The History of Dr. Martin Luther With his Life and Doctrine Described Martin Luther,
after he was grown in years, being born at Eiselben in Saxony, A.D.
1483, was sent to the university, first of Magdeburg, then of Erfurt.
In this university of Erfurt, there was a certain aged man in the convent of the
Augustins, with whom Luther, being then of same order, a friar Augustin, had
conference upon diverse things, especially touching remission of sins,
which article the said aged father opened unto Luther, declaring that God's express
commandment is that every man should particularly believe his sins to be
forgiven him in Christ, and further said that this interpretation was confirmed by
St. Bernard.
This is the testimony that the Holy Ghost giveth thee in thy heart, saying,
Thy sins are forgiven thee.
For this is the opinion of the apostle, that man is freely justified by faith.
By these words Luther was not only strengthened, but he was also instructed
of the full meaning of St. Paul, who repeateth so many times this sentence,
We are justified by faith.
And having read the expositions of many upon this place, he then perceived,
as well by the discourse of the old man, as by the comfort he received in his
spirit, the vanity of those interpretations which he had read before
of the schoolmen.
And so, by little and little reading and comparing the sayings and examples of the
prophets and apostles with continual invocation of God, the excitation of faith
by force of prayer, he perceived that doctrine most evidently.
Thus continued he his study at Erfurt the space of four years in the convent of the
Augustans.
About this time one, Storpiteus, a famous man, who had ministered his help
to further the erection of a university in Wittenberg, being anxious to promote the
study of divinity in this new university, when he had considered the spirit and
towardness of Luther, called him from Erfurt to place him in Wittenberg,
A.D.
1508, and of his age the twenty-sixth.
In the meanwhile, Luther intermitted no wit his study in theology.
Three years after, he went to Rome, and returning the same year, he was graded
doctor at the expense of the Elector Friedrich, Duke of Saxony.
For he had heard him preach, well understood the quickness of his spirit,
diligently considered the vehemency of his words, and had in singular admiration
those profound matters which in his sermons he rightly and exactly explained.
This degree Storpiteus, against his will, enforced upon him, saying merrily unto him
that God had many things to bring to pass in his church by him.
And though these words were spoken merrily, yet it came so to pass anon
after.
After this, Luther began to expound the epistle to the Romans and the Psalms,
where he showed the difference betwixt the law and the gospel, and confounded the
error that reigned then in the schools and sermons, namely, that men may merit
remission of sins by their own works, and that they be just before God by
outward discipline, as the Pharisees taught.
Luther diligently reduced the minds of men to the Son of God, as John Baptist
demonstrated the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, even so
Luther, shining in the church, as the bright daylight after a long and
dark night, expressly showed, that sins are freely remitted for the love of the
Son of God, and that we ought faithfully to embrace this bountiful gift.
His life was correspondent to his profession, and it plainly appeared that
his words were no lip-labor but proceeded from the very heart.
This admiration of his holy life much allured the hearts of his auditors.
All this, while Luther altered nothing in the ceremonies, but precisely observed his
rule among his fellows.
He meddled in no doubtful opinions, but taught this only doctrine,
as most principle of all other, to all men, opening and declaring the
doctrine of repentance, of remission of sins, of faith, of true comfort to be
sought in the cross of Christ.
Every man received good taste of this sweet doctrine, and the learned conceived
high pleasure to behold Jesus Christ, the prophets and apostles, to come forth
into light out of darkness.
It happened, moreover, about this time, that many were provoked by Erasmus'
learned works to study the Greek and Latin tongues, who, having thus opened to them a
more pleasant sort of learning than before, began to have in contempt the
monks' barbarous and sophistical learning.
Luther began to study the Greek and Hebrew tongues to this end, that having drawn the
doctrine of the very fountains, he might form a more sound judgment.
As Luther was thus occupied in Germany, which was A.D.
1516, Leo X, who had succeeded after Julius II, was Pope of Rome, who,
under pretense of war against the Turk, sent his pardons abroad through all
Christian dominions, whereby he gathered together innumerable riches and treasure.
The gatherers and collectors whereof persuaded the people that whosoever would
give ten shillings should at his pleasure deliver one soul from the pains of
purgatory, but if it were but one jot less than ten shillings, it would profit them
nothing.
This Pope's merchandise came also to Germany through the means of a certain
Dominic friar named Tetzel, who most impudently caused the Pope's indulgences
to be sold about the country.
Whereupon Luther, much moved with the blasphemous sermons of this shameless
friar, and having his heart earnestly bent with ardent desire to maintain true
religion, published certain propositions concerning indulgences, and set them
openly on the temple that joineth to the castle of Wittenberg the morrow after the
feast of all saints, A.D.
1517.
This beggarly friar, hoping to obtain the Pope's blessing, assembled certain monks
and sophistical divines of his convent, and forthwith commanded them to write
something against Luther.
And while he would not himself be dumb, he began to thunder against Luther,
crying, Luther is a heretic and worthy to be persecuted with fire.
He burned openly Luther's propositions and the sermon which he wrote of indulgences.
This rage and furnished fury of this friar enforced Luther to treat more amply of the
cause and to maintain the truth, and thus rose the beginnings of this
controversy.
The good Duke Frederick was one, of all the princes of our time,
that loved best quietness and common tranquillity.
So he neither encouraged nor supported Luther, but often discovered outwardly the
heaviness and sorrow which he bare in his heart fearing greater dissensions.
But being a wise prince, and following the counsel of God's rule, and well
deliberating thereupon, he thought with himself that the glory of God was to be
preferred above all things.
Neither was he ignorant what blasphemy it was, horribly condemned of God,
obstinately to repugn the truth.
Wherefore he did as a godly prince should do, he obeyed God, committing himself to
His holy grace and omnipotent protection.
