Luther - Address Nobility

TO the CHRISTIAN NOBILITY of the GERMAN NATION: CONCERNING the REFORM of the CHRISTIAN ESTATE	An den christlichen Adel deutscher Nation *Von des christlichen* Standes Besserung**
INTRODUCTION
To his most Serene and Mighty Imperial Majesty and to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation. Dr. Martinus Luther.	Der allerdurchlauchtigsten, großmächtigsten Kaiserlichen Majestät und dem christlichen Adel deutscher Nation D. Martinus Luther.
The grace and might of God be with you, Most Serene Majesty, most gracious, well-beloved gentlemen!	Gnade und Stärke von Gott zuvor! Allerdurchlauchtigster! Gnädigste, liebe Herren!
It is not out of mere arrogance and perversity that I, an individual poor man, have taken upon me to address your lordships. The distress and misery that oppress all the Christian estates, more especially in Germany, have led not only myself, but every one else, to cry aloud and to ask for help, and have now forced me too to cry out and to ask if God would give His Spirit to any one to reach a hand to His wretched people. Councils have often put forward some remedy, but it has adroitly been frustrated, and the evils have become worse, through the cunning of certain men. Their malice and wickedness I will now, by the help of God, expose, so that, being known, they may henceforth cease to be so obstructive and injurious. God has given us a young and noble sovereign, and by this has roused great hopes in many hearts; now it is right that we too should do what we can, and make good use of time and grace.	Es ist nicht aus lauter Fürwitz noch Frevel geschehen, daß ich einzelner, armer Mensch mich unterstanden habe, vor Euren hohen Würden zu reden. Die Not und Beschwerung, die alle Stände der Christenheit, zuvor die deutschen Lande, drückt, hat nicht allein mich, sondern jedermann bewegt, vielmals zu schreien und Hilfe zu begehren, hat mich auch jetzt gezwungen, zu schreien und rufen, ob Gott jemand den Geist geben wollte, seine Hand der elenden deut-schen Nation zu reichen. Es ist oft durch Konzile etwas aufgewandt, aber durch etlicher Menschen List behendiglich verhindert und immer ärger geworden, deren Tücke und Bosheit ich jetzt - Gott helfe mir - zu durchleuchten gedenke, auf daß sie, erkannt, hinfort nicht mehr so hinder-lich und schädlich sein möchten. Gott hat uns ein junges, edles Blut zum Haupt gegeben und damit viel Herzen zu großer guter Hoffnung erweckt; daneben will sichs ziemen, das Unsere dazuzutun und der Zeit und Gnade nützlich zu gebrauchen.

The first thing that we must do is to consider the matter with great earnestness, and, whatever we attempt, not to trust in our own strength and wisdom alone, even if the power of all the world were ours; for God will not endure that a good work should be begun trusting to our own strength and wisdom. He destroys it; it is all useless, as we read in Psalm xxxiii., “There is no king saved by the multitude of a host; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.” And I fear it is for that reason that those beloved princes the Emperors Frederick, the First and the Second, and many other German emperors were, in former times, so piteously spurned and oppressed by the popes, though they were feared by all the world. Perchance they trusted rather in their own strength than in God; therefore they could not but fall; and how would the sanguinary tyrant Julius II. have risen so high in our own days but that, I fear, France, Germany, and Venice trusted to themselves? The children of Benjamin slew forty-two thousand Israelites, for this reason: that these trusted to their own strength (Judges xx., etc.).	Das erste, was in dieser Sache vornehmlich zu tun ist, ist, daß wir uns ja mit großem Ernst vorsehen und nicht etwas mit Vertrauen auf große Macht oder Vernunft anfangen, ob gleich aller Welt Gewalt unser wäre. Denn Gott kanns und wills nicht leiden, daß ein gutes Werk im Vertrauen auf eigene Macht und Vernunft angefangen werde. Er stößt es zu Boden, davor hilft nichts, wie im 33. Psalm V. 16 steht: »Es wird kein König bestehen durch seine große Macht und kein Heer durch die Größe seiner Stärke.« Und aus dem Grund, besorge ich, sei es vor Zeiten gekommen, daß die teuren Fürsten, Kaiser Friedrich der Erste und der Zweite und viel mehr deutsche Kaiser, vor welchen sich doch die Welt fürchtete, so jämmerlich von den Päpsten mit Füßen getreten und gedrückt worden sind. Sie haben sich vielleicht auf ihre Macht verlassen, mehr als auf Gott, dar-um haben sie fallen müssen. Und was hat zu unsern Zeiten den Blutsäufer Julius den Zweiten so hoch erhoben, als daß ich besorge, Frankreich, die Deutschen und Venedig haben auf sich selbst gebauet. Es schlugen die Kinder Benjamin zweiundvierzigtausend Israeliten, deshalb weil diese sich auf ihre Stärke verließen (Richter 20).
That such a thing may not happen to us and to our noble Emperor Charles, we must remember that in this matter we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this world (Eph. vi. 12), who may fill the world with war and bloodshed, but cannot themselves be overcome thereby. We must renounce all confidence in our natural strength, and take the matter in hand with humble trust in God; we must seek God’s help with earnest prayer, and have nothing before our eyes but the misery and wretchedness of Christendom, irrespective of what punishment the wicked may deserve. If we do not act thus, we may begin the game with great pomp; but when we are well in it, the spirits of evil will make such confusion that the whole world will be immersed in blood, and yet nothing be done. Therefore let us act in the fear of God and prudently. The greater the might of the foe, the greater is the misfortune, if we do not act in the fear of God and with humility. If popes and Romanists have hitherto, with the devil’s help, thrown kings into confusion, they may still do so, if we attempt things with our own strength and skill, without God’s help.	Daß es uns nicht auch so mit diesem edlen Blut Karl V. ergehe, müssen wir gewiß sein, daß wir in dieser Sache nicht mit Menschen, sondern mit den Fürsten der Hölle handeln, die wohl (selbst) mit Krieg und Blutvergießen die Welt erfüllen können, aber sie lassen sich damit nicht überwinden. Man muß hier die Sache mit einem Verzagen an leiblicher Gewalt, in demütigem Vertrauen Gottes angreifen und mit ernstlichem Gebet Hilfe bei Gott suchen und nichts anderes in die Augen fassen als der elenden Christenheit Jammer und Not, unangesehen was böse Leute verdient haben. Wo das nicht (geschieht), so soll sich das Spiel wohl mit großem Glanz anfangen lassen, aber wenn man hinein-kommt, sollen die bösen Geister eine solche Irrung zurichten, daß die ganze Welt im Blut schwimmen müßte und damit dennoch nichts ausgerichtet wäre. Darum laßt uns hier mit Furcht Gottes und weislich handeln. je größer die Gewalt, desto größeres Unglück, wo nicht in Gottesfurcht und Demut gehandelt wird. Haben die Päpste und Römer bisher durch Teufels Hilfe die Könige ineinanderwirren können, so mögen sies auch noch (einmal) tun, so wir ohne Gottes Hilfe mit unserer Macht und Kunst (drein) fahren.
THE THREE WALLS of THE ROMANISTS
The Romanists have, with great adroitness, drawn three walls round themselves, with which they have hitherto protected themselves, so that no one could reform them, whereby all Christendom has fallen terribly.	Die Romanisten haben mit großer Behendigkeit drei Mauern um sich gezogen, womit sie sich bisher beschützt haben, so daß niemand sie hat reformieren können, wodurch die ganze Christenheit greulich gefallen ist.
Firstly, if pressed by the temporal power, they have affirmed and maintained that the temporal power has no jurisdiction over them, but, on the contrary, that the spiritual power is above the temporal.	Zum ersten: wenn man mit weltlicher Gewalt auf sie (ein)gedrungen ist, haben sie festgesetzt und gesagt, welt-liche Gewalt habe kein Recht über sie, sondern umgekehrt: die geistliche sei über die weltliche.
Secondly, if it were proposed to admonish them with the Scriptures, they objected that no one may interpret the Scriptures but the Pope.	Zum zweiten: hat man sie mit der heiligen Schrift tadeln wollen, setzen sie dagegen, es gebühre niemand die Schrift auszulegen als dem Papst.
Thirdly, if they are threatened with a council, they pretend that no one may call a council but the Pope.	Zum dritten: drohet man ihnen mit einem Konzil, so erdichten sie, es könne niemand ein Konzil berufen als der Papst.
Thus they have secretly stolen our three rods, so that they may be unpunished, and intrenched themselves behind these three walls, to act with all the wickedness and malice, which we now witness. And whenever they have been compelled to call a council, they have made it of no avail by binding the princes beforehand with an oath to leave them as they were, and to give moreover to the Pope full power over the procedure of the council, so that it is all one whether we have many councils or no councils, in addition to which they deceive us with false pretences and tricks. So grievously do they tremble for their skin before a true, free council; and thus they have overawed kings and princes, that these believe they would be offending God, if they were not to obey them in all such knavish, deceitful artifices.	So haben sie uns die drei Ruten heimlich gestohlen, daß sie ungestraft sein können und sich in die sichere Befestigung dieser drei Mauern gesetzt, alle Büberei und Bosheit zu treiben, die wir denn jetzt sehen. Und ob sie schon ein Konzil machen mußten, haben sie doch dasselbe vorher dadurch matt gemacht, daß sie die Fürsten zuvor mit Eiden verpflichteten, sie bleiben zu lassen, wie sie seien. Dazu haben sie dem Papst volle Gewalt über alle Ordnung des Konzils gegeben, so daß es gleich gilt, es seien viele Konzile oder gar kein Konzil, abgesehen davon, daß sie uns nur mit Larven und Spiegelfechten betrügen. So gar greulich fürchten sie für ihre Haut vor einem rechten, freien Konzil. Sie haben Könige und Fürsten damit schüchterngemacht, so daß diese glauben, es wäre wider Gott, so man ihnen nicht in allen solchen schalkhaftigen, listigen Schreckgespensten gehorchte.
Now may God help us, and give us one of those trumpets that overthrew the walls of Jericho, so that we may blow down these walls of straw and paper, and that we may set free our Christian rods for the chastisement of sin, and expose the craft and deceit of the devil, so that we may amend ourselves by punishment and again obtain God’s favour.	Nun helfe uns Gott und gebe uns der Posaunen eine, womit die Mauern Jerichos umgeworfen wurden, daß wir diese strohenen und papiernen Mauern auch umblasen und die christlichen Ruten, Sünden zu strafen, losmachen, des Teufels List und Trug an den Tag zu bringen, auf daß wir durch Strafe uns bessern und seine Huld wiedererlangen.
[(a) THE FIRST WALL]


