriptures, for the Holy Scriptures testify, as we have heard above, that God Himself, and not His grace or power in us, cancels sin, and that this is not because of any grace or gift of God, but because of His mercy and because of the Mediator Jesus Christ; as God says in Isaiah 43:25: "I will cancel your transgression for My own sake, and will not remember your sin." Apost. 10, 43: "All the prophets testify of this, that through his name all who believe in him receive forgiveness of sins." But that even the saints do not fulfill the law, we have proved above by Scripture. Follow the last part of this proposition of theirs:

And this is not because the sins which remain after they have received righteousness are not imputed to them, or only because the righteousness which was not done by them but by Christ is imputed to them through Christ.

There you hear how these Collocutores transfigure themselves, namely, that the sins which still exist and remain in the saints are not blotted out by not being imputed to them for the sake of Jesus Christ, but that in themselves, according to the love poured into them, they appear to be completely pure, without sin, and fulfillers of the law in their own purity. These Collocutores are out of measure hostile to the words: non irnputarl peceata proptsr Christum, that sin should not be imputed to us for Christ's sake, they neither want to hear nor suffer; as we learn in the Colloquio held, and they themselves indicate this, and if they were allowed to say it, they would leave Christ out of their doctrine, and are inwardly hostile to Christ in their hearts. The reason is that they do not want to hear or suffer the doctrine that we have forgiveness of sins and salvation for Christ's sake alone, without our works and merit. Because of this doctrine they have shed much innocent blood, by which blood they have now become drunk, so that they not only want to stir up the whole world, but also all infernal power and authority against Christ and his, and fill everything with innocent blood; for thus their father, the devil, drives them, who cannot suffer that his kingdom, which he has so gloriously and firmly established through the papacy that it is astonishing, should be destroyed by Christ and his preaching.

For if this doctrine is true, that one has righteousness and salvation only through the merit of our dear Lord Christ Jesus, then the papacy must fall, as well as the cardinals, bishops, monasteries, power and authority, and all their lying and fictitious worship, which must melt like snow before the great fire of the divine sun and truth. For this reason, the devil resists and resists even at this time, and does not want to be driven out of such a good nest and fierce kitchen, which he has now so long possessed. But it will not help, he will have to leave, because Christ, the strong hero, is already at the door, he will leave, they will find out, because God's word will not lie nor deceive.

Therefore, that in this last part of their proposition they also take away Christ's glory, and give it to grace, that is, to their works, which they, the great pious saints, do, that the same may blot out sin and fulfill the law: these are all blasphemies, and false imaginary words. For, as said above, although the saints of God have the Holy Spirit, the grace of God and various gifts, no saint has ever been who relied on such grace.

Daniel has ever been one of the great holy prophets, and has had many great saints with him in the Babylonian prison, even such that the fiery furnace cannot harm them, nor the fierce lions harm him. Nor is he so presumptuous as to say that he or such of his saints blotted out sin and kept the law, as these Pharisees of the pope may boast. For thus he prays in his name and in the name of all the people, and confesses his sin and the sin of all the people, when he says in the 9th chapter, v. 4 ff: "Oh dear Lord, great and terrible God, who keeps covenant and grace to those who love you and keep your commandments. We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have been ungodly, we have gone astray, we have departed from your commandments and your statutes etc. You, O Lord, are righteous, but we must be ashamed etc. Yes, Lord, we, our kings, our princes, and our fathers, are ashamed that we have sinned against you. But thine, O Lord our God, is mercy and forgiveness. For we have gone astray, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, that we should walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants the prophets; but all Israel transgressed thy law."

Then you will hear whether this holy prophet also

to rely on his mercy, so that he may blot out sin. For he says that he and the priesthood, the kings, princes and their fathers, even all Israel, have sinned and have not kept God's law. On what then does he rely? To what does he have his refuge? To the mercy of God, for the sake of the mediator, the Lord Christ, whom he calls the Lord. For thus he says: "But Thine, O Lord our God, is mercy and forgiveness" etc. Item: "And now, our God, hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, and look graciously upon thy sanctuary which is forsaken for the sake of the Lord."

These collocutores and their idol, the pope, therefore invent such grace alone (which they boast of, and yet no one has nor can have, namely, through which he can erase sin and keep the law completely), so that they can cover and embellish their errors and idolatries with it, and thus make a hoop in front of the common man's nose to deceive and seduce him.

For they teach against themselves, as liars do, that when a liar has told one lie, he must tell ten others to cover it, and yet it does not help. For they have said above that no one can be sure of the forgiveness of sins by faith; but here they say that they have the grace to blot out sin entirely, and to fulfill the law. So they must be sure of the forgiveness of sins!

Yes, they say, through the infused grace we are assured of it, and thereby blot out sin, and faith cannot do this. To this I answer, that faith alone, and not infused love, makes us sure of the forgiveness of sins. The reason is that faith takes hold of God's promise of the forgiveness of sins through Christ and relies on it, which is certain and cannot be false, because God is true and keeps what he promises and pledges. But you can never be sure that you have forgiveness of sins through your infused love, which you yourself dream and invent. For thus saith the holy man, who hath had more and greater love than all the sophists ever had, nor ever will have: "Go not into judgment with thy servant, for before thee no living man is righteous." And it is frightening to hear that they attribute to their imaginary grace that which is due to Christ alone.

So that is also terrible to hear that they are

sin is not forgiven and the law fulfilled by imputing his righteousness and fulfillment of the law to us who believe in Jesus Christ, but man must have his own grace by which he is justified and keeps the law perfectly. For St. Paul 2 Cor. 5:19 says that we receive forgiveness of sins because sin is not imputed to us who believe in Christ for Christ's sake. "For God," he says, "was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, and not imputing their sin to them." For to be righteous and to fulfill the law is nothing else than that our sins are not imputed to us, as also the 32nd Psalm, v. 1. f., says: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sin is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity." The eighth proposition follows:

We confess that the works by which the righteous fulfill the law and follow God's will thus merit eternal life, so that, as St. Paul also testifies, the crown of righteousness must be given to them.

This proposition has three parts. The first is that the righteous fulfill the law by works; the second, that by these also one earns eternal life; and the third, the crown of righteousness.

Of the first we have said above, and will be too much to repeat in this report.

The other is that they earn eternal life by their works. But this will be a miserable eternal life, which they, the papists, earn with their works. God protect us from this! For I am worried that it will be too hot for them in such eternal life.

We will now show how eternal life is obtained. St. Paul testifies in Galatians 3 and 4 that the inheritance, that is, righteousness and eternal life, is not given by the work of the law, but by the promise, and that the Scriptures have decreed all things under sin, so that the promise may come through faith in Jesus Christ, given to those who believe. Item, that we are the children and heirs of God through faith in Christ Jesus. But these Collocutores say that they do not receive the promise of eternal life through faith in JESUS CHRIST, but through the works by which they receive the promise of eternal life.

fulfill the law, to merit the same. Well, we will allow them to earn eternal life by works, so that they fulfill the law; but of works they have none, nor can they have any. For, as we have heard above, it is impossible for human nature in this corruption to fulfill the law, therefore they do not deserve eternal life but eternal death, for which God the Lord may protect them and us, and grant them grace so that they may convert and be saved with us, amen.