And although Maximilian the Emperor, Charles, King of Spain, and Pope Julius
had given commandment to the said Duke Frederick, that he should inhibit Luther
from all place and liberty of preaching, yet the Duke, considering with himself the
preaching and writing of Luther, and weighing diligently the testimonies
and places of the Scripture by him alleged, would not withstand the thing
which he judged sincere.
And yet neither did he this, trusting to his own judgment, but was very anxious to
hear the judgment of others who were both aged and learned, in the number of whom
was Erasmus, whom the Duke desired to declare to him his opinion touching the
matter of Martin Luther, protesting that he would rather the ground should open and
swallow him than he would bear with any opinions which he knew to be contrary to
manifest truth.
Erasmus began jestingly and merrily to answer the Duke's request, saying that in
Luther were two great faults, first, that he would touch the bellies of monks,
the second, that he would touch the Pope's crown.
Then opening his mind plainly to the Duke, he said that Luther did well in detecting
errors, that reformation was very necessary in the church, adding moreover
that the effect of his doctrine was true.
Furthermore, the same Erasmus, in the following year, wrote to the
Archbishop of Mence, a certain epistle touching the cause of Luther.
The world is burdened with men's institutions and with the tyranny of
begging friars.
Once it was counted a heresy when a man repugned against the Gospels.
Now he that dissenteth from Thomas Aquinas is a heretic.
Whatsoever doth not like them, whatsoever they understand not,
that is heresy.
To know Greek is heresy, or to speak more finely than they do, that is heresy.
The godly and faithful Christians, closed in monasteries, understanding
images ought to be eschewed, began to abandon that wretched thraldom in which
they were detained.
Luther held especially in contempt these horned bishops of Rome, who arrogantly and
impudently affirmed that St. Peter had not the charge alone to teach the gospel,
but also to govern common wills and exercise civil jurisdiction.
He exhorted every man to render unto God that appertained unto God, and to Caesar
that belonged unto Caesar, and said that all should serve God.
After that, Tetzel, the aforesaid friar, with his fellow monks and friarly fellows,
had cried out with open mouth against Luther in maintaining the pope's
indulgences, and that Luther again, in defense of his cause, had set up
propositions against the open abuses of the same, marvel it was to see how soon
these propositions were sparkled abroad in sundry and far places, and how greedily
they were caught up in the hands of divers both far and near.
Not long after, steppeth up one Sylvester de Priro, a Dominic friar, who first began
to publish abroad a certain impudent and railing dialogue against Luther,
unto whom he answered, out of the Scriptures.
Then was Martin Luther cited, the 7th of August, by one Hieron, bishop of Ascoli,
to appear at Rome.
About which time Thomas Cajetan, cardinal, the pope's legate, was then lega
at the city of Augsburg, who before had been sent down in commission with certain
mandates from Pope Leo unto that city.
The University of Wittenberg, understanding of Luther's citation,
effsoons directed letters to the pope in Luther's behalf.
Also another letter they sent to Carolus Miletitius, the pope's chamberlain,
being a German-born.
Furthermore, good Frederick ceased not to solicit that the cause of Luther might be
freed from Rome, and removed to Augsburg in the hearing of the cardinal.
Cajetan, at the suit of the duke, wrote unto the pope, from whom he received
this answer, that he had cited Luther to appear personally before him at Rome,
by Hieron, bishop of Ascoli, auditor of the chamber, which bishop diligently had
done what was commanded him.
But Luther, abusing and condemning the gentleness offered, did not only refuse to
come, but also became more bold and stubborn, continuing or rather increasing
in his former heresy, as by his writings did appear.
Wherefore, he would that the cardinal should cite and call up the said Luther to
appear at the city of Augsburg before him, adjoining with all the aid of the princes
of Germany, and of the emperor, if need required, so that when the said
Luther should appear, he should lay hand upon him and commit him to safe custody,
and after, he should be brought up to Rome.
And if he perceived him to come to any knowledge or amendment of his fault,
he should release him and restore him to the church again, or else he should be
interdicted with all other his adherents, abettors, and maintainers, of whatsoever
state or condition they were, whether they were dukes, marquesses, earls,
or barons.
Against all which persons and degrees he willed him to extend the same curse and
malediction, only the person of the emperor accept it.
Interdicting by the censure of the church all such lands, lordships, towns,
tenements, and villages, as should minister any harbor to the said Luther,
and were not obedient unto the sea of Rome.
Contrarywise, to all such as showed themselves obedient, he should promise
full remission of all their sins.
Likewise, the pope directed other letters also at the same time to Duke Frederick,
with many grievous words, complaining against Luther.
The cardinal, thus being charged with injunctions from Rome, according to his
commission, sendeth with all speed for Luther to appear at Augsburg before him.
About the beginning of October, Martin Luther, yielding his obedience to
the church of Rome, came to Augsburg at the cardinal's sending, at the charges of
the noble Prince Elector, and also with his letters of commendation, where he
remained three days before he came to his speech, for so it was provided by his
friends that he should not enter talk with the cardinal before a sufficient warrant
or safe conduct was obtained of the emperor Maximilian.
This being obtained, effsoons he entered, offering himself to the speech of the
cardinal, and was there received of the cardinal very gently, who, according to
the pope's commandment, propounded unto Martin Luther three things, to wit,
one, that he should repent and revoke his errors, two, that he should promise from
that time forward to refrain from the same, three, that he should refrain from
all things that might by any means trouble the church.
When Martin Luther required to be informed wherein he had erred, the legate answered
that he had held and taught that the merits of Christ are not the treasure of
indulgences or pardons, and that faith is necessary to him that receiveth the
sacrament.