THE FIRST WALL That the Temporal Power has no Jurisdiction over the Spiritual


Let us, in the first place, attack the first wall.	Wollen die erste Mauer zuerst angreifenl
It has been devised that the Pope, bishops, priests, and monks are called the spiritual estate, princes, lords, artificers, and peasants are the temporal estate. This is an artful lie and hypocritical device, but let no one be made afraid by it, and that for this reason: that all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them, save of office alone. As St. Paul says (1 Cor. xii.), we are all one body, though each member does its own work, to serve the others. This is because we have one baptism, one Gospel, one faith, and are all Christians alike; for baptism, Gospel, and faith, these alone make spiritual and Christian people.	Man hats erfunden, daß Papst, Bischöfe, Priester und Klostervolk der geistliche Stand genannt wird, Fürsten, Herrn, Handwerks- und Ackerleute der weltliche Stand. Das ist eine sehr feine Erdichtung und Trug. Doch soll niemand deswegen schüchtern werden, und das aus dem Grund: alle Christen sind wahrhaftig geistlichen Standes und ist unter ihnen kein Unterschied außer allein des Amts halber, wie Paulus I. Kor. 12, 12 ff. sagt, daß wir allesamt ein Leib sind, (obwohl) doch ein jegliches Glied sein eigenes Werk hat, womit es den andern dienet. Das alles macht, daß wir eine Taufe, ein Evangelium, einen Glauben haben und (auf) gleiche (Weise) Christen sind, denn die Taufe, Evangelium und Glauben, die machen allein geistlich und Christenvolk..
As for the anointing by a pope or a bishop, tonsure, ordination, consecration, and clothes differing from those of laymen-all this may make a hypocrite or an anointed puppet, but never a Christian or a spiritual man. Thus we are all consecrated as priests by baptism, as St. Peter says: “Ye are a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter ii. 9); and in the book of Revelations: “and hast made us unto our God (by Thy blood) kings and priests” (Rev. v. 10). For, if we had not a higher consecration in us than pope or bishop can give, no priest could ever be made by the consecration of pope or bishop, nor could he say the mass, or preach, or absolve.	Daß aber der Papst oder Bischof salbet, Platten macht, ordiniert, weihet, sich anders als Laien kleidet, kann einen Gleißner und Ölgötzen machen, macht aber nimmermehr einen Christen oder geistlichen Menschen. Demnach werden wir allesamt durch die Taufe zu Priestern geweiht, wie Petrus (I. Petr. 2) Sagt: »Ihr seid ein könig-liches Priestertum und ein priesterliches Königreich«, und Offenbarung 5, 10: »Du hast uns durch dein Blut zu Priestern und Königen gemacht.« Denn wo nicht eine höhere Weihe in uns wäre, als der Papst oder Bischof gibt, so würde durch des Papstes und Bischofs Weihen nimmermehr ein Priester gemacht, er könnte auch weder Messe halten, noch predigen, noch absolvieren
Therefore the bishop’s consecration is just as if in the name of the whole congregation he took one person out of the community, each member of which has equal power, and commanded him to exercise this power for the rest; in the same way as if ten brothers, co-heirs as king’s sons, were to choose one from among them to rule over their inheritance, they would all of them still remain kings and have equal power, although one is ordered to govern.	Drum ist des Bischofs Weihe nichts anderes, als wenn er an Stelle und Person der ganzen Versammlung einen aus der Menge nähme - die alle gleiche Gewalt haben - und ihm beföhle, diese Gewalt für die andern auszurichten. (Das ist) gleich als wenn zehn Brüder, (eines) Königs Kin-der und gleiche Erben, einen erwählten, das Erbe für sie zu regieren; sie wären ja alle Könige und von gleicher Gewalt, und doch wird einem zu regieren befohlen.
And to put the matter even more plainly, if a little company of pious Christian laymen were taken prisoners and carried away to a desert, and had not among them a priest consecrated by a bishop, and were there to agree to elect one of them, born in wedlock or not, and were to order him to baptise, to celebrate the mass, to absolve, and to preach, this man would as truly be a priest, as if all the bishops and all the Popes had consecrated him. That is why in cases of necessity every man can baptise and absolve, which would not be possible if we were not all priests. This great grace and virtue of baptism and of the Christian estate they have quite destroyed and made us forget by their ecclesiastical law. In this way the Christians used to choose their bishops and priests out of the community; these being afterwards confirmed by other bishops, without the pomp that now prevails. So was it that St. Augustine, Ambrose, Cyprian, were bishops.	Und damit ichs noch klarer sage: wenn ein Häuflein frommer Christenlaien gefangen und in eine Wüstenei gesetzt würden, die nicht einen von einem Bischof geweihten Priester bei sich hätten, und würden allda der Sache eins, erwählten einen unter sich, er wäre verheiratet oder nicht, und beföhlen ihm das Amt: zu taufen, Messe zu halten, zu absolvieren und zu predigen, der wäre wahrhaftig ein Priester, als ob ihn alle Bischöfe und Päpste geweiht hätten. Daher kommts, daß in der Not ein jeglicher taufen und absolvieren kann, was nicht möglich wäre, wenn wir nicht alle Priester wären. Solch große Gnade und Gewalt der Taufe und des christlichen Standes haben sie uns durchs geistliche Recht ganz zerstört und unbekannt gemacht. Auf diese Weise erwählten die Christen vor Zeiten ihre Bischöfe und Priester aus der Menge, die danach von andern Bischöfen ohne alles Prangen, das jetzt regiert, bestätigt wurden. So wurden Augustin, Ambrosius, Cyprian Bischof.
Since, then, the temporal power is baptised as we are, and has the same faith and Gospel, we must allow it to be priest and bishop, and account its office an office that is proper and useful to the Christian community. For whatever issues from baptism may boast that it has been consecrated priest, bishop, and pope, although it does not beseem every one to exercise these offices. For, since we are all priests alike, no man may put himself forward or take upon himself, without our consent and election, to do that which we have all alike power to do. For, if a thing is common to all, no man may take it to himself without the wish and command of the community. And if it should happen that a man were appointed to one of these offices and deposed for abuses, he would be just what he was before. Therefore a priest should be nothing in Christendom but a functionary; as long as he holds his office, he has precedence of others; if he is deprived of it, he is a peasant or a citizen like the rest. Therefore a priest is verily no longer a priest after deposition. But now they have invented characteres indelebiles, and pretend that a priest after deprivation still differs from a simple layman. They even imagine that a priest can never be anything but a priest-that is, that he can never become a layman. All this is nothing but mere talk and ordinance of human invention.	Dieweil denn die weltliche Gewalt nun gleich mit uns getauft ist, denselben Glauben und Evangelium hat, so müssen wir sie Priester und Bischöfe sein lassen und ihr Amt als ein Amt rechnen, das da der christlichen Gemeinde gehöre und nützlich sei. Denn was aus der Taufe gekrochen ist, das kann sich rühmen, daß es schon zum Priester, Bischof und Papst geweihet sei, obwohl es nicht einem jeglichen ziemt, solch Amt auszuüben. Denn weil wir alle gleich(mäßig) Priester sind, darf sich niemand selbst hervortun und sich unterwinden, ohne unser Bewilligen und Erwählen das zu tun, wozu wir alle gleiche Gewalt haben. Denn was allgemein ist, kann niemand ohne der Gemeinde Willen und Befehl an sich nehmen. Und wo es geschähe, daß jemand zu solchem Amt erwählet und (danach) um seines Mißbrauchs willen abgesetzt würde, so wäre er gleich wie vorher. Drum sollte ein Priesterstand in der Christenheit nicht anders sein als ein Amtmann: dieweil er im Amt ist, geht er vor; wo er abgesetzt ist, ist er ein Bauer oder Bürger wie die andern. Ebenso wahrhaftig ist ein Priester nicht mehr Priester, wenn er abgesetzt wird. Aber nun haben sie charaeteres indelebiles erdichtet und schwätzen, daß ein abgesetzter Priester dennoch etwas anderes sei als ein schlichter Laie. ja, ihnen träumet, es könne ein Priester nimmermehr anderes als ein Priester, oder ein Laie werden; das sind alles von Menschen erdichtete Reden und Gesetze.