Third, just as they do not earn eternal life by these works, so also the crown of righteousness will not be given to them for the same. The last proposition follows:

Lastly, man can do much good before justification, which does not serve a little to make the kind God often turn the eyes of His goodness and unspeakable mercy to the forgiveness of sin.

To answer briefly to this proposition, it is true that a man is guilty of living according to the commandments of God, because God commanded it. But these same works do not merit the forgiveness of sins, which are remitted to us only for the sake of the Mediator Jesus Christ.

This is now in this article of justification and forgiveness of sins the summa of their doctrine, on which they insisted in the whole Colloquio, and which they wanted to color and change their errors with much falsification of Scripture and the testimony of the Fathers, often with the hair pulled back on their minds.

Allhie I should say, in what sense, the holy scripture quite contrary, they use these words: "justice, grace, faith", as I have promised above. But it will become too long in this short report, therefore we will save it for another time, and will also be found in time in the Actis of the Colloquii.

1428. imperial rescript, dated Utrecht, 3 Feb. 1546, in which the collocutors and listeners of the colloquium are referred to the presidents to hear from them the imperial order that has arrived.

The following four documents are also taken from Major's report mentioned in No. 1426 and No. 1427 in Hortleder 1. e. p. 383ff.

Carl von GOttes Gnaden, Roman Emperor, at all times Mehrer of the Empire.

Noble, honorable, scholars, dear devotees and faithful! We are also sending our appointed presidents of the present Colloquium in Regensburg further instructions and reports on our recently sent articles, as to how the Colloquium is to be conducted, as you will hear from them. And therefore it is our gracious, earnest request and desire that you give full credence to our ordained presidents, and that you show and prove yourself obedient and compliant; we will therefore provide this to you in full, and you will do so in accordance with our gracious, earnest will and opinion. Given in our city of Utrecht, on the 3rd day of Februarii, Anno 1546, in the 26th year of the Holy Roman Empire.

Carolus.

Ad mandatum Caesareae et Catholicae Majestatis proprium sszt. Obernburger.

To the noble, honorable, learned, our dear devotees and faithful to the kingdom, N., Colloquents and Auditors of the Colloquii at Regensburg.

1429. Imperial Majesty's Resolution and Order on the Colloquium. Communicated to the

February 26, 1546.

See No. 1428. The time determination is according to No. 1432, § 13.

1. Firstly, after the Imperial Majesty had initially appointed only two presidents for this Colloquium, namely, the Reverend Prince, Mr. Mauritium, Bishop of Aichstätt, and the well-born Mr. Friederichen, Count of Fürstenberg and Heiligenberg, the Imperial Majesty has deemed it good, to decree to these two presidents the reverend prince, Mr. Julium, bishop of Naumburg, as the third president, so that these three presidents, or, if one of them could not be present at the act for movable reasons, the other two may and shall preside over the Colloquio.

(2) Secondly, it is the will and opinion of Imperial Majesty. Majesty's will and opinion that no one above the number appointed at the next Imperial Diet at Worms, neither colloquists nor auditors, of this or that part, shall be admitted to the action of this colloquy. But since some others, above such appointed number,

Theologians are present, they alone shall be consulted and not admitted to the Colloquium. Unless some of the colloquium members, who were appointed for this colloquium alone, do not appear for reasonable reasons, or cannot be present at the meeting, in such a case one of such adjuncts may be taken to represent the absent person, but not to exceed the number named.

Thirdly, it is the opinion of Imperial Majesty. Majesty's opinion that the regulation of the notaries for this colloquium should be left to the presidents alone, and that no other than those they have appointed should be allowed to attend the colloquium.

(4) Fourthly, since there has been no small complication of religious matters before, that what is done in the Colloquium is soon carried out among the common people: therefore Imperial Majesty wants that both the Presidents and also the Colloquents and Auditors together with the Adjuncts shall be sworn that they keep the action of this present Colloquium secret, in good faith, and do not want to disclose it to anyone, before the relation between Imperial Majesty and the Estates of the Realm has taken place and they have received permission from Imperial Majesty; which oath the Presidents shall first take from the Colloquents and Auditors and Adjuncts. Majesty and the Estates of the Empire, and they have received permission from Imperial Majesty; which oath the Presidents shall first take from the Colloquists, Auditors and Adjuncts, instead of Imperial Majesty. Majesty, then they, the presidents, shall also require and accept one from the other, in view of the duties and loyalty with which each of them is bound to Imperial Majesty and the Empire.

5 However, this shall be reserved, since what should occur in such Colloquium, of which Imperial Majesty shall be reminded or shall give an answer. Majesty will be required to remind or answer that such should be allowed and permitted to the presidents.

(6) The same is also the wish of His Imperial Majesty. Majesty that in place of and on behalf of Her Majesty the Presidents shall swear beforehand that the notaries who are accepted and appointed to record the proceedings of this Colloquy shall faithfully record and write down the acts and keep them secret and not disclose them to anyone until Imperial Majesty or the Presidents order them to be made public. Majesty or the Presidents shall order them to be made public.

7. fifth, this article, in the farewell of the next Diet at Worms: 1)

They shall also give us and the common estates a perfect account of all their dealings, which will take place between them in all ways, at the future Reichstag;

1) No. 1423, § 10.

Will Imperial. His Majesty has thus understood that not all bickering and discussions that occur from time to time about any article are to be written out and referred to word for word (for that would be long and difficult and also unfruitful), but that if the colloquents have agreed on one or more articles, such agreement and settlement is to be recorded in the presence of both collocutors and auditors for each of the articles and they are to sign on both sides.

(8) However, as to which articles, about which discussions and disputations have been held, no settlement among the colloquists has been possible, but rather a disputed opinion has remained about them, each part shall submit its opinion, argument and reason in writing in the shortest possible time, and signed beforehand, which the notaries shall then take into their custody, so that each part's understanding and opinion about such disputed articles may be recently and truly reported to Imperial Majesty and the Estates. Maj. and the Estates of the Realm, in such a way as this understanding is delivered, may be recently and truly reported.

1430 The Protestants' answer to the above imperial resolution, which they have delivered in writing to the presidents.

See No. 1428.

1. Maj.'s order and letter, for the sake of the Colloquy, in submission, and that we are willing with all our will and diligence to be obedient in this Colloquy and all other matters, as much as we can, to Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord.

Since this matter, which is to be dealt with in the present Colloquy, is the highest and most important, our office and duty required that we first of all be related to God the Savior and His Church, then to the Imperial Majesty and our princes and sovereigns. Majesty and our princes and sovereigns, that we inform them, the presidents, of our great need of the articles we have received, and in submission ask them to grant us some things, and to remit some articles that have been imposed on us.

3. first, that we be granted to make a perfect reply to the opposing party's submission, and to bring it into the record, so that we are not shortened in this high article of Justification, in which they, the opposing party, carry out their disputation.

4th Secondly, since we have previously proved and demonstrated by certain testimonies that this article of justification and vindication was compared in the previous Colloquium held at Regensburg, and requested that the same be inscribed in the actis, namely, Imperial Majesty himself. Majesty himself, then the Princes and Estates of the Empire, and thirdly also the testimony of the Colloquium: such would be our request once again.

