The Liberty of a Christian, Dedication 2
¶ To Leo the tenth, Biſhop of Rome, Martyne Luther ſendeth greeting in Chriſt Ieſu our Lord.
AMongſt the monſters of this world, with whom I hauehave bin in continuall combate theſe three whole yeeres and more, I am enforced now at the length to turne mine eyes vntounto you, and to hauehave you in remembrance (O moſt holy father Leo) yea, for as much as you only bee accounted the very cauſe of this my turmoyle, I cannot chooſe but bee alwayes mindfull of you. And albeit I hauehave beene conſtrained, through inſatiable cruelty of your wicked Sicophants, raging againſt mee without deſert, to appeale to the next generall Counſell, little eſteeming the moſt vaine decrees of your predeceſſours, Pius, and Iulius, The Decrees doe prohibite to appeale to the generall Councels.who of a fooliſh tyranny hauehave prohibited ſuch appellatiō to be made frō the See Apoſtolique. Yet did I neuer meane whiles ſo eſtrange mine affection from your holines, but that I hauehave with all mine heart wiſhed all felicity and happines to you and to your See, and in my daily prayers with teares and ſighes, euen to the vttermoſt of my power, hauehave heartily beſought God for the ſame: But as for thoſe which hauehave hitherto practiſed to terrify me with the authority and maieſty of your name, I hauehave now begun almoſt to contemne and account them of no force: onelyonly one thing yet remayneth, which I may not deſpiſe, which occaſioned mee at this preſent to addreſſe my letters to your holineſſe. And this it is,The cauſe why Luther wrote theſe Letters to the Pope. becauſe I perceiue that I am accuſed vntounto your holineſſe, and very grievouſly blamed for my raſhneſſe, in that I am ſuppoſed to hauehave no conſideration of your perſonage.
Wherein, to confeſſe the truth plainly, I am priuy in mine owne conſcience, that whereſoeuer behooueth me to make mentiō your of perſon, I did neuer ſpeak therof without all honour and reuerence: the contrary wherof if I had attempted at any time, I might not hauehave beene able to iuſtifie, and would by all meanes poſſible hauehave ſubſcribed vntounto their iudgments, cōceiued of me herein, and withall would hauehave applyed to nothing more willingly, than to make open recantation of this my temerity, and miſdemeanour in that behalfe: I hauehave named you a Daniel in Babylon: How Luther behaued himſelfe towards the Pope.and your notable innocency with how earneſt affection I hauehave defended againſt your ſlanderous enemy Sylueſter, eueryevery reader doth ſufficiently vnderſtand, namely, that the opinion and report of your vnreprouable life, reſoūding in each coaſt throughout the whole world, by the teſtimony of ſo many & ſo notable perſonages is m…re famous and renoumed, than that it may be impeached by the ſiniſter practiſe of any man, though neuer ſo great a potentate. I am not ſo void of reaſon, as to defame him whom all men commend, ſo alſo hauehave I beene euer of this minde, not to ſeeke the defacing of any one, though otherwiſe infamous by report of al others for I reioyce not at another mans blemiſh, who am my ſelf a ſufficient witnes to mine own conſcience, of mine owne great beame in mine owne eye: nor can be the firſt that may caſt a ſtone at the woman taken in adultery.