It follows, then, that between laymen and priests, princes and bishops, or, as they call it, between spiritual and temporal persons, the only real difference is one of office and function, and not of estate; for they are all of the same spiritual estate, true priests, bishops, and popes, though their functions are not the same-just as among priests and monks every man has not the same functions. And this, as I said above, St. Paul says (Rom. xii.; 1 Cor. xii.), and St. Peter (1 Peter ii.): “We, being many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.” Christ’s body is not double or twofold, one temporal, the other spiritual. He is one Head, and He has one body.	So folget aus diesem, daß Laien, Priester, Bischöfe und, wie sie sagen, »Geistliche« und »Weltliche« im Grunde wahrlich keinen anderen Unterschied haben als des Amtes oder Werkes halber und nicht des Standes halber. Denn sie sind alle geistlichen Standes, wahrhaftige Priester, Bischöfe und Päpste, aber nicht gleichen (und) einerlei Werkes, gleichwie auch unter den Priestern und Mönchen nicht ein jeglicher dasselbe Werk hat. Und das steht bei Paulus Röm. 12, 4 ff. und I. Kor. 12, 12 ff. und bei Petrus I. Petr. 2, 9, wie ich droben gesagt habe, daß wir alle ein Leib des Hauptes Jesu Christi sind, ein jeglicher des andern Gliedmaß, Christus hat nicht zwei oder von zweierlei Art Leibe, einen weltlich, den andern geistlich: ein Haupt ist und einen Leib hat er.
We see, then, that just as those that we call spiritual, or priests, bishops, or popes, do not differ from other Christians in any other or higher degree but in that they are to be concerned with the word of God and the sacraments-that being their work and office-in the same way the temporal authorities hold the sword and the rod in their hands to punish the wicked and to protect the good. A cobbler, a smith, a peasant, every man, has the office and function of his calling, and yet all alike are consecrated priests and bishops, and every man should by his office or function be useful and beneficial to the rest, so that various kinds of work may all be united for the furtherance of body and soul, just as the members of the body all serve one another.	Gleich wie nun die, die man jetzt geistlich oder Priester, Bischöfe oder Päpste nennt, von andern Christen nicht weiter noch würdiger geschieden sind, als daß sie das Wort Gottes und die Sakramente handeln sollen - das ist ihr Werk und Amt - ebenso hat die weltliche Obrigkeit das Schwert und die Ruten in der Hand, die Bösen damit zu strafen, die Frommen zu schützen. Ein Schuster, ein Schmied, ein Bauer, ein jeglicher hat seines Handwerks Amt und Werk, und doch sind alle gleich geweihte Priester und Bischöfe, und ein jeglicher soll mit seinem Amt oder Werk den andern nützlich und dienstbar sein, so daß vielerlei Werke alle auf eine Gemeinde gerichtet sind, Leib und Seele zu fördern, gleich wie die Gliedmaßen des Körpers alle eines dem andern dienen.
Now see what a Christian doctrine is this: that the temporal authority is not above the clergy, and may not punish it. This is as if one were to say the hand may not help, though the eye is in grievous suffering. Is it not unnatural, not to say unchristian, that one member may not help another, or guard it against harm? Nay, the nobler the member, the more the rest are bound to help it. Therefore I say, Forasmuch as the temporal power has been ordained by God for the punishment of the bad and the protection of the good, therefore we must let it do its duty throughout the whole Christian body, without respect of persons, whether it strikes popes, bishops, priests, monks, nuns, or whoever it may be. If it were sufficient reason for fettering the temporal power that it is inferior among the offices of Christianity to the offices of priest or confessor, or to the spiritual estate-if this were so, then we ought to restrain tailors, cobblers, masons, carpenters, cooks, cellarmen, peasants, and all secular workmen, from providing the Pope or bishops, priests and monks, with shoes, clothes, houses or victuals, or from paying them tithes. But if these laymen are allowed to do their work without restraint, what do the Romanist scribes mean by their laws? They mean that they withdraw themselves from the operation of temporal Christian power, simply in order that they may be free to do evil, and thus fulfil what St. Peter said: “There shall be false teachers among you, . . . and in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you” (2 Peter ii. 1, etc.).	Nun sieh, wie christlich das festgesetzt und gesagt sei: weltliche Obrigkeit sei nicht über die Geistlichkeit, solle sie auch nicht strafen. Das ist ebenso viel gesagt wie: die Hand soll nichts dazu tun, wenn das Auge große Not leidet. Ists nicht unnatürlich, geschweige denn unchristlich, daß ein Glied dem andern nicht helfen, seinem Verderben nicht wehren soll? ja, je edler das Glied ist, desto mehr sollen ihm die andern helfen. Drum sage ich: dieweil die weltliche Gewalt von Gott geordnet ist, die Bösen zu strafen und die Frommen zu schützen, so soll man ihr Amt frei unbehindert durch den ganzen Körper der Christenheit ohne Ansehen der Person gehen lassen, sie treffe Papst, Bischöfe, Pfaffen, Mönche, Nonnen oder was es ist. Wenn das ausreichend wäre, die weltliche Gewalt (daran) zu hindern, daß sie unter den christlichen Ämtern geringer ist als der Prediger und Beichtiger Amt oder der geistliche Stand, so sollte man auch die Schneider, Schuster, Steinmetze, Zimmerleute, Köche, Kellner, Bauern und alle zeitlichen Handwerke daran hindern, daß sie dem Papst, Bischöfen, Priestern, Mönchen Schuhe, Kleider, Haus, Essen, Trinken machten, oder (ihnen) Zins gäben. Läßt man aber diesen Laien ihre Werke unbehindert, was machen dann die römischen Schreiber mit ihren Gesetzen, daß sie sich dem Wirken weltlicher, christlicher Gewalt entziehen. Daß sie nur un-gehindert böse sein und erfüllen können, was Petrus (2. Petr. 2, 1. 3) gesagt hat: »Es werden falsche Meister unter euch erstehen und mit falschen, erdichteten Worten mit euch umgehen, euch im Sack zu verkaufen!«
Therefore the temporal Christian power must exercise its office without let or hindrance, without considering whom it may strike, whether pope, or bishop, or priest: whoever is guilty, let him suffer for it.	Drum soll weltliche christliche Gewalt ihr Amt frei unbehindert üben, unangesehen, obs Papst, Bischof oder Priester sei, den sie trifft. Wer schuldig ist, der leide!