5 As far as the resolution is concerned, and in this the first article, that Imperial Majesty has appointed Mr. Julium Pflug as the third president, we have no complaint on our part. Maj. has appointed Mr. Julium Pflug as the third president, we have no objection on our own behalf, but we do not wish to have anything done to our masters in this regard, and we could well suffer that this matter of the Gospel should be acted upon not only before these presidents, but before the entire Empire of the German Nation. However, since we requested that some of the presidents related to our doctrine be assigned to this colloquium, no one could blame us. Majesty. Majesty's aim and measure.

6 As for the other article concerning the adjuncts, our humble request is that, since there are only three of them, they be tolerated at the Colloquium. For since the Emperor's order Because, since the imperial command would bring that they be called to the council, and in case of necessity be used instead of the collocutors, they would be the more convenient and useful to be used for such things, since they would be tolerated at the whole colloquium and would know the occasion of all dealings. For this matter of the Holy Gospel is so situated that it should be dealt with in the presence of many people, in the light, and not in the corner.

(7) Concerning the notaries, as mentioned in the third article, our request is that some of ours be appointed as notaries; for since this is permitted in profane matters, how much more should it be permitted in the matter that concerns God's glory and the salvation of so many people. This was also previously held in the Colloquium at Worms, so that each part had its notaries. For this reason, we request that our notaries, who have been appointed up to now, remain in such office.

(8) As to the fourth article, that the proceedings of this colloquy should not be opened to any man, and that we should be charged with oaths for this purpose, we would not enter into this without the prior knowledge of our masters, nor would such a thing ever have happened in the previous colloquies. For that the matters of the Gospel should be kept secret, which concern the whole of Christendom,

This would be contrary to the command of the Lord Christ, when he says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Item: "What I tell you in darkness, speak in light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." This was also the practice of the ancient Christian church, that such things were publicly discussed before everyone. For since they were children of light, they also sought the light and did not shun it.

9 Since we Collocutores are also called to preach the Gospel of Christ publicly, and we should do nothing else in this Colloquium but preach publicly, how then should we let ourselves be hard bound by oath to keep the cause of the Gospel so secretly, which should be acted upon in this Colloquium.

(10) Above this, we all, auditors and collocutors, are obliged to inform our lords of everything that they need to know. Now the greatest need of their salvation and of their countries and people requires that our lords know what is going on in this Colloquio; which is why we receive special orders from them to report everything to them etc.

(11) We would have been permitted by the presidents to report to our masters beforehand, and otherwise not to disclose the matters: this would still be our request and request, as we have kept everything in good secrecy up to now.

12 It would also be difficult for us to take the oath because, if the matter were to be settled by others, we would be blamed and accused of being unfaithful and perjurious, as we have already learned that some speeches have been made and reported to us, of which no one could be sure, because such was the case in these dealings. If we were to put ourselves in such danger, we would be doing something completely untrustworthy.

We also had orders from our lords that we should not get involved further than the Worms Prorogation would entail, which would not report that we should be burdened with oaths. Nor would our lords have foreseen that in such a Christian discussion we should be burdened with such oaths to keep everything secret.

14 We therefore ask that you spare us such a dangerous oath, which we cannot do for the sake of our masters, to whom we are obligated to report such an act.

(15) As far as the fifth article is concerned, the following should be added

our request that everything, as before, would like to be recorded.

16 We would like to have reported such our concerns and request to your F. G. and G. in your humble opinion, for the sake of our unavoidable need, and for this reason we would like to hear it graciously.

(17) But since we must await our masters' notice and order on account of this resolution, so that we do not spend this time in vain, we are obliged to proceed with the colloquium as begun. However, in this way:

18 First, that we would be granted to give a perfect answer to that which the opposite would have brought in the article of justification.

19 Secondly, that our notary public be tolerated in the description of the acts, as hitherto, or that another of ours be appointed in his place.

20 Thirdly, because it is ordered that the colloquium be conducted according to the articles of the Augsburg Confession, that they, on the other hand, if an article could not be compared in the conversation, hand over their arguments and reasons, so that they thought to overturn such an article, in writing, and that we, on the other hand, be granted to hand over the same also in writing, so that each reason against the other may be seen all the more clearly.

(21) Such form and manner indicated reason; which, since it was thus held in profane matters, how much more should it be thus exercised in these high divine matters. Thus also the kais. Majest. The Augsburg Confession was ordered to be taken in hand and acted upon as to what was to be accepted or not accepted therein. Since we then consider everything to be divine and right, which is understood therein, they would have to indicate which is criminal and reprehensible etc.

22) Fourthly, that the opponents take a certain article from the Confession before them, and beforehand, in friendly conversation, take explanation of all words from us, so that they understand us, and not so in vain, as has been done by them some days ago, in wind disputirt. Whereupon they had grasped our understanding, and thought it to be wrong, that they then began to dispute it with constant reasons etc.

23) Fifthly, that the Presidents may be satisfied with this, for which we have previously offered and have hitherto held that we, in good faith and belief, as honest people, do not want to carry out the act of this colloquy. For that we should burden ourselves with such oaths, we could not (as

1216Section 5: Imperial Diet at Speier 1544 etc. No. 1430 f. W. xvn. ises-isss. 1217

We also do not see why the cause of the gospel should be kept so secret and hidden, because it affects the honor of Jesus Christ and the salvation of all Christendom. So we do not see why the cause of the Gospel should be kept so secret and hidden, because it affects the honor of Jesus Christ and the salvation of all Christianity.

24 No collocutor will desire that what he considers divine and right in his conscience, and brings to this colloquium, should be held secretly.

25 Sixth, that the Acta be kept in the same place as before, since they should not serve or be used for anything else, except, as the Worms Prorogation indicates, that perfect relations between Imperial Majesty and the Estates of the Realm should be established. Maj. and the estates of the empire.

From all this, the presidents would see and recognize that we do not desire anything unreasonable, but only that which would be useful and necessary for the explanation of divine truth and for peace and unity in the kingdom.

27 For, that we should not make our necessary and perfect answer to the counter-submission, or that we should not have a notary of our part in the acts, or that we should bind ourselves to this oath, as reported, on account of silence, or that the acts should not be kept, as has been done so far: in these four points, we could not approve on account of the orders, which we have already received from our Princes and Superiors, which we have now indicated to their F. G. and G. in a clear opinion. G. and G., in order to avoid further disputation on this matter.

28 We request that your F. G. and G. graciously note all of this. We also herewith offer, in all humility to the Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord, and to your F. G., the Holy Roman Emperor. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, and their F. G. and G., their Kais. Majesty's decreed presidents, all our obligatory service and obedience etc.

1431. the Protestant collocutors written protest, the 20. 1) March 1546 to the president handed over, whereupon they still the same

Day have departed.

See No. 1428.

Grace and peace through Christ our Savior, in addition to our willing and humble service.

1) Bucer gives March 19 in § 16 of the next number.

1. reverend in God, venerable, noble and well-born, gracious and favorable gentlemen! E. F. G. and G. doubtless still bear in gracious and good memory what we initially requested in this Colloquio, that all "argument" and answer, and the whole action, so serving the matter, be registered and marked by sworn Notarios, and for such work also two of ours be appointed, also that for our necessity the Acta be entrusted to us from time to time, so that we may see and remember the trades therein. What cause we have shown for this request, E. F. G. and G. will also graciously remember.

