XV.

CHAP. so important in its consequences to the world, he wrote a short letter to his intimate friend Melancthon, which strongly marks the intrepidity of his character. "I know nothing new or extraordinary here," says he, "except that I am become the subject of con"versation throughout the whole city, and "that every one wishes to see the man who is "to be the victim of such a conflagration. "You will act your part properly, as you have "always done; and teach the youth intrusted 66 to your care. I go, for you, and for them, "to be sacrificed if it should so please God. "I rather choose to perish, and what is more afflicting, to be for ever deprived even of your society, than to retract what I have already justly asserted, or to be the means of affording the stupid adversaries of all liberal "studies an opportunity of accomplishing "their purpose." (a)

""

A. D. 1518. A. Pont. VI.

A. Et. 43.

66

66.

After his arrival at Augsburg, (b) whither he brought recommendatory letters from the elec

tor

(a) v. Appendix, No. CLIV.

(b) On the 12th day of October, 1518. Maimb. ap. Seckend. lib. i. sec. xvi. p. 45.

XV.

tor of Saxony, he remained three days before CHAP. he had an interview with the cardinal, although frequently summoned by him for that purpose. This he did by the advice of several of his friends, who entreated him not to hazard a meeting until he should be furnished with a safe-conduct from the emperor. On the third day, one of the officers of the cardinal called upon him, and requested to know why he had not yet made his appearance; and when Luther explained the reason, adding that he had already applied for a safe-conduct, which he soon hoped to receive, "what," replied the "do you think the elector will take

messenger,

46

66

up arms in your defence?" Luther replied, "he did not wish to be the cause of it." 66. If you had the pope and cardinals in your power," said the messenger, “how "would you treat them?" "I would shew "them," said Luther, "all possible honour "and reverence." The Italian snapped his fingers in the manner of his country, and cried hem, after which Luther saw no more of him. (a)

The safe-conduct was at length obtained, and was formally communicated by the imperial

(a) These incidents are minutely related by Luther himself in the general preface to his works.

A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

A. Pont. VI.

Interview

between Luther and

the cardi

nal of Ga

eta.

CHAP. rial senate to the cardinal, who, it appears, XV. however, had been consulted by the emperor

A. D. 1518. before he thought proper to grant it. On this

A. Et. 43.

A. Pont. VI. important interview depended the event of the reformation. The cardinal was a man of talents and moderation, and was, most probably, really desirous of restoring to the obedience of the church, one who had distinguished himself no less by the abilities which he had shewn in defending his cause, than by the novelty and boldness of his opinions. Hence Luther, on his first visit, was received not only with kindness, but almost with respect by the cardinal, (a) who being unwilling to enter into any discussion, proposed to him that he should retract his erroneous propositions, and should in future refrain from asserting such doctrines, or any others, in opposition to the authority of the church.(b) To this Luther replied, that he was not conscious of any errors; and

(a) Susceptus fui a Reverendiss. D. Cardinale Lega"to satis clementer, ac prope reverentius; vir enim est "omnibus nominibus alius, quam hi Fratrum venatores "robustissimi." Lutheri, op. vol. i. p. 164.

(b) Primum, ut ad cor redirem, erratusque meos "" revocaverem. Deinde, promittere in futurum abstinere "ab eisdem. Tertio, et ab omnibus, quibus Ecclesia per"turbari possit." Luth. op. tom. i. p. 164.

XV.

and requested to be informed in what they CHAP. were supposed to consist. It might at this juncture have occurred to the cardinal, that between an open opposition to authority, and a misconception of its decisions, there is a very evident distinction. The answer of Luther might have been considered as applicable only to the latter; and the cardinal might have been justified in inferring that Luther was an obedient son of the church, although he had mistaken its precepts; an error which he might have left to his own judgment, or to the future decisions of the church to correct. By this conduct the great point of supremacy and infallibility would have been secured; and the construction of the voluminous and contradictory dogmas of scriptures, and fathers, and councils, and popes, would have been referred to future decision, in which the church might have availed itself of a thousand resources to retain as much of its ancient influence as the spirit of the times would have allowed. Incautiously, however, the cardinal construed the answer of Luther, not into a submission to the church, but into a vindication of his own doctrines, and immediately objected to him. two points on which he had advanced erroneous opinions. The first of these was, That the spiritual treasure of the church, which it distributed

A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

A. Pout. VI,

XV.

CHAP. tributed in indulgences, did not consist of the merits of Christ and his saints.(a) The second, That in order to obtain the benefit of the sacraA. Pout. VI. ment, it was requisite to have an absolute faith in

A. D. 1518.

A. At 43.

its efficacy.(b)

What further could remain to be said on this occasion? Were the contending parties to try the weapons of controversy, and oppose authority to authority through the immense mass of all that related, or did not relate, to the subject? And at last, who was to be the umpire between them? Or what could prevent either of the parties from claiming the honour of the victory ?(c) The legate was

not,

(a) Lutheri propos. 58.

(b) Ib. prop. 7.

(c) The cardinal maintained, on the authority of the church, "That one drop of the blood of Christ, being "sufficient to redeem the whole human race, the remain"ing part that was shed in the garden, and upon the cross, "was left as a legacy to the church, and might be distri"buted by indulgences from the Roman pontiff." Luther, whilst he admitted that the merits of Christ were necessary to salvation, denied that the pope held them, like money in a chest; but allowed that he had power to distribute them

by