Whatever the ecclesiastical law has said in opposition to this is merely the invention of Romanist arrogance. For this is what St. Paul says to all Christians: “Let every soul” (I presume including the popes) “be subject unto the higher powers; for they bear not the sword in vain: they serve the Lord therewith, for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to them that do well” (Rom. xiii. 1-4). Also St. Peter: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, . . . for so is the will of God” (1 Peter ii. 13, 15). He has also foretold that men would come who should despise government (2 Peter ii.), as has come to pass through ecclesiastical law.	Was das geistliche Recht dagegen gesagt hat, ist lauter erdichtete römische Vermessenheit. Denn so sagt Paulus Röm. 13, 1 allen Christen: »Eine jegliche Seele (ich halte dafür, des Papstes auch) soll untertan sein der Obrigkeit, denn sie trägt nicht umsonst das Schwert, sie dienet Gott damit, zur Strafe der Bösen und zu Lob den Frommen«, auch Petrus (i. Petr. 2, 13): »Seid untertan allen menschlichen Ordnungen um Gottes willen, der es so haben will.« Er hat es (2. Petr. 2, 10) auch verkündet, daß solche Menschen kommen würden, die die weltliche Obrigkeit verachten würden, wie denn durch das geistliche Recht geschehen ist.
Now, I imagine, the first paper wall is overthrown, inasmuch as the temporal power has become a member of the Christian body; although its work relates to the body, yet does it belong to the spiritual estate. Therefore, it must do its duty without let or hindrance upon all members of the whole body, to punish or urge, as guilt may deserve, or need may require, without respect of pope, bishops, or priests, let them threaten or excommunicate as they will. That is why a guilty priest is deprived of his priesthood before being given over to the secular arm; whereas this would not be right, if the secular sword had not authority over him already by Divine ordinance.	So meine ich, diese erste papierne Mauer liege danieder, sintemal die weltliche Herrschaft ein Mitglied des christlichen Leibes geworden ist, und, obwohl sie ein leibliches Werk hat, doch geistlichen Standes ist, weshalb ihr Werk frei unbehindert in alle Gliedmaßen des ganzen Körpers gehen soll, strafen und antreiben, wo es die Schuld verdienet oder die Not fordert, unangesehen der Päpste, Bischöfe, Priester, sie mögen drohen oder bannen, wie sie wollen. Daher kommts, daß die schuldigen Priester, wenn man sie dem weltlichen Recht überantwortet, zuvor der priesterlichen Würde entsetzt werden, was doch nicht recht wäre, wo nicht das weltliche Schwert über dieselben zuvor aus göttlicher Ordnung Gewalt hätte.
It is, indeed, past bearing that the spiritual law should esteem so highly the liberty, life, and property of the clergy, as if laymen were not as good spiritual Christians, or not equally members of the Church. Why should your body, life, goods, and honour be free, and not mine, seeing that we are equal as Christians, and have received alike baptism, faith, spirit, and all things? If a priest is killed, the country is laid under an interdict: why not also if a peasant is killed? Whence comes this great difference among equal Christians? Simply from human laws and inventions.	Es ist auch zuviel, daß man im geistlichen Recht der Geistlichen Freiheit, Leib und Güter so hoch erhebt, gerade als wären die Laien nicht auch geistlich so gute Christen wie sie, oder als ge-hörten sie nicht zur Kirche. Warum ist dein Leib, Leben, Gut und Ehre so frei und nicht das meine, so wir doch gleiche Christen sind, gleiche Taufe, Glauben, Geist und alle Dinge haben? Wird ein Priester erschlagen, so liegt ein Land im Interdikt, warum nicht auch, wenn ein Bauer erschlagen wird? Wo kommt solch großes Unterscheiden unter den gleichen Christen her? Allein aus Menschen-gesetzen und -erdichten!
It can have been no good spirit, either, that devised these evasions and made sin to go unpunished. For if, as Christ and the Apostles bid us, it is our duty to oppose the evil one and all his works and words, and to drive him away as well as may be, how then should we remain quiet and be silent when the Pope and his followers are guilty of devilish works and words? Are we for the sake of men to allow the commandments and the truth of God to be defeated, which at our baptism we vowed to support with body and soul? Truly we should have to answer for all souls that would thus be abandoned and led astray.	Es kann auch kein guter Geist (gewesen) sein, der solche Ausnahme erfunden und die Sünde geradezu unsträflich gemacht hat. Denn so wir schuldig sind, wider den bösen Geist, seine Werke und Worte zu streiten und ihn zu ver-treiben, wie wir können - wie uns Christus und seine Apostel gebieten -, wie kämen wir denn dazu, daß wir stillhalten und schweigen sollten, wo der Papst oder die Seinen teuflische Worte oder Werke vornähmen? Sollten wir um der Menschen willen göttliches Gebot und Wahrheit zerstören lassen, der wir in der Taufe mit Leib und Leben beizustehen geschworen haben?
Therefore it must have been the arch-devil himself who said, as we read in the ecclesiastical law, If the Pope were so perniciously wicked, as to be dragging souls in crowds to the devil, yet he could not be deposed. This is the accursed and devilish foundation on which they build at Rome, and think that the whole world is to be allowed to go to the devil rather than they should be opposed in their knavery. If a man were to escape punishment simply because he is above the rest, then no Christian might punish another, since Christ has commanded each of us to esteem himself the lowest and the humblest (Matt. xviii. 4; Luke ix. 48).	Fürwahr, wir wären an allen Seelen schuldig, die dadurch verlassen und verführet würden! Drum muß das der Hauptteufel selbst gesagt haben, was im geistlichen Recht steht: »Wenn der Papst so schädlich böse wäre, daß er gleich die Seelen in großer Menge zum Teufel führte, könnte man ihn dennoch nicht absetzen.« Auf diesen verfluchten, teuflischen Grund bauen sie zu Rom und meinen, man solle eher alle Welt zum Teufel lassen fahren, als ihrer Schurkerei widerstreben. Wenn es daran genug wäre, daß einer über den andern ist, daß er deshalb nicht zu strafen sei, dürfte kein Christ den andern strafen, sintemal Christus gebietet (Matth. 18, 4; Luk. 9, 48): ein jeglicher solle sich für den Untersten und Geringsten halten.
Where there is sin, there remains no avoiding the punishment, as St. Gregory says, We are all equal, but guilt makes one subject to another. Now let us see how they deal with Christendom. They arrogate to themselves immunities without any warrant from the Scriptures, out of their own wickedness, whereas God and the Apostles made them subject to the secular sword; so that we must fear that it is the work of antichrist, or a sign of his near approach.	Wo Sünde ist, da ist schon keine Ausflucht mehr vor der Strafe, wie auch Gregor der Große schmibt, daß wir wohl alle gleich seien, aber die Schuld mache einen dem andern untertan. Nun sehen wir, wie sie mit der Christen-heit umgehen. Sie nehmen sich die Freiheit ohne allen Beweis aus der Schrift, mit eigenem Frevel, die Gott und die Apostel dem weltlichen Schwert' unterworfen haben, daß zu besorgen ist, es sei des Endchrists oder seines nächsten Vorläufers Spiel.

