History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century Volume II Part 28

_Luther._--"In the evening when we are drunk; but in the morning we call ourselves Leo lord of all the lords."

_The Pope._--"The Roman bishops, our predecessors, have been wont, on this festival, to employ the weapons of righteousness."...

_Luther._--"Which, according to you, are excommunication and anathema, but according to St. Paul, patience, meekness, and charity." (2 Cor.

vi, 7.)

_The Pope._--"According to the duty of the apostolic office, and to maintain the purity of Christian faith."

_Luther._--"In other words, the temporal possessions of the pope."

_The Pope._--"And its unity, which consists in the union of the members with Christ their head ... and with his vicar...."

_Luther._--"For Christ is not sufficient; one more than he is necessary."

_The Pope._--"To guard the holy communion of the faithful, we follow the ancient custom, and excommunicate and anathematise on the part of G.o.d Almighty the Father."

_Luther._--"Of whom it is said, '_G.o.d sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world._'" (John, iii, 17.)

_The Pope._--"... And the Son and the Holy Spirit, and according to the power of the Apostles Peter and Paul ... and our own...."

_Luther._--"And myself! says the ravenous wolf, as if the power of G.o.d were too feeble without him."

_The Pope._--"We curse all heretics,--the Garasi,[449] the Patarini, the Pauperes of Lyon, the Arnoldists, the Speronists, the Pa.s.sagians, the Wickliffites, the Hussites, the Fraticelli."

[449] This name is inaccurate; read Gazari or Cathari.

_Luther._--"For they wished to possess the Holy Scriptures, and insisted that the pope should be sober and preach the Word G.o.d."

_The Pope._--"And Martin Luther recently condemned by us for a similar heresy, as well as all his adherents, and all, whosoever they be, that show him any favour."

_Luther._--"I thank thee, most gracious Pontiff, for condemning me in common with all these Christians. I count it an honour to have my name proclaimed at Rome during the feast in so glorious a manner, and carried over the world with the names of all those humble confessors of Jesus Christ."

_The Pope._--"Likewise we excommunicate and curse all pirates and corsairs...."

[Sidenote: LUTHER AND THE POPE.]

_Luther._--"Who then is the greatest of pirates and corsairs if it be not he who robs souls, chains them, and puts them to death?"

_The Pope._--"Particularly those who sail upon our sea."

_Luther._--"Our SEA!... Saint Peter, _our_ predecessor, said, '_Silver and gold have I none_,' (Acts, iii, 6.) Jesus Christ said, '_The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; but it shall not be so with you._' (Luke, xxii, 25.) But if a waggon loaded with hay must, on meeting with a drunken man, give way to him, _a fortiori_ must St.

Peter and Jesus Christ himself give way to the pope."

_The Pope._--"Likewise we excommunicate and curse all who falsify our bulls, and our apostolic letters...."

_Luther._--"But the letters of G.o.d, the Scriptures of G.o.d, all the world may condemn and burn."

_The Pope._--"Likewise we excommunicate and curse all who detain provisions which are on the way to Rome...."

_Luther._--"He barks and bites like a dog threatened to be deprived of his bone."[450]

[450] Gleich wie ein Hund ums Beines willen. (L. Op. (L.) xviii, p.

12.)

_The Pope._--"Likewise we condemn and curse all who keep back judicial rights, fruits, t.i.thes, revenues, appertaining to the clergy."

_Luther._--"For Jesus Christ has said, '_Whosoever will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also._' (Matt.

v, 40.) and this is our commentary upon the pa.s.sage."

_The Pope._--"Whatever be their station, dignity, order, power, or rank; be they even bishops or kings...."

_Luther._--"For '_There will arise false teachers among you who will despise dominion and speak evil of dignities_,' saith the Scripture.

(Jude, 8.)"

_The Pope._--"Likewise we condemn and curse all those who in any kind of way attack the city Rome, the kingdom of Sicily, the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, the patrimony of St. Peter in Tuscany, the duchy of Spoleto, the margravate of Ancona, the Campagna, the cities of Ferrara and Benevento, or any other city or country appertaining to the Church of Rome."

_Luther._--"O, Peter, poor fisherman! where did you get Rome and all those kingdoms? I salute you, Peter, king of Sicily! ... and fisherman at Bethsaida!"

_The Pope._--"We excommunicate and curse all chancellors, counsellors, parliaments, procurators, governors, officials, bishops, and others who oppose our letters of exhortation, invitation, prohibition, mediation, execution, etc."

[Sidenote: HOLY THURSDAY AT ROME.]

_Luther._--"For the holy see seeks only to live in idleness, magnificence, and debauchery, to command, storm, deceive, lie, insult, and commit all sorts of wickedness in peace and safety...."

"O Lord, arise! it is not as the papists pretend. Thou hast not forsaken us, nor is thy favour turned away from us."

So spake Leo X at Rome, and Luther at Wittemberg.

The pontiff having finished his anathemas, the parchment on which they were written was torn in pieces, and the fragments thrown to the people. Immediately there was a great rush among the crowd, all pressing forward, and striving to get hold of a morsel of the terrible bull.

Such were the holy relics which the papacy offered to her faithful on the eve of the great day of grace of expiation. The mult.i.tude soon dispersed, and the vicinity of the Basilisk resumed its wonted stillness. Let us return to Wittemberg.

CHAP. VI.

Luther's courage--Bugenhagen at Wittemberg--Persecutions in Pomerania--Melancthon wishes to set out with Luther--Amsdorff--Schurff--Suaven--Hutten to Charles V.

[Sidenote: BUGENHAGEN AT WITTEMBERG.]

It was the 24th of March. The imperial herald, Gaspard Sturm, having at length pa.s.sed the gates of the town where Luther was, presented himself before the doctor, and put the summons of Charles V into his hands. A grave and solemn moment for the Reformer! All his friends were in consternation. No prince, not even excepting Frederick the Wise, had as yet declared in his favour. Knights, it is true, uttered menaces, but the mighty Charles despised them. Still Luther was not troubled. "The papists," said he, on seeing the anguish of his friends, "have no wish for my arrival at Worms, they only wish my condemnation and death.[451] No matter, pray not for me, but for the Word of G.o.d. Before my blood is cold, thousands throughout the world will be called to answer for having shed it. The _most holy_ adversary of Christ, the father, master, and generalissimo of homicides, insists on having my life. Amen! Let the will of the Lord be done. Christ will give me his Spirit to vanquish these ministers of error. I despise them during my life, and will triumph over them by my death.[452] They are doing all they can at Worms, to compel me to retract. Here then will be my retractation: I once said, that the pope was the vicar of Christ; now, I say that he is the enemy of the Lord, and the apostle of the devil." And when he learned that all the pulpits of the Franciscans were resounding with imprecations and maledictions against him, he exclaimed, "O what wondrous joy it gives me!"[453] He knew that he had done the will of G.o.d, and that G.o.d was with him; why then should he not set out boldly? This purity of intention, this liberty of conscience is a hidden power of incalculable might which never fails the servant of G.o.d, and which makes him more invincible than helmets and armied hosts could make him.

[451] d.a.m.natum et perditum. (L. Ep. i, p. 556.)

[452] ... ut hos Satanae ministros et contemnam vivens et vincam moriens. (Ibid. p. 579.)

[453] Quod mire quam gaudeam! (L. Ep. i, p. 567.)