Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/159

 154 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let lao

to the world. But I have been and still am submissive to God's command and will in this matter.

Thirdly, to have an impartial judge in the matter is all my desire, and in my favor. And as such a judge, I would name the reverend father in God, the Archbishop of Trier,* or the Archbishop of Salzburg,' or the serene Lord Bishop Philip of Freisingen and Naumburg.*

Fourthly, it has long moved me to think that in Pope Julius' time, nine cardinals with all their followers were unable to accomplish anything, and that also the Emperor and kings were often humiliated by him ;* on the other hand, I have been strengthened, because I am absolutely positive that the Roman Church will not and may not suffer the inept and noxious preaching which I pointed out in my Theses; she cannot bear it nor uphold it, nor allow the poor people of Christ to be deceived by the specious indulgence.

It is small wonder that in these last, bad times, one or two men should be crushed, when we consider that in the time of the heretic Arius, when the Church was new and pure, all bishops were driven from their churches, and the heretics, with the support of the Empire throughout all the world, persecuted the solitary St. Athanasius. So, if God in those blessed times so tried the Church, I shall not be much sur- prised if a poor man like myself be suppressed. But the truth remains and will remain forever.

Fifthly, the new decretal* just issued at Rome on indul- gences, seems to me very extraordinary. In the first place, it says nothing new. Secondly, it repeats in a dark and diffi- cult form what the other decretals said. Thirdly, it does not repeal the other papal laws on which I founded my argument, and thus leaves the matter in contradiction. Fourthly (and

^Richard Ton CrreiffenUau, Archbishop Elector, 1511-1531* who pUjed an Important part at Worms. Cf. infra, April and May, 1521.

"Matthew Lanf.


 * PhtIip, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Bishop 1517-T541.

«Miltitz had written the elector to tell Luther to consider that in the time of the late Pope Julius II., "nine cardinals, the Emperor, the kings of France, England, Scotland, Burgundy, and the whole of Italy were against the Pope, and began a council, notwithstanding which the Pope has deposed the said cardinals and burned their statues, and that the Holy Church had thus always triumphed." Endcrs, i. 369.

^Cum poiiquam, November 9, 15 18. Kidd, op. cit., 39*

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