book iii

.)

The following is the form of revocation he invited John Huss to sign, and which Luther has inserted in the collection of John Huss’s letters, under the number xxxviii.

“I, the undersigned, besides the protest which I have already made, and do here repeat, again protest, that although many things which I have never thought of have been imputed to me; nevertheless, for all the things which I am accused of, whether extracted from my works, or obtained from the deposition of witnesses, I humbly submit myself to the mercy, judgment, explanation, and correction of the Holy Council General, in order to abjure, revoke, and retract them. I will submit to penance, and will do all that the Holy Council shall decide in its mercy for my salvation, throwing myself on its indulgence, and recommending myself to it with entire discretion.”

LETTER XLII.[115]

JOHN CARDINAL TO JOHN HUSS.

[The Father insists on the counsel which he has given: “whoever thou mayest be who readest these pages, see how the false title of the Church deceives the excellent Cardinal.”[116]]

In the first place, my well-beloved brother, do not let yourself be troubled by the fear of condemning truths; for it is not you who will condemn these, but those who are your superiors and ours. Meditate on these words, “Rely not on your own prudence.” There are many wise and conscientious men in the Council: “My son, listen to thy mother’s law.” This is my point.

I come to the second, concerning the perjury of the matter. This perjury, even if it be one, will not fall on you, but on those who exact it. Heresy ceases where obstinacy ends. Augustin, Origen, the Master of the Sentences, and many others, have erred, and returned with joy from their errors; I also often thought that I perfectly understood certain things, in which I was mistaken. When better informed, I returned with eagerness to a different opinion.

I write briefly; for I write to an intelligent man. Do not stray from the truth, but arrive at it; you will not perjure yourself but will become better. Do not offend, but edify. The Jew Eleazar obtained a great glory, but Judas with his seven sons, and the eight martyrs, obtained much greater. Paul did not hesitate to be let down in a basket in order to propagate a better law. May Jesus Christ, the Judge of your appeal, accord you apostles like these.[117] Some combats for the faith of Jesus Christ are still due from you.

FOOTNOTES:

[115] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xl.

[116] Luther falls again into the same error; see note 2 of page 159.

[117] This passage is exceedingly obscure. It may be seen that it relates to what John Huss had said that he would appeal to Jesus Christ. In law are called apostles certain letters which the appellant ought to obtain from the judges to whom he has appealed; because, if they are not obtained after a certain delay, he is supposed to have renounced his appeal, and is obliged to submit to his first judgment.--Lenfant, _History of the Council of Constance_.

LETTER XLIII.[118]

[Huss relates another combat of the flesh and spirit for the confession of the truth, a combat worthy of fixing the attention of pious men.]

Salutation to you, through Jesus Christ! I beseech you, for God’s sake, not to shew my letters, nor to publish them; for I fear they might place several persons in jeopardy. If Vitus remains, let him be prudent. I rejoice greatly to learn that my gracious Lord is coming to me. Our Saviour raised up Lazarus to life on the fourth day, when he already began to decay. He preserved Jonas in the belly of the fish, and restored him to his preaching; he drew Daniel in safety from the lion’s den that he might write his prophecies; he preserved from the flames the three young men in the furnace; and he delivered Susannah, already condemned and on the point of perishing.

Wherefore, he could as easily snatch also from prison and death me, unfortunate man that I am, were it conducive to the glory and advantage of the faithful, and to my own welfare. The power of Him who drew Peter out of prison by his angel, when condemned to die at Jerusalem, and who caused the chains to fall from his hands, is not diminished. But let the Lord’s will be done; may it be fully accomplished in me for his glory and my sins!

A Doctor said to me--“If in all things I would submit to the Council; every thing would then be good and legitimate for me.” He added--“If the Council asserted you had but one eye, although you have two, still it would be necessary to say the Council was right.” “If the whole world,” replied I, “should affirm such a thing, I could not, as long as I possess the use of my reason, assent to it, without wounding my conscience.” After other conversation he abandoned his argument and said to me, “I confess I have not chosen my example well.”

The Lord is with me like a valiant warrior; the Saviour is my light and salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord defends my life; who shall make me tremble? In these latter times I often repeat this sentence--“Lord, I suffer violence, answer for me; for what shall I say to my enemies?”

+John Huss+, servant in hope of Jesus Christ.