Furthermore, Luther protested that merits of Christ are not committed unto men,
that the pope's voice is to be heard when he speaketh agreeable to the Scriptures,
that the pope may err, and that he ought to be reprehended.
Moreover, he showed that in the matter of faith, not only the general counsel,
but also every faithful Christian is above the pope if he lean to better authority
and reason.
But the cardinal would hear no Scriptures.
He disputed without Scriptures.
He devised glosses and expositions of his own head, Luther being rejected from the
speech and sight of the cardinal after six days' waiting, departed by the advice of
his friends, and returned unto Wittenberg, leaving an appellation to the bishop of
Rome from the cardinal, which he caused openly to be affixed before his departure.
Cajetan writeth to Duke Frederick a sharp and a biting letter, in which he exhorteth
the duke, that as he tendereth his own honour and safety, and regardeth the
favour of the high bishop, he will send Luther up to Rome, or expel him out of his
dominions.
To this letter of the cardinal the duke answereth, purging both Luther and
himself, Luther, in that he, following his conscience, grounded upon the word of God,
would not revoke that for an error which could be proved no error.
And himself he excuseth thus, that whereas it is required of him to banish him his
country, or to send him up to Rome, it would be little honesty for him so to
do, and less conscience, unless he knew just cause why he should so do.
Which if the cardinal would or could declare unto him, there should lack
nothing in him which were the part of a Christian prince to do.
And therefore he desired him to be a mean unto the bishop of Rome, that innocency
and truth be not oppressed before the crime or error be lawfully convicted.
This done, the duke sendeth the letter of the cardinal unto Martin Luther,
who answered to the prince, I am not so much grieved for mine own cause,
as that you should sustain for my matter any danger or peril.
And therefore seeing there is no place nor country which can keep me from the malice
of mine adversaries, I am willing to depart hence, and to forsake my country,
whithersoever it shall please the Lord to lead me.
Here no doubt was the cause of Luther in great danger, being now brought to this
strait, that both Luther was ready to fly the country, and the duke again was as
much afraid to keep him, had not the marvellous providence of God, who had this
matter in guiding, provided a remedy where the power of man did fail.
By stirring up the whole university of Wittenberg, who seeing the cause of truth
thus to decline, with a full and general consent addressed their letters unto the
prince in defence of Luther and of his cause, making their humble suit unto him,
that he of his princely honour would not suffer innocency, and the simplicity of
truth so clear as is the Scripture, to be foiled and oppressed by mere
violence of certain malignant flatterers about the pope.
By the occasion of these letters, the duke began more seriously to consider
the cause of Luther, to read his works and to hearken to his sermons, whereby through
God's holy working he grew to knowledge and strength, perceiving in Luther's
quarrel more than he did before.
This was about the beginning of December, A.D.
1518.
Pope Leo, in the meantime, had sent forth new indulgences with a new edict,
wherein he declared this to be the Catholic doctrine of the Holy Mother
Church of Rome, Prince of all other churches, that bishops of Rome,
who are successors of Peter and vicars of Christ, have this power and authority
given to release and dispense, also to grant indulgences available both
for the living and for the dead lying in the pains of purgatory, and this doctrine
to be charged to be received of all faithful Christian men under pain of the
great curse and utter separation from all holy church.
This popish decree and indulgence as a new merchandise or ale stake to get money,
being set up in all quarters of Christendom for the Holy Father's
advantage, came also to be received in Germany about the month of December.
Luther, hearing how they went about in Rome to pronounce against him,
provided a certain appellation conceived in due form of law, wherein he appealeth
from the pope to the general council.
When Pope Leo perceived that neither his pardons would prosper to his mind,
nor that Luther could be brought to Rome to essay how to come to his purpose by
crafty allurements, he sent his chamberlain, Carolus Miltitius,
who was a German, into Saxony to Duke Frederick with a golden rose after the
usual ceremony accustomed every year to be presented to him, with secret letters also
to certain noblemen of the duke's council, to solicit the pope's cause, and to remove
the duke's mind, if it might be, from Luther.
But before Miltitius approached into Germany, Maximilian the Emperor,
deceased in the month of January A.D.
1519.
At that time, two there were who stood for the election, to wit, Francis the French
king, and Charles, king of Spain, who was also duke of Austria and duke of
Burgundy.
Through the means of Frederick Prince Elector, who having the offer of
preferment, refused the same, the election fell to Charles, called Charles V.,
surnamed Prudence, which was about the end of August.
In the month of June before, there was a public disputation ordained at Leipzig,
which is a city under the dominion of George, duke of Saxony, uncle to Duke
Frederick.
This disputation began through the occasion of John Aecius, a friar,
and Andreas Karolstadt, doctor of Wittenberg.
This Aecius had impugned certain propositions of Martin Luther,
which he had written the year before touching the Pope's pardons.
Against him, Karolstadt wrote in defense of Luther.
Aecius again, to answer Karolstadt, set forth an apology, which apology
Karolstadt confuted by writing.
Upon this began the disputation, with safe conduct granted by Duke George
to all and singular persons that would resort to the same.
To this disputation came Martin Luther, not thinking to dispute in any manner,
but only to hear what there was said and done.
But, having free liberty granted by the duke, Luther was provoked and forced
against his will to dispute with Aecius.
The matter of their controversy was about the authority of the Bishop of Rome.
Luther, before, had set forth in writing this doctrine, that they that do attribute
the preeminency to the Church of Rome have no foundation but out of the Pope's
decrees, which decrees he affirmed to be contrary to the Holy Scriptures.
Against this assertion, Aecius set up a contrary conclusion, saying that they that
succeeded in the see and faith of Peter were always received for the successes of
Peter and vicars of Christ on earth.
He contended that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was founded and grounded
upon God's law.