Indeed I hauehave accuſtomed my ſelfe to inueigh againſt wicked doctrines,Why Luther was ſo vehement againſt his aduerſaries ſomewhat ſharply: and hauehave pinched mine aduerſaries, not for their licentious liues, but for their irreligious doctrines, ſomewhat earneſtly: whereof it ſo little repenteth me, that I am fully perſwaded, without all regard had of mens cenſures herein, to perſeuere in that vehemency of zeale: enduced hereunto by the example of Chriſt, who according to the ſame zeale, ſpared not to call his aduerſaries Vipers brood, blinde Hypocrites, and children of the deuill. So doth Paul accuſe Symon Magus to bee the child of Sathan, full of fraud and malice.Paul and the Prophets be ſharpe againſt the tenderlings. And ſome others he reproueth openly by the name of Dogges, Deceiuers, and crafty Simoniſts. Of whoſe ſharpe words, if nice delicates may bee admitted Iudges, nothing ſhall bee ſuppoſed more nipping and vnciuill. What can bee more vehement than the Prophets? certes the manners of our age,The delicate manners of our age. are become ſo tender through the furious ſwarme of clawbacks, that wee can no ſooner feele our ſoares a little diſcouered, but wee exclaime forthwith that we are launced: and being not able to crack the credit of the truth by any cauillation, we flee from her, condemning her of curriſhneſſe, impatience, and modeſty. How ſhall ſalt ſeaſon if it be not ſauory? what auaileth the edge of a ſword if it cannot cut? curſed is the man that doth the Lords worke fraudulently. Wherefore I humbly beſeech you (my reuerend Leo) vouchſafe theſe my letters for mine excuſe, and withall perſwade your ſelfe, that I neuer conceiued any euill of your perſonage. Then alſo, that I am ſo affected towards you, as that I could heartily wiſh vntounto your Holineſſe all felicity for euer.Luthers variance. Moreouer, that I am not at variance with any man, for conuerſation of life, but only touching the only word of truth. In all matters elſe whatſoeuer, I will giuegive place to others, but the word, neither can I, nor will I forſake or deny. Who ſo that iudgeth of mee otherwiſe, or hath conceiued otherwiſe of my writings, doth not iudge truly, nor conceiue thereof aright.
The Court of Rome.But your See (which is tearmed the Court of Rome, and which neither you, nor any man liuing can deny to bee more filthy than Babylon and Zodome, and as farre forth as I can conceiue, growne to moſt lamentable, forlorne, and moſt ſhameleſſe impiety) I hauehave deteſted indeed, and hauehave taken it very grieuouſly, that the people of Chriſt ſhould be deluded vnderunder the countenance of your name and your holineſſe, and vnderunder the pretence of the Church of Rome: and herein hauehave reſiſted, and will reſiſt the ſame, as long as the ſpirit of Faith ſhall liue in me: not becauſe I dare thinke to atchieue impoſſibilities, or that by mine onelyonly endeauour, I may hope for any amendment in this moſt confuſely diſordered Babylon, being circumuented with ſuch a rable of brainſicke blaunchers: But becauſe I do acknowledge my ſelfe indebted to my poore brethren, whoſe ſafety I ought to regard; that the loſſe of them that periſh may bee abridged, or at the leaſt leſſe infection may ſpreade abroad from thoſe Romiſh botches.What ſtuffe hath iſſued from Rome into the world. For theſe many yeeres now Rome hath ſurrounded the whole world with nothing elſe, (whereof your holines is not ignorāt) but with vtter deſtruction of all things, of bodies, of ſoules, and with moſt peſtiferous patterns of al moſtrous wickednes: which doth rage at this day in the ſight of all men, more manifeſt than the Sun in midday:The Church of Rome. And the Church of Rome which was ſometime the moſt holy of all other, is become the moſt licentious denne of theeues, the moſt ſhameleſſe Brothelhouſe of all the world, the kingdome of Sinne, Death, and Hell, in ſo much that it paſſeth all reach of man to deuiſe any abhomination, that is not haunted there, no though Antichriſt himſelfe were come.
