Thej pervert the holy Scriptures, and never qnote them to the purpose."
" My son," said the cardinal, " the pope has power and authority over all things."
" Except the Scriptures," interrupted Luther.
" Do you not know that the pope is above the councils, the canons, and the parchment of the He has recently condemned and punished the Council of Basle."
" But I understand that the university of Paris has appealed from this sentence," remarked Luther.
Cajetan now for the j&rst time lost his temper.
He declared that the Parisian savans would be duly punished, and that the celebrated chancellor Gersou, who had previously maintained at Constance the doctrine that the authority of a general council was superior to that of the pontiff, and w^hose writings Luther had quoted, was DAMiSTED, together with all his adherents.*
So extravagantly high, says Milner, were the ideas of the papal power conceived by this cardinal, that even the very moderate contradiction given in France to the pontiff appeared in his eyes to be an unpardonable sin.
Little did he then imagine how mucli more openly his magnificent master was to be opposed within the short space of a few months.
Luther defended with the most unbending zeal the article of justification by faith, citing the Scriptures T^ith marvellous aptness to sustain Lis position.
"As for indulgences," lie said, "if it can be slio-un that I am mistaken, I am very ready to receive instruction.
We may pass that over, and still be good Christians.
But as to the article of faith, if I made the slightest concession I should renounce That I cannot, I will not yield ; but I will maintain it with my dying breath."
Cajetan, foiled in this verbal fence, once more lost his temper, and throwing himself back upon his dignity, he replied severely,
" Whether you will or no, you must retract that article this very day, or upon that article alone I shall reject and condemn your whole doctrine."
" Do as you wish," returned the monk, " I have no will but God's.
Let him do with me as seemeth good to him.
But if I had four hundred heads, I would rather lose them all than retract the testimony which I have borne to the holy " Well," said the curt legate,
" I did not come here to dispute with you.
Retract, or prepare to hear your sentence."
Luther at this stage desirous to consult with his friends, and also finding that not the slightest progress was made by this random conversation, and that the legate's jDromises of kind treatment and conciliation amounted to this, " Recant, or be punished," now wisely determined to retire for the day'^ and to commit his repUes to writing.
" In so doing," he said, " the oppressed find double gain THE LIFE AND TIMES is written -may be submitted to the judgment of others
; and second, one has a better chance of working on the fears, if not on the conscience of an arrogant and babbling despot, who would otherwise overpower by his imperious language,"*
Another interview was appointed for the next day, and Luther was suffered to depart.
Cajetan, who was accounted the most learned, ingenious, and able of the Dominicans, lost caste terribly in Luther's estimation by this day's tussle.
Next after him ranked " We may conclude from this," wrote the Saxon monk's satirical pen, " what they must be who are in the tenth or the hundredth rank."t
Upon reaching the Carmelite monastery, Luther was very agreeably surprised to find Dr. Staupitz awaiting his return.
The vicar-general anxiously inquired how the affair then stood, and upon being ajDprized by his i^rotege of the legate's arrogance in insisting upon a recantation
Avithout essaying to convict him of error, Staupitz remarked, " You must positively answer liim in writing."
Satisfied that no accommodation would be arrived at, and anxious that Luther should go into the combat as unshackled as j)ossible, Staupitz urged his friend to permit him to release him from the monastic obligations of his order.
The vicar-general's object in giving this counsel was double : if the Saxon monk should be con- * Luther's lettei' to tlie elector of Saxony. demned, tlie disgi-ace would not fall upon the Augustine brotherhood; and if Cajetan pressed him to foroe Luther, as his ecclesiastical inferior, to comply with the papal requisition and recant, he would have a sufficient excuse for asserting his inabiUtj to act.*
Thus dark and sullen closed the night of the 11th of October, 1518, upon the Augustinian, excluded from his order, deserted of men, and strong only in the inextinguishable ardor of his faith in God,
On the following morning, Wednesday, October 12th, Luther, on descending to the reception-room of the monastery, was surprised and strengthened by finding a number of influential friends ah-eady assembled, and waiting to accompany him to the second interview with the legate.
After exchanging affectionate greetings with these friends in need, Peutiuger, and the dean of Trent, of the imperial council. Dr. Staupitz, and Uvo of the elector's councillors. Dr. Piuhel and Philip of Feilitzsch, who had come to Augsburg by their prince's order to attend the conferences, and to protect Luther's liberty, started in a body for the legate's audience-room.
Upon their arrival, and after going through ijie usual ceremonious routine, Luther stepped forward and read this declaration
" I declare that I honor the holy Koman church, and that I shall continue to honor her.
I have sought after truth in my public disputations, and every thing that I have said I still regard as right, true, and Christian.
Yet I am but a man. and may be deceived.