Upon this question, the disputation did continue the space of five days,
during all which season Aecius very unhonestly and uncourteously demeaned
himself, studying by all means how to bring his adversary into the hatred of the
auditors and into the danger of the Pope.
The reasons of Aecius were these.
Forasmuch as the Church, being a civil body, cannot be without a head,
therefore as it standeth with God's law that other civil regiments should not be
destitute of their head, so is it by God's law requisite that the Pope should be the
head of the universal Church of Christ.
To this Martin Luther answered that he confesseth and granteth the Church not to
be headless so long as Christ is alive, who is the only head of the Church.
Neither doth the Church require any other head beside Him, forasmuch as it is a
spiritual kingdom, not earthly.
Then came Aecius to the place of St. Matthew.
Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church.
To this was answered that this was a confession of faith, and that Peter there
representeth the person of the whole universal Church.
Also that Christ in that place meaneth Himself to be the rock.
Likewise they came to the place of St. John, feed my sheep.
Which words Aecius alleged to be spoken properly and peculiarly to Peter alone?
Martin answered that after these words spoken, equal authority was given to all
the apostles, where Christ saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost,
whose sins soever ye remit, they are remitted.
After this, Aecius came to the authority of the Council of Constance, alleging this
amongst other articles, that it standeth upon necessity of our salvation to believe
the Bishop of Rome to be Supreme Head of the Church, alleging, moreover,
that in the same Council it was debated and discussed that the General Council
could not err.
Whereunto Martin Luther again did answer discreetly, saying, that of what authority
that Council of Constance is to be esteemed, he left to other men's
judgments.
This is most certain, said he, that no council hath authority to make new
articles of faith.
The next year, which was 1520, the friars and doctors of Louvain and also
of Cologne condemned the books of Luther as heretical, against whom Luther again
effectually defended himself and charged them with obstinate violence and malicious
impiety.
After this, within few days, flashed out from Rome the thunderbolt of Pope Leo
against the said Luther.
Another book also Luther wrote, addressed to the nobility of Germany,
in which he impuneth and shaketh the three principal walls of the Papists.
1.
No temporal or profane magistrate hath any power upon the spirituality, but these
have power over the other.
2.
Where any place of Scripture being in controversy is to be decided, no man may
expound the Scripture, or be judged thereof, but only the Pope.
3.
When any counsel is brought against them, they say that no man hath authority to
call a counsel, but only the Pope.
Moreover, in the aforesaid book, Diver's Other Matters, he handleth and
discourseth, that the pride of the Pope is not to be suffered, what money goeth out
of Germany yearly to the Pope, amounting to the sum of three millions of
florins, that the Emperor is not under the Pope, that priests may have wives,
that liberty ought not to be restrained in meats, that willful poverty and begging
ought to be abolished, what misfortunes Sigismund the Emperor sustained for not
keeping faith and promise with John, Hass, and Jerome, that heretics should be
convinced not by fire and faggot, but by evidence of Scripture and God's
Word, and that the first teaching of children ought to begin with the gospel.
In this year, moreover, followed, not long after, the coronation of the new
Emperor Charles V, which was in the month of October at A.
La Chapelle, after which coronation Pope Leo sent again to Duke Frederick two
cardinals, his legates, of whom one was Hiram Aleander, who after a few words of
high commendation first premised to the Duke, touching his noble progeny,
and other his famous virtues, made two requests unto him in the Pope's name,
first, that he would cause all books of Luther to be burned, secondly,
that he would either see the said Luther there to be executed, or else would make
him sure and send him up to Rome, unto the Pope's presence.
These two requests seemed very strange unto the Duke, who, answering the
cardinal, said that he, being long absent from thence about other public affairs,
could not tell what there was done, neither did he communicate with the doings
of Luther.
As for himself, he was always ready to do his duty, first in sending Luther to
Cajetan, the cardinal at the city of Augsburg, and afterwards at the Pope's
commandment, would have sent him away out of his dominion, had not Miltitius,
the Pope's own chamberlain, given contrary counsel to retain him still in his own
country, fearing lest he might do more harm in other countries where he was less
known.
Forasmuch as the cause of Luther was not yet heard before the Emperor, he desired
the said legates to be amean to the Pope's holiness, that certain learned persons of
gravity and upright judgment might be assigned to have the determination of this
matter, and that his error might first be known before he were made a heretic or his
books burned, which being done, when he should see his error by manifest
and sound testimonies of Scripture, Luther should find no favor at his hands.
Then the cardinals took the books of Luther and openly burned them.
Luther hearing this, in like manner, called all the multitude of students and
learned men in Wittenberg, and there, taking the Pope's decrees, and the bull
lately sent down against him, openly and solemnly, accompanied with a great number
of people following him, set them likewise on fire, which was the 10th of December,
A.D.
1520.
A little before these things thus passed, between the Pope and Martin Luther,
the Emperor had commanded an assembly of the states of all the empire to be holden
at the city of Worms, the sixth day of January next ensuing, in which assembly,
through the means of Duke Frederick, the Emperor gave forth that he would have
the cause of Luther brought before him.
Upon the sixth of March, the Emperor, through the instigation of Duke Frederick,
directed his letters unto Luther, signifying that forasmuch as he had set
abroad certain books, he, therefore, by the advice of his peers and princes
about him, had ordained to have the cause brought before him in his own hearing,
and therefore he granted him license to come and return home again.
And that he might safely and quietly so do, he promised unto him, by public faith
and credit, in the name of the whole empire, his passport and safe conduct.
Wherefore he willed him effsoons to make his repair unto him, and to be there
present on the twenty-first day after the receipt thereof.
Martin Luther, after he had been first accursed at Rome upon Maundy Thursday by
the Pope's censure, shortly after Easter speedeth his journey toward Worms,
where the said Luther, appearing before the Emperor and all the states of Germany,
constantly stuck to the truth, defended himself, and answered his
adversaries.
