CHAPTER XXXIII

. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT IS CONVOKED, 1542.

LUTHER’S POLEMICS AT THEIR HIGHEST TENSION _pages_ 376-431

1. STEPS TAKEN AND TRACTS PUBLISHED SUBSEQUENT TO 1537 AGAINST THE COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH.

The Schmalkalden meeting in 1537. Luther, after having asked for a Council, now opposes such a thing. His “Von den Conciliis.” The Ratisbon Interim. The Council is summoned _pages_ 376-381

2. “WIDER DAS BAPSTUM ZU ROM VOM TEUFFEL GESTIFFT.” THE PAPACY RENEWS ITS STRENGTH.

Luther is urged by highly placed friends to thwart the plans of Pope Paul III. The fury of his new book. How to deal with Pope and Cardinals. The “Wittenberg Reformation” drawn up as a counterblast against the Council of Trent _pages_ 381-389

3. SOME SAYINGS OF LUTHER’S ON THE COUNCIL AND HIS OWN AUTHORITY.

“If we are to submit to this Council we might as well have submitted twenty-five years since to the lord of the Councils.” How Luther would have spoken to the Fathers of the Council had he attended it _pages_ 389-394

4. NOTABLE MOVEMENTS OF THE TIMES ACCOMPANIED BY LUTHER WITH “ABUSE AND DEFIANCE DOWN TO THE VERY GRAVE.” THE CARICATURES.

The Brunswick raid and Luther’s treatment of Duke Henry. His wrath against the Zwinglians: “A man that is a heretic avoid.” The exception Luther made in favour of Calvin, the friendly relations between the two, their similarities and divergencies. Luther vents his anger on the Jews in his “Von den Jüden” and “Vom Schem Hamphoras” (1543); exceptional foulness of his language in these two screeds. An earlier work of his on the Jews; reason why, in it, he is fairer to the Jews than in his later writings; some special motives for his later polemics against the Jews; his “De ultimis verbis Davidis.” His crusade against the Turks; his translation of the work of Richardus against the Alcoran. His last effort against the Papacy: “Popery Pictured”; some of the abominable woodcuts described; the state of soul they presuppose. Pirkheimer on “the audacity of Luther’s unwashed tongue” _pages_ 394-431

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