"Sin is a mighty conqueror, which devoureth all mankind, learned and
unlearned, holy, wise, and mighty men. This tyrant flieth upon Christ,
and will needs swallow him up as he doth all other. But he seeth not
that Christ is a person of invincible and everlasting righteousness.
Therefore in this combat sin must needs be vanquished and killed; and
righteousness must overcome, live, and reign. So in Christ all sin is
vanquished, killed, and buried; and righteousness remaineth a conqueror,
and reigneth for ever.
"In like manner Death, which is an omnipotent queen and empress of the
whole world, killing kings, princes, and all men, doth mightily
encounter with Life, thinking utterly to overcome it and to swallow it
up. But because the Life was immortal, therefore when it was overcome,
it nevertheless overcame, vanquishing and killing Death. Death,
therefore, through Christ, is vanquished and abolished, so that now it
is but a painted death, which, robbed of its sting, can no more hurt
those that believe in Christ, who is become the death of death.
"So the curse hath the like conflict with the blessing, and would
condemn and bring it to nought; but it cannot. For the blessing is
divine and everlasting, therefore the curse must needs give place. For
if the blessing in Christ could be overcome, then would God himself be
overcome. But this is impossible; therefore Christ, the power of God,
righteousness, blessing, grace, and life, overcometh and destroyeth
those monsters, sin, death, and the curse, without war and weapons, in
this our body, so that they can no more hurt those that believe."
Such truths are indeed worth battling for; but who, save the devil,
would war against them? I wonder what Fritz would think of it all.
WITTEMBERG, _February_, 1518.
Christopher returned yesterday evening from the market-place, where the
students have been burning Tetzel's theses, which he wrote in answer to
Dr. Luther's. Tetzel hides behind the papal authority, and accuses Dr.
Luther of assailing the Holy Father himself.
But Dr. Luther says nothing shall ever make him a heretic; that he will
recognise the voice of the Pope as the voice of Christ himself. The
students kindled this conflagration in the market-place entirely on
their own responsibility. They are full of enthusiasm for Dr. Martin,
and of indignation against Tetzel and the Dominicans.
"Who can doubt," said Christopher, "how the conflict will end, between
all learning and honesty and truth on the one side, and a few
contemptible avaricious monks on the other?" And he proceeded to
describe to us the conflagration and the sayings of the students with as
much exultation as if it had been a victory over Tetzel and the
indulgence-mongers themselves.
"But it seems to me," I said, "that Dr. Luther is not so much at ease
about it as you are. I have noticed lately that he looks grave, and at
times very sad. He does not seem to think the victory won."
"Young soldiers," said Gottfried, "on the eve of their first battle may
be as blithe as on the eve of a tourney. Veterans are grave before the
battle. Their courage comes _with_ the conflict. It will be thus, I
believe, with Dr. Luther. For surely the battle is coming. Already some
of his old friends fall off. They say the censor at Rome, Prierias, has
condemned and written against his theses."
"But," rejoined Christopher, "they say also that Pope Leo praised Dr.
Luther's genius, and said it was only the envy of the monks which found
fault with him. Dr. Luther believes the Pope only needs to learn the
truth about these indulgence-mongers to disown them at once."
"Honest men believe all men honest until they are proved dishonest,"
said Gottfried drily; "but the Roman court is expensive and the
indulgences are profitable."
This morning our grandmother asked nervously what was the meaning of the
shouting she had heard yesterday in the market-place, and the glare of
fire she had seen, and the crackling?
"Only Tetzel's lying theses," said Christopher. She seemed relieved.
"In my early days," she said, "I learned to listen too eagerly to sounds
like that. But in those times they burned other things than books or
papers in the market-places."
"Tetzel threatens to do so again," said Christopher.
"No doubt they will, if they can," she replied, and relapsed into
silence.