Luther was lodged, well entertained, and visited by many earls, barons,
knights of the order, gentlemen, priests, and the commonality, who
frequented his lodging until night.
He came, contrary to the expectation of many, as well adversaries as others.
His friends deliberated together, and many persuaded him not to adventure
himself to such a present danger, considering how these beginnings answered
not the faith of promise made, who, when he had heard their whole
persuasion and advice, answered in this wise, As touching me, since I am sent for,
I am resolved and certainly determined to enter Worms, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Yea, although I knew there were as many devils to resist me, as there are tiles to
cover the houses in Worms.
The next day, after his repair, a gentleman named Ulrich of Pappenheim,
Lieutenant-General of the Men-at-Arms of the Empire, was commanded by the Emperor
before dinner to repair to Luther, and to enjoin him at four o'clock in the
afternoon to appear before the Imperial Majesty, the Prince's Electors,
Dukes, and other Estates of the Empire, to understand the cause of his sending
for, whereunto he willingly agreed, as his duty was.
And after four o'clock, Ulrich of Pappenheim and Caspar Sturm, the Emperor's
Herald, who conducted Martin Luther from Wittenberg to Worms, came for Luther,
and accompanied him through the gardens of the Knights of the Road's Place to the
Earl Palatine's Palace.
Unless the people that thronged in should molest him, he was led by secret stairs to
the place where he was appointed to have audience.
Yet many, who perceived the pretense, violently rushed in and were resisted,
albeit in vain.
Many ascended the galleries because they desired to behold Luther.
Thus, standing before the Emperor, the Electors, Dukes, Earls, and all the
Estates of the Empire assembled there, he was first advertised by Ulrich of
Pappenheim to keep silence, until such time as he was required to speak.
Then John Achias, above mentioned, who then was the Bishop of Treves,
General Official, with a loud voice, said, Martin Luther, the sacred and
invincible Imperial Majesty, hath enjoined, by the consent of all the
Estates of the Holy Empire, that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of
his Majesty, to the end I might demand of thee these two points.
First, whether thou confessest these books here, for he showed a heap of Luther's
books written in the Latin and German tongues, and which are in all places
dispersed, entitled with thy name, be thine, and thou dost affirm them to be
thine or not.
Secondly, whether thou wilt recant and revoke them, and all that is contained in
them, or rather meanest to stand to what thou hast written.
Luther answered, I humbly beseech the Imperial Majesty to grant me liberty and
leisure to deliberate, so that I might satisfy the interrogation made unto me,
without prejudice of the word of God, and peril of mine own soul.
Whereupon the princes began to deliberate.
This done, Achias, the prolocutor, pronounced what was their resolution,
saying, The Emperor's Majesty of his mere clemency granteth thee one day to meditate
for thine answer, so that tomorrow, at this instant hour, thou shalt repair to
exhibit thine opinion, not in writing, but to pronounce the same with lively
voice.
This done, Luther was led to his lodging by the herald.
The next day the herald brought him from his lodging to the Emperor's court,
where he abode till six o'clock, for that the princes were occupied in
grave consultations, abiding there and being environed with a great number of
people, and almost smothered for the press that was there.
Then after, when the princes were set, and Luther entered, Achias the official
spake in this manner, Answer now to the Emperor's demand, Wilt thou maintain all
thy books which thou hast acknowledged, or evoke any part of them, and submit
thyself?
Martin Luther answered, modestly and lowly, and yet not without some stoutness
of stomach and Christian constancy.
Considering your sovereign majesty and your honors require a plain answer,
this I say and profess as resolutely as I may, without doubting or sophistication,
that if I be not convinced by testimonies of the Scripture, for I believe not the
Pope, neither his general counsels, which have erred many times, and have been
contrary to themselves, my conscience is so bound and captive in these Scriptures
and the Word of God, that I will not, nor may not, revoke any manner of thing,
considering it is not godly or lawful to do anything against conscience.
Hereupon I stand and rest.
I have not what else to say.
God have mercy upon me.
The princes consulted together upon this answer given by Luther, and when they had
diligently examined the same, the prolocutor began to repel him thus.
The Emperor's majesty requireth of thee a simple answer, either negative or
affirmative, whether thou mindest to defend all thy works as Christian or no.
Then Luther, turning to the Emperor and the nobles, besought them not to force or
compel him to yield against his conscience, confirm with the holy
Scriptures, without manifest arguments alleged to the contrary by his
adversaries.
I am tied by the Scriptures.
Night now approaching, the lords arose and departed, and after Luther had taken his
leave of the Emperor, divers Spaniards scorned and scoffed the good man in the
way going toward his lodging, hallooing and whooping after him a long while.
Upon the Friday following, when the princes, electors, dukes, and other
estates were assembled, the Emperor sent to the holy body of the council a certain
letter as followeth.
Our predecessors, who truly were Christian princes, were obedient to the Romish
church, which Martin Luther impuneth.
And therefore, inasmuch as he is not determined to call back his errors in any
one point, we cannot, without great infamy and stain of honor, degenerate from the
examples of our elders, but will maintain the ancient faith and give aid to the sea
of Rome.
And further, we be resolved to pursue Martin Luther and his adherents by
excommunication, and by other means that may be devised to extinguish his doctrine.
Nevertheless, we will not violate our faith which we have promised him,
but mean to give order for his safe return to the place whence he came.
During this time, divers princes, earls, barons, knights of the order,
gentlemen, priests, monks, with others of the laity and common sort visited him.
All these were present at all hours in the Emperor's court, and could not be
satisfied with the sight of him.
Also there were bills set up, some against Luther and some, as it seemed,
with him.
