April 1539.
In the same disputation, which was held publicly at the University of Wittenberg, Luther presented and displayed the following arguments and speech, as recorded from his mouth by credible persons.
If one resists the pope, one may also resist all those who defend and protect him. The pope seeks first of all the souls of the whole human race, that is, he wants above all that every soul should be subject to his blasphemies and go to hell for his sake: therefore it is necessary that all his warriors, who war under him, should be met and approached, even by a riot; for we should not permit the damnation of souls. I owe the emperor my life, but not my soul.
The Pabst's Decree and Order.
If the pope threw countless souls into the hellish fire and led them to hell, do not say, "Why?
2. no council nor man has the power to judge him.
3. item, the holy scripture has its authority from him, and not he from the scripture 2c.
We are all guilty of avenging these atrocious blasphemies, each and every one of us, for we should not suffer our souls to be strangled and thrown into hell for his blasphemy, so that he may be without law. If the emperor, kings and princes will not do it, it is a common action and thing.
The pope is such a monstrous beast that is neither an authority nor a tyrant. It is blasphemy that he says he is a lord over all lords, for a tyrant is 'the more part subject to the laws; but the pope is the devil, for he wants one to worship his public blasphemy apart from and against the laws.
As if to say, I present thee, and will that thou shouldest worship the devil; not content with his strangling me, but saying that the soul also is damned by his voice. Should I worship the devil? No, but would rather die; if I should resist, I will.
The pope is the devil. If I could kill the devil, why would I not do it, even at the risk of my life?
You must not think that the pope is a man, as also his worshippers say that he is not only a man, but man and God mixed. But God is to be understood here for the devil. As Christ is God in the flesh, so the pope is a devil in the flesh.
One must think much differently of the pope than of tyrants; for he primarily attacks the souls of the whole world, like the Turk the body. For there are two beasts in the last times, which will be followed by the last day.
This is a good analogy: just as we are all guilty of running to a common fire and fighting back, so we are also all guilty of fighting against the bear wolf; for fighting back is natural.
If the emperor does not know which is the church, he is still to suffer; but if he wants to protect the bear wolf, it is not to suffer, but to be resisted.
But the pope shall be put to death with the spirit of the mouth, 2 Thess. 2:8, and not with the sword. Answer, we allow it; for we say that he escapes, and will be
1) Cf. thesis 58-65. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. X, 582.
*) This writing is found in the Wittenberg edition (1559), vol. XII, p. 224 and in the Jena edition (1568), vol. VII, p. 285. We have followed the latter.
will remain until the end of the world. But he should be resisted, even the emperor and the princes who defend him, not for the sake of the emperor, but for the sake of this monstrous beast.
We theologians give the empire its rights, laws and orders, and the jurists recognize this. 1) If they have thus made it, they keep it; if they have decreed that the emperor may be resisted in public disobedience, they do so.
1) i.e. we let the jurists judge according to the laws and orders of the secular realm.
right, so they do; if they had done it differently, you would have done it differently.
But how, if a pagan authority wanted to suppress this doctrine voluntarily by itself, should it also be resisted? Answer: Yes, because the princes are obliged to keep the gospel pure for their descendants; the princes should resist the tyrants, also with regard to the first table. The emperor and Ferdinand actually and primarily seek our goods, but under the cover of the pope. Here, like fights like.