The second wall is even more tottering and weak: that they alone pretend to be considered masters of the Scriptures; although they learn nothing of them all their life. They assume authority, and juggle before us with impudent words, saying that the Pope cannot err in matters of faith, whether he be evil or good, albeit they cannot prove it by a single letter. That is why the canon law contains so many heretical and unchristian, nay unnatural, laws; but of these we need not speak now. For whereas they imagine the Holy Ghost never leaves them, however unlearned and wicked they may be, they grow bold enough to decree whatever they like. But were this true, where were the need and use of the Holy Scriptures? Let us burn them, and content ourselves with the unlearned gentlemen at Rome, in whom the Holy Ghost dwells, who, however, can dwell in pious souls only. If I had not read it, I could never have believed that the devil should have put forth such follies at Rome and find a following.

But not to fight them with our own words, we will quote the Scriptures. St. Paul says, “If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace” (1 Cor. xiv. 30). What would be the use of this commandment, if we were to believe him alone that teaches or has the highest seat? Christ Himself says, “And they shall be all taught of God.” (St. John vi. 45). Thus it may come to pass that the Pope and his followers are wicked and not true Christians, and not being taught by God, have no true understanding, whereas a common man may have true understanding. Why should we then not follow him? Has not the Pope often erred? Who could help Christianity, in case the Pope errs, if we do not rather believe another who has the Scriptures for him?

Therefore it is a wickedly devised fable-and they cannot quote a single letter to confirm it-that it is for the Pope alone to interpret the Scriptures or to confirm the interpretation of them. They have assumed the authority of their own selves. And though they say that this authority was given to St. Peter when the keys were given to him, it is plain enough that the keys were not given to St. Peter alone, but to the whole community. Besides, the keys were not ordained for doctrine or authority, but for sin, to bind or loose, and what they claim besides this from the keys is mere invention. But what Christ said to St. Peter: “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not” (St. Luke xxii. 32), cannot relate to the Pope, inasmuch as the greater part of the Popes have been without faith, as they are themselves forced to acknowledge; nor did Christ pray for Peter alone, but for all the Apostles and all Christians, as He says, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word” (St. John xvii.). Is not this plain enough?

Only consider the matter. They must needs acknowledge that there are pious Christians among us that have the true faith, spirit, understanding, word, and mind of Christ: why then should we reject their word and understanding, and follow a pope who has neither understanding nor spirit? Surely this were to deny our whole faith and the Christian Church. Moreover, if the article of our faith is right, “I believe in the holy Christian Church,” the Pope cannot alone be right; else we must say, “I believe in the Pope of Rome,” and reduce the Christian Church to one man, which is a devilish and damnable heresy. Besides that, we are all priests, as I have said, and have all one faith, one Gospel, one Sacrament; how then should we not have the power of discerning and judging what is right or wrong in matters of faith? What becomes of St. Paul’s words, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man” (1 Cor. ii. 15), and also, “we having the same spirit of faith”? (2 Cor. iv. 13). Why then should we not perceive as well as an unbelieving pope what agrees or disagrees with our faith?

By these and many other texts we should gain courage and freedom, and should not let the spirit of liberty (as St. Paul has it) be frightened away by the inventions of the popes; we should boldly judge what they do and what they leave undone by our own believing understanding of the Scriptures, and force them to follow the better understanding, and not their own. Did not Abraham in old days have to obey his Sarah, who was in stricter bondage to him than we are to any one on earth? Thus, too, Balaam’s ass was wiser than the prophet. If God spoke by an ass against a prophet, why should He not speak by a pious man against the Pope? Besides, St. Paul withstood St. Peter as being in error (Gal. ii.). Therefore it behoves every Christian to aid the faith by understanding and defending it and by condemning all errors.

THE third wall falls of itself, as soon as the first two have fallen; for if the Pope acts contrary to the Scriptures, we are bound to stand by the Scriptures, to punish and to constrain him, according to Christ’s commandment, “Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican” (St. Matt. xviii. 15-17). Here each member is commanded to take care for the other; much more then should we do this, if it is a ruling member of the community that does evil, which by its evil-doing causes great harm and offence to the others. If then I am to accuse him before the Church, I must collect the Church together. Moreover, they can show nothing in the Scriptures giving the Pope sole power to call and confirm councils; they have nothing but their own laws; but these hold good only so long as they are not injurious to Christianity and the laws of God. Therefore, if the Pope deserves punishment, these laws cease to bind us, since Christendom would suffer, if he were not punished by a council. Thus we read (Acts xv.) that the council of the Apostles was not called by St. Peter, but by all the Apostles and the elders. But if the right to call it had lain with St. Peter alone, it would not have been a Christian council, but a heretical conciliabulum. Moreover, the most celebrated council of all-that of Nicaea-was neither called nor confirmed by the Bishop of Rome, but by the Emperor Constantine; and after him many other emperors have done the same, and yet the councils called by them were accounted most Christian. But if the Pope alone had the power, they must all have been heretical. Moreover, if I consider the councils that the Pope has called, I do not find that they produced any notable results.

Therefore when need requires, and the Pope is a cause of offence to Christendom, in these cases whoever can best do so, as a faithful member of the whole body, must do what he can to procure a true free council. This no one can do so well as the temporal authorities, especially since they are fellow-Christians, fellow-priests, sharing one spirit and one power in all things, and since they should exercise the office that they have received from God without hindrance, whenever it is necessary and useful that it should be exercised. Would it not be most unnatural, if a fire were to break out in a city, and every one were to keep still and let it burn on and on, whatever might be burnt, simply because they had not the mayor’s authority, or because the fire perchance broke out at the mayor’s house? Is not every citizen bound in this case to rouse and call in the rest? How much more should this be done in the spiritual city of Christ, if a fire of offence breaks out, either at the Pope’s government or wherever it may! The like happens if an enemy attacks a town. The first to rouse up the rest earns glory and thanks. Why then should not he earn glory that descries the coming of our enemies from hell and rouses and summons all Christians?

But as for their boasts of their authority, that no one must oppose it, this is idle talk. No one in Christendom has any authority to do harm, or to forbid others to prevent harm being done. There is no authority in the Church but for reformation. Therefore if the Pope wished to use his power to prevent the calling of a free council, so as to prevent the reformation of the Church, we must not respect him or his power; and if he should begin to excommunicate and fulminate, we must despise this as the doings of a madman, and, trusting in God, excommunicate and repel him as best we may. For this his usurped power is nothing; he does not possess it, and he is at once overthrown by a text from the Scriptures. For St. Paul says to the Corinthians “that God has given us authority for edification, and not for destruction (2 Cor. x. 8). Who will set this text at nought? It is the power of the devil and of antichrist that prevents what would serve for the reformation of Christendom. Therefore we must not follow it, but oppose it with our body, our goods, and all that we have. And even if a miracle were to happen in favour of the Pope against the temporal power, or if some were to be stricken by a plague, as they sometimes boast has happened, all this is to be held as having been done by the devil in order to injure our faith in God, as was foretold by Christ: “There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great sings and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. xxiv. 23); and St. Paul tells the Thessalonians that the coming of antichrist shall be “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thess. ii. 9).

Therefore let us hold fast to this: that Christian power can do nothing against Christ, as St. Paul says, “For we can do nothing against Christ, but for Christ” (2 Cor. xiii. 8). But, if it does anything against Christ, it is the power of antichrist and the devil, even if it rained and hailed wonders and plagues. Wonders and plagues prove nothing, especially in these latter evil days, of which false wonders are foretold in all the Scriptures. Therefore we must hold fast to the words of God with an assured faith; then the devil will soon cease his wonders.

