XIX. A. D. 1520. A. Et. 45 A. Pont. VIII. CHAP. nity.(a) "Amongst the monsters of the age,' says Luther," with whom I have now waged nearly a three-year's war, I am compelled at "times to turn my regards towards you, O "most holy father Leo; or rather I may say, "that as you are esteemed to be the sole cause letter from "of the contest, you are never absent from my thoughts. For although I have been induced by your impious flatterers, who have attack"ed me without any cause, to appeal to a Sarcastic Luther to the Pope. general council, regardless of the empty de"crees of your predecessors, Pius and Julius, " which by a kind of stupid tyranny were in"tended to prevent such a measure, yet I have "never allowed my mind to be so far alienated "from your holiness, as not to be most earnestly solicitous for the happiness both of yourself and your see, which I have always "endeavoured, as far as in my power, to ob"tain from God by continual and ardent sup"plications. It is true, I have almost learnt "to despise and to exult over the threats of "those who have sought to terrify me by the 46 66 66 majesty of your name and authority; but "there is one circumstance which I cannot contemn, and which has compelled me again "to address your holiness. I understand I "have (a) v. App. No. CLXXXII. XIX. "have been highly blamed, as having had the CHAP. "temerity to carry my opposition so far as " even to attack your personal character. 66 66 "I must, however, most explicitly assure you, that whenever I have had occasion to " mention you, I have never done it but in the "best and most magnificent terms. Had I "done otherwise I should have belied my own judgment, and should not only concur in the opinion of my adversaries, but most willingly acknowledge my rashness and impiety. I "have given you the appellation of a Daniel "in Babylon, and have even endeavoured to "defend you against your great calumniator 66 66 Silvester (Prierio) with a sincerity which any "reader will abundantly perceive in my works. "The unsullied reputation of your life is in"deed so august and so celebrated in every part of the world by the applauses of learned 66 men, as to set at defiance any aspersions "which can be thrown upon it. I am not so "absurd as to attack him whom every one "praises, when it has always been my rule to 66 spare even those whom public report con"demns. I delight not in blazoning the crimes "of others, being conscious of the mote which "is in my own eye, and not regarding myself (6 as entitled to throw the first stone at an "adultress." 4 After A. D. 1520. A. At. 45. СНАР. XIX. A. Et. 45. A. Pont. VIII. After justifying the asperity with which he has commented on the misconduct of his ad 66 A. D. 1500. versaries, by the example of Christ and of the prophets and apostles, he thus proceeds: "I must, however, acknowledge my total abhor66 rence of your see, the Roman court, which "neither you nor any man can deny is more corrupt than either Babylon or Sodom, and "according to the best of my information, is "sunk in the most deplorable and notorious impiety.(a) I have been therefore truly in 66 66 dignant to find, that under your name and "the pretext of the Roman church, the people of Christ have been made a sport of; "which I have opposed, and will oppose, as long as the spirit of faith shall remain in me. "Not (a) It must be observed, that Luther had been in Rome, in the year 1510, on the affairs of his convent, where he had been greatly disgusted with the conduct of the clergy, and the manners of the people, in the performance of religious worship. "Ego Romæ," says he, "non diu fui. Ibi ce"lebravi ipse, et vidi celebrari aliquot missas, sed ita, ut, "quoties recordor, execrer illas. Nam super mensam, in❝ter alia, audivi Curtisanos quosdam ridendo gloriari; non"nullos in ara super panem et vinum hæc verba pronuntiare," Panis es, panis manebis; vinum es, vinum manebis. Ex Luther. op. German. tom. vi. Jena, ap. Melch. Adam in vitá, 49. Speaking of this journey in his Colloquia, he observes, that he would not have exchanged it for a thousand florins. Ib. 64 СНАР. XIX. A. Et. 45. A. Pont. "Not that I would attempt impossibilities, or 66 expect that my efforts could avail against "such a hostile throng of flatterers and in the A. D. 1520. "midst of the commotions of that Babylon. "I owe, however, something to my brethren, "and conceive that it behoves me to keep "watch that they are not seized in such num"bers, nor so violently attacked, by this Ro"man plague. For what has Rome poured "out for these many years past (as you well "know) but the desolation of all things, both "of body and soul, and the worst examples of "all iniquity. It is indeed as clear as day 66 66 light to all mankind, that the Roman church, formerly the most holy of all churches, is "become the most licentious den of thieves, "the most shameless of all brothels, the king"dom of sin, of death and of hell; the "wickedness of which not antichrist himself "could conceive. "In the mean time you, O Leo, sit like a "lamb amidst wolves, and live like Daniel "amidst the lions, or Ezechiel among the "scorpions. But what can you oppose to "these monsters ? Three or four learned " and excellent cardinals! but what are these "on such an occasion? In fact, you would "all sooner perish by poison than attempt a remedy VOL. IV. C XIX. A. D. 1520. A. Et. 45. A. Pont. CHAP. "remedy to these disorders. The fate of the "court of Rome is decreed; the wrath of God 66 is upon it; advice it detests; reformation it "dreads; the fury of its impiety cannot be mitigated, and it has now fulfilled that which 66 was said of its mother, We have medicined Babylon and she is not healed; let us therefore "leave her. It was the office of you and of VIII. 66 66 66 your cardinals to have applied a remedy; "but the disorder derides the hand of the physician, nec audit currus habenas. Under "these impressions I have always lamented, O "most excellent Leo, that you, who are worthy "of better times, should have been elected to "the pontificate in such days as these. Rome "merits you not, nor those who resemble you, "but Satan himself, who in fact reigns more "than you in that Babylon; would that you "could exchange that state which your inve❝terate enemies represent to you as an honour, "for some petty living; or would support 66 yourself by your paternal inheritance; for "of such honours none are worthy but Isca"riots, the sons of perdition." After pouring out these invectives, and others of a similar kind, always pointed with expressions of the most contemptuous kindness for the pontiff, Luther proceeds to give a brief history of his conduct, and of the efforts made |