Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/253

 Can't anybody see from this that his doctrine is obnoxious to the suspicion of heresy ? . ..

196. ULRICH ZAZIUS TO ULRICH ZWINGLI AT ZURICR

Corpus Reformat orum, xciv. 218.

Fkeiburg in Bkeisgau^ November 13, 1519.

Ulrich Zwingli, the Reformer (January i, 1484-Octobcr 11, iS3i)» was born on the Toggenburg, studied at Basle, Berne, Vienna and again at Basle, where he took the degree of M. A. in 1506. Then he be- came parish priest at Glarus. After some years here, and a short stay at Einsiedeln, he moved to Zurich in 1519, where he remained as leader of the Reformation till his death. He began his reforms at once by an attack on indulgences, as had Luther, though his movement was quite independent at the start Luther crossed his horizon soon after the posting of the 95 Theses. The present letter is in answer to one from Zwingli, lost, asking for information about Luther. It is doubly interesting for this reason and as showing the cultivated, conservative opinion of Luther at this stage in his career. An excellent life of Zwingli in English has been written by Prof. Samuel M. Jack- son. A new edition of his works is being published by Drs. E. Egli, G. Finsler and W. Kohler, in the Corpus Reformatorum, vols. lxxxviii.£F.

... I should like to say much to you about Martin Luther, if the brevity of a letter could hold it all. Much in him you would praise and defend; but again there are some things which seem a bit too strong. He has rightly taught that all our good works are to be attributed to God and that nothing but evil is to be credited to our own will. He proves this from many authorities, and especially cites the book of Psalms in every possible place. The Church doctors teach the same: Chrysostom in several places in his commentary on Matthew, Gregory most openly in his sermons, and others whom I have consulted and brought together with the purpose of pleading the cause of this most upright man on this point, if the Lord permit.^ But as to indulgences, I have my opinion, but I have nothing to say. For I have no wish to attack dangerous men.* For it is an old complaint, and a doubtful question, as the commentator says.* But the subject of peni-

^Zazius never did bo publicly, but other references in his works show that he was really reading the Fathers here mentioned at this time.

'I<iterally "men who have their horns bound in hay," a figure taken from cattle whose horns had to be wrapped up. Horace, Satires, i. 4, 34.

Wecretai, Gregor., ix. lib. v. tit. xxxviii., De poenitenHis,

�� �