And now I hope the false, lying spectre will be laid with which the Romanists have long terrified and stupefied our consciences. And it will be seen that, like all the rest of us, they are subject to the temporal sword; that they have no authority to interpret the Scriptures by force without skill; and that they have no power to prevent a council, or to pledge it in accordance with their pleasure, or to bind it beforehand, and deprive it of its freedom; and that if they do this, they are verily of the fellowship of antichrist and the devil, and having nothing of Christ but the name.

Let us now consider the matters which should be treated in the councils, and with which popes, cardinals, bishops, and all learned men should occupy themselves day and night, if they love Christ and His Church. But if they do not do so, the people at large and the temporal powers must do so, without considering the thunders of their excommunications. For an unjust excommunication is better than ten just absolutions, and an unjust absolution is worse than ten just excommunications. Therefore let us rouse ourselves, fellow-Germans, and fear God more than man, that we be not answerable for all the poor souls that are so miserably lost through the wicked, devilish government of the Romanists, and that the dominion of the devil should not grow day by day, if indeed this hellish government can grow any worse, which, for my part, I can neither conceive nor believe.

1. It is a distressing and terrible thing to see that the head of Christendom, who boasts of being the vicar of Christ and the successor of St. Peter, lives in a worldly pomp that no king or emperor can equal, so that in him that calls himself most holy and most spiritual there is more worldliness than in the world itself. He wears a triple crown, whereas the mightiest kings only wear one crown. If this resembles the poverty of Christ and St. Peter, it is a new sort of resemblance. They prate of its being heretical to object to this; nay, they will not even hear how unchristian and ungodly it is. But I think that if he should have to pray to God with tears, he would have to lay down his crowns; for God will not endure any arrogance. His office should be nothing else than to weep and pray constantly for Christendom and to be an example of all humility.

However this may be, this pomp is a stumbling-block, and the Pope, for the very salvation of his soul, ought to put if off, for St. Paul says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. v. 21), and again, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (2 Cor. viii. 21). A simple mitre would be enough for the pope: wisdom and sanctity should raise him above the rest; the crown of pride he should leave to antichrist, as his predecessors did some hundreds of years ago. They say, He is the ruler of the world. This is false; for Christ, whose vicegerent and vicar he claims to be, said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John xviii. 36). But no vicegerent can have a wider dominion than this Lord, nor is he a vicegerent of Christ in His glory, but of Christ crucified, as St. Paul says, “For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (2 Cor. ii. 2), and “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant” (Phil. ii. 5, 7). Again, “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. i.). Now they make the Pope a vicegerent of Christ exalted in heaven, and some have let the devil rule them so thoroughly that they have maintained that the Pope is above the angels in heaven and has power over them, which is precisely the true work of the true antichrist.

2. What is the use in Christendom of the people called “cardinals”? I will tell you. In Italy and Germany there are many rich convents, endowments, fiefs, and benefices, and as the best way of getting these into the hands of rRome, they created cardinals, and gave them the sees, convents, and prelacies, and thus destroyed the service of God. That is why Italy is almost a desert now: the convents are destroyed, the sees consumed, the revenues of the prelacies and of all the churches drawn to Rome; towns are decayed, the country and the people ruined, because there is no more any worship of God or preaching; why? Because the cardinals must have all the wealth. No Turk could have thus desolated Italy and overthrown the worship of God.

Now that Italy is sucked dry, they come to Germany and begin very quietly; but if we look on quietly Germany will soon be brought into the same state as Italy. We have a few cardinals already. What the Romanists mean thereby the drunken Germans ⁴ are not to see until they have lost everything - bishoprics, convents, benefices, fiefs, even to their last farthing. Antichrist must take the riches of the earth, as it is written (Dan. xi. 8, 39, 43). They begin by taking off the cream of the bishoprics, convents and fiefs; and as they do not dare to destroy everything as they have done in Italy, they employ such holy cunning to join together ten or twenty prelacies, and take such a portion of each annually that the total amounts to a considerable sum. The priory of Wurzburg gives one thousand guilders; those of Bamberg, Mayence, Treves, and others also contribute. In this way they collect one thousand or ten thousand guilders, in order that a cardinal may live at Rome in a state like that of a wealthy monarch.

[Footnote 4: The epithet “drunken” was formerly often applied by the Italians to the Germans.]

After we have gained this, we will create thirty or forty cardinals on one day, and give one St. Michael’s Mount, 5 near Bamberg, and likewise the see of Wurzburg, to which belong some rich benefices, until the churches and the cities are desolated; and then we shall say, We are the vicars of Christ, the shepherds of Christ’s flocks; those mad, drunken Germans must submit to it. I advise, however, that there be made fewer cardinals, or that the Pope should have to support them out of his own purse. It would be amply sufficient if there were twelve, and if each of them had an annual income of one thousand guilders.

[Footnote 5: Luther alludes here to the Benedictine convent standing on the Monchberg, or St. Michael’s Mount.]

What has brought us Germans to such a pass that we have to suffer this robbery and this destruction of our property by the Pope? If the kingdom of France has resisted it, why do we Germans suffer ourselves to be fooled and deceived? It would be more endurable if they did nothing but rob us of our property; but they destroy the Church and deprive Christ’s flock of their good shepherds, and overthrow the service and word of God. Even if there were no cardinals at all, the Church would not perish, for they do nothing for the good of Christendom; all they do is to traffic in and quarrel about prelacies and bishoprics, which any robber could do as well.

3. If we took away ninety-nine parts of the Pope’s Court and only left one hundredth, it would still be large enough to answer questions on matters of belief. Now there is such a swarm of vermin at Rome, all called papal, that Babylon itself never saw the like. There are more than three thousand papal secretaries alone; but who shall count the other office-bearers, since there are so many offices that we can scarcely count them, and all waiting for German benefices, as wolves wait for a flock of sheep? I think Germany now pays more to the Pope than it formerly paid the emperors; nay, some think more than three hundred thousand guilders are sent from Germany to Rome every year, for nothing whatever; and in return we are scoffed at and put to shame. Do we still wonder why princes, noblemen, cities, foundations, convents, and people grow poor? We should rather wonder that we have anything left to eat.

Now that we have got well into our game, let us pause a while and show that the Germans are not such fools as not to perceive or understand this Romish trickery. I do not here complain that God’s commandments and Christian justice are despised at Rome; for the state of things in Christendom, especially at Rome, is too bad for us to complain of such high matters. Nor do I even complain that no account is taken of natural or secular justice and reason. The mischief lies still deeper. I complain that they do not observe their own fabricated canon law, though this is in itself rather mere tyranny, avarice, and worldly pomp, than a law. This we shall now show.

Long ago the emperors and princes of Germany allowed the Pope to claim the annates ⁶from all German benefices; that is, half of the first year’s income from every benefice. The object of this concession was that the Pope should collect a fund with all this money to fight against the Turks and infidels, and to protect Christendom, so that the nobility should not have to bear the burden of the struggle alone, and that the priests should also contribute. The popes have made such use of this good simple piety of the Germans that they have taken this money for more than one hundred years, and have now made of it a regular tax and duty; and not only have they accumulated nothing, but they have founded out of it many posts and offices at Rome, which are paid by it yearly, as out of a ground-rent.

[Footnote 6: The duty of paying annates to the Pope was established by John XXII. in 1319.]

Whenever there is any pretence of fighting the Turks, they send out some commission for collecting money, and often send out indulgences under the same pretext of fighting the Turks. They think we Germans will always remain such great and inveterate fools that we will go on giving money to satisfy their unspeakable greed, though we see plainly that neither annates, nor absolution money, nor any other-not one farthing-goes against the Turks, but all goes into the bottomless sack. They lie and deceive, form and make covenants with us, of which they do not mean to keep one jot. And all this is done in the holy name of Christ and St. Peter.

