busdam, ut essent qui sibi rem ecclesiasticam necessario scirent administrandam esse, et ad quos rite referri posset, si quid incidisset.

Et, ut hoc obiter moneam, vocabulo episcopi aut presbyteri aut diaconi non convenire cum vocabulo sacerdotis. Sacerdos enim a sacrificio in Scripturis et interpellando dicitur. Sumusque sacerdotes omnes Christiani, quia sacrificium, hoc est, corpus nostrum offerimus. Nam praeterea nullum est sacrificium in Christianismo, et ius habemus interpellandi Dei immo et placandi. Huc pertinet sententia Petri, gens sancta, regnum sacerdotale. Reges enim sumus Christiani quia liberi per Christum omnium creaturarum, vitae, mortis, peccati dominamur. . . . Sacerdotes quia nos ipsos Deo offerimus, et interpellamus pro peccatis nostris. Haec latius docet Epistola ad Hebr. Episcopi, presbyteri, diaconi non sunt nisi qui docent, baptizant, benedicunt mensae, eleemosynas dispensant. Missarii sacerdotes prophetae Iezabelis, hoc est, Romae sunt. . .

XXII

RADICALISM AT WITTENBERG, 1521-2

From 4 May 1521 to 3 March 1522 Luther lay hid in the Wartburg. On 1 April 1521 (de Wette i. 582) he had replied to the last of his Dominican antagonists, Ambrosius Catharinus, 1487-1553, asserting 'ubi baptisma et panem et evangelium esse videris... ibi ecclesiam esse non dubites' (Op. Lat. v. 311). He now wrote (de Wette, ii. 13), I June, on Private Confession, reforming, but not abolishing, the ordinance; and, 20 June, in reply to Latomus (Op. Lat. v. 397 sqq.). In December he [No. 48] finally humbled the Archbishop of Mainz (de Wette, ii. 112). But meanwhile developments took place at Wittenberg which, but for his intervention, would have discredited his teaching. See Ranke, Reformation, 248 sqq. Of the secular clergy some married, and found a champion in Carlstadt, 29 June, De coelibatu: while, among the friars, Gabriel Zwilling, 1487-1558, the Augustinian preacher, attacked, 6 and 13 Oct., both monastic vows and private masses (Reports of 11 Oct. and 12 Nov. ap. Corpus Reformatorum, i. 460, 483), not without support from Luther's treatises De abroganda missa privata, 1 Nov. (Op. Lat. vi. 113 sqq.) and De votis monasticis, 21 Nov. (ibid. 238 sqq.). Fortified by [No. 49] opinions from a committee of the University, 20 Oct. (Op. Lat. vi. 217 sqq.: C. R. i. 465 sqq.), and from

1 I Pet. ii. 9.

a synod of the Augustinians of Meissen and Thuringia, Dec. (Op. Lat. vi. 213 sq.; C. R. i. 456 sqq.), Carlstadt, in spite of the Elector's monition against hasty innovation, 19 Dec. (C. R. i. 508), gave notice of (ibid. 512) and, on Christmas Day, carried into effect [No. 50] alterations in the Mass (Zeitung aus Wittenberg, ap. Strobel, Miscellaneen, v. 121), such as he considered would reduce it to the Scriptural model. Two days later [No. 51] the arrival of 'prophets' from Zwickau (C. R. i. 513), who both claimed to be above Scripture in virtue of an immediate inspiration and rejected infant baptism (ibid. 536 sq.), drew down upon Melanchthon [No. 52] a reproof from Luther, 13 Jan. 1522 (de Wette, ii. 124 sqq.), and added to [No. 53] the confusion (Letter of Beyer, 25 Jan. C. R. i. 540: and Fröschel's Preface to his Tractat vom Priesterthum, 1565, tr. Gieseler, v, 380), till, 6 March, Luther himself arrived in Wittenberg (de Wette, ii. 141), and in a series of eight [No. 54] sermons, 9-16 March, saved the credit of the Reformation (ibid. ii. 177) by evoking order out of chaos (Luther's Schriften, ed. Walch, xx. 1 sqq. and 62 sqq.). In the following Sept. he provided his countrymen with the touchstone of authority by the publication of his [No. 55] translation of the New Testament: though the real touchstone was not Scripture but his doctrine of justification by Faith.