In the meane time you (right reuerend father Leo) ſit as a Lambe in the middeſt of Wolues, as Daniel a middeſt the Lions, and are with Ezechiel conuerſant with Scorpions. How can you alone be able to w…thſtand all theſe monſters? Gard your perſonage with three or foure Cardinals excellent in all learning, and moſt vertuous in manners: what ſhall this handfull doe amongſt ſo great a troupe? you ſhall all be ſooner ſwallowed vp with poyſon, before you may dare attempt any reformation. The Court of Rome is vtterly vndone, the wrath of God is bent againſt it euen for euer and euer. It hateth counſels, it feareth to bee reformed, it is not able to reſtraine the furiouſneſſe of her impiety: and it accompliſheth the prophecy of her mother, of whom it is written on this wiſe: Wee hauehave cheriſhed Babylon, and ſhe is not recouered, let vsus forſake her. Indeed it belonged to you, & your Cardinals, to hauehave cured thoſe plagues: but this gout ſcorneth the Phyſitians drugges, and this cart will not goe driuen nor led. Moued therefore with remorſe, herein I ſorrowed alwayes (right reuerend Leo) becauſe you were enſtalled Pope in this wicked age, whoſe worthineſſe deſerued a better time: For the Court of Rome is not worthy to be poſſeſſed of you, and ſuch as you are, but rather of Sathan himſelfe,Sathan raighneth at Rome, not the Pope. which in truth doth raigne in this Babylon, more thā you. O would to God you could content you ſelfe rather with ſome priuate benefice, or with your parents patrimony, renouncing this portlineſſe, wherewith thoſe flatterers your moſt deteſtable enemies, doe vaunt you to bee glorious, with which glory none are meet to bee glorified, but trayterous Iſcariots, the impes of perdition. For what commendation elſe do you get in that Palace (my Leo) but that by how much any Teacher is more wicked execrable, ſo much the more ſafely hee may ſhrowd him vnderunder your name and authority, to robbe men of their money and ſoules, to heape miſchiefe vponupon miſchief, to oppreſſe Faith, Truth, together withall the Church of God? Oh moſt vnfortunate Leo, doubtleſſe enthronized in a moſt perilous place of renowne:Eugenius was Pope, ſometimes Schollar vntounto Bernard. for I tell you the truth, becauſe I doe wiſh well vntounto you: For if Bernard took compaſſion of his welbeloued Eugenius, when as yet there was ſome better hope of the See of Rome, (though then alſo it was filthily emperious,) whereof may we complaine firſt, who hauehave weltered theſe three hundred yeeres now in ſtench and deſtruction? Is not this true, that vnderunder the whole out-ſtretched face of the heauens, there is nothing more cōtagious, more peſtiferous, & more odious, thā the court of Rome? for it is more incomparably execrable, than the turkiſh impiety, ſo that true it is indeed, that the ſame which was in times paſt the gate of heauen, is now become a certaine gaping gulfe of Hell, and ſo vnſatiable a gulfe, as cannot poſſibly be ſatisfied, the wrath of God being fully bent againſt the ſame.One only remedy remaining in the corrupt Romiſh Church. One only comfort remaineth for the poore wretches, if we be able to reclaime & preſerue ſome few at the leaſt, from this wide gaping iawes (as I ſaid before,) Behold (my holy father Leo) by what inducement, & by what reaſon I hauehave inueighed againſt this chaire of peſtilence: for it is ſo farre off from my thought to grow in outrage againſt your perſonage, as that I would hope to obtaine your fauour, and bee deemed a ſtout patrone of your ſafety, if I would manfully, and valiantly cruſh in pieces the Gates of this your dungeon, or of this your Hell rather: for howſoeuer the generall force of all pollicie can poſſibly imagine to worke the vtter ruine of the moſt horrible Court of this age, the ſame ſhall redound al to your perſon, to the preſeruation of your eſtate, and to the ſafety of many others together with you. Such as doe worke her confuſion, doe execute your function. They do aduance the glory of Chriſt, which doe by all meanes poſſible deteſt her. To conclude, they be right Chriſtians which are leaſt Romaniſts.
But to ſpeake hereof more at large. There neuer came any ſuch thought into my head, as to enueigh againſt the Court of Rome, or to diſcourſe thereof any thing at all: For when I perceiued that all preſeruatiues were medicinable to procure her amendment, I withdrew mee from her, and deliuering her a libell of diuorce, I ſpake vntounto her in this wiſe: Hee that is filthy, let him continue in his filthineſſe ſtill, and he that is vncleane, let him continue in his vncleaneſſe ſtill, yeelding my ſelfe ouer to the calme and quiet ſtudy of holy Scriptures, whereby I might be able to profit my brethren dwelling round about me. Here now when as I could very little auaile, Sathan beganne to open his eyes, and to prick forward his truſty ſeruant Iohn Eccius, Who did prouoke Luther to purſue the trecheries of the falſe deceiuers.a notorious enemy of Chriſt, ſwelling with a certaine outragious licenciouſneſſe of glory, chalenging me to a combate vnloked for, tripping me for one very little word eſcaped mee vnawares, touching the Supremacy of the Church of Rome. This ſame proud prauncing Thraſo, fruſhing in his Fuſtian fumes, vanted luſtily that hee durſt attempt all things for Gods glory, and the honour of the holy See Apoſtolique: And being puft vp with ſaucy malapertneſſe of abuſing your power, made no ſurer accompt of any thing, than of preſent conqueſt, ſeeking thereby not ſo much the prymacy of Peters chayre, as his owne primacy peereleſſe amongſt all the Diuines of this age, for the better atchieuing whereof, hee perceiued that to leade poore LVTHER Captiue, would bee not the leaſt brauery of his triumph, which enterpriſe, becauſe it hapned vnluckily & contrary to the exhortation of the fooliſh Sophiſter, the man waxed incredibly furious: for he perceiued, that whatſoeuer infamy was rayſed by mee, againſt the Romiſh Church, was procured by his owne onelyonly temerity and raſhneſſe.
