Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/440

 personal safety, so many threats have come in from different quarters.

We shall see what measures will be adopted by the coming Diet.

370. JAMES LATOMUS TO RUDOLPH VON MONCKEDAMIS,

CURATE OF GOUDA.

H. Dejongh, appendix, p. 69ff. Louvain, December 31, 152a

This long letter is an apology for the action of the Louvain the- ologians in condemning Luther. I only reproduce the two most interesting passages, which are apparently directed against Erasmus's defence of Luther.

Although it was not necessary for us to give the reason of our condemnation of Luther, inasmuch as the Apostolic See approved our side and rejected the side of our opponent, yet, as there are still not lacking some who, as though fascinated by the writings of Luther and his friends, think that Luther relies on the authority of the Bible and the ancients, and that we are supported only by the writings of recent authors — although both ancient and modern authorities follow the same path of truth — I have collected reasons and testimonies only from the Scripture and the ancients, and endeavored to show that the Scripture and the ancients were not inter- preted by Luther in their natural sense. You will judge of my success.

Let me briefly make you acquainted with the method of the theological faculty. More than two years ago when Luther's book* was printed and published everywhere, it came into our hands and on account of the sayings of many men was strongly suspected of false doctrine; it was then dili- gently and privately read by the various professors, and was examined several times in a general meeting. Thus at length by common counsel some articles were extracted verbatim, enough, as it seemed, for our purpose, for it would have taken long and have been unnecessary to collect them all. But as the faculty did not wish in so great a matter to rely on its own wisdom, as soon as it was rumored, though falsely, as was afterwards found out, that our very reverend Bishop

>/. e., the collection of Luther's Works printed by Froben in October, 15 18.

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