FOOTNOTE:

[118] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xxxii.

LETTER XLIV.[119]

TO A FRIEND.

[An admirable confession of the infirmities of human nature. The latter does not struggle against evil only, for the flesh strives perpetually against the Spirit, and is not easily brought under its yoke. Reader, peruse this letter, and rejoice.[120]]

Salutation to you, through Jesus Christ! Learn, very dear friend, that Paletz, in endeavouring to persuade me, told me that I ought not to dread the shame of an abjuration, but to think only of the good which would ensue from it. I answered, “The opprobrium of being condemned and burned is greater than that of sincerely abjuring. What shame should I fear, then, in abjuring? But tell me, Paletz, how wouldest thou act if thou wert assured that errors were falsely imputed to thee? Wouldest thou wish to abjure them?” “That, in fact, would be hard,” replied he; and he wept. We afterwards spoke of many things which I refuted.

Michael de Causis, this miserable man, has appeared several times before my prison with the deputies of the Council, and whilst I was with them, said to the keepers, “_By the grace of God, we shall soon burn this heretic, on whom I have spent many florins._” Know, my friend, that nevertheless I do not express in this letter a vow of vengeance: I leave it to God, and I pray for this man from the bottom of my heart.

I again exhort you to be prudent with my letters. Michael has forbidden that any person should be introduced into my prison, even the wives of my keepers. O Great God! how far does Antichrist extend his power and cruelty! but I trust that his reign will be cut short, and his iniquity laid bare, in the midst of a faithful people.

The Almighty God will strengthen the hearts of the faithful whom he has destined, from before the beginning of the world, to the crown of immortal glory. Though Antichrist shall exercise his fury as he pleases, nevertheless he shall not be able to prevail against Christ, who, according to the words of the Apostle, will destroy him by a single breath of his mouth; and the creature then shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and clothe itself, says the Apostle, with the glorious liberty of the sons of God!...

I am greatly consoled by these words of our Saviour, “Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.” (Luke vi.) An admirable consolation, though difficult, not to understand, but to receive well; for it invites us to delight in afflictions.

Saint James observed this rule, with the other Apostles. “Count it,” says he, “all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience; but let patience have her perfect work.” (St James, chap. i.) Truly it is difficult to rejoice thus with an unshaken heart, and to consider all trials as subjects for rejoicing: it is easy to say, but difficult to do it. He who was the most patient and the most intrepid, who knew that he should rise again the third day, should vanquish his enemies by his death, and redeem his elect from condemnation, was, nevertheless, troubled in mind after the Last Supper, and cried, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death.” The Gospel informs us that he groaned and trembled; that an angel comforted him in his agony; and that his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. But, in his agony, he said to his disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled; for I shall be with you to the end of the world.”

And his valiant soldiers, their eyes fixed upon their Chief, the King of Glory, have endured a great combat. They have passed through fire and water, and have not perished; and have received from the Lord that crown, alluded to by St James, when he says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.” A glorious crown! which the Saviour will grant to me, I firmly hope, and to you also, fervent defenders of the truth, and to all those who persevere in the love of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has suffered for us, bequeathing us his example, that we might follow in his footsteps. It was necessary that he should suffer, as he himself has declared; and we, who are his members, must suffer with Him who is our Head; for he has said: “If any one will come with me, let him take up his cross and follow me!”

O Divine Jesus, draw us nigh unto thee, weak as we are; for, if thou dost not draw us nigh unto thee, we cannot follow thee. Fortify my spirit, that it may become strong and resolute. The flesh is weak; but let thy grace protect, assist, and save us; for without thee we can do nothing, and are, above all, incapable of facing, on thy account, a cruel death. Give me a determined mind, an intrepid heart, a pure faith, and perfect charity, that I may be enabled to lay down my life for thee, with patience and joy. Amen.

Written in prison and in irons, on the eve of the festival of St John the Baptist, who was decapitated for having risen up against the corruption of the wicked. May he pray for us to Jesus our Lord!

FOOTNOTES:

[119] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xxx.

[120] We remind the reader that the headings of the Letters being written by Luther, we have not in any way changed them.

LETTER XLV.[121]

TO A FRIEND.