Vouchſafe here I beſeech you (right reuerend Leo) that I may here once defend mine owne cauſe, and diſcouer your very naturall enemies: It is not vnknowne vntounto you, (I ſuppoſe) how your Legate the Cardinall of Saint Sixtus did deale with me,Cardinall Caietane. an vndiſcrete man, and vnciuill, nay rather a falſe man: Into whoſe protection when I had yeelded my ſelfe and all mine eſtate for the reuerence that I beare to your holineſſe, he endeauoured not to conclude a quietneſſe which hee might euen with halfe a word hauehave eſtabliſhed eaſily, when as I then promiſed to keepe ſilence, and put vp my quarrell, ſo that mine aduerſaries might be inioyned to doe the like. But this glorious man, not ſatisfied with theſe conditions, began to authorize mine aduerſaries, to giuegive them free liberty, and to enioyne mee to recant, which was no parcell of his commiſſion. Certeſſe, when here the cauſe was yet in very good plight, through his immoderate handling, it began to feſter worſe & worſe, wherupon, whatſoeuer fell afterwards, was to be imputed, not to Luther, but to Caietanes vndiſcreteneſſe altogether, who would not permit mee to be ſilent, and to remaine in quiet, which I did at that time moſt earneſtly deſire, for what might I doe more?
After him came Charles Militius, Charles Militius.and he alſo Legate of your holineſſe, who trauelling many and ſundry waies, poaſting here and there, forth and backe, and omitting nothing that might appertaine to the redreſſe of the ſtate of the cauſe, which Caietane had raſhly and proudly diſordered, could ſcarce at the length bring it to paſſe, (though countenanced herein by the moſt renowned Prince Frederike the Elector) that he might hauehave once or twice ſome familiar conference with me,Iudges of Luthers cauſe choſen. where I once againe yeelded to your authoritie, contented to hold my peace, not refuſing either Archbiſhop of Tryers, or the Biſhop of Numburgh to be iudge in the cauſe, which was concluded and obtained. Whiles theſe matters proceeded thus very orderly, behold the other, yea, a greater enemy of your eſtate,Eccius. The diſputation at Lypſia. Eccius ruſheth out with his diſputation at Lypſia, which hee had then publiſhed againſt D. Conolaſtadius, and picking a new quarrell of the ſupremacy of the Pope, bends his ſhot againſt mee at vnawares, and vtterly diſſolueth this concluſion of Peace. In the meane time Carolus Militius attendeth the ſucceſſe, Diſputation beginneth, Iudges are choſen: yet neuertheleſſe, hitherto nothing was determined, and no maruaile, foraſmuch as through Eccius falſe lying, diſſēbling, & falſe packing, all things were full of vnquietneſſe, abounded in all melancholly, and fraught of all parts with confuſed diſorder, ſo that which way ſoeuer Iudgement were giuen, greater ſtormes would be rayſed: for he ſought for Glory, and not for the Truth. And here alſo I omitted no part of duty that behooued me to doe.