I am therefore willing to receive instruction and correction in those tliine:s wherein I may have erred.
" I declare myself ready to reply orall}- or in writing to all the objections and cliarges that the lord legate may bring against me.
I declare myself ready to submit my theses to the four universities of Basle, Fribourg in Brisgau, Louvain, and Paris, and to retract "whatever they shall declare erroneous.
In a word, I am ready to do all that can lie required of a Christian.
But I solemnly peotest against the method pursued in this affair, and against the^ strange pretension of compelling me to retract without having refuted me."*
" This j)rotest," returned Cajetan, I have no desire to dispute with you either publicly or privately, but I propose arranging this difficulty with parental kindness.
In order to that, my dear friend, abandon, I beseech you, so useless an undertaking ; bethink yourself, acknowledge your error, and I am prepared to reconcile you with the church, and with the sovereign bishop.
Retract, such is the pope's wish.
3-ou will, or whether you will not, is of little consequence.
It would be a hard matter for you to kick against the To this special plea of the prelate Luther replied, ; but I offer to reply, and that too in writing.
'We had battling enough yesterday."
Cajetan was irritated at this expression, and he rejoined somewhat heatedly, "Debated! I have not debated.
I have no wish to debate ; but to please" the most serene Elector Frederick, I am ready to (L.,) XVII., 181-209.
A^'L> TIMES listen to you, and to exhort you in a friendly and paternal manner."
The cardinal now, says D'Aubigne, felt that in the presence of respectable witnesses he must appear anxious to convince Luther; he therefore reverted to the two propositions which he had pointed out previously, and being firmly resolved to permit the reformer to argue as little as possible, availed himself of his Italian volubilitv, and overwhelmed the doctor with objections without waiting for any reply.
At one time he jeered, at another he scolded ; he declaimed with passionate warmth ; mingled together the most heterogeneous matters
; clamored, stormed against all who thought differently from himself, and apostrophized Luther.
Ten times did the latter undertake to speak, but the legate immediateljinterrupted him, and overwhelmed him mth threats.
; this was all that was required of him.
He raved, he domineered, he alone was permitted to speak.
Staupitz took upon himself to check the legate.
"Pray allow brother Martin time to reply to you," said he.
But De Vio began again ; he requoted the extravaijanzas and the opinions of Aquinas ; he had resolved to have all the talk to himself during this interview.
If he could not convince, and if he dared not strike, he would do his best to stun by his violence.'^ Seeing the futility of this method of argument, where one side scolded, fumed, and threatened ad libitum, while the other was compelled by the volubility of this male Xautippe to keep silent, Luther requested that he might be permitted in future to respond wholly in writing.
This Cajetan was unwilling to grant, but Staupitz's interference at length prevailed upon him to accede.
With this understanding the conference was adjourned over to the day following the morrow.
14:tli inst., Luther, accompanied by his retinue of friends, again confronted the cardinal-legate.
He had drawn up a formal protest " You attack me on two points First, you oppose to me the extravaganza of pope Clement VI., in which it is said that the treasure of indulgences is the merit of Jesus Christ and the saints—which I deny in my theses.
" Panormitanius* declares, in his first book, that in whatever concerns the holy faith, not only a general council, but still further, each believer is above the pope if he can bring forward the declarations ot
Scripture and allege better reasons than the pope.
The voice of Christ is far above the voice of all men, Avhatever be the names they bear.
" My gTeatest cause of grief and of serious reflection is, that this extravaganza of Clement contains doctrines entirely at variance with the trutET
° Jus, bishop of Chartres, compiler of a digest of ecclesiastical law calletl Panormia ; he flourished in the eleventh century.
It declares that the merits of the saints are a treasure, while the whole of Scripture bears witness that God rewards us far more richly than we deserve.
The prophet exclaims, Enter not into judgment with thy servant, Lord; for in thy sight shall.no mo.n living he justified.'^
' Woe be to men, however honorable, and however praiseworthy their lives may have been,' says Augustine, ' if a judgment from which mercy was excluded should be pi'onounced upon them.'t
" Thus the saints themselves are not saved by their merits, but solely by God's mercy, as I have declared.
I maintain this, and in it I stand fast.
The words of holy Scripture, which declare that the saints have not merit enough, must be set above the words of men, which affirm that they have an excess.
For the pope is not above the word of God, but below it.
" In the second place, I affirm that no man can be justified before God if he has not faith, so that it is necessary for a man to beheve with a perfect assurance that he has obtained grace.
To doubt of this grace is to reject it.
The faith of tJie righteoiis is his righteousness and his life"X And this proposition Luther fortified impregnably by multitudinous citations of Scripture.