No. 48. Correspondence between Luther and

Albert of Mainz.

(a) Luther to the Elector, 1 Dec. 1521.-Your Electoral Grace has again set up the idol at Halle, which ruins poor simple Christians in wealth and soul. . . . Your Electoral Grace, perhaps, thinks that I am removed from your way; that you will now be safe from me; and that you will easily crush the monk by means of the Emperor's Majesty.. Your Electoral Grace will remember the beginning, how great a fire has risen from the little despised spark, when all the world was so secure and thought that one poor Mendicant was immeasurably too small for the Pope, and was undertaking impossibilities. But God has taken up the cause. He has given the Pope with all his followers enough to do. Against and above the thoughts of the world He has carried the game to a point from which the Pope will hardly bring it down again. It will grow worse with him daily, so that the work of God may be clearly recognized. The same God lives still no man can doubt it now. He has power to withstand a Cardinal of Mainz, though four Emperors were to stand by him. He has also special pleasure in breaking the lofty cedars; and abasing the proud hardened Pharaohs...

But let not your Electoral Grace think that Luther is dead.

He will glory freely and joyously in the God who has humbled the Pope, and begin a game with the Cardinal of Mainz that he did not much expect. Act together, dear Bishops! Ye may remain lordlings! But ye shall neither silence nor deafen this spirit. Such disgrace shall befall you from it as ye now little look for! So I would have you warned. . . .

To this I request and await a straightforward, speedy answer from Your Electoral Grace, within fourteen days. For after fourteen days my book 'Against the idol in Halle' will be published, unless a plain answer be made me. . .

...

(b) The Elector of Mainz to Luther, 21 Dec. 1521.-Dear Sir Doctor, I have received and read your letter... and taken it all favourably and in good part; but pardon me for saying that the cause which has moved you to write thus, has been long since entirely done away with. I will conduct and show myself, if God will, a pious priest and Christian prince, so far as God shall give me grace, strength, and understanding: for which I pray truly, and will have prayers offered for me. For I can do nothing of my own self, and confess that I stand in need of the grace of God. I cannot deny that I am a poor sinful man, who can sin and err, and daily do sin and err.

No. 49. Opinions on the Mass and on Monastic Vows.

(a) Deliberatio habita de abrogatione Missarum inter ... Fridericum Saxoniae Ducem, S. R. I. Electorem, et Academiam Wittenbergensem.

Illustrissime Princeps, Domine clementissime, et voce et scripto Augustiniani mandato Celsitudinis Vestrae rationem sententiae suae nobis exposuerunt ac intelleximus his vere de causis eos Missas privatas in suo coetu abrogasse, quas C. V. ex hac illorum scheda cognoscet.

1o. Postquam ubique gentium adeo invaluit Missarum perniciosus et impius abusus, tam apud sacris initiatos quam profanos homines, ut evelli nequeat ex animis tam insita penitus opinio, videlicet, quod Missa tanquam bonum opus quo placaturi Deum Aurpov seu pretium illi offeramus pro peccatis nostris et aliorum recepta est, idque adeo ut sacrificulus, vivens in proposito mortalis peccati, salubriter et fructuose putetur eam caeteris applicare. Propterea Augustiniani intermiserunt Missae celebrationem, cum talia Missarum spectacula sint re ipsa nervus, basis et fons horum abusuum, cupiuntque

per eam occasionem verum ac sincerum usum coenae Domini a Christo et apostolis traditum observatumque adiutore Deo restituere.

2o. Privatae Missae, quales hodie fiunt, aperte pugnant cum institutione atque observatione Christi et apostolorum. Nam Christus et minimum duodecim apostoli multis una distribuerunt, nec unquam unus privatim se ipsum communicasse legitur. Hinc etiam Paulus privatas coenas Corinthiis prohibet, cum inquit I Cor. xi [33], Quoties convenitis ad manducandum, &c.

3o. Christus utramque partem, hoc est, integrum sacramentum dari iussit et ordinavit omnibus. Cum igitur Missae, quas nostra vidit aetas, ita dispositae sint ut adstantibus una duntaxat pars sacramenti exhibeatur, non possunt Augustiniani bona conscientia hanc ceremoniam, a verbis Christi alienam, suo exemplo confirmare.

