1. from Cochläo, Duke Georgs zu Sachsen theologo.
2. from the seven kopsen Cochläi Wider Lutherum.
3. from the Emser.
4. emperor Carl's verdict by D. Eck and Faber.
The Epicurer and Miser's Speech and Song.
6. the papists' letter against D. Martin.
7. from your assassin to Dresden.
8. 9. by D. Eck.
10. by Carln von Miltitz.
11. from Sadoleto.
12. from the Faber.
13. 14. D. Luther's admonition from the Lemnio.
15. from Faber.
16. from the joke.
17. of the joke's blasphemies.
18. godless promotion.
19. a different one from Witzel.
20. from the Latomo.
21. from a converted papist.
1. Bon Cochläo, Duke Georgens zu Sachsen Theologo.
(Cordatus No. 1738.)
Cochläus is called miH a changeling and a[r] bathmaid [son], 1) which cannot take place in one and the same being at the same time, because the latter is a natural man, but the latter a man exchanged by Satan. He is called sus, sow, grobianus, pig. I am surprised that you like to be so coarse. H[archduke] G[eorg] will gain as much from him as from Friesland. There he carried in a fool in his wamm and led out a fool, pastor 2) by name.
(Here 7 lines are omitted because contained in Cap.
22, § 142.)
2. from the seven heads Cochläi, Wider Lutherum.
(Cordatus No. 348.)
Regarding the book "about the seven heads", which he [Cochläus] wrote against me, I said: All things please me well with the seven heads. But this is their sin and shame, that seven heads cannot bring about one neck, or be worth one neck. But the son of the margrave 3) is said to have said: Oho!
1) Cf. Lauterbach, April 16, 1538, p. 63: einer Bademagd Sohn.
2) His one-eyed court jester, who had previously been a swineherd. (Wrampelmeyer.)
3) The margrave's son is the later Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg.
Now Luther will remain undefeated, having seven heads because they could not defeat his One Head before.
3. from Emser.
(Cordatus No. 346.)
I would never have believed that Emser was such a bad man as I now see in his New Testament. He knew better than he wrote. For he uses our translation, but in order to keep G[eorg] in favor, he has at times changed a word against his conscience and added his useless gibberish. But whom he has served, he will also reward now.
4. emperor Carl's verdict by D. Eck and Faber.
(Cordatus No. 851.)
The emperor said: Ferdinand holds up Faber and Eck. Should they defend [the] Christian faith, since one is a drunkard, the other a fornicator and a fool?
The Epicurer and Miser's Speech and Song.
Caesar Pflug, as a child of this world, once answered, since the gospel had been revealed: There must be idle people who deal with the gospel. As for stallions, buying houses, he would know what to do.
of, but of the Scriptures none shall ask him. Otherwise he shall have great wisdom, as befits the children of this world. 1)
6. the papists' letter against Doctor Martin.
(Contained in Cap. 37, § 134.)
7. bom assassin at Dresden.
The booklet against H[erzog] G[eorg] has not caused as much anger as two booklets: one against the imperial edict; the other: Warning to my dear Germans. H[archduke] G[eorg] could not stand that and wrote to the Elector about it; after that he executed the assassin. He is now doing the same with Rotzlöffel, the Cochläo; but I want to meet the master well. In this booklet, I am very lenient, I am very clean. But at last I will answer him, I will have the unconsecrated priests out, and beat down their sacrificial mass, so that they shall not know whether they have a sacrament on the altar or not.
8. from Doctor Eck.
D. Martinus praised D. Eck, saying that he had many excellent, fine, natural gifts, and that he was not serious about standing on the pope's side, but would keep it with both parts; only that he would pretend more to the pope for the sake of his stomach. For he is such a swine that he would take money and keep company with the Turk and the Tartern. For in Augsburg at the Imperial Diet (1530), when he had not been able to get or receive a cathedral (which had been sold to another for four hundred guilders), he is said to have said: I know the papacy well; if Luther had not done too much to him, I wanted to fall to him soon and keep it with him. He is almost neutral, and carries on both armpits; but he hangs more on that, the Pabst's side. But such people are the very worst who do the greatest harm. Those of Athens, as wise, understanding people in Greece, punish such fellows as those on both sides honor and
1) Cf. cap. 29, § 1.
