Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/245

 words heresy, heretics, heresiarchs, schism and antichrist It cannot be denied that these epithets are odiously applied to him before the people by those who have not read his books. It has been found that some have expressly condemned what they have not understood. One of their charges is this: Luther has written that we are not bound to confess mortal sins, except those which are known,^ meaning those which are known to us when we confess. But someone interpreted his meaning to be that we need not confess any sins except what were publicly known, and he made a tremendous ado about this thing he did not understand.

It has been found that things are condemned in Luther's books as heretical which are considered orthodox and edify- ing in Bernard and Augustine. I warned them from the be- ginning to keep from clamor and to treat the affair in writ- ings and discussions. First, I said, that should not be publicly condemned, which has not been read, weighed, and, if I may say it, understood. Secondly, it was unbecoming for theologi- ans to do anything by clamor, for their judgment ought to be mature; thirdly, they should take heed how they ran wild against a man whose life was approved by all. Finally, I said, perhaps it was not safe to ventilate these matters before a promiscuous multitude, among whom there were many who did not like to confess their sins at all. If they should hear that there were theologians who considered it unneces- sary they might easily get a wrong idea. Although I only told them what every decent man must think, they inmiedi- ately conceived the suspicion that Luther's books were largely mine, written by me at Louvain, although I never wrote a tittle of them, nor were they published with my knowledge or consent. Yet, on account of this false suspicion, without the least warning they stir up commotions here which are the fiercest I have ever seen in my life. Moreover, though it is becoming for theologians to teach, I now see many who try

lln the Sermo dt Poenitentia (1518, Weimar, i. 322), Luther Mys: *1>o not take upon yourself to confess all daily sins, nor even all mortal sins, for no one can know all mortal sins, and formerly men only confessed public and known mortal sins." This was condemned by the bull Exsurge Domini, article 8, in 1520. When Erasmus wrote, it was on the point of being condemned also by the theologians of Louvain. (November 7.)

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