Notwithstanding, many supposed, and especially such as well conceived the
matter, that this was subtly done by his enemies, that thereby occasion might be
offered to infringe the safe conduct given him which the Roman ambassadors with all
diligence endeavored to bring to pass.
John Achaeus, the archbishop's official, in the presence of the Emperor's
secretary, said unto Luther in his lodging, by the commandment of the
Emperor, that since he had been admonished by the imperial majesty, the electors,
princes, and estates of the empire, and that notwithstanding he would not
return to unity in concord, it remained that the Emperor, as advocate of the
Catholic faith, should proceed further.
And it was the Emperor's ordinance that he should within twenty-one days return
boldly under safe conduct, and be safely guarded to the place whence he came.
So that in the meanwhile he stirred no commotion among the people in his journey,
either in conference or by preaching.
Luther, hearing this, answered very modestly and Christianly, Even as it hath
pleased God, so is it come to pass, the name of the Lord be blessed.
He thanked most humbly the Emperor's majesty and all the princes and estates of
the empire that they had given to him benign and gracious audience, and granted
him safe conduct to come and return.
Finally, he desired none other of them than a reformation according to the sacred
word of God, and consonancy of holy Scriptures, which effectually in his heart
he desired.
Otherwise he was preset to suffer all chances for the imperial majesty,
as life and death, goods, fame, and reproach, reserving nothing to himself
but only the word of God, which he would constantly confess to the latter end.
The morrow after, which was April the twenty-sixth, after he had taken his leave
of such as supported him, and of the benevolent friends that oftentimes visited
him, and had broken his fast, at ten o 'clock he departed from Worms,
accompanied with such as required thither with him.
It was not long after this, but the Emperor, to purchase favor with the Pope,
because he was not yet confirmed in his empire, directeth out a solemn writ of
outlawry against Luther and all of them that took his part, commanding the said
Luther, wheresoever he might be gotten, to be apprehended and his books burned.
In the meantime, Duke Frederick conveyed Luther a little out of sight secretly,
by the help of certain noblemen, whom he well knew to be faithful and
trusty unto him, in that behalf.
There, Luther being close and out of company, wrote divers epistles and certain
books, among which he dedicated one to his company of Augustine friars, entitled De
abrogoda missa, which friars, the same time being encouraged by him, began to lay
down their private masses.
Duke Frederick, fearing lest that would breed some great stir or tumult,
caused the judgment of the University of Wittenberg to be asked in the matter.
It was showed to the Duke that he should do well to command the use of the masses
to be abrogated through his dominion, and though it could not be done without
tumult, yet that was no let why the course of true doctrine should be stayed,
neither ought such disturbance to be imputed to the doctrine taught,
but to the adversaries, who willingly and wickedly kick against the truth,
whereof Christ also giveth us forewarning before.
For fear of such tumults, therefore, we ought not to surcease from that which
we know is to be done, but constantly must go forward in defense of God's truth,
howsoever the world doth esteem us, or rage against it.
It happened about the same time that King Henry VIII wrote against Luther,
in which book, first, he reproveth Luther's opinion about the pope's pardons,
secondly, he defendeth the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, thirdly, he laboureth
to refel all his doctrine of the sacraments of the church.
This book, albeit carried the king's name in the title, yet it was another that
ministered the motion, another that framed the style.
But whosoever had the labour of this book, the king had the thanks and the reward,
for the Bishop of Rome gave to the said King Henry, and to his successors forever,
the style and title of Defender of the Faith.
Shortly after this, Pope Leo was stricken with sudden fever and died shortly,
being of the age of forty-seven years, albeit some suspect that he died of
poison.
Successor to him was Pope Adrian VI, schoolmaster sometime to Charles the
Emperor.
This Adrian was a German-born, brought up at Louvain, and as in learning,
he exceeded the common sort of popes, so in moderation of life and manners he
seemed not altogether so intemperate as some other popes have been, and yet,
like a right pope, nothing denigrating from his sea, he was a mortal enemy
against Martin Luther and his partakers.
In his time, shortly after the Council of Worms was broken up, another assembly of
the princes, nobles, and states of Germany was appointed by the Emperor at Nuremberg,
A.D.
1522.
Unto this assembly the said Adrian sent his letters with an instruction unto his
legate Cherigatus to inform him what causes to allege against Luther.
Pope Adrian VI to the renowned princes of Germany and to the peers of the Roman
Empire.
Fox's Book of Martyrs John Fox
We hear that Martin Luther, a new razor up of old and damnable heresies, first after
the fatherly advertisements of the sea apostolic, then after the sentence also of
condemnation awarded against him, and lastly after the imperial decree of
our well-beloved son Charles, elect Emperor of the Romans and Catholic King of
Spain, being divulged through the whole nation of Germany, yet hath neither been
by order restrained, nor of himself hath refrained from his madness begun,
but daily more and more ceaseth not to disturb and replenish the world with new
books fraught full of errors, heresies, contumalies, and sedition, and to infect
the country of Germany and other regions about with this pestilence, and
endeavoreth still to corrupt simple souls and manners of men with the poison of his
pestiferous tongue, and, which is worst of all, hath for his forters and supporters
not of the vulgar sort only, but also divers personages of the nobility,
insomuch that they have begun also to invade the goods of priests contrary to
the obedience which they owe to ecclesiastical and temporal persons,
and now also at last have grown unto civil war and dissension among themselves.
Do you not consider, O princes and people of Germany, that these be but prefaces and
preambles to those evils and mischiefs which Luther, with the sect of his
Lutherans, do intend and purpose hereafter?
Do you not see plainly and perceive with your eyes that this defending of the
verity of the gospel, first begun by the Lutherans to be pretended, is now manifest
to be but an invention to spoil your goods which they have long intended?
