Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/255

 where. It would be better to refrain from such deceptive propositions which lead to sophistical fallacies, and to strive after those doctrines which give wisdom to the simple. More- over Carlstadt, a learned and upright man, as I think, tmless led astray by self-love, asserts in his Theses^ that that cannot by called the literal sense of Scripture which is gathered sim- ply by examining it, nor even that given by the meaning of the words; in short, that that is not expressly stated which appears from the intention of the speaker; and other propo- sitions of that sort. . ..

Finally, in his last book^ Luther treats some fundamental positions in which he thinks he proves that the Pope is not by divine right the universal bishop. I can hardly say how much this displeases me. In the first place, that is repugnant to the decrees of St. Leo* and other Popes, which Luther makes light of and almost spits on, as "vain," although he has no right nor ground' for doing so. In short, supposing that what he says were true, which I do not concede (for I intend to confute him on this point, thinking that it is one in which a layman is competent to do so), yet what does he gain by wearing himself out in these arguments, which are fruitless and poisonous as well? We see how wretched is the condition of man, how easily he falls and declines who thinks he stands and can stand easily. Luther's case shows us how much danger lurks in a bitter controversy. How much harm will the determination to win at all costs bring? The Wittenbergers try to refute Eck even where he is right, and thus they have hurt themselves almost as much as him. How safe it is to be humble, not to think loftily, not to strive obstinately, but rather to yield where you can conquer than to try to annihilate your foe! On whom does the spirit of the Lord rest, if not on the lowly and the peaceable? Would

'Carlstadt's Theses on the authority of Scripture, Loscher: VoiUidndige Reformations Acta und Documenta, Leipsic, x72off., iii, 8x. Barge, KarUiadi, i. 117. Zasius seems slightly to hare misunderstood Carlstadt, the essence of whose position was that the literal meaning of Scripture was not the important meaning.

'Resolutio Lutheriana super proposiiione sua tercia deeima de potestaie Papae, Weimar, ii. 181.

to show "how weakly they prove their point."
 * In the work just cited, Luther examines the decrees of Pope Leo I. and othcts

�� �