De his Augustinianorum articulis C. V. breviter cogitata nostra perscribemus. . . .

De

[10] Nam Missa, ut nunc vocant, seu Coena Dominica iuxta Christi institutionem proprie et principaliter nihil est nisi ipsa distributio et manducatio corporis et sanguinis Domini. caetero quae adduntur, hominum et Romani Pontificis auctoritate recepta indiesque cumulata fuerunt. Nec differt manducatio sacerdotis ab opere laici sumentis, idem est sacramentum, quo admonemur ceu rato et infallibili signo et testimonio remissionis omnium peccatorum, iuxta Christi dictum : Hoc quotiescunque facietis, facite in mei commemorationem, i. e. recordantes misericordiae et beneficii quod vobis per mortem meam donatum et exhibitum est. Hinc ergo efficitur Missam seu manducationem sacerdotis nequaquam esse tale bonum opus quo Deo reddamus aut offeramus aliquid placans Deum, et satisfaciens pro nobis aut aliis, sicut nec manducatio laici alteri potest applicari, nec cuiusquam Baptismus valet pro alio.

Porro omnium confessione liquet totum illud regnum Missarum hoc errore constitutum, ut sint bonum opus ad nostra et aliorum peccata expianda. Quod quid aliud est quam prorsus obscurare praecipuum articulum doctrinae Evangelii de iustitia fidei veroque usu sacramentorum? Hoc itaque superstitionis contagio, serpente paulatim longiusque prodeunte, factum est ut in singulis fere templis et monasteriis hebdomadatim quatuor, quinque aut etiam plures Missae a singulis personis, in singulis altaribus celebrandae ordinatae

et fundatae sint, praeter alias funebres et quas votivas vocarunt quae in dies magno numero cumulatae sunt. Unde impuri sacrificuli, occasione corradendae pecuniae et faciendi quaestus, oblata laetanter et cupide talia Missarum aucupia amplectuntur, ac si qui forte integri bonique viri in illo ordine secundum conscientiam suam pie sacramento mallent uti, hi tamen, ob illas constitutiones et pactiones inviti et cum molestia nec sine animorum offensione coguntur celebrare Missas...

Quocirca pertinet ad officium C. V. tanquam Christiani Principis, in cuius ditione, singulari Dei beneficio, lux Evangelii rursus effulsit, pro eo . . . curare ut talis Missae profanatio in ecclesiis C. V. prorsus aboleatur, ac contra verus piusque sacramenti usus quem Christus instituit et apostoli observarunt, instauretur. Sic enim Christus ipse in illa ipsa prima Coena multis verbis et ante et post distributionem Eucharistiae concionatur apostolis de morte, de resurrectione sua, de regno suo in ecclesia, &c., et in institutione sacramenti clare praecipit ut, quoties conveniant ad hanc Coenam, sui recordentur. Et haec postea fuit ecclesiae consuetudo ut, quoties convenit populus, primum praedicatum sit verbum Dei, nam hae conciones semper fuerunt praecipua causa et nervus publicae congregationis, et ministerium Evangelii debet esse publicum, deinde benedicebantur panis et vinum et distribuebantur petentibus. Haec forma, ut est rectissima, ita foret omnium tutissima, nec relinqueret locum aut occasionem alicui profanationi. Quod considerantes Augustiniani restitutionem sinceri ac veteris usus Coenae expetiverunt, et quia abhorrent a Missarum nefariis abusibus maluntque sine coactione libere ac sua sponte administrare hanc ceremoniam, approbamus eorum sententiam,

[20] Quod autem inter reliqua et hanc causam sui facti exponunt, neminem privatim et solum debere communicare, ea nobis quidem non satis firma videtur. . . .

[30] Quae postremo loco addunt de utraque specie seu integro sacramento, ea existimamus non posse refutari. . . .

...

Quapropter humiliter ac reverenter obtestamur C. V. ut, quod Principe Christiano dignum est, serio negotium istud suscipere ac promovere, et eiusmodi profanationem Coenae Domini in Ducatibus ac territorio suo quam primum abolere, magnoque et excelso animo infamiam, si fortasse propterea C. V. Bohemus aut haereticus audiat, contemnere velit. . .