Or do you think that these sons of iniquity do tend to any other thing than
under the name of liberty to supplant obedience, and so to open a general
license to every man to do what him listeth?
They who refuse to render due obedience to priests, to bishops, yea, to the high
bishop of all, and who daily before your own faces make their booties of church
goods and of things consecrated to God, think ye that they will refrain their
sacrilegious hands from the spoil of laymen's goods?
Yea, that they will not pluck from you whatsoever they can wrap or reave?
Nay, think you not contrary, but this miserable calamity will at length redound
upon you, your goods, your houses, wives, children, dominions, possessions,
and these your temples which you hallow and reverence, except you provide some
speedy remedy against the same?
Wherefore we require you, in virtue of that obedience which all Christians owe to
God and blessed St. Peter, and to his vicar here on earth, that you confer your
helping hands every man to quench this public fire, and endeavour and study,
the best way ye can, how to reduce the said Martin Luther and all other forters
of these tumults and errors, to better conformity and trade both of life and
faith.
And if they who be infected shall refuse to hear your admonitions, yet provide that
the other part which yet remaineth sound by the same contagion be not corrupted.
When this pestiferous canker cannot with supple and gentle medicines be cured,
more sharp salves must be proved and fiery searings.
The putrefied members must be cut off from the body, lest the sound parts also be
infected.
So God did cast down into hell the schismatical brethren Dathan and Abiram,
and him that would not obey the authority of the priests, God commanded to be
punished with death.
So Peter, prince of the apostles, denounced sudden death to Ananias and
Sapphora, who lied unto God.
So the old and godly emperors commanded Jovinian and Priscillian as heretics to be
beheaded.
So St. Jerome wished, vigilant, as a heretic, to be given to the
destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord.
So also did our predecessors in the council of Constance condemn to death John
Hus and his fellow Jerome, who now appeareth to revive again in Luther.
The worthy acts and examples of which forbears, if you shall imitate,
we do not doubt but God's merciful clemency shall Ephsuns relieve His church.
These instructions of the pope himself against Luther, I thought, Christian
reader, to set before thine eyes.
They cry, Heresy, heresy!
but they prove no heresy.
They inflame kings and princes against Luther, and yet they have no just cause
wherefore.
They charge Luther with disobedience, and none are so disobedient to magistrates
and civil laws as they.
They lay to his charge oppression and spoiling of laymen's goods, and who
spoileth the laymen's livings so much as the pope?
Now let us see what the princes answer to these aforesaid suggestions and
instructions of Pope Adrian.
The answer of the noble and reverent princes, and of the states of the sacred
Roman Empire exhibited to the pope's ambassador.
They understand that his holiness is afflicted with great sorrow for the
prospering of Luther's sect, whereby innumerable souls committed to his charge
are in danger of perdition.
The Lord Lieutenant and other princes and states do answer that it is to them no
less grief and sorrow than to his holiness.
But why the sentence of the apostolic sea and the emperor's edict against Luther
hath not been put in execution hitherto, there hath been causes great and urgent.
As first, that great evils and inconveniences would thereupon ensue.
For the greatest part of the people of Germany have always had this persuasion,
and now, by reading Luther's books, are more therein confirmed that great
grievances and inconveniences have come to this nation of Germany by the court of
Rome.
And therefore, if they should have proceeded with any rigor in executing the
pope's sentence and the emperor's edict, the multitude would conceive and suspect
in their minds this to be done for subverting the verity of the gospel,
and for supporting and confirming the former abuses and grievances whereupon
great wars and tumults no doubt would have ensued.
Unless such abuses and grievances shall be faithfully reformed, there is no true
peace and concord between the ecclesiastical and secular estates,
nor any true extirpation of this tumult and errors in Germany that can be hoped.
Whereas the pope's holiness desireth to be informed what way were best to take in
resisting these errors of the Lutherans, what more present or effectual remedy can
be had than this, that the pope's holiness, by the consent of the emperor's
majesty, do summon a free Christian council in some convenient place of
Germany, as at Strasbourg, or at Menz, or at Cologne, or at Metz, and that with
as much speed as conveniently may be, in which council it may be lawful for
every person that there shall have interest, either temporal or
ecclesiastical, freely to speak and consult to the glory of God and health of
souls and the public wealth of Christendom, without impeachment or
restraint, whatsoever oath or other bond to the contrary notwithstanding.
Yea, and it shall be every good man's part there to speak, not only freely,
but to speak that which is true to the purpose, and to edifying, and to not
pleasing or flattering, but simply and uprightly to declare his judgment without
all fraud or guile.
And as touching by what ways these errors and tumults of the German people may best
be stayed and pacified in the meantime, the aforesaid Lord Lieutenant,
with the other princes, thereupon have consulted and deliberated, that forasmuch
as Luther and certain of his fellows be within the territory and dominion of the
noble Duke Frederick, the said Lord Lieutenant and other states of the empire
shall so labour the matter with the aforenamed Prince, Duke of Saxony,
that Luther and his followers shall not write, set forth, or print anything,
during the said mean space.
That the said Lord Lieutenant and princes shall labour so with the preachers of
Germany, that they shall not in their sermons teach or blow into the people's
ears such matters, whereby the multitude may be moved to rebellion or uproar,
or be induced into error.
Also, that they shall move no contention or disputation among the vulgar sort.
But whatsoever hangeth in controversy, the same they shall reserve to the
determination of the council to come.
The archbishops, bishops, and other prelates within their dioceses shall
assign godly and learned men, having good judgment in the Scripture, who shall
diligently and faithfully attend upon such preachers.
And if they shall perceive the said preachers either to have erred or to have
uttered any thing inconveniently, they shall godly, mildly, and modestly
advertise and inform them thereof, in such thought that no man shall justly
complain the truth of the gospel to be impeached.