2. first, that the matters to be dealt with in this colloquy require great care and diligence, and should not be kept secret, but should be made known and revealed to all Christian people, but especially to our lords and rulers, so that they may deliberate on this matter all the more readily and present their opinion and counsel on it all the more consistently at the future Imperial Diet. For in these articles, which were to be discussed in this colloquium, would be the doctrine of our blessedness.

(3) After that, that also the use, as we have asked of the notarii, would always have been kept in the old church in the conciliis and other ecclesiastical acts. Yes, that [it] would also be kept in profane matters, with all people everywhere, in important dealings.

Thirdly, that this form with the notaries in the colloquium at Worms brought much benefit, and at Augsburg, since it was not kept, it did harm and prevented it from being kept, even in this, so before the allhie in the 41st year. Thus, such a record by the notaries also serves to ensure that the more appropriate relations between Imperial Majesty and the Estates of the Holy Roman Empire are maintained. Majesty and the estates of the empire of these dealings, as decreed by the Worms Prorogation.

(5) E. F. G. and G. also know, since we compared the form of the colloquy with the notaries and the conclusion of the acts, and began the colloquy and continued therein, that we consented to this solely on our own account, and not on account of our lords and superiors; as we then protested about it at that time and indicated that we did not want to give anything to our lords and superiors by this, and expect their orders in the meantime.

6. such orders, when we receive them, indicate that our lords and superiors would rather see us persist in our previous request, i.e.

that we were also entrusted with a copy of the acts of the colloquium, which we should have handed over to them after the end of this colloquium, that we also should not have consented to the resolution of the acts; however, since this conversation has now begun, they have allowed us to continue in this way. In addition, however, we are ordered to request a copy of the acts from E. F. G. and G., since the colloquium has been completed, and to hand this over to them.

7 They have also ordered that we should not do anything further, so that the acts are kept secret and locked, or so that we are prevented from sending them to them at any time. For what is the use of such a resolution and keeping of religious matters? Christ says: "He who does the truth comes to the light, so that his works are made manifest, for they are done in God.

8 After they had received the articles of the imperial resolution, and thereupon our answer handed over to E. F. G. and G., they heard that we could not progress fruitfully in this Colloquium (as we also noted in time), unless such a manner and form of the Colloquium would be obtained from Imperial Majesty our most gracious Lord. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, such manner and form of the Colloquy would be obtained, which our Princes and Superiors, also we, have requested, according to the occasion of the matters to be dealt with in this Colloquy, according to common church and natural law and usage.

9 Since we are unable to produce anything fruitful here at this time, our princes and sovereigns have deemed it good that we should return home, each to his office, as he is required to do, until such time as they are with the Emperor. Majesty. They are to obtain such a form and measure of the Colloquy, by which what is useful and fruitful for the Christian community may be acted upon, and then we may be sent back to the work we have begun. Which relief from kais. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, according to her Majesty's inherent goodness, and according to the equity of these matters, that our princes and sovereigns will easily obtain, we stand in good hope.

10. after we have protested before E. F. G. and G. from the beginning of this Colloquy, and afterwards several times, that we have always reserved the command of our princes and sovereigns, and that we did not want to give them anything by our actions, but E. Gn. knows well enough that we have always willingly offered ourselves for such a conversation, which may be useful for the Christian community, and that we have never refused it, so that it may be carried out and concluded.

We kindly and humbly ask E. F. G. and G., since we must obey the order of our princes and superiors, that E. F. G. and G. do not interpret and note such a request as if our princes and superiors or we wanted to prevent or destroy this work that has been started. do not want to interpret and note this as if our Princes and Governors or we wanted to prevent or destroy this work that has been started; for this is not our opinion in any way, and nothing else is sought or desired by such our request, except that such a colloquium be finally decreed, so that the Christian community may be improved, and not more and greater errors and disunity be introduced.

For this reason, our princes and sovereigns, as they have reported to us, will undoubtedly use all possible diligence, either before or even at this Imperial Diet, to ensure that they will be able to convince the Emperor and the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. Majesty. and obtain relief from them; which, when it is done, our Reverend Princes and Governors will undoubtedly know how to order us and others to take this action in the most expedient manner; For neither our princes nor our sovereigns nor we shun the light, and it is the heartfelt wish of all of us that the disputed articles of the Christian religion may be considered, united and compared in a Christian manner; which is to be assumed that the majority of our sovereigns have been sent to us here in such a timely manner, as ours was six weeks before the beginning of the Colloquii etc.

12 Therefore, there is no doubt that our princes and lords will again order their colloquia and auditors, if progress is to be made in the colloquium, in the most conducive manner, which may also be done in a short time, with God's help, so that there is no need for long waiting or delay.

13 We have informed E. F. G. and G. of this on behalf of our princes and sovereigns, as well as on our behalf, in a friendly and humble manner, and we wish to testify to it herewith. We also herewith kindly and humbly request that E. F. G. and G. on behalf of our princes and sovereigns and on our behalf, E. F. G. and G. will graciously and in the best way hear all this for themselves, and that they will inform the Imperial Majesty, our Allies, of our official position. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, most humbly.

14 Since, however, such a form of colloquy, as previously requested, would be decreed by Kais. Majesty would decree such a form of colloquy, as requested before, by which the burdensome articles would be alleviated for us, our humble request to E. F. G. and G. is that E. F. G. and G. will graciously grant the Lord Chamberlain of this city of Regensburg the right to use this form of colloquy.

We have asked him, if he is ordered to do anything by E. F. G. and G., our Princes and Superiors, or by us, concerning this Colloquium, to inform our Princes and Superiors as soon as possible, who will undoubtedly provide such information, so that the Emperor's Majesty and His Majesty will be able to take the necessary measures. Majesty and E. G., may also see and experience with what earnestness of mind they are eager to promote and complete Christian colloquia and comparison of the Christian religion.

15.. Therefore, to E. F. G. and G. our humble request, since we have been summoned by order of our masters to our commanded offices, to depart from here, E. F. G. and G. do not wish to hear this in any other way, since no certain form of colloquy has yet been arranged, because it would be more useful to wait for our commanded offices at home, than to spend all this time in idleness and futile expenses. Resolution will be alleviated and a little sorry measure of conversation will be decreed, as indicated before, our hetren will in this all be submissive to Kais. Majesty and the Empire most humbly and unquestioningly. For we, with God's help, have not had anything done to us that would serve Christian unity; which we also want to testify to with this writing against E. F. G. and G., hereby also thanking them most humbly for all support and gracious will, and have offered to serve them again according to our ability.

16 We also beseech God the Father, through Christ Jesus, the arch-shepherd of the Christian Church, to unite us, who are His sheep, in one faith and mind through His Holy Spirit, and to gather us into the one stable of His Christian community, so that we may rightly call upon Him in One Spirit, and praise, honor and glorify Him forever, amen. May the same also be graciously protected and preserved by E. F. G. and G., to whom we hereby entrust ourselves. Given at Regensburg, the 20th of March, Anno 1546.

1432. Martin Bucer's short account of the Regensburg Colloquium.

This manuscript was published in a single edition under the following title: "Ein wahrhaftiger Bericht vom Colloquio zu Regenspurg dieses Jahrs angefangen, und von dem Abzug der Auditores und Colloquenten" die von Fürsten und Ständen der Augspurgischen Confession dahin verordnet waren. Wait. Bucer. Quarto. Printed on it by Hortleder 1. e. cap. 41, S. 392.

