OF COUNCILS
DXVI.
The pope styles himself a bishop of the catholic church, which title he never
dared to take upon him before; for at the time when the council of Nicea was
held, then thee was no pope at all. The church at that time was divided into
three parts; first, of Ethiopia; second, of Syria, to which Antioch belonged;
third, of Rome, with her appertaining sects. In this manner they swarmed soon
after the apostles time, and instituted three sorts of councils: first, a
general; second, a provincial; third, an episcopal, - a council being to be
held in every bishopric.
DXVII.
Since the time of the apostles, threescore
general and provincial councils have been held, among which only four are
especially worthy of praise; two, those of Nicea and Constantinople, maintained
and defended the Trinity and the godhead of Christ; the other two, those of
Ephesus and Chalcedon, maintained Christ's humanity. In the council of Nicea
nothing is written or mentioned of any pope or bishop of Rome, as being there;
only one bishop from the west, Ozius, bishop of Cordova, was present. The other
bishops came from the churches in the east, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, Africa,
etc.
Ah, Lord God! what are councils and conventions
but grasping and vanity, wherein men dispute about titles, honors, precedence,
and other fopperies? Let us consider what has been done by these councils in
three hundred years; nothing but what concerns externals and ceremonies;
nothing at all touching true divine doctrine, the upright worshipping of God,
or faith.
DXVIII.
In January, 1539, a book was sent to Luther,
entituled, Liber Conciliorum, a large and carefully arranged collection.
After reading it he said: this book will maintain and defend the pope, whereas
in his own decrees, innumerable canons are against him and this book. And
besides, councils have no power to make and ordain laws and ordinances in the
church, what is to be taught and to be believed, or concerning good works, for
all this has been already taught and confirmed. Councils have power to make
ordinances only concerning external things, customs, and ceremonies; and this
no further than as concerns persons, places, and times. When these cease, such
ordinances also cease.
The Romish laws are now dead and gone, by reason
Rome is dead and gone: it is now another place. In like manner, the decrees and
ordinances of councils are now no longer valid, because their days have gone
by. As St Paul says: "Why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances? (touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the
using) after the commandments of men? which things have indeed a show of wisdom
in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honor to
the satisfying of the flesh."
Did not decrees and statutes, like persons,
times, and places, change and cease, the doctrine would of a mortal creature
make an immortal; and, indeed, they name the pope an earthly god, fitly enough,
for all his laws, decrees, and ordinances, savor of terrestrial, not of
celestial things.
DXIX.
When God's Word is by the Fathers expounded,
construed, and glossed, then, in my judgment, it is even as when one strains
milk through a coal-sack, which must needs spoil and make the milk black; God's
Word of itself is pure, clean, bright and clear; but, through the doctrines,
books, and writings of the Fathers, it is darkened, falsified, and spoiled.
DXX.
The council of Nicea, held after the apostles
time, was the very best and purest; but, by and bye, in the time of the emperor
Constantine, it was weakened by the Arians; for at that time, out of
dissembling hearts, they craftily subscribed that they concurred in one opinion
with the true and upright catholic teachers, which in truth was not so; whereof
ensued a great dissension.
DXXI.
The papists go craftily about endeavoring to
suppress us; they intend such a reformation should be made, as will in no way
suit us to adopt; if, for the sake of outward peace, we enter into accord with
the papists, we should make the pure doctrine of our church suspected. Oh no;
no such agreements for me. If the emperor Charles would appoint a national
council, then there were some hope; but he will not go on; the papists will not
yield, but will sit alone therein, and have full power to determine and
conclude. By my advice, if it so fall out, we will all arise and leave them
sitting alone; for the pope shall have no authority or power over us and our
doctrine. We need no council for the sake of God's Word, for that is sure
enough. We can well appoint and order fastings and such like things without a
council, and without ensnaring the consciences, which shall be at liberty, and
not troubled or tied therewith. Christ did not institute and command fastings
with laws, but says: "When the bridegroom shall be taken from them, then they
shall fast." Also he says: "Go, sell all that thou hast." Fasting will follow
thereupon.
The Italians are so stiff-necked and proud, they
will not be reformed by the Germans, no, not though they be convinced with the
clear truth of God's Word. I have often thought with myself, how we might by a
council, in some measure, come to an agreement between us, but I see no means
can be found. For if the pope should acknowledge he had failed but in the least
article, and should admit, in a council, his gross errors, then he would lose
his authority and power; for he brags that he is the Church's head, to whom all
the members must yield obedience; hence the complaint in the council at
Constance, and hence that council's setting itself over and above the pope, and
deposing him. If the papists should give place to us, and yield in the least
article, then the hoops in the garland were quite broken asunder, and all the
world would cry out: Has it not been constantly affirmed that the pope is the
head of the Church and cannot err? How then comes he now to acknowledge his
errors?
