§ 33. THE THESES-CONTROVERSY. 1518. 169
in Latin and German, from the pulpit and the chair, and through the press. He began now to develop his formidable polemical power, especially in his German writings. He had full command over the vocabulary of common sense, wit, irony, vituperation, and abuse. Unfortunately, he often resorted to coarse and vulgar expressions which, even in that semi-barbarous age, offended men of culture and taste, and which set a bad example for his admirers in the fierce theological wars within the Lutheran Church.'
The discussion forced him into a conflict with the papal authority, on which the theory and traffic of indulgences were ultimately made to rest. The controversy resolved itself into the question whether that authority was infallible and final, or subject to correction by the Scriptures and a general Council. Luther defended the latter view; yet he protested that he was no heretic, and that he taught nothing contrary to the Scriptures, the ancient fathers, the cecumenical councils, and the decrees of the Popes. He still hoped for a favorable hearing from Leo X., whom he personally respected. He even ventured to dedicate to him his Resolutiones, a defence of the Theses (May 80, 1518), with a letter of abject humility, promising to obey his voice as the very voice of Christ.?
1 He said of Tetzel, that he dealt with the Bible ‘‘ wie die Sau mit dem Habersack”’ (as the hog with the meal-bag); of the learned Cardinal Cajetan, that he knew as little of spiritual theology as ‘‘ the donkey of the harp;’’ he called Alveld, professor of theology at Leipzig, ‘‘a most asinine ass,’’ and Dr. Eck ‘“‘ Dreck:”’ for which he was in turn styled luteus, lutra, ete. Such vulgarities were common in that age, but Luther was the roughest of the rough, as he was the strongest of the strong. His bark, however, was much worse than his bite, and beneath his abusive tongue and temper dwelt a kind and generous heart. His most violent writings are those against Emser (An den Emserschen Steinbock), King Henry VIII., Duke Henry of Brunswick (Wider Hans Wurst), and his last attack upon popery as “‘ instituted by the Devil’’ (1545), of which Déllinger says (Luther, p. 48), that it must have been written ‘‘im Zustande der Erhitzung durch berauschende Getrdanke.”’
2 “ Beatissime Pater,’’ he says in the dedication, ‘‘ prostratum me pedibus tue Beatitudinis offero cum omnibus, que sum et habeo. Vivifica, occide, voca, revoca, approba, reproba, ut placuerit: vocem tuam vocem Christi in
170 THE Gmawax REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 15380.
Such an anomalous and contradictory position could not last long.
In the midst of this controversy, in April, 1518, Luther was sent as a delegate to a meeting of the Augustinian -monks at Heidelberg, and had an opportunity to defend, in public debate, forty conclusions, or “ theological paradoxes,” drawn from St. Paul and St. Augustin, concerning natural depravity, the slavery of the will, regenerating grace, faith, and good works. He advocates the theologia crucis against the theologia glorie, and contrasts the law and the gospel. “The law says, ‘Do this,’ and never does it: the gospel says, ‘ Believe in Christ,’ and all is done.” The last twelve theses are directed against the Aristotelian philosophy.
He found considerable response, and sowed the seed of the Reformation in the Palatinate. Among his youthful hearers were Bucer (Butzer) and Brentz, who afterwards became distinguished reformers, the one in Strassburg and England, the other in the duchy (now kingdom) of Wiirtemberg.
§ 384. FRome’s Interposition. Luther and Prierias. 1518.
R. P. Silvestri Prieratis ordinis predicatorum et s. theol. professoris celeberrimi, 8. palatit apostolict magistri, in presumptuosas Martini Lutheri conclusiones de potestate pape dialogus. In Loscher, II. 138-39. Knaake (Werke, I. 644) assigns the first edition to the second half of June, 1518, which is more likely than the earlier date of December, 1517, given by Loscher (II. 12) and the Erlangen ed. He mentions five separate editions, two of which were published by Luther without notes ; afterwards he published an edition with his refutation.
Ad Dialogum Silvestri Prierati de potestate pape responsio. In LOSCHER, II. 390-434; Weim. ed. I., 647-686, II. 48-56. German translation in WALCcH, XVIII. 120-200.
Pope Leo X. was disposed to ignore the Wittenberg movement as a contemptible monkish quarrel; but when it
te presidentis et loquentis agnoscam. Si mortem merui, mori non recusabo. Domini enim est terra et plenitudo ejus, qui est benedictus in secula, Amen, qui et te servet in eternum, Amen. Anno MDXVIII.’? Works (Weimar ed.), I. 529; also in De Wette, Briefe, I. 119-122.
1 Weim. ed., I. 350-376. Comp. Kostlin, I. 185 sqq.