July 13, 1530.
Whether the princes were right in not wanting to tolerate monastic life
and Mass 2c.?
Response.
Where the princes were uncertain or in doubt that monastic life and the celebration of mass were right or wrong, they had done wrong by hindering the monastic system.
Because the princes rightly recognize the gospel and are certain that such mass service and monasticism is blasphemy against the gospel of God, they have been obliged not to suffer all this, as much as they have the right and power to do so. 1) For it is said: "You shall love God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your mind," which must mean as much as each one is able to do for God's glory, against God's dishonor, that is, it is each one's duty to do according to his measure, a servant for his person, a householder for his whole house, a prince for his country, and so on, each one for that of which he is mighty, so that he may love God with all his strength.
The sayings of the Scriptures are also true to this. In the other Psalm: "And now be wise, ye kings, and be chastened, ye judges of the land, serve the LORD with fear." Here he wants kings and princes also to serve GOD. Now kings and princes are
1). The words "so much" to "to do" seem to have been crossed out by Spalatin himself. (Förstemann).
not privati homines; but if they are to serve, then everything they are able to do as kings and princes must also serve, as long as they always can. And he actually adds: "with fear", because he has well seen that it is yearly and painful to serve God, because all competition is opposed to it; therefore he demands that one should fear him alone and no one else. Let him therefore be angry who will not desist; he will be powerful enough to save them.
Item, in the hundred and seventeenth 2) Psalm: "Praise the Lord, all nations; praise him, all peoples." Do not say, "Wait until your overlords call you," but, "All nations, whatever is high, whatever is low, whatever is in the midst, praise him. For I, the Lord of all, say to you: Let the middle lords, the under lords, the over lords be angry; I alone am the Lord.
Experience and history also confirm this. For from whence have emperors and kings commanded worship and established it in their lands, but that they have acknowledged themselves guilty of it from such sayings of the Scriptures. And from where would Emperor Carl now have the power to command his subjects to serve God one way or the other, if he did not have for himself the Scripture that he was obliged to love God with all his strength? If princes should not have to serve with all their strength, no citizen, nor any servant, should have to serve with all his strength.
2) Thus set by us. Förstemann: "one hundred and eighteen."
3) Here we have followed the reading of the editions, which is also found in Spalatin's "Annalen" "eur Oberherrn". Förstemann has "an overlord", which is certainly wrong.
*) These concerns are printed from Spalatin's manuscript in the common archive at Weimar in Förstemann's "Urkundenbuch zu der Geschichte des Reichstages zu Augsburg im Jahre 1530", 2nd volume, p.70. Furthermore, they are found in Spalatin's "Annalen", p. 282 and printed from it in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 92. In the editions: Wittenberger, vol. IX, p. 453d; Jenaer (1566), vol. V, p. 114; Altenburger, vol. V. p. 241; Leipziger, vol. XX, p. 169 and Erlanger, vol. 54, p. 179. Latin in Ooslsstm, vol. Ill, p. 40; the latter places these concerns in August and says that Luther made the same at the request of Queen Anne of Bohemia and Hungary and Queen Mary of Hungary. In contrast, the writing: Diarium oder Tagregister dessen, was sich Zeit des Aufenthaltes Dr. M. L. auf der Beste Koburg zugetragen, Kob. 1730, moves it to the date given by us and also assumed by De Wette and Förstemann. We share these concerns from Spalatin's manuscript after Foerstemann.
1726 Erl. S4, 180-182. XI. Luther's writings on monastic vows 2c. W. XIL, 2152-2155. 1727
Whether Hiezu will be said: Emperor Carl would also be certain that the papists' doctrine is right, therefore he should do his utmost, according to the same commandment of God, that our doctrine, as heretical, be eradicated from his realm.
Response.
This must be let go, and let God be judge. But nevertheless we know that he is not certain, nor can he be certain, because we know that he errs and strives against the gospel. For we are not obliged to believe that he is certain, because he goes without God's word, and we go with God's word, but he is obliged to recognize God's word and to promote it with all his strength, just as we do. For there is nothing said that a murderer or an adulterer should pretend: I am right, therefore you should approve of what I do, because I know it for certain 2c., but he must present God's word clearly, as a testimony of his intention. If the emperor does this, let us also confess that he is certain. I have said more about this in the 82nd Psalm. 1)
It is said here that no one should be forced to believe, but our princes have the
Monks forced out of the monasteries.
Response.
No one should be forced to believe or to follow our teachings, and no one has been forced to do so until now, but has only been taught and practiced blasphemy against our teachings, which one has been guilty of, as indicated above. For it is far different to force to doctrine and not to suffer blasphemy against the doctrine. I cannot make a wicked servant religious, but I can still prevent him from doing harm. A prince cannot make a wicked man righteous, but he must discipline and punish all wicked men and prevent evil.
Do they tolerate the Jews who blaspheme God and our Lord Christ?
Response.
The Jews are not tolerated as if they had the right to do so, nor are they allowed to blaspheme in public, nor are they part of our body.
1) The interpretation of the 82nd Psalm is found in Walch's old edition, Vol. V, 1024 ff.
ecclesiastico, aut civili, sed captivi. A prince must leave a rogue in the dungeon to curse and blaspheme, who can prevent that? But our monks want to be de utroque corpore and blaspheme publicly as with justice.
But if they, like the Jews, will not be called Christians, nor members of Caesar, but will call themselves Christ's and Caesar's enemies, as the Jews do, then we will suffer them to blaspheme in their synagogues, as the Jews do, in secret, as long as they will.
Whether we should re-establish some outward ways in the church, so that there may be a settlement everywhere, lest we be accused of schismaticism over unnecessary things? Or, whether we should hold fast to Christian liberty?
Response.
If we do not agree on the main things, what is the use of giving or taking much from these rambling things? But if we were agreed on the main things, we would give way in these distractions, suffer, do what we should, and want them. For where Christ receives his own, we will gladly leave our own for his sake.
But so that they do not think that we want to be stiff, although the main thing remains simple, then I am willing for my part and willing to accept all such external ways, for peace's sake, as long as my conscience is not burdened with it, which I have offered to do in almost all my books. 2)
Would God that they would accept it! But to weigh down consciences with it, that my Christ cannot stand.
From parting) that one has not kept silent against it.
Traun, has it ever been time to talk, so it has been time then, because how can
2) Spalatin has written in the margin: "As ordinary chants of the Church from the Holy Scriptures, fasting, celebrations, salva pistats, as one then offered in committee, ut Lat yuasäam similituäo soelssiarnm propter pios st visinos ssstssiis nostris. ,
3) This does not refer, as De Wette assumes, to the Diet of Augsburg, but to that of Speier in 1529. - This passage is missing in Cölestin, but not in Spalatin's Annals, as De Wette indicates. '
Our conscience accepts such a lying, false, cunning farewell with silence and so leaves it, as if it had gone out right and true and sounded in all countries, as against which no one should have rebelled 2c.
It is, in my opinion, the best little thing
of our Lord Christ, showed at the Diet that such lies were not allowed to be good and right, but public confession was punished freely before all the world. He who has done so much so far will continue; I have no doubt of it, amen.