The bishop of Naumburg was the first bishop of Naumburg to be appointed by the bishopric of Naumburg, and the bishop of Zeitz was the first bishop of Naumburg to be appointed by the bishopric of Zeitz. The estates, namely those of the knighthood in the Naumburg monastery and the city councils of Naumburg and Zeitz, had sworn to the deceased bishop that they would not adhere to anyone else but the church after his death, which words one tried to interpret to the chapter.
First in Förstemann's Neue Mittheilungen aus dem Gebiet historisch-antiquarischer Forschungen, Vol. II, Heft 2, Halle 1835, p. 175, from the archive kept in the municipal archives at
Letters from the year 1542. No. 2877.
Naumburg, probably from the pen of the then syndicus and town clerk of Naumburg, Nicolaus Kroteschmidt or Krotteschmidt, flowed reports about Amsdorf's election and introduction as bishop. Sodann in Corp. Ref., vol. X, 162, and in De Wette- Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 298. Only the beginning and the end l in Melanchthon's manuscript) in the Weimar Archives, Reg. N, fol. 452. A copy of it is in Cod. Goth. 451, p. 251). Printed in Corp. Ref., Vol. IV, 774. - Luther spoke these rathende words Thursday, January 19, after 5 o'clock in the evening in the Licentiat Dorferin at Naumburg Hause in the presence of Melanchthon and Spalatin, after the Estates had presented the case to them. The Estates, however, asked the Elector on the following day at 7 o'clock in the morning, "because such a thing would not go off without a hue and cry, that the whole action or at least Herr Doctoris Martini Luther's concern, on account of the common man, should go out in print". (Seidemann.)
The following is the Doctor Martini's advice given to the foundation's members and written down on paper by Philippum Melanchthonem.
This is established, certain and evident, if a ruling bishop persecutes the gospel in one or more articles, then the chapter together with the patron, or, if there is a lack of chapter, the patron together with the estates, is obliged to depose the same persecutor, if he does not mend his ways, regardless of the fact that the estates, as subjects, have done duty to the bishop. 1)
For this is God's command and commandment, against which no duty binds, that idolatrous teachers 2) should be fled and that the church should depose them, as Paul clearly says: "If anyone preaches another gospel, let him be banished." Item: "He who does not leave father and mother" etc. And this is also possible according to the ancient canons and the custom of the ancient churches, in which it was held that the churches themselves deposed the heretical bishop, as Paul Samosatenus was deposed at Antioch. 3)
Since this is quite certain and obvious that the duty is not binding in this case, the same is to be kept by the chapter if it does not want to proceed to the right choice or adheres to a persecutor, and then such a chapter is to be kept in the same way as the persecutor, and the estates together with the patron are to be held liable.
1) "To do one's duty" == to take an oath.
2) In Seidemann: "lher" == teaching; but in Melanchthon's manuscript in Corp. Ref.: "teacher".
3) The following is missing in Corp. Ref., Vol. IV, up to the penultimate paragraph.
It is the duty of every authority to appoint its own parish, irrespective of any duty or sovereignty, because the commandment to teach rightly and to hold right services takes precedence over all other commandments.
Secondly, it is public that the duty of the estates cannot nor may not prevent the patron from contesting the wrongful election, and if the chapter loses its right to the election, it is certain that all justice to elect comes afterwards to the church, that is, to the estates together with the patron, for this is the old right and first order of the churches, as expressed in a writing Concilii Niceni and in many histories, that the election is done by the estates, that is, by the members of the churches in all estates.
Since the chapter no longer has the right to elect, nor does it want to, the duty is at the same time interpreted 4) as a correlative, as far as the election is concerned; and if the election comes to another assembly, then the duty, so that the estates are related to the chapter, is not meant for the present person, but for the preservation of the churches in principle.
Therefore also the words thus read: I swear to the church etc. If the opinion of the estates and the patron is to have a Christian bishop, and to strive for Christian reformation of the chapter, consistories, planting of right doctrine, and not to abolish the chapter, then basically that is kept, which the duty is able to do, and which they all, patron and estates, owe before God. But let it be seen that such correction is undertaken with earnestness and not sought otherwise.
But that one wants to speak against it: it may be that one should depart from unrighteous teachers 5), depose them etc., but one may not withdraw from bishops or capitols in worldly obedience, fiefdom etc. Answer: This is certain, that the parish goods and righteousness should and must follow to the service, as the Gospel speaks: "To the worker belongs his
4) In Corp. ref: "laid up".
5) Seidemann: "leren".
Letters from the year 1542. no. 2877. 2878. 2879.
Wages." Thus, these goods are not given to the canons for their pomp (gebreng) and idleness, but rather for the necessary fulfillment of the ecclesiastical offices, of which the text in the Codice commands in clear words: He who does not do his office shall not enjoy his prebend, and shall be deposed. And in this your patron and the estates have to have understanding.
Above all this, it is known that the antithesis itself wants to have these two pieces inseparable: their idolatry and their worldly power or goods. They do not seek the preservation of right church government, but primarily and actually the suppression of right doctrine and the preservation of their unrighteous nature along with glory.
Since they do not leave the episcopal office from the secular one, and we, as persecutors, cannot leave the episcopal office to them, the other must also follow the right bishop, as described in Decretis, that the Donatists were deprived of their church goods when they were no longer in the right office, and the same goods were turned to the right church government, as such the founders' opinion undoubtedly was, and such examples are to be found more in histories.
2) We are also more certain that we are doing away with them, that we are certain that the will, opinion, suggestions and practices of the priests are all directed primarily to the suppression of the truth, and not to right church government, therefore the patrons and the churches are to be remembered as resisting their ungodly nature.
Item, as said above, 3) herewith the due obedience of the chapter is not withdrawn, because preservation of these churches and improvement, not diminution is sought, as also such should be the serious and thorough opinion, and not otherwise, and the will of the Estates thus stands that they want to show all reasonable obedience to a Christian bishop and chapter, which maintains the church government rightly and faithfully etc.
1) Seidemann: "right"; immediately following: "such" instead of: "such".
2) Here Corp. Ref. vol. IV resumes.
3) Seidemann: "gesaczt".
No. 2878.
Au Wolfgang Stein, pastor at Weißenfels.
See St. Louis edition, vol. X, 2222. - There, the addressee is only called "Wolfgang", and the letter is dated according to De Wette: "In January (?) 1542." Seidemann, in De Wette, vol. VI, p. 622, places the letter on January 21.
No. 2879.