And I confeſſe, that this was not the leaſt occaſion of the diſcouery of the Romiſh trumperies: yet ſuch as it was, if any offence grew thereby, it was altogether to … imputed to Eccius, which vndertaking … enterpriſe aboue his reach, whiles he gaped ouer-greedily for his owne glory, did diſplay abroad to the view of the whole world, the infamous eſtate of Rome. This,The flatterer Eccius did hurt the Court of Rome more than the moſt mightieſt enemy elſe could doe. euen this ſame Eccius is your enemy (my Leo) or rather the enemie of your Court, by whoſe onelyonly example, a man may learne ſufficiently, that there is none more peſtilent an enemie, than a flatterer, for what gayned hee by his blaunching elſe but a miſchiefe, which no earthly King nor Potentate could bring to paſſe? for the name of the Romiſh Court doth ſtincke now ouer the whole world, and the Papane authoritie is very much craſed, notorious ignorance is generally cryed out vponupon, whereof wee ſhould not hauehave heard any one word at all, if Eccius had not turmoyled the peace agreed vponupon betwixt Charles and mee, which now himſelfe perceiueth plaine enough, all too late, and in vaine, ſtorming againſt the imprinting of my Bookes. Thus much behooued him then to hauehave thought vponupon, when like a wilde vntamed Colt, hee raunged wholly for glory, and when he ſought naught elſe but his owne aduancement, vnderunder the colour of your holineſſe, to your maruellous detriment and danger; notwithſtanding the fooliſh vaine man hoped, that I would hauehave ſurceaſed, and kept ſilence, being afraid of the ſound of your authority (for of his wit and learning, I doe not beleeue, that he was ſo foole-hardie) and now perceiuing that I hauehave taken courage, and my writings ſcattered abroad too much, being all too late ſory for his vnaduiſed wilfulneſſe, he doth vnderſtand, that there raigneth one in Heauen, who reſiſteth the proud, and caſteth downe the haughty of minde, if at leaſt yet hee conceiue ſo much.
Therefore, when as by this our diſputation, nothing was wrought but a greater confuſion of the Romiſh cauſe, Charles Militius maketh now his third repaire to the elders of the order, being aſſembled in the Chapter houſe, deſireth aduiſe how to qualifie the contention, which was euen now growne to great trouble, and wonderfull perill: from whom (for as much as there was ſmall hope now to ouerthrow me, Gods mercy aſſiſting me) ſome of the greateſt peſonages were ſent vntounto me, to intreate, that I would hauehave conſideration of the eſtimation and honour of your holineſſe, and that I ſhould in humble letters, excuſe both your innocency, and mine owne, declaring that the matter was not yet growne to ſo deſpaired a caſe, as to be without hope of recouery, if Leo the tenth would of his naturall inclination to lenitie, vouchſafe his ayde thereto; here now as one that hath alwaies both offered, and wiſhed for tranquility, that I may the better apply my ſelfe to more quiet, and more profitable exerciſe, wheras I had ſo vehemently turmoyled my ſelfe to this end, that in mightineſſe and force, as well of words, as courage, I might ſuppreſſe the inſolencie of them, whom I perceiued to be farre vnequall to match with me, I did not only yeeld willingly, but with ioy alſo and thankefull minde, imbraced the requeſt, as a moſt acceptable benefit, if it may proue according to our expectation.
Luther will not recall any thing.In this minde I come now (oh holy father) and falling proſtrate at your feet, doe moſt humbly beſeech you to grant your aſſiſtance herein, and to reſtraine (if it bee poſſible) the outrage of theſe flatterers, the very cankers of Vnity, though masking vnderunder the vizor of peace. But to wiſh mee to reuoke that which I hauehave written (moſt holy father) it booteth not for any man to hope for, vnleſſe he be deſirous rather to hauehave the matter to be more largely blown abroad.
He will not ſuffer the theeues to make lawes for interpreting Gods word.Moreouer, I doe not allow theſe lawes concerning the interpretation of Gods word to be reſtrained to the Church of Rome, or tyed to any place, for as much as the word of God (which teacheth freedome of all things elſe) ought not to bee ſtraighted, and abridged of her freedome. The two conditions reſerued, there is elſe nothing but that I can both doe, and ſuffer: yea, will moſt willingly yeeld vntounto: I doe late hate contention: I will challenge no man, and I will not bee challenged againe, but if I be teazed, I will not hold my tongue in my maſter Chriſt his behalfe, for it is an eaſie matter for your holineſſe to command ſilence, and quietneſſe on both parts, the quarrels being ſummoned before you, and determined, which I hauehave alwaies deſired earneſtly to heare.