He is embarrassing to life and limb. Eck is eloquent and cheerful in disputes and collations, everything about him is alive; but in preaching and writing he is quite cold.
9. a different one from Eck.
(Cordatus No. 1596.)
D. Eck said to Philip that he did not want a nun in the monasteries, and yet he wanted to kill her because of the marriage; so lyingly do they defend the devil.
10th Bon Carl von Miltitz.
Carl von Miltitz, a proud, splendid man, sold his paternal inheritance for six thousand florins, aspired to high things, moved to Italy, got there fat benefices and cathedrals, supported himself to take me away and to present me to the pope, brought with him a golden rose from Rome, which the pope had given to Elector Frederick; finally, since he was legate of the bishop of Mainz, he drowned miserably in the Rhine.
11th Bon Sadoleto.
Sadoletus, who had been the pope's secretary for fifteen years, a sensible and learned man, wrote to M. Phil. M. in the most friendly way, but very cunning and treacherous, in the Italian way, perhaps that they would bring him to their side by a cardinalate, no doubt by order of the Pope; for the Junkers are afraid, do not know how to attack it.
The same Sadoletus was made a cardinal by the pope because of his skill and quick head, so that he should write against us. But there is no understanding in the holy scripture, as one clearly sees in his commentary on the 51st Psalm, 2) how strange and unrhymed things he brings into it. Oh dear Lord God, help us, your good spirit lead us on the right path.
The papists are hopeless and unlearned people in the Scriptures, cannot govern a church, nor administer any office.
2) Cf. cap. 7, § 76.
For they understand nothing, nor read nor write anything correctly, but sit stiffly and proudly in the regiment and shout: The fathers' decree and decision, they say, are not to be doubted: what they have recognized and finally decided is not to be disputed, otherwise one would have to jump up at every bachante and village priest. Therefore, the pope, being full of devils, defends his tyranny, and keeps it as hard as one can see in his decree c. si Papa, dist. 40. 40, where it is clearly stated: "If the pope were to lead the whole world into hell, no one should persuade him or ask why?
It is terrible and horrible that we should lose our soul for the sake of his authority and tyranny, which Christ has so richly redeemed with his rose-colored blood. He says John 6:37: "Him that cometh to me I will not cast out." Against this the priest says: "Thus I command, and so I will have it in a nutshell: you shall perish and be lost before you resist me. Therefore the pope is full of devils, to whom our rulers still fall at the feet and worship; therefore one must resist him and strike with God's word and prayer.
12. from the Faber.
(Cordatus No. 345.)
That Faber of Constan 1) said in a sermon at the Diet of Speyer that he would rather accept the faith of the Turk than that of Luther. But I [Luther] answered: I fear that you have prophesied like Caiaphas.
13. from Lemnio D. Martin Luther's admonition.
Against Lemnii, 2) who was a poet at Wittenberg, manuscript and poem said D. Martinus: Behold, how the devil has made us
1) of Constance, because he had been vicar of the bishop of Constance for some time; he was born at Fribourg in Switzerland. (Wrampelmeyer.)
2) Cf. Luther's writing against Sim. Lemnii Epigrammata 1538. Walch, old edition, vol. XIV, 1334 ff.
We are the target at which all arrows are aimed and shot; we must get used to this. He now has such boys, especially among the papists, through whom he attacks and assaults us. He does not do this to the Turk, he leaves them alone; but because we preach Christ pure and unadulterated, he persecutes us as he can, as fast and as hard as a roaring lion etc. Wherefore be not grieved, be not dismayed, be not troubled: but because Christ saith John 15:19, 20: "If ye were of the world, the world would have loved their own; but remember ye shall not have it better than the father of the house hath had it."
You see that this lickspittles us, says and writes all evil of us, and praises our adversaries, the bishops, and calls them holy: but we do not want to allow them to be praised henceforth in this school, because they seek our blood and are bitter enemies of us. The bishops could all be very useful and serve Germany, but they do not want to; for they have sworn to the pope and taken an oath. And even though they confess that our doctrine is right and condemn theirs, they cannot and will not suffer it, because we did not begin it with their advice and by their command. So such people, as St. Paul calls them Titus 3:11, become autoca- tacriti, "those who have condemned themselves. And even though they are the most wicked of boys, they do not want to follow those who teach them better things. And have no other cause than that we are poor, weak and miserable people, but they are great, rich and powerful.