DXXII.
In a council ought to be two manner of
voices; the first, the Vox consultiva vel deliberativa, that is, when
they consult and discourse concerning affairs, open to kings, princes, and
doctors, for each one to deliver his opinion. The second they call decisiva
vox, a deciding voice, when they conclude what is to be believed and done;
which voice the pope and his cardinals have usurped; for they decide and
conclude what they will and please.
A council should be a purgatory, to purge,
cleanse, and reform the Church; and when new errors and heresies break and
press in, to confirm, strengthen, and preserve pure doctrine, and resist,
hinder, and quench new fires, and condemn false doctrine. But the pope would
have a council to be one assembly, wherein he daily might make new decrees,
orders and statutes, touching good works.
DXXIV.
The imperial diet held at Augsburg, 1530, is
worthy of all praise; for then and thence came the gospel among the people in
other countries, contrary to the will and expectation both of emperor and pope.
God appointed the imperial diet at Augsburg, for the papists openly approved
there of our doctrine. Before that diet was held, the papists had made the
emperor believe, that our doctrine was altogether frivolous; and that when he
came to the diet, he should see them put us all to silence, so that none of us
should be able to speak a word in the defense of our religion; but it fell out
far otherwise; for we openly and freely confessed the Gospel before the emperor
and the whole empire, and confounded our adversaries in the highest degree. The
emperor discriminated understandingly and discreetly, and carried himself
princely in this cause of religion; he found us far otherwise than the papists
had informed him; and that we were not ungodly people, leading most wicked and
detestable lives, and teaching against the first and second tables of the ten
commandments of God. For this cause the emperor sent out confession and apology
to all the universities; his council also delivered their opinions, and said:
"If the doctrines of these men be against the holy Christian faith, then his
imperial majesty should suppress it with all his power. But if it be only
against ceremonies and abuses, as it appears to be, then it should be referred
to the consideration and judgment of learned people, or good and wise
counsel."
O! God's word is powerful; the more it is
persecuted, the more and further it spreads itself abroad. I would fain the
papist confutation might appear to the world; for I would set upon that old
torn and tattered skin, and so baste it, that the stitches thereof should fly
about; but they shun the light. This time twelve month no man would have given
a farthing for the protestants, so sure the ungodly papists were of us. For
when my most gracious lord and master, the prince elector of Saxony, came
before other princes to the diet, the papists marvelled much thereat, for they
verily believed he would not have appeared, because, as they imagined, his
cause was too bad and foul to be brought before the light. But what fell out?
even this, that in their greatest security they were overwhelmed with the
utmost fear and affright, because the prince elector, like an upright prince,
appeared so early at Augsburg. The popish princes swiftly posted away to
Inspruck, where they held serious council with prince George, and the marquis
of Baden, all of them wondering what the prince elector's so early approach to
the diet should mean, and the emperor himself was astonished, and doubted
whether he could come and go in safety; whereupon the princes were constrained
to promise that they would stand, body, goods, and blood by the emperor, one
offering to maintain six thousand horse, another so many thousands of foot
soldiers, etc., to the end his majesty might be the better secured. Then was a
wonder among wonders to be seen, in that God struck with fear and cowardliness
the enemies of the truth. And although at that time the prince elector of
Saxony was alone, and but only the hundredth sheep, the others being ninety and
nine, yet it so fell out, that they all trembled and were afraid. When they
came to the point, and began to take the business in hand, there appeared but a
very small heap that stood by God's Word. But, that small heap, brought with us
a strong and mighty King, a King above all emperors and kings, namely Christ
Jesus, the powerful Word of God. Then all the papists cried out, and said: Oh,
it is insufferable, that so small and mean a heap should set themselves against
the imperial power. But the Lord of Hosts frustrates the councils of princes.
Pilate had power to put our blessed Saviour to death, but willingly he would
not. Annas and Caiaphas willingly would have done it, but could not.
The emperor, for his own part, is good and
honest; but the popish bishops and cardinals are undoubted knaves. And
forasmuch as the emperor now refuses to bathe his hands in innocent blood, the
frantic princes bestir themselves, and scorn and condemn the good emperor in
the highest degree. The pope also for anger is ready to burst in pieces,
because the diet should be dissolved without shedding of blood; therefore he
sends the sword to the duke of Bavaria, intending to take the crown from the
emperor's head, and set it upon the head of Bavaria; but he shall not
accomplish it. In this manner ordered God the business, that kings, princes,
yea, and the pope himself, fell from the emperor, and we joined him, which was
a great wonder of God's providence, in that he whom the devil intended to use
against us, God takes, and uses for us. O wonder above all wonders!