Grace, peace, strength and courage from God, our heavenly Father, and our mighty Shepherd and King Jesus Christ be multiplied to you always, Amen.

When you so earnestly desired that I should give you a short true report of the Regensburg Colloquium, and our departure from it, because the spiritual, chaste man, D. Eberhard Billick, Carmelite, has for this reason so severely and with obvious untruth shouted out and blasphemed us, the colloquium participants of this part:

Know, therefore, that it is true and demonstrable by the presidents and auditors of this Colloquy, and many other trustworthy people, that we, the auditors and colloquists of the Christian Augsburg Confession, the Imperial Majesty, on the report of our princes, princes and estates, have ordered a Christian discussion, partly before, partly on the appointed day, the 14th of December. Decembris, all appeared at Regensburg, with the exception of only one auditor and one colloquist, who were prevented from attending partly due to physical stupidity, partly due to "other" important causes; but nevertheless came to hand before the colloquium was begun. For we were only called to the beginning of the Colloquium by the Presidents on January 27. From our early arrival at the Colloquium, and our long wait for the beginning of the Colloquium, it can be seen whether we felt like it or not.

3. Since we first saw on the day now reported what counter-colloquents we would have to have, namely people to whom we had nothing else to provide, but that they would draw the disputed articles of religion more into further confusion than into Christian comparison, and also turn all our speeches most unfaithfully (as they had done before and afterwards in so many of their writings and sermons), and afterwards in so many of their writings and sermons), we have requested and asked, out of the greatest necessity, for the benefit of the churches of Christ, that all acts of the Colloquii be written out by sworn notaries (among whom we should also be allowed one), so that afterwards all acts of the Colloquii may be better understood by the imperial majesty and all the estates of the empire. All the better to be seen and discussed by the Imperial Majesty and all the estates of the Empire. For once, where something should have been created for Christian settlement from our discussion, this should have been done by the princes and estates of the empire. Nothing of this was to be expected from these colloquists, but rather the complete contradiction, as they have proven in everything else, and in this clearly enough, that they have not yet accepted the article of Justification,

The Council of Ministers of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Supreme Court of the Holy Roman Empire.

(4) The old holy fathers have always used this way of conversation, that all speeches and counter-speeches (that is, those that serve trade, the writing of which we alone desire) are written out, in the common conciliarities and special actions with the heretics, as the Acta of the Conciliarities and of St. Augustine 2) testify. This usage is also followed in all important secular matters. What is there to reprove us in this, or to set aside as wrong, that we have desired to use such caution 3) even in the highest matters of God? Namely, because we had to deal with such venomous, fierce enemies, not less of the holy gospel than of our persons; which they themselves testify to superfluously in their previous and after the outgoing writings, and of which they also want to be praised among their own. Thus it can be seen from the present armament what colloquiums were intended and what comparisons of religion were sought.

5 Nevertheless, so that they would not have to complain about us, we agreed to try with them, even with free conversation, to write it down, which we also did for two days, and immediately found the incorrectness in the people, which they showed when they spoke into the pen, so that we wanted to speak into the pen again the third day. But since the opposing party and the president liked to try the matter one more day, we did not make it as difficult for ourselves as the bill blasphemes. I wanted to approve it immediately, he knows that, but the presidents and their auditors were the only ones to do so.

6th But that Billick blasphemes how we both, in this disputation, which we spoke into the pen and held with free conversation, passed so badly, and they so well directed the things of their part, also that Peter Malvenda (who faithfully promoted the pious martyr Diazium to his glory) forced me with his sharp disputation to confess such unjust things, I say thus: What was written into the pen, and the things of the pen, and the things of the martyr Diazium, and the things of the martyr Diazium, and the things of the martyr Diazium, I say thus: What was written into the pen, and the things of the martyr Diazium, and the things of the martyr Diazium, and the things of the martyr Diazium, and the things of the martyr Diazium.

1) Walch: "Fürsten Ständen.

2) "holy" put by us instead of: "L."; in the original will probably be found "B." (deatus).

3) "Cautiousness" put by us instead of: "Cruelty".

4) when we did that the imperial majesty let them come to light, so every Christian can then judge what in this conversation each part of his doctrine has brought forward reason or unfounded. As far as the written conversation is concerned, they describe it and bring out their pointed arguments, so that the Malvenda forced me, and the clumsy confessions that I should have made out of such an emergency, so one can see how the matter is.

(7) But these are all the same clumsy speeches that Malvenda drove me to with his arguments. He said: Mortal sin, that is, sin against the conscience, can stand with faith, therefore it cannot be that faith alone makes pious and blessed. I contradicted him, and contradict him still, saying and saying that with true living faith such sin cannot stand; yes, saying and saying further, that no one who lies in such sin can rightly believe with living faith that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is true God.

Then he reproached: The faith would not be destroyed, because by a contrary and repugnant holding, per assensurn contrarium, such contrary and repugnant holding would not be in any mortal sin. But I said it would be in every one that committeth sin against his conscience, as adultery, theft, and such like sin. For the true faith of Christ holds all the words of God to be certain and true, and holds from them that all sins against the conscience bring eternal death and damnation, and that they are therefore more to be avoided than bodily death. But he that committeth adultery, murder, theft, and such like sins, let him conclude in himself that adultery, murder, and theft are good and to be done this time, for otherwise he would not do such things; therefore such sin destroys the true faith, and may not stand with and beside it.

(9) To this I often reproached him with the Scripture: "He that believeth that Jesus is Christ is born of God: he that is born of God sinneth not, neither can he sin, because the seed of God is with him. Malvenda, however, was never able to answer this question, nor did he support it, and on several occasions he reproached me for his experience. I answered that Malvenda's experience did not exclude anything in the divine doctrine, and that he should present the Scriptures. Finally, he brought up the example of Pauli, and said: he had believed God, and yet had persecuted the church, and thus had been in mortal sins with

4) That is: there may they stop as diligently as we etc.

faith. On the other hand, I reproached him before Paul himself, 1 Tim. 2, who writes of himself that he did not do this in faith, but in unbelief. Therefore his persecution would not have existed with true faith in God, which, as the Lord himself said, no one can have who does not at the same time believe in him and recognize and love him as his one and only eternal Savior. Paul was still far away from this when he persecuted Christ.

(10) What truth, that no one who has a true living faith in God and our Lord Christ can stand and remain in some deliberate sin against the word of God, I have explained and sufficiently proven at that time, that this confession of ours is completely in accordance with the holy Scriptures and all right understanding, and is by no means absurd, inconsistent and unsuitable. Otherwise, it would also have to be inconsistent and unsound that St. John wrote, 1 John 2: "In him we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and in such is no truth." Item, 1 Tim. 5: "But if anyone does not provide for his own, especially for his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than a heathen." Item: "They have the appearance of godliness, but they deny his power," 2 Tim. 3. Yes, all the Scriptures of God should be inconsistent and unsound, which testify that he who believes in our Lord Christ has eternal life and abides in Christ, so that no sin can ever stand against the conscience.

(11) These people, in order that the most wicked godless people may be popes, cardinals and bishops of the Church of Christ, even the Church itself, bring forward this godless poem, that all Christians are those who believe only with dead faith, or rather say that they believe what they pretend to believe. True faith, however, is that by which one, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, truly believes the whole gospel, and recognizes and holds it to be completely certain and true in everything, and therefore places all comfort and hope in our Lord Jehovah Christ, loving him, keeping his commandments, hating and shunning all sin. He who does not believe in this way has no true Christian faith, but a dead or fragmentary faith, or rather no faith at all, even though he confesses and boasts in words.

