Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/562

 Wertheim/ and two representatives' of the Free Cities. Then the Chancellor* of the Margrave of Baden arose, and gave me an able, temperate admonition, so that I must confess the Official of Trier can't hold a candle to him. He said it was not his intention to start a debate with me, but to give me a gracious, loyal and fraternal warning to consider what con- fusion and sedition would follow and what offence and scandal I would give. He bade me hold in honor the powers that be, and pass over many things for the sake of brotherly love, and put the best construction on everything. Even if the authori- ties had occasionally erred their power was not lost thereby, but that we were bound to obey them, and so forth.

To which I answered that I was willing to submit my books not only to his Imperial Majesty, but to everyone, no matter how small, provided only that nothing should be recognized or decided contrary to the holy gospel. Also that I had never taught that one should despise those in authority, be they good or bad. Item that I did not attack the Pope nor the council on account of their bad lives and deeds, but on ac- count of their false doctrine. For authority and obedience are abrogated by false doctrine. I pointed to the article con- demned at Constance that "The one holy universal Church was the aggregate of those predestined [to salvation.]'** This article I would not let be condemned, for it is one of the articles of our creed, when we say: "I believe in a holy Christian Church." Therefore scandalous works must be winked at, but faith must remain. For God's Word always scandalizes the great, wise and holy, as Christ himself was made by God for a sign to be spoken against'^ and for the falling of many in Israel. Therefore I could yield nothing more to fraternal love, for I would thereby be in so much harmful to the gospel and the faith.

As they accomplished nothing thus, my Lord of Trier took me apart with Dr. Schurff and Amsdorf, and graciously al-

iCount George of Wertheim reigned 1509-1530. He became a Lutheran, asking to be supplied with a chaplain on September 4, 1521. Enders, iv. 2. rrhey were Conrad Peutinger of Augsburg and John Bock of Straaaburg. •Jerome Vehus. ^Latin. SLatin. Luke, ii. 34.

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