This being so, the German nation, the bishops and princes, should remember that they are Christians, and should defend the people, who are committed to their government and protection in temporal and spiritual affairs, from these ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing that profess to be shepherds and rulers; and since the annates are so shamefully abused, and the covenants concerning them not carried out, they should not suffer their lands and people to be so piteously and unrighteously flayed and ruined; but by an imperial or a national law they should either retain the annates in the country, or abolish them altogether. For since they do not keep to the covenants, they have no right to the annates; therefore bishops and princes are bound to punish this thievery and robbery, or prevent it, as justice demands. And herein should they assist and strengthen the Pope, who is perchance too weak to prevent this scandal by himself, or, if he wishes to protect or support it, restrain and oppose him as a wolf and tyrant; for he has no authority to do evil or to protect evil-doers. Even if it were proposed to collect any such treasure for use against the Turks, we should be wise in future, and remember that the German nation is more fitted to take charge of it than the Pope, seeing that the German nation by itself is able to provide men enough, if the money is forthcoming. This matter of the annates is like many other Romish pretexts.

Moreover, the year has been divided among the Pope and the ruling bishops and foundations in such wise that the Pope has taken every other month-six in all-to give away the benefices that fall in his month; in this way almost all the benefices are drawn into the hands of Rome, and especially the best livings and dignities. And those that once fall into the hands of Rome never come out again, even if they never again fall vacant in the Pope’s month. In this way the foundations come very short of their rights, and it is a downright robbery, the object of which is not to give up anything again. Therefore it is now high time to abolish the Pope’s months and to take back again all that has thereby fallen into the hands of Rome. For all the princes and nobles should insist that the stolen property shall be returned, the thieves punished, and that those who abuse their powers shall be deprived of them. If the Pope can make a law on the day after his election by which he takes our benefices and livings to which he has no right, the Emperor Charles should so much the more have a right to issue a law for all Germany on the day after his coronation 7 that in future no livings and benefices are to fall to Rome by virtue of the Pope’s month, but that those that have so fallen are to be freed and taken from the Romish robbers. This right he possesses authoritatively by virtue of his temporal sword.

[Footnote 7: At the time when the above was written - June, 1520 - the Emperor Charles had been elected, but not yet crowned.]

But the see of avarice and robbery at Rome is unwilling to wait for the benefices to fall in one after another by means of the Pope’s month; and in order to get them into its insatiable maw as speedily as possible, they have devised the plan of taking livings and benefices in three other ways:

First, if the incumbent of a free living dies at Rome or on his way thither, his living remains for ever the property of the see of Rome, or I rather should say, the see of robbers, though they will not let us call them robbers, although no one has ever heard or read of such robbery.

Secondly, if a “servant” of the Pope or of one of the cardinals takes a living, or if, having a living, he becomes a “servant” of the Pope or of a cardinal, the living remains with Rome. But who can count the “servants” of the Pope and his cardinals, seeing that if he goes out riding, he is attended by three or four thousand mule-riders, more than any king or emperor? For Christ and St. Peter went on foot, in order that their vicegerents might indulge the better in all manner of pomp. Besides, their avarice has devised and invented this: that in foreign countries also there are many called “papal servants”, as at Rome; so that in all parts this single crafty little word “papal servant” brings all benefices to the chair at Rome, and they are kept there for ever. Are not these mischievous, devilish devices? Let us only wait a while, Mayence, Magdeburg, and Halberstadt will fall very nicely to Rome, and we shall have to pay dearly for our cardinal. 8 Hereafter all the German bishops will be made cardinals, so that there shall remain nothing to ourselves.

[Footnote 8: Luther alludes here to the Archbishop Albert of Mayence, who was, besides, Archbishop of Magdeburg and administrator of the bishopric of Halberstadt. In order to be able to defray the expense of the archiepiscopal tax due to Rome, amounting to thirty thousand guilders, he had farmed the sale of the Pope’s indulgences, employing the notorious Tetzel as his agent and sharing the profits with the Pope. In 1518 Albert was appointed cardinal. See Ranke, Deutsche Geschichte, etc., vol. i., p. 309, etc.]

Thirdly, whenever there is any dispute about a benefice; and this is, I think, well-nigh the broadest and commonest road by which benefices are brought to Rome. For where there is no dispute numberless knaves can be found at Rome who are ready to scrape up disputes, and attack livings wherever they like. In this way many a good priest loses his living, or has to buy off the dispute for a time with a sum of money. These benefices, confiscated by right or wrong of dispute, are to be for ever the property of the see of Rome. It would be no wonder, if God were to rain sulphur and fire from heaven and cast Rome down into the pit, as He did formerly to Sodom and Gomorrah. What is the use of a pope in Christendom, if the only use made of his power is to commit these supreme villainies under his protection and assistance? Oh noble princes and sirs, how long will you suffer your lands and your people to be the prey of these ravening wolves?

But these tricks did not suffice, and bishoprics were too slow in falling into the power of Roman avarice. Accordingly our good friend Avarice made the discovery that all bishoprics are abroad in name only, but that their land and soil is at Rome; from this it follows that no bishop may be confirmed until he has bought the “Pall” 9 for a large sum, and has with a terrible oath bound himself a servant of the Pope. That is why no bishop dare oppose the Pope. This was the object of the oath, and this is how the wealthiest bishoprics have come to debt and ruin. Mayence, I am told, pays twenty thousand guilders. These are true Roman tricks, it seems to me. It is true that they once decreed in the canon law that the Pall should be given free, the number of the Pope’s servants diminished, disputes made less frequent, that foundations and bishops should enjoy their liberty; but all this brought them no money. They have therefore reversed all this: bishops and foundations have lost all their power; they are mere ciphers, without office, authority, or function; all things are regulated by the chief knaves at Rome, even the offices of sextons and bell-ringers in all churches. All disputes are transferred to Rome; each one does what he will, strong through the Pope’s power.

[Footnote 9: The Pallium was since the fourth century the symbol of archiepiscopal power, and had to be redeemed from the Pope by means of a large sum of money and a solemn oath of obedience.]

What has happened in this very year? The Bishop of Strasburg, wishing to regulate his see in a proper way and reform it in the matter of Divine service, published some Divine and Christian ordinances for that purpose. But our worthy Pope and the holy chair at Rome overturn altogether this holy and spiritual order on the requisition of the priests. This is what they call being the shepherd of Christ’s sheep-supporting priests against their own bishops and protecting their disobedience by Divine decrees. Antichrist, I hope, will not insult God in this open way. There you have the Pope, as you have chosen to have him; and why? Why, because if the Church were to be reformed, there would be danger that it would spread further, so that it might also reach Rome. Therefore it is better to prevent priests from being at one with each other; they should rather, as they have done hitherto, sow discord among kings and princes, and flood the world with Christian blood, lest Christian unity should trouble the holy Roman see with reforms.

So far we have seen what they do with the livings that fall vacant. Now there are not enough vacancies for this delicate greed; therefore it has also taken prudent account of the benefices that are still held by their incumbents, so that they may become vacant, though they are in fact not vacant, and this they effect in many ways.

First, they lie in wait for fat livings or sees which are held by an old or sick man, or even by one afflicted by an imaginary incompetence; him the Roman see gives a coadjutor, that is an assistant without his asking or wishing it, for the benefit of the coadjutor, because he is a papal servant, or pays for the office, or has otherwise earned it by some menial service rendered to Rome. Thus there is an end of free election on the part of the chapter, or of the right of him who had presented to the living; and all goes to Rome.

Secondly, there is a little word: commendam, that is, when the Pope gives a rich and fat convent or church into the charge of a cardinal or any other of his servants, just as I might command you to take charge of one hundred guilders for me. In this way the convent is neither given, nor lent, nor destroyed, nor is its Divine service abolished, but only entrusted to a man’s charge, not, however, for him to protect and improve it, but to drive out the one he finds there, to take the property and revenue, and to install some apostate ¹⁰ runaway monk, who is paid five or six guilders a year, and sits in the church all day and sells symbols and pictures to the pilgrims; so that neither chanting nor reading in the church goes on there any more. Now if we were to call this the destruction of convents and abolition of Divine service we should be obliged to accuse the Pope of destroying Christianity and abolishing Divine service-for truly he is doing this effectually-but this would be thought harsh language at Rome; therefore it is called a commendam, or an order to take charge of the convent. In this way the Pope can make commendams of four or more convents a year, any one of which produces a revenue of more than six thousand guilders. This is the way Divine service is advanced and convents kept up at Rome. This will be introduced into Germany as well.