12 However, the fact that I have not confessed anything else in this disputation with Malvenda is due to the presidents and auditors of the various parts. And the colloquents know,

that it is different, they show it. They have broken the faith of silence after all. So I allow them to say and write about this colloquium and all our speeches what they know; but I wish they would keep quiet about what they do not know; we have asked so diligently that all speeches and counter-speeches in the colloquium would be faithfully written down, so that they would not only come before our princes and superiors, but before the whole world. For he who seeks the truth desires the light. However, if God wills it, the Acts shall still bear witness to the things, so I will spare the rest of the proceedings of the Colloquium.

13 Now about our departure; that is what happened. On February 26, the presidents had an imperial document 1) opened to us, in which the imperial majesty cut off the writing down of all speeches and counter-speeches, and demanded that one alone should write down which one would settle, and where one would not settle in an article, that then each part should write down its sentence and reason for the same for itself, and hand it over to the presidents. Also that the auditors and colloquists should take an oath not to reveal to some living person, id est, nulli mortalium, anything of the conversation's action, also that only the presidents should set notarios, and not the parties.

14. Thereupon, so that nothing would be done to us, we decided to dispense with the right 2) to write out all actions, although we recognized that this would be highly detrimental to the cause and to the church of Christ: Only if an article could not be compared, the opposing parties would write down their opinion and main reasons and send them to us, so that we could answer each of them correctly and properly, which answer we would then send to them, so that no part could turn the other's words, nor would one part direct its speech to the Orient, the other to the Occident.

15) But we refused to take the oath of such serious concealment, and only because we had nothing but 3) to do with the holy gospel, which should be preached to all creatures and not concealed from anyone. We also requested that they admit our answer to what they, the opponents, had already brought against our confession in the Acta, which we had only just begun. And desired

1) Document No. 1429.

2) "of right" put by us instead of: "right".

3) In the old edition: "not then".

also that a notary was appointed by us for the acts, but we could not obtain one.

After we could not take the aforementioned oath and did not know how to get involved with such enemies of ours and of the Holy Gospel without the testimony of the correct and proper Scriptures against each other (as we would not have accomplished anything else by doing so, but would have given the holy Word of God to them as a mockery and ridicule), and we also waited in vain until the 16th day of March for the settlement of the complaints reported. We also waited in vain until the sixteenth day of March for the settlement of our complaints, and some of us colloquents and auditors were summoned by their superiors. Since we each had orders from our superiors to act in a common manner, on the 19th day of Martius we ordered the presidents, who were in attendance, to take action. We delivered a protest to the presidents who were present, in which we explained to them the fairness of our demand with good reasons, and testified that we could not swear silence in matters of our Christian religion, which should be preached most clearly in all pulpits and among all Christians, with a good conscience, nor would we know how to do anything with our countercolloquents without the testimony of credible, correct writings. However, they commanded us to return as soon as the complaints mentioned were settled.

17 Our superiors also considered that, since the other estates of the empire had not yet approved the colloquium, all acts of discussion would be fruitless unless the other estates of the empire first approved such a colloquium at the imperial diet and ordered their own to attend, as well as those who desired Christian concord and reformation. From this, they wanted to act with all diligence at this Imperial Diet beforehand; as they did, and did not allow anything to be lost on them, so that they could bring it about that a right, sincere, Christian, fruitful action, for the comparison of religion and reformation, would be taken and held; as their answer 1) to the imperial presentation sufficiently proves.

18 Pious Christians now judge who has sought or fled the light and right Christian colloquium, or disputation. Before Worms, when this colloquium was to be held, our princes and rulers worked diligently to arrange for colloquists and auditors, and a good number of them, from all the estates of the empire. Yes,

1) No. 1430.

would have liked nothing better than that the imperial majesty and all princes and estates of the empire would have wanted to be present at such a discussion and hear it themselves; therefore they have also requested it at so many other imperial congresses, and still request it for and for. In the same way, we, the preachers, from the beginning of our preaching, have desired and asked for it, as our many books prove.

But the pope and his crowd have never wanted it to come to this. Thus, in the colloquy now scheduled, we have sought nothing but the light, and for this reason alone we have so earnestly desired and asked that all actions be written down, and that each one send and give them to whom he wished, and as far as he could. The opposite, however, is that so few colloquists and auditors have been appointed for this discussion, and then, because of the sworn silence, also because of the restriction of the complete and correct tendering, it has been kept so harshly.

20 But now to speak of the Billick: if he has such a good desire to dispute with us, why has he not, then, with his co-colloquents, petitioned the Imperial Majesty to have us come before all the estates of the empire to answer for our religion against him? Why did he not, together with his fellow colloquents, obtain from the imperial majesty that they would have let us come before all the estates of the empire to answer for our religion against him, to which we ourselves so often submitted before them, or would the presidents have requested that they release us from the oath of secrecy and allow us to hand over the counter-scripts to each other, and would have wanted to preside over such a discussion? To what extent we would have liked to continue in the colloquium. For we have shunned and fled nothing else but the angular and witnessless disputing with these people, and the concealment of the Gospel of Christ, which should be preached to all creatures.

21 Yes, what can I say, does this bill against the truth of Christ, which we confess, so well conceived, why has he not been able to get his Gropperischen Haufen in Cologne to give me, for themselves in Cologne, space to defend myself and my doctrine against him and masculinely? as I, when I was in Bonn, requested and asked the cathedral chapter there, the council and the high school for this in writing, each part for itself, most diligently. Or would have accepted this in Bonn with me, before the estates of the archdiocese of Cologne, to which I have also offered and called myself in writing and orally several times, as I also still offer myself, wherever and before whom they want, since they alone want to hear us freely and correctly, and with due notice.

22 I do not write this as if I considered myself so learned or quick to argue (for I do not know how to do it).

I know well how small my penny is in this), but that the cause of the holy gospel is so clear and certain that every Christian who is called to it and asks the Lord for his Holy Spirit can sufficiently defend it against all the world's cleverness and sophistry, as the Lord himself has promised, Matth. 10. but it has been seen before, and is seen now, that these enemies of Christ do not suffer a right and proper hearing and discussion of the Christian religion, and of the things which they have introduced against it, and which they have abused. To scold abominably, and to prove nothing; to deal everything with loose sophistry, and to give no answer for it; to accuse people abominably, and to let them come to no responsibility about it, and then to make war and murder, so that those who want to testify to the truth may be wiped out from the earth, and they may remain unhindered and unperturbed in their unchristian deeds by men only, that is the intention and deed of this rabble, as it writes sufficiently about itself. But our Lord Jesus will resist them, and save his faithful from their bloodthirsty tongues and writings; to him be praise and glory, and his Spirit keep us in his confession, amen.

This is how much I wanted to write to you about this conversation this time, and what I have written is thus. The grace of God be with you all, amen.

Martinus Bucerus.

1433: Friedrich Myconius' letter to D. Matthäus Ratzeberger, dated January 6, 1546, in which he tells him about the strange dream he had about the Regensburg Colloquium during his illness.

