Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/246

 to do nothing but compel, destroy and crush, although Augus- tine, even against the Donatists, who were not only heretics, but savage robbers, does not approve those who only compel with- out teaching. The men who should be the gentlest of all seem to thirst for nothing but human blood; they only pant for Luther's capture and death. But this is to be hangmen rather than theologians. If they wish to prove that they are great divines, let them convert the Jews, or those hostile to Christ; let them amend the morals of Christians, than which nothing is more corrupt even among the Turks. J^ How can it be right that he should be haled to punishment who first proposed questions for debate, theses which have always been debated in theological schools? Why should he be chastized who wishes to be instructed, who submits him- self to the judgment of the Roman see and to that of the universities? It should not seem strange that he does not care to entrust himself to the hands of those who would rather see him dead than right. Let us examine the origin of this evil. The world is loaded down with human laws, with the opinions and dogmas of the schools, with the tyranny of the mendicant friars, who, though they are the retinue of the Roman see, have become so powerful and numerous that they are formidable even to the Pope and to kings. When the Pope does what they want he is more than God; when he acts against them he has no more authority than a dream. I do not condemn all, but there are some of this order who snare the consciences of men for their own profit and tyranny. And with brazen forehead they have now begun to omit Christ from their discourses and to preach nothing but their own new and impudent dogmas. They speak of indulgences so that even laymen cannot bear their words. By such means the vigor of the gospel is gradually vanishing, and it will come to pass that if tilings keep on going from bad to worse, finally even that spark of Christianity from which charity might be kindled will be extinguished, and the whole of religion will be reduced to more than Jewish ceremonialism. Good men, even theologians who are not monks, deplore this, and even monks confess it in their private conversations. These things, I believe, have moved Luther to dare to oppose

��(

�� �