Beware therefore (my holy father Leo) that you hearken not to theſe enchanters,He councelleth the Pope not to he are flatterers. which make you not a naturall man, but halfe a God, and would enduce you to beleeue, that ye are able to command, and exact whatſoeuer you liſt. It will not be ſo, neither ſhall you preuaile, you are the ſeruant of ſeruants, and placed in the moſt dangerous eſtate of all others. Let them not beguile you, which imagine you to be the Lord of the World, which will not permit any man to be a Chriſtian man; vnleſſe he be ſubiect to your authoritie, which doe chatter and iangle, that you are of power to command in Heauen, in Hell, and in Purgatory. Thoſe, euen thoſe be your enemies, and ſeek the deſtruction of your ſoule, as the Prophet Eſay doth witneſſe, O my good people, ſuch as doe praiſe thee, euen thoſe doe deceiue thee. They are out of the way, which doe extoll your maieſtie aboue the Councell and vniuerſal Church. They are out of the way which doe inueſt you onelyonly in the right of interp…ing Scriptures, for ſuch doe practiſe to eſtabliſh in the Church all their owne impieties, vnderunder your name. And alas for woe, by the meanes of thoſe perſons, Sathan hath preuailed much in your predeceſſors. To be briefe, beleeue none of them that doe magnifie you, but ſuch as do humble you, for this is the iudgement of God, He hath throwne downe the mighty from their ſeate, and hath exalted the humble and meeke. Behold what inequality there is betwixt Chriſt and his ſucceſſors, when as they all notwithſtanding will be accounted Vicars of Chriſt. And I feare much, leſt many of them be his Vicares in deede a great deale too earneſtly: for a Vicar is hee that doth preſent the perſon of his Prince being not in place.What a Vicar is. Now, if the Pope doe beare dominion whiles Chriſt is not preſent, nor reſiant within his heart, what is he elſe, than the Vicar of Chriſt? But what manner of Church is that then elſe, but a rude multitude without Chriſt? And what maner of Vicar is this elſe, but Antechriſt, and an Idol? How much more truly ſpake the Apoſtles, who named themſelues the ſeruants of Chriſt being preſent, and not Vicars of Chriſt being abſent.
Peraduenture, I ſhall be accounted a ſhameleſſe fellow, that dare preſume to teach ſo mighty a potentate, from whom all others ought to be inſtructed, and from whom all iudiciall Courts ought to fetch definitiue ſentence (as your peſtiferous clawbackes doe arrogantly vaunt) but I follow the example of Bernard, in his Book entituled De cōſideratione ad Eugeniū a neceſſary Booke for all Popes to know by heart. Neither doe I take this vponupon me of any greedy deſire to teach, but of dutifull affection, in a pure and faithfull zeale, which doth enforce vsus to be afraid, euen of the moſt plauſible things in our neighbours: and being altogether exerciſed in the perils and profits of other men, will not admit any reſpect to bee had of the worthy or vnworthy: for in as much at I know, that your holineſſe is troubled, and toſſed at Rome, that is to ſay, in the maine ſea of all ſides enuironed about with infinite dangers, and that you ſwimme now in ſuccourleſſe waues miſerably, as that you ſtand in neede of the meaneſt helpe of any your pooreſt brethren: I iudged it a point of no great abſurditie, if I did lay aſide the remembrance of your maieſtie for a time, vntill I had executed the dutie of LoueLove. I will not flatter in ſo weighty and perillous a cauſe: in which doing, if I be not conceiued to be moſt friendly, and moſt humble vntounto you, there is one that doth conceiue and iudge.
To conclude, becauſe I would not ſeeme to come empty handed vntounto your holineſſe, I bring with me this little Treatiſe, publiſhed vnderunder your name, as a pledge of truce to be concluded, & of good ſucceſſe: wherein you may ſomewhat conceiue in what kinde of ſtudies I can, and am very deſirous to employ my time, more fruitfully and commodiouſly: if I heretofore might, or hereafter may now conueniently be free from your wicked flatterers. The matter is ſmall, if you regard the outward coate, but if you comprehend the thing is ſelfe, it is (if I be not deceiued) a moſt notable patterne of a Chriſtian life, briefly cō piled. Neither hauehave I ought elſe being a poor man to gratifie your holineſſe withall, neither neede you any other preſent, than ſpirituall conſolation wherewithall I doe recommend my ſelfe wholly to your fatherhood, & holineſſe. Which I beſeech Chriſt Ieſu to preſerue for euer. Amen.
At Wittenberge the ſixt of September, in the yeere of our Lord, 1520.