But the haughty churchman, on being handed this remarkably able and succinct argumentative protest, tossed it aside contemptuously, merely obX Justitia jnsti et vita ejus, est fides ejus.
L. 0pp. Lat. I., 211.
" You have indulged in useless verbiage ; jou have penned many idle words ; you have replied in a very foolish manner to the tv/o articles, and have blackened your jiaper with a great number of irrelevant passages of Scripture ;" and so ho ran on, mistaking epithets for argument, and when he could not answer, satisfying himself with abusing.
But Luther checked that volubility which had kept him silent at the previous interview, and raising his own sonorous voice and imitating the rapid utterance of the Italian, he poured in upon the astonished cardinal such a terrific broadside of fact, citation, satire, and logic as soon sufficed to drive him from his controversial guns.
The legate now had recourse alone to threats.
" Eetract," he kept repeating, " retract, or if you do not I shall send you to Eome to appear before judges commissioned to take cognizance of I shall excommunicate you with all your partisans, with all who are, or who may be favorable to you, and eject them from the church.
" Think you that your protectors will restrain me ?
Think you that the pope cares any thing for The pope's little finger is stronger than all the German princes put together."*
Thus sputtered the infuriated cardinal.
Luther, on his part, calmly said, " Deign to forward to pope Leo X., with my humble prayers, the answer which I have transmitted to you in writing."
This Cajetan said lie would do; lie then added, "Instantly retract, or return no more.""
Luther bowed, and with his train swept out of the council chamber.
"Thus," says D'Aubign6, "the Dominican system, covered with the brilliancy of the Eoman purple, had haughtily dismissed its humble adversary.
Luther was conscious that he was a power—the Christian doctrine, the truth—that no secular or spiritual authority could ever subdue.
Of the two combatants, he who withdrew remained master of the field of battle/'f Luther had not been long gone when Cajetan, regretting his violence, and fearful of utter failure in this mission as in the preceding one to the imperial diet, sent for Staupitz; and when the vicargeneral appeared, accompanied by Dr.
Nuremberg, dismissing all his courtiers save only Serra Longa, the solicitous churchman approached and said mildly, " My dear Staupitz, prevail upon 3"our monk, and induce him to recant.
Keally in other respects I am well pleased with him, and wish him well."
" I have already done my utmost, and I will again endeavor to persuade him to submit."
"You must answer his arguments," said the le<:jate.
" That, my lord," quickly returned the vicar-gen- * "Eevoca, ant non livertere." eral, "I must confess to be beyond my abilities ; for Doctor Martin Luther is my superior, both in genius and knowledge of the Scriptures."
The cardinal smiled, and then added severely, addressing both Staupitz and Link, " Are you aware, that as partisans of an heretical doctrine, you are yourselves liable to all the penalties of the church ?"
" Condescend," rejoined Staupitz evasively, " to resume the conference with Luther, and order a public discussion on the controverted points."
To this Cajetan hastily, almost fearfully replied, " I will no longer dispute with that beast, for it has deep eyes and wonderful speculation in its head!"*
The only concession that Staupitz could persuade the legate to make, was to transmit to Luther an explicit declaration in writing of what he was required to retract.
Armed with this document, Staupitz, who was natui'ally of a timid and pacific disposition, and upon whose nature the cunning cardinal had played with rare skill, sped to the CarmeUte monastery, and besought Luther to come to terms with Cajetan.
" Eefute then," said Luther, " my propositions."
" I am not able," retorted the vicar-general.
"Well, then," resumed the Saxon doctor, "it is against my conscience to retract, so long as these passages of Scripture are not explained diiferentl}'. the cardinal professes, as you inform me, that he is desirous of arranging this affair Mdthoiff any disgrace or detriment to me.
Roman expressions, wliicli signify in good German tliat it -svould be my eternal shame and ruin.
Wliat else can lie expect who, through fear of men and against the Yoice of his conscience, denies the truth ?"Staupitz did not press the matter, but contenting himself with begging Luther to treat the cardinal with all deference, and to preserve the suaviter in modo with the foi't iter in re, took his departure; informing his friend, however, that he would see him again ere quitting Augsburg.
Luther now determined to write to his court fiiend Spalatin a minute account of the conference with Cajetan, and to request him to lay the most important portion of his letter before their gracious prince the elector, for his approval or condemnation.
" This," wrote he at the conclusion of his succinct report—" this is the present posture of affairs, but I have neither hope nor confidence in the legate.
I will not, unconvinced, retract a syllable; but I shall i^ublish the reply I gave him, in order that, if he should nov/ resort to violence, Christendom may hoot him."t
Luther's thoughts next turned to his dear Wittemberg ; his heart yearned towards his associates there, and he again, wearied as he was from the composition of his missive to Spalatin, took up his pen and indited this noble letter to Dr. Carlstadt
" Accept, dear doctor, these few words as if they * L. 0pp. (L.) XYIL, 210. were a long letter, for time and events are pressing.