[Footnote 10: Monks who forsook their order without any legal dispensation were called “apostates.”]

Thirdly, there are certain benefices that are said to be incompatible; that is, they may not be held together according to the canon law, such as two cures, two sees, and the like. Now the Holy See and avarice twists itself out of the canon law by making “glosses,” or interpretations, called Unio, or Incorporatio; that is, several incompatible benefices are incorporated, so that one is a member of the other, and the whole is held to be one benefice: then they are no longer incompatible, and we have got rid of the holy canon law, so that it is no longer binding, except on those who do not buy those glosses of the Pope and his Datarius. 11 Unio is of the same kind: a number of benefices are tied together like a bundle of faggots, and on account of this coupling together they are held to be one benefice. Thus there may be found many a “courtling” at Rome who alone holds twenty-two cures, seven priories, and forty-four prebends, all which is done in virtue of this masterly gloss, so as not to be contrary to law. Any one can imagine what cardinals and other prelates may hold. In this way the Germans are to have their purses emptied and their conceit taken out of them.

[Footnote 11: The papal office for the issue and registration of certain documents was called Dataria, from the phrase appended to them, Datum apud S. Petrum. The chief of that office, usually a cardinal, bore the title of Datarius, or Prodatarius.]

There is another gloss called Administratio; that is, that besides his see a man holds an abbey or other high benefice, and possesses all the property of it, without any other title but administrator. For at Rome it is enough that words should change, and not deeds, just as if I said, a procuress was to be called a mayoress, yet may remain as good as she is now. Such Romish rule was foretold by St. Peter, when he said, “There shall be false teachers among you, . . . and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you” (2 Peter ii. 1, 3).

This precious Roman avarice has also invented the practice of selling and lending prebends and benefices on condition that the seller or lender has the reversion, so that if the incumbent dies, the benefice falls to him that has sold it, lent it, or abandoned it; in this way they have made benefices heritable property, so that none can come to hold them unless the seller sells them to him, or leaves them to him at his death. Then there are many that give a benefice to another in name only, and on condition that he shall not receive a farthing. It is now, too, an old practice for a man to give another a benefice and to receive a certain annual sum, which proceeding was formerly called simony. And there are many other such little things which I cannot recount; and so they deal worse with the benefices than the heathens by the cross dealt with Christ’s clothes.

But all this that I have spoken of is old and common at Rome. Their avarice has invented other device, which I hope will be the last and choke it. The Pope has made a noble discovery, called Pectoralis Reservatio, that is, “mental reservation”-et proprius motus, that is, “and his own will and power.” The matter is managed in this way: Suppose a man obtains a benefice at Rome, which is confirmed to him in due form; then comes another, who brings money, or who has done some other service of which the less said the better, and requests the Pope to give him the same benefice: then the Pope will take it from the first and give it him. If you say, that is wrong, the Most Holy Father must then excuse himself, that he may not be openly blamed for having violated justice; and he says “that in his heart and mind he reserved his authority over the said benefice,” whilst he never had heard or thought of the same in all his life. Thus he has devised a gloss which allows him in his proper person to lie and cheat and fool us all, and all this impudently and in open daylight, and nevertheless he claims to be the head of Christendom, letting the evil spirit rule him with manifest lies.

This wantonness and lying reservation of the popes has brought about an unutterable state of things at Rome. There is a buying and a selling, a changing, blustering and bargaining, cheating and lying, robbing and stealing, debauchery and villainy, and all kinds of contempt of God, that antichrist himself could not rule worse. Venice, Antwerp, Cairo, are nothing to this fair and market at Rome, except that there things are done with some reason and justice, whilst here things are done as the devil himself could wish. And out of this ocean a like virtue overflows all the world. Is it not natural that such people should dread a reformation and a free council, and should rather embroil all kings and princes, than that their unity should bring about a council? Who would like his villainy to be exposed?

Finally, the Pope has built a special house for this fine traffic-that is, the house of the Datarius at Rome. Thither all must come that bargain in this way, for prebends and benefices; from him they must buy the glosses and obtain the right to practise such prime villainy. In former days it was fairly well at Rome, when justice had to be bought, or could only be put down by money; but now she has become so fastidious that she does not allow any one to commit villainies unless he has first bought the right to do it with great sums. If this is not a house of prostitution, worse than all houses of prostitution that can be conceived, I do not know what houses of prostitution really are.

If you bring money to this house, you can arrive at all that I have mentioned; and more than this, any sort of usury is made legitimate for money; property got by theft or robbery is here made legal. Here vows are annulled; here a monk obtains leave to quit his order; here priests can enter married life for money; here bastards can become legitimate; and dishonour and shame may arrive at high honours; all evil repute and disgrace is knighted and ennobled; here a marriage is suffered that is in a forbidden degree, or has some other defect. Oh, what a trafficking and plundering is there! one would think that the canon laws were only so many money-snares, from which he must free himself who would become a Christian man. Nay, here the devil becomes a saint, and a god besides. What heaven and earth might not do may be done by this house. Their ordinances are called compositions - compositions, forsooth! confusions rather. 12 Oh, what a poor treasury is the toll on the Rhine 13 compared with this holy house!

[Footnote 12: Luther uses here the expressions compositiones and confusiones as a kind of pun.]

Let no one think that I say too much. It is all notorious, so that even at Rome they are forced to own that it is more terrible and worse than one can say. I have said and will say nothing of the infernal dregs of private vices. I only speak of well-known public matters, and yet my words do not suffice. Bishops, priests, and especially the doctors of the universities, who are paid to do it, ought to have unanimously written and exclaimed against it. Yea, if you will turn the leaf you will discover the truth.

I have still to give a farewell greeting. These treasures, that would have satisfied three mighty kings, were not enough for this unspeakable greed, and so they have made over and sold their traffic to Fugger 14 at Augsburg, so that the lending and buying and selling sees and benefices, and all this traffic in ecclesiastical property, has in the end come into the right hands, and spiritual and temporal matters have now become one business. Now I should like to know what the most cunning would devise for Romish greed to do that it has not done, except that Fugger might sell or pledge his two trades, that have now become one. I think they must have come to the end of their devices. For what they have stolen and yet steal in all countries by bulls of indulgences, letters of confession, letters of dispensation, 15 and other confessionalia, all this I think mere bungling work, and much like playing toss with a devil in hell. Not that they produce little, for a mighty king could support himself by them; but they are as nothing compared to the other streams of revenue mentioned above. I will not now consider what has become of that indulgence money; I shall inquire into this another time, for Campofiore 16 and Belvedere 17 and some other places probably know something about it.

[Footnote 14: The commercial house of Fugger was in those days the wealthiest in Europe.]

[Footnote 15: Luther uses the word Butterbriefe, i. e., letters of indulgence allowing the enjoyment of butter, cheese, milk, etc., during Lent. They formed part only of the confessionalia, which granted various other indulgences.]

Meanwhile, since this devilish state of things is not only an open robbery, deceit, and tyranny of the gates of hell, but also destroys Christianity body and soul, we are bound to use all our diligence to prevent this misery and destruction of Christendom. If we wish to fight the Turk, let us begin here, where they are worst. If we justly hang thieves and behead robbers, why do we leave the greed of Rome so unpunished, that is the greatest thief and robber that has appeared or can appear on earth, and does all this in the holy name of Christ and St. Peter? Who can suffer this and be silent about it? Almost everything that they possess has been stolen or got by robbery, as we learn from all histories. Why, the Pope never bought those great possessions, so as to be able to raise well-nigh ten hundred thousand ducats from his ecclesiastical offices, without counting his gold mines described above and his land. He did not inherit it from Christ and St. Peter; no one gave it or lent it him; he has not acquired it by prescription. Tell me, where can he have got it? You can learn from this what their object is when they send out legates to collect money to be used against the Turk.

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