You know that Solomon says, Proverbs 17:15: "He that judgeth the wicked, and condemneth the righteous, are both abomination unto our Lord." We are here, therefore, to resist the papists and the wicked, and not to be silent for and for. The pope is to be called an antichrist; but he who does not want to do so, let him go from there to N. and go with him to the executioner. The sovereign princes and lords are not so deceived as the bishops, who are related to the pope with oaths and duties. We are supposed to say: You are desperate, godless boys and God's
Enemies. Since we teach and say these things, and yet suffer here those who praise them with their verses and writings, what is the result but that they say, "Now they praise us, and soon they rebuke and reproach us again? So they mock us all.
I believe there are many scouts here, but we ask nothing of them. Hear us, do you like it, and behold, we are well satisfied. But we will not suffer that they should throw us into their mouths, and praise and extol our enemies. It is enough that thou art here among us as a knave and a traitor: but thou shalt not praise the bishops with public writings and books, which seek our lives with the sword, and seek to murder our souls with lies. But he that praiseth them, let him have that for a reward, whereof Solomon saith, The wicked perish, and go to destruction.
I say this so that you may know that we are called to this, to the light, as St. Peter says in 1 Ep 2:9, in which we are to confess Christ. Because we have so many great and powerful enemies, we must indeed be vigilant and watchful, especially against the devil, who pursues us without ceasing and persecutes us inwardly and outwardly. Truly, he does not celebrate. But have patience, be confident and joyful, it is certainly good and useful for you, even if you do not think it so now, when you are challenged, but do not let yourself be challenged, do not judge and judge according to your feelings, but according to God's word. Christ is the goal to look to and strive for; but not all meet and attain it, some fall short and perish, fall to the ground over it. We should be pious, and let such little incense be consumed, and let the sharp wind blow by: if something more happens, we should also trample it under our feet and bite it, and see that we have and keep our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, in our hearts, and, as the bride says in the Song of Solomon, Cap. 8, 6, "like a seal in our arms. Martin did this exhortation publicly in church on the day of the Holy Trinity and read out his printed mandate against Simonis Lemnii's book of shame and blasphemy.
14. a different one from Lemnio.
When Lemnii's book of shame D. Martino was brought, in which he did not spare even the poor female sex; then he said, "Well, they act against us with lies and sham; therefore Christ says Matt. 5:11, 12: "Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you for my sake, and speak all kinds of evil against you, if they lie about it. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven" etc. Such books do not make me stupid or fainthearted, who write jokes, dolts, Lemnius and the like.
15. from Faber.
Since Johannis Fabri, the evil and poisonous slanderer, was remembered, D. Martinus said: "Such poisonous people are the most annoying and harmful, with whom one should neither trade nor dispute: for they do not appear freely in public, and do not go right under one's eyes, but only blaspheme and revile everything, out of poisonous hatred, in the most bitter and atrocious way; just as Emser, Cochläus, Eck etc. were.
16. by Witzel.
(Lauterbach, Oct. 11, 1538, p. 147.)
On October 11, one said of the horribly bitter hatred of Witzel and Cochlaeus, who had written against the articles of Luther's confession 1) and much praised by the fathers. He answered: I do not want to read them. After all, you may praise the fathers much, which I have also read. But we have a Father in heaven, who is above all fathers. Their patches and rags count for nothing. It shall be nothing, since 2) they write from a malicious and blasphemous heart, rather those writings are publicly considered lies.
17. of the joke's blasphemy.
(Lauterbach, Oct. 11, 1538, p. 147 f.)
When Witzel was remembered, the poisonous man who attacked all of Luther's articles and
1) This is what the Augsburg Confession is called here.