At a better opportunity I Avill write to you and others more fully.
Three diijs my business has been in hand, and matters are now at such a point that I have no longer any hope of returning t j you, and I have nothing to look for but excommunication.
The legate positively will not permit me to dispute either publicl}' or privately.
He desires not to be a judge, he says, but a father to me ; and yet he will hear no other words from me than these ' I retract, and acknowledge my error.'
These I will not utter.
" The dangers of my cause are much the greater, that its judges are not only implacable enemies, but, still further, men incapable of understandingit.
Yet the Lord God lives and reigns : to his protection I commit myself, and I doubt not that, in answer to the prayers of a few pious souls, he will send me deliverance
; I imagine I feel them praying for me.
" Either I shall return to you without havingsuffered an}- harm ; or else, struck with excommunication, I shall have to seek a refuge elsewhere.
" However that may be, conduct yourself valiantly, stand fast, and glorify Christ boldly and joyfully.
"The cardinal always styles me his dear son.
I must believe of that.
I am, nevertheless, persuaded that I should be the most acceptable and dearest man to him in the world, if I would pronounce the single word rcvoco, I recant.
But I will not become indeed a heretic by renouncing the faith by which I became a Christian ; I would rather be exiled, accursed, and burnt to death.
" Farewell, my dear doctor ; show this letter to our theologians, to Amsdorff, to Philip, to Otten, and the rest, in order that you may pray for me, and also for yourselves
; for it is your cause that I am pleading here : it is that of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the grace of God.'"'^
Nobly spoken, servant of the living God.
Your words ring yet through the centuries, kindhng anew the smouldering faith of millions who worship in that church based on your protest. Your words were not vox, et prceterea nihil; they came from the heart, and a man stood behind them.
Your actions at this memorable conference were even more sublime than your language.
In the evening Staupitz returned, accompanied by Ruhel and the knight of Frelitzsch, the elector's envoys.
After some desultory conversation, Luther proposed that they celebrate the Lord's supjDer together, which all acceded to.
Tliis finished, the envoys dejiarted, and Staupitz also announced his determination to seek safety in flight, since the legate had already threatened him with excommunication.
Luther said that he should remain for several days at least, and aM'ait fui'ther orders from the cardinal; perhaps he might even reopen negotiations with him.
The next morning Luther anxiously looked for some message from the legate; but receiving no word, Dr. Link, at his request, proceeded to Cajetan's residence, and asked him if there was any
Avord for his friend.
The legate received Link kindly; informed him that Luther's protest had been presented to the pope by an express, and that meantime he should not excommunicate the Augustine monk, but give him convincing proof of his friendship by withholding his sentence until he got word from Home.
Link rej)eated the legate's soft words, and all agreed that this sudden and excessive mildness was jDortentous.
" The legate," said one of the imperial councillors, "is preparing some mischief by this courier of whom he speaks ; it is greatly to be feared that you will all be seized, and flung into the dungeons of the inquisition."
Staupitz and Link, aware of their inability to do any thing further, and naturally desirous to secure their safety, quitted Augsburg that very evening
; but Luther remained firmly at that post whicJi dut}^ called him to occupy, and continued to trust God.
The next day was Sunday.
; but no message came from the legate.
To a man df Luther's disposition, this utter silence, this terriblj delay, was almost insupportable.
He therefore determined to write Cajetan, and go to the extreme verge of his conscience in another effort to accommodate the difficulty.
AVith this object in view, lie wrote the following epistle to the cardinal-legate "Most worthy Father in God—Once more I approach you, not in person, but by letter, entreating your paternal goodness to listen to me graciously.
Staupitz, my very dear father in Christ, has called upon me to humble myself, to renounce my own sentiments, and to submit my opinions to the judgment of pious and impartial men.
He has also praised your fatherly kindness, and has convinced me of your favorable disposition towards me.
This news has filled me with joy.
"Now therefore, most worthy father, I confess— as I have already done before—that I have not shown, as has been reported, sufficient modesty, meekness, or respect for the name of the sovereign pontiff; and although
I have been greatlj^ provoked, I see that it would have been better for me to have conducted my cause with greater humility, mildness, and reverence, and not to have 'answered a fool according to his folly, les^ I should be like unto him.'
" This grieves me very much, and I ask forgiveness.
I will publicly confess it to the people from the pitlpit, as indeed I have already often done.
I will endeavor, by God's grace, to speak differently.
Nay, more, I am ready to promise, freely and of my own accord, not to utter another word on the subject of indulgences, if this business is arranged.
But also let those who made me speak bo com-