But if the preachers, continuing still in their stubbornness, shall refuse to be
admonished, and will not desist from their lewdness, then shall they be restrained
and punished by the ordinaries of the place, with punishment for the same
convenient.
Furthermore, the said princes and nobles shall provide and undertake, so much as
shall be possible, that from henceforth no new book shall be printed, neither shall
they privily or apately be sold.
Also, order shall be taken amongst all potentates, that if any shall set out,
sell, or print any new work, it shall first be seen and perused of certain
godly, learned, and discreet men appointed for the same, so that if it be not
admitted and approved by them, it shall not be permitted to be published.
Finally, as concerning priests who contract matrimony, and religious men
leaving their cloisters, the aforesaid princes do consider, that forasmuch as in
the civil law there is no penalty for them ordained, they shall be referred to the
canonical constitutions to be punished thereafter accordingly, that is,
by the loss of their benefices and privileges, or other condign censures.
Let us return to the story of Luther, of whom ye heard before, how he was kept
secret and solitary for a time, by the advice and conveyance of certain
nobles in Saxony, because of the emperor's edict.
In the meantime, while Luther had thus absented himself out of Wittenberg,
Andreas Karelstadt, proceeding more roughly and eagerly in causes of religion,
had stirred up the people to throw down images in the temples.
Luther reproved the rashness of Karelstadt, declaring that their
proceedings herein were not orderly, but that pictures and images ought first
to be thrown out of the hearts and consciences of men, and that the people
ought first to be taught that we are saved before God, and please Him only by faith,
and that images serve to no purpose.
This done, and the people well instructed, there was no danger in images,
but they would fall of their own accord.
Not that he would maintain images to stand or to be suffered, but that this ought to
be done by the magistrate, and not by force upon every private man's head,
without order and authority.
Albeit the church of Christ, praise be the Lord, is not unprovided of sufficient
plenty of worthy and learned writers able to instruct in matters of doctrine.
Yet in the chief points of our consolation, where the glory of Christ and
the power of His passion and strength of faith are to be opened to our conscience,
and where the soul, wrestling for death and life, standeth in need of serious
consolation, the same may be said of Martin Luther, among all this other
variety of writers, what St. Cyprian was wont to say of Tertullian, Da Magistrum,
Give me my master.
Those who write the lives of saints, use to describe and extol their holy life
and godly virtues, and also to set forth such miracles as be wrought in them by
God, whereof there lacketh no plenty in Martin Luther.
What a miracle might this seem to be, for one man and a poor friar, creeping out
of a blind cloister, to be set up against the Pope, the universal bishop,
and God's mighty vicar on earth, to withstand all his cardinals,
yea, and to sustain the malice and hatred of almost the whole world being set
against him, and to work that against the said Pope, Cardinals, and Church of Rome,
which no king nor emperor could ever do, yea, durst ever attempt, nor all the
learned men before him could ever compass, which miraculous work of God, I account
nothing inferior to the miracle of David overthrowing the great Goliath.
Wherefore, if miracles do make a saint, after the Pope's definition, what lacketh
in Martin Luther to make him a saint, who, standing openly against the Pope,
Cardinals, and Prelates of the Church, in number so many, in power so terrible,
in practice so crafty, having emperors and all the kings of the earth against him,
who, teaching and preaching Christ the space of nine and twenty years,
could, without touch of all his enemies, so quietly in his own country where he was
born, die and sleep in peace.
In which Martin Luther, first to stand against the Pope was a great miracle,
to prevail against the Pope a greater, so to die untouched may seem greatest of
all, especially having so many enemies as he had.
As he was mighty in his prayers, so in his sermons God gave him such a
grace, that when he preached, they who heard him thought every one his own
temptation severally to be noted and touched.
Whereof, when his friends demanded how that could be, mine own manifold
temptation said he, and experiences are the cause thereof.
For this thou must understand, good reader, that Luther from his tender
years was much beaten and exercised with spiritual conflicts.
Hieronymus Welleris, scholar and disciple of the said Martin Luther, recordeth that
he oftentimes heard Luther his master thus report of himself, that he had been
assaulted and vexed with all kinds of temptations, saving only one, which was
with covetousness.
With this vice he was never, said he, in all his life troubled, nor once
tempted.
Martin Luther, living to the year of his age sixty-three, continued writing and
preaching about twenty-nine years, as touching the order of his death,
the words of Melanchthon be these, given to his auditory at Wittenberg,
A.D.
1546.
Wednesday last passed, and the seventeenth of February, Dr. Martin Luther sickened of
his accustomed malady, to wit, of the oppression of humors in the orifice
or opening of the stomach.
This sickness took him after supper, with which he vehemently contending,
required success into a bi-chamber, and there he rested on his bed two hours,
all which time his pains increased.
And as Dr. Jonas was lying in his chamber, Luther awaked, and prayed him to rise,
and to call up Ambrose, his children's schoolmaster, to make a fire in another
chamber, into which, when he was newly entered, Albert, Earl of Mansfield,
with his wife and Diver's others at that instant, came into his chamber.
Finally, feeling his fatal hour to approach, before nine o'clock in the
morning, on the eighteenth of February, he commended himself to God with this
devout prayer, My Heavenly Father, Eternal and Merciful God, Thou hast
manifested unto me Thy dear Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have taught Him, I have known Him, I love Him as my life, my health,
and my redemption, whom the wicked have persecuted, maligned, and with injury
afflicted, draw my soul to Thee.
After this, he said, as ensueth thrice, I commend my spirit into Thy hands,
Thou hast redeemed me, O God of truth.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, and all those that believe in
Him should have life everlasting.
Having repeated oftentimes His prayers, he was called to God.
So praying, his innocent ghost peaceably was separated from the earthly corpse.