2) Instead of Huam, perhaps Huurn will be read.
with whimsical gibes, he replied, "That is why I do not read them, because they write with such great bitterness and blasphemy against the Word and against their own consciences, and do not build consciences in the least. As Cochlaeus concludes: "The article of the Trinity is not expressed in the Holy Scriptures, but it is nevertheless believed; therefore one must believe human traditions without the Word. The joke is full of errors and blasphemies without end, nor does one let the boy live. He also praises IJ. S(chenk) and J. A(gricola) to our shame, that they taught rightly that whoever was once converted could no longer sin, but that whatever they did was good. But how should one do to him? After all, St. Paul did the same [Rom. 3:8.j: "Let us do evil, that good may come of it." Let us pray against their blasphemies.
18. godless promotion.
(The first paragraph contained in Cap. 37, § 70.) (Lauterbach, Nov. 10, 1538, p. 161.)
One spoke of Witzel's reception in Leipzig. Luther replied: I am glad that he is there. He is caught in a mousetrap, as it were, because he is full of the worst opinions. When he comes out, he may well get his reward. He has sucked the poison from the Campanus, who in a very ungodly way wrote a book under this title: "Against the whole world after the apostles' time." It is much taken in one bite. But he has lost his previous advantages. Witzel keeps behind the times, that is why his sermons are so cold. He teaches coldly because he does not dare to come out, walks like a tense hare, fears the judgment of the listeners. His prayer is not free, but bound in a prison. The words of a speaker, however, which are to move others, must be completely free. He teaches nothing sincerely, as the very presumptuous all do, like Carlstadt with his that, for
In short: the spirit teaches, not the language. But the languages help the spirit, without which they are void. The words serve the things, not the things the words. What happened to the emperor Sigismund at the con
cilium at Constance, who said: We do not want a ó÷ßóìáì. The orator answered: Not
ó÷ßóìáì but ó÷ßóìá, Against he said:
If I am the master of all rights, i.e. of things, I am much more a master of grammar, i.e. of words. But the papists imprisoned him. He had to put on a diaconal skirt and read the Gospel at the Christmas Mass. And so every emperor is a diaconus of the Roman Church. The Roman king is subdiaconus. After that he was soon very unhappy against the Turks and against the Germans. The kingdom of Bohemia disintegrated and was completely devastated, which was once the best; so that they killed Ladislaus, a very good king, and chose as king a furrier, the grandfather of Duke George, a brave soldier. When at last King Matthias died, the Kingdom of Bohemia ceased to exist.
19. a different one from Witzel.
When Witzel's book, called Tesseratheca, was brought, in which he wanted to reconcile and make up with the pope and Luther, out of pure hopefulness and presumption, Doctor Martinus said: "If Witzel can accomplish this with the pope, then I will yield to them on our part more than they desire. These propositions and proposals are forged and made more out of fear than out of devotion and good will. For those of N. may want to court N. N. with these proposals, as they are otherwise hostile to the gospel. For the gospel is not a doctrine for usurers.
20. from the Latomo.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 17, 1538, p. 170.)
After that, the Frenchman Latomus was mentioned, who would have written against Luther. Luther said: He is excellent among all my opponents. His main reason was: Whatever may have arrived from the church, one should not reject it. This is a plausible argument. As the Jews cried out: GO God's people! so the papists: The church cannot err! This is the highest
Argument, so that the prophets and apostles have beaten themselves, as Moses says, 5 Mos. 32, (v. 21.): "They have provoked me against that which is not God; against a foolish people will I provoke them to anger." Likewise Paul, Rom. 2, 29.: "But this is a Jew" (belonging to God's people), "who is hidden within." Likewise Isaiah (11, 10.): "After the [root of Jesse] shall the Gentiles inquire." That is why the papists argue thus: It is impossible for God to leave His Church, because Christ says: I will be with you until the end of days (Matth. 28, 20.); thus. I answer: The "with you" must be distinguished, namely, which is the true church, whether it is the afflicted hearts or the Roman Sodomites.
21. from a converted papist.
There was talk about a very good man, a papist, who had accepted the gospel. Then said D. Martinus said: "These are the best, who do not suddenly burst out, but do it thoughtfully, hold against each other scriptures and arguments of both parts, put them on the gold scale, and search in the fear of God for the right truth. From this come fine men, capable of argument, who can hold the sting. Such a man was St. Paul, who in the first place was a strict Pharisee and a work saint, who held the law with seriousness and stiffness; but afterwards he taught and preached Christ in the very best and purest way, against all Judaism.