Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)Luther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 16th century -- Early works to 1800
Next came Carl Miltitz,[8] also a nuncio of thy Blessedness, who after
great and varied efforts and constant going to and fro, although he
omitted nothing that might help to restore that status of the question
which Cajetan had rashly and haughtily disturbed, at last with the
help of the most illustrious prince, Frederick the Elector, barely
managed to arrange several private conferences with me. Again I
yielded to your name, I was prepared to keep silent, and even accepted
as arbiter either the archbishop of Treves or the bishop of Naumburg.
So matters were arranged. But while this plan was being followed with
good prospects of success, lo, that other and greater enemy of thine,
Eck, broke in with the Leipzig Disputation which he had undertaken
against Dr. Carlstadt. When a new question concerning the primacy of
the pope was raised, he suddenly turned his weapons against me and
quite overthrew that counsel of peace. Meanwhile Carl Miltitz waited:
a disputation was held, judges were selected; but here also no
decision was reached, and no wonder: through the lies, the tricks, the
wiles of Eck everything was stirred up, aggravated and confounded
worse than ever, so that whatever decision might have been reached, a
greater conflagration would have resulted. For he sought glory, not
the truth. Here also I let nothing undone that I ought to have
done.[9]
[Sidenote: Eck]
I admit that on this occasion no small amount of corrupt Roman
practices came to light, but whatever wrong was done was the fault of
Eck, who undertook a task beyond his strength, and, while he strove
madly for his own glory, revealed the shame of Rome to all the world.
He is thy enemy, my dear Leo, or rather the enemy of thy Curia. From
the example of this one man thou canst learn that there is no enemy
more injurious than a flatterer. For what did he accomplish with his
flattery but an evil which no king could have accomplished? To-day the
name of the Roman Curia is a stench throughout the world, and papal
authority languishes, ignorance that was once held in honor is evil
spoken of; and of all this we should have heard nothing if Eck had not
upset the counsel of peace planned by Carl and myself, as he himself
now clearly sees, and is angry, too late and to no purpose, that my
books were published. This he should have thought of when, like a
horse that whinnies on the picket-line, he was madly seeking only his
own glory, and sought only his own gain through thee at the greatest
peril to thee. The vainglorious man thought that I would stop and keep
silent at the terror of thy name; for I do not believe that he trusted
entirely to his talents and learning. Now, when he sees that I have
more courage than that and have not been silenced, he repents him too
late of his rashness and understands that there is One in heaven who
resists the proud and humbles the haughty [1 Pet. 5:5; Judith 6:15],
if indeed he does understand it at last.
[Sidenote: The Augustinians]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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