The original of this letter is in the Weimar Archives, neA n, toi. 663, no. 203, printed in Seckendorf's IÜ8t. Imtk., lib. Ill, p. 629. In German Seckendorf translated by Elias Frick, whose translation we reproduce here, improved from the Latin.

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Christ Jesus! My outward man is decaying from day to day because of sickness and physical discomfort, so that the inward man, whom that one has housed until now, wishes that he would get better again, or not be so delayed and prevented, either from serving God, or he would be dissolved and be with Christ, until the outward man, renewed and transfigured into the power and clarity of Christ, would be attracted again and be ready for everything. But of this D. Pancratius writes.

I am very sorry that I cannot, according to the command and calling, in the power that the Son of God gave us over all devils and power of the enemy, engage with the cut, disemboweled, enfeebled and disemboweled devil larvae at the Colloquium in Regensburg. But this victory is reserved for the lamb, according to my dream, which I had four days ago and immediately told to Pancratius, with the addition: I wish to know what is reported by the court, so that I may understand my dream, which is so according to the scriptures.

2 In this dream I was called to the court of the Elector of Saxony; and when I arrived there, I did not know the place, for it was neither in Gotha nor in Torgau. There, all the councilors were very confused, and some came to report that the Elector was so sad that they feared he would fall into an illness. So I was called to him and received him; but after I heard that it was not a disease of the body, but a disease of the mind, which also entailed danger to the body, I took and applied medicine and comfort from the pharmacy of Christ, especially from the Psalms: "Why do you grieve, my soul, and are so troubled within me? Wait upon God, for I shall thank Him yet, that He is my help and my God." The Elector kept changing the place, and now he wanted to stay in the courtyard, now in the bedroom, soon in the town hall, [soon] under the open sky, until rest and refreshment, peace and safety would come. Then he told me to go to a certain place, where he also wanted to come. It was made of stone on all sides, above and below; in the middle of it, as it seemed to me, was the tomb of Christ, but empty, from which he had risen, and there was nothing sad there, except that there were no chairs or benches where one could sit down, but one had to stand, or walk up and down. The entrance was always open and had no door that could be closed, no latches or locks. I saw there a year-old, very beautiful snow-white lamb, with crooked, pointed horns. It was alone in this chapel, and I expected the Elector and his entourage to raise us up with comforts from the Holy Scriptures. But then I saw a large, hideous dog with long hair, like the stinking old goats have, grayish-yellow in color, enter; his eyes burned with anger and his mouth foamed, but I did not hear him bark; he went straight into the open chapel, where I was with the lamb. I was violently frightened, and it became for me

I was afraid of him and the lamb, for I had no means of resisting him. To prevent him from tearing the lamb and hurting me, I grabbed a log of wood and waited, armed, to see what he would do. The lamb, however, when it saw the dog, was not frightened at all, but became more heated, so that its eyes gleamed like glowing ore; it immediately went at the dog, and pushed it in the side, so that the dog, which felt that it was badly hit, tried to hide with barking and howling, but the lamb pushed at it again and threw it down almost dead. Finally I saw in a corner of the chapel a very deep pit, where two or three spiral staircases went down, there the lamb drove this infernal dog, and pushed it down with its horns with such force that I heard in a dream how the hideous and cruel beast, falling down, bumped back and forth against the walls of this tomb with a great howling. Thereupon the lamb came to me, as it were caressing and suggesting that I should not be afraid, the victory had been won by him, we should only triumph.

I awoke to this and wondered what this unrest in the house of the tomb of Christ and the quarrel of the lamb with the hound of hell meant. After three days, however, I received letters from the court on my little bed, on which I was lying down, completely unable to speak, because of the inflammation of my throat, and was summoned to the colloquium in Regensburg, that I should argue with the lamb 1) against these dogs, which devour again what they have eaten, and tear apart and stain everything holy. Oh, would God that I were as strong in body as I am in mind and spirit; how pleasant it would be for me to see how the Lamb of God will strike this hound of hell on the head, face and loins. I know that he who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world; and it would be my delight to play with the infant of the virgin at the hole of those vipers and dragons. I know that all earthen vessels can do nothing against the rock, but boast with great bellies and sound like brass, and like bells with their great mouths and gullets, but when they are struck on the rock, they are broken pieces and useless; but where the rock falls on them, they become dust.

4 Do not be afraid when the Lord sends you or D. Basil. Go bravely to the battle with these bladders and pots. He lives and reigns who has cast him out of heaven and is now sending him down from the world into hell.

1) Walch: "ban" instead of: "lamb".

and free all creatures from the corruption and vanity to which they are subjected without their will, and have long enough expected redemption and anxiously sought it. If I live, I will write to you again; but if I am gathered to our fathers, I will cry out with you that he may not always be patient, but deliver us from the evil. Yes, the Lamb has already redeemed us, to whom alone belong power and victory, salvation and honor, amen.

I crawl back to my little bed and wait for God's will to be done for me; but his good, fatherly, heavenly will, of which it is written: "Life is entirely in his will. Farewell, dear Ratzenberg, and strengthen the most gracious Elector and all fathers in the Lord. The time is short, and they will see in whom they have stabbed, whose legs they have not broken. "For he must tread upon it, and will not walk upon crutches." Oh come, Lord JEsu, soon, and deliver us from this evil, Amen. Given at Gotha in 1546, on the day of Christ's appearing.

of the Church of Christ at Gotha useless servant.

I have done what I could, and yet I am a useless servant; for who could serve so great a Lord and so great a Mistress, the Church, the Bride of the Son of God, worthily enough? But in what I did not do what I could, I believe the forgiveness of sins through the Son of God, who did everything, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not throw away the grace of God. He is a true Promiser, and though I may be a lying offender, yes, a transgressor of the law, yet I will be true, faithful, believing, taking hold, persevering, that I may take hold of that in which I am taken hold. "There it shall remain forever, amen."

1434: Conclusion of the Imperial Diet at Regensburg. June 24, 1546.

From Lünig's Reichs-Archiv, part. gen. eout. I., p. 750.

We Carl the Fifth, by the grace of God, elected Roman Emperor, at all times Major of the Empire, King in Germania, in Castile, in Arragon, in Legion, in both Sicily, in Jerusalem, in Hungary, in Dalmatia, in Croatia, in Navarre, in Garnets, in Tolleten, in Valence, in Gallicia, Majoricarum, Hispalis, Sardiniae, Cordubae,

Corsicae, Murciae, Giennis Algarbien, Alge- zirae, to Gibraltaris, and the islands Canariae, also the islands ludiarum and Terrae firmae of the sea Oceani etc.; Archduke to Austria, Duke to Burgundy, to Lotterich, to Brabant, to Steyer, to Kärndten, to Krain, to Limpurg, to Lützelburg, Geldern, Würtenberg, Calabria, Athenarum

Neopatriae; Count of Habsburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol, of Görtz, of Parsiloni, of Artois, of Burgundy; Count Palatine of Hänigau, of Holland, of Zeeland, of Pfierd, of Kyburg, of Namur, of Rossilion, of Ceritan and of Zütphen; Landgrave in Alsace, Margrave of Burgau, of Oristani, of Gotiani, and of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of Swabia, of Catalonia, Asturia etc.Lord of Friesland, of the Wendish Marches, of Portmau, of Biscay, of Molin, of Salins, of Tripoli and of Mechelen etc.., confess and declare all men by this letter: When, at the next Imperial Diet held in our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Worms, we, for a number of excellent conjugal reasons, moved our Imperial mind to move the same Imperial Diet to our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Regensburg, on the Holy Three King's Day, have extended and transferred the same to our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Regensburg on the Holy Three King's Day, so that princes, princes and other estates of the Empire, in view of the unavoidable burdensome matters and concerns of the Holy Roman Empire, shall appear on the above-mentioned day in their own persons, and those who are in their announced and revealed bodies shall appear in their own persons, and those who do not want to appear because of their obvious weakness and impossibility, the Holy Roman Empire's free and imperial cities should certainly send their authorized embassies and rulers, with full powers, without hindsight, and help to discuss and conclude the common matters of the Holy Roman Empire, especially the points and articles that should be settled and executed at the above-mentioned Imperial Diet at Worms, and bring them to actual execution, implementation and handling,

(1) Thus we also wanted to arrive at such a Diet in our own person, by means of divine grace, and with the advice and assistance of the common estates, act and perform everything that might be useful and conducive to the settlement and averting of the common complaints of the Holy Roman Empire, and to the handling of peace, tranquility, unity and justice in the Holy Roman Empire.

2 Accordingly, we would have been graciously inclined to dispose of ourselves to such a Diet on the day of the Holy Three Kings. However, we were prevented from doing so for some time due to our admitted weakness, but as soon as it was possible due to our body, we were always able to attend.

We have decreed that, regardless of all other matters of great importance to our and our hereditary kingdoms and lands, which might well and justly have sustained us in our hereditary lands.

3. We have also promoted ourselves with our courts and otherwise in such a way that we have come to the Imperial Diet here before all the estates of the realm, and have lived and remained there for a good time, in the gracious confidence that the princes, princes and estates of the realm shall also appear in their own persons, Princes and Estates of the Realm shall also appear in their own persons, in virtue of the recent Worms Agreement, so that we may proceed with them in the pertinent and highly important matters of the Realm with benefit and fruit, and have them settled. However, not more than one of the Electors, and a small number of the other Princes and Estates appeared in their own persons, and some through their envoys and rulers, all of which is quite inconsistent with the above-mentioned imperial treaty given and established at Worms.

Nevertheless, out of the gracious and paternal affection and love that we bear for the German Nation, we have taken matters into our own hands with the appearing estates and the absentees, and have begun to present them and have them acted upon, as is proper.

5. Because we found in such action of the realm no less grievous and important 1) than that which was before us at the recent Diet of Worms, than that we, for lack of the absent Electors, Princes and Estates, and that also some princes, who nevertheless appeared there obediently, from their conjugal causes and necessities, with our foreknowledge and gracious consent, and besides also the protesting electors, princes and estates embassies, who were there, may again, without our foreknowledge or permission, continue and act with benefit and fruit in our and the Holy Roman Empire's matters and affairs (which, for their constant settlement, require a number of personal presences of the Imperial Estates) with the other present Princes and Estates, and the absent Councils and Embassies, at this Imperial Diet of our own, just as little as at the Imperial Diet recently held at Worms, as we graciously and gladly wish to do for ourselves and the Holy Roman Empire.

1) Perhaps: "incorrectness"?

We have always desired and sought peace, tranquility and unity from the beginning of our imperial reign, and for the attainment of these we have often undertaken lengthy journeys, with great inconveniences for us and our kingdoms and hereditary lands, and for this purpose they are graciously and paternally inclined to undertake all that may be useful and lasting for the welfare, planting and preservation of peace and justice of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and to accomplish it by means of divine graces, and not to allow anything to be lost in all our possibilities: After all this, for the above-mentioned and other more important reasons, moving our imperial mind, we have also postponed and extended this Imperial Diet, as we did the previous one at Worms. We hereby knowingly extend and postpone the same, in virtue of this our farewell, until Purificationis, the next day of Februarii, in our and the Holy Empire's city of N., so that the princes, princes, and other estates of the Holy Roman Empire may appear in their own persons on account of the burdensome duties and affairs of the Holy Roman Empire, and those who do not appear on account of their apparent weakness of body may do so, and the Holy Empire's free and imperial cities, their fully authorized councils and embassies, with complete authority, without hindsight, to act and conclude, and then the common matters and concerns of ours and the Holy Empire, and especially the points and articles that were previously settled at the most recent Imperial Diet at Worms, and are now to be settled and executed here, shall be taken in hand, discussed, concluded, and helped to bring to actual execution and handling.

(6) Therefore, with the grace and help of the Almighty, we ourselves will graciously attend and preside over the present Imperial Diet in our own imperial person, and with the advice and assistance of the attending estates of the Empire, we will act, conclude and perform all that is expedient and good for the averting of the common grievances of the Holy Empire and for the planting and preservation of peace, tranquility, unity and justice.

7 And after the Estates of the Realm have met at this Diet, too

We have not yet settled the matter of the appointment of our Imperial Court of Appeal, and since it is neither convenient nor intended for us to allow and see that anyone is left without rights in the Empire of the German Nation, we are graciously mindful and determined that at the above-mentioned extended Imperial Diet, by means of divine grace, we will finally and certainly take such measures as are necessary: We are therefore graciously mindful and determined, at the above-mentioned extended Imperial Diet, by means of divine grace, to finally and certainly make such arrangements and provisions that the pending unresolved Imperial matters are executed and settled as is right, and that no one suffers a lack of judgment and justice on account of the daily occurring errors and disputes.

(8) And so that the appealing parties do not lose their fatalia in the meantime and in the future Imperial Diet, and that other things are done and acted according to the rules, we want to continue our Imperial Chamber Judge, together with the assessors whom we have assigned to him and will further assign to him, in their command and administration until the above-mentioned Imperial Diet; we also want to confirm and confirm what they have done in the above-mentioned matters from the Holy Three King's Days until now.

9. As all kinds of undiscussed legal matters, which have been postponed and left undecided for such a long time without any disadvantage, and which cannot be settled again at our Imperial Court of Appeal due to the lack of persons required by our and the Holy Roman Empire's regulations for the constitution of a final judgment: Accordingly, for the promotion of justice, on the appeal of the parties seeking justice, we will in the meantime also do such ordinance and provision in such matters as was customary and customary with our forefathers in the empire, Roman emperors and kings.

(10) And as the Electoral Councils, Princes and Estates have also kept themselves sociable for the sake of their session, rank and vote. We therefore wish that every Elector, Prince, Prelate, Count, and Estates shall not be harmed in any way by the session, estate, and vote of this Imperial Diet, which is harmless to his customary use and justice. We shall and will also, after the surrender of each justice, necessity and command, and sufficient interrogation of all parts, with the advice of the princes, princes and common estates, make due or final settlement thereof, inasmuch as by us in several decrees issued here before, also of ours at this Imperial Diet, we shall not be held liable.

The most gracious promise has been made by this proposition, so that one day these troubles of many estates may be remedied and so much the better will and friendship may be planted and preserved among them everywhere.

In witness whereof we have hereunto affixed our Imperial Seal. Give and

Done in our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Regensburg, on the fourth and twentieth day of June, after the birth of Christ our dear Lord fifteen hundred and six and fortieth, of our Empire six and twentieth, and of our kingdom one and thirtieth year.

Carolus.