To-morrow, at six o’clock, I am to answer on the following points:--I am asked, in the first place, if I am willing to acknowledge as erroneous all the articles extracted from my books, if I abjure them, and if I engage to preach the contrary? In the second place, whether I am willing to confess that I have preached the articles imputed to me by witnesses? Thirdly, and lastly, if I abjure them? God grant that the Emperor may hear the words which God will put into my mouth; and if I am accorded pens and paper, as I hope I shall, by the grace of God I will make the following answers in writing:--

“I, John, servant of Jesus Christ, refuse to confess that any of the articles extracted from my books are erroneous, through fear of condemning the opinions of the holy doctors, and, above all, of St Augustin. Secondly, I refuse to admit that I have held or preached the articles which are imputed to me by false witnesses. Thirdly, I refuse to abjure, through fear of perjuring myself.”

In the name of Heaven take great care of my letters, and send them to Bohemia with precaution, lest they may place many persons in danger. Keep me in remembrance, should you not receive news from me again; and pray to God that he may bestow constancy on me and Jerome, my brother in Christ; for I believe, as I understood from the deputies, that he will suffer death with me.

FOOTNOTE:

[121] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xxvii.

LETTER XLVI.[122]

TO HIS FRIENDS.

[Last resolution of John Huss, to which, with the grace of God, he desires to remain faithful.][123]

* * * * *

These are the things which the Council has often required of me; but they imply that I revoke, that I abjure, and that I accept a penance; and I cannot do it, without denying, in many things, the truth. In the second place, I should perjure myself in abjuring and confessing errors falsely _imputed_ to me. In the third place, I should afford a great scandal to the people of God who have listened to my sermons; and it would be better that a millstone were tied round my neck, and that I were plunged to the bottom of the sea. Lastly, If I acted in this manner, to avoid a momentary confusion and a short trial, I should fall into _disgrace_ and _much more terrible sufferings_, unless, indeed, I repented of them before my death. Wherefore, in order to fortify myself, I have thought of the seven martyrs of the Maccabees, who preferred rather to be torn in pieces than partake of meats prohibited by God. I have thought of St Eleazar, who, according to what is written, was not willing to confess he had eaten of prohibited meats, for fear of leaving a bad example to posterity, but preferred martyrdom. Having, then, before my eyes many saints of the new law, who accepted martyrdom rather than consent to sin, how should I, who have exhorted others in my preachings to patience and firmness, be thus guilty of perjury, and of so many vile falsehoods, and scandalize also, by my example, many children of the Lord?

Far, far from me be such a thought! Our Saviour Jesus Christ will reward me fully, and bestow on me in my trials the assistance of patience.

FOOTNOTES:

[122] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xlv.

[123] This letter, such as it has reached us, is, without doubt, only a fragment; the first words indicate as much.

LETTER XLVII.[124]

TO HIS FRIENDS AT PRAGUE.

[He encourages and exhorts them not to be frightened on account of the Council having delivered his writings to the flames. He reminds them of the corrupted morals of that assembly, and of the condemnation of Pope John.]

I ought to warn you, my well-beloved, not to let yourselves be alarmed by the sentence of those who have condemned my books to be burned. Remember that the Israelites burned the writings of the prophet Jeremiah, without, nevertheless, being able to avoid the lot which he predicted for them. God even commanded, after the destruction by fire of this prophecy, that a new and more extended one should be written, which was done; for Jeremiah dictated it in his prison, and Baruch wrote, as it is written in chapter xxxvi. or xlv. of Jeremiah. It is also written in the Book of Maccabees, that impious men burned the law of God, and killed all those who were the depositaries of it. Under the new alliance they burned the saints with the books of the divine law. The Cardinals condemned and delivered to the flames many books of St Gregory, and would have burned them all, if they had not been preserved by his servant Peter. Two Councils of priests condemned St Chrysostom as a heretic; but God made their lie manifest after the death of him who was surnamed _St John of the Golden Mouth_.

Knowing, therefore, these things, let not fear prevent you from reading my books, and do not deliver them up to my enemies to be burned. Remember that the Lord has said, Before the day of judgment there shall be a great desolation, such as has not been witnessed since the beginning of the world to this day; and such, if it were possible, the elect themselves might be led astray; but on account of them these days shall be shortened. Think of that, my well-beloved, and be firm. This Council of Constance will not extend to Bohemia; many of those who compose it will die before they have succeeded in forcing my books from you. The majority will be dispersed on every side like storks; and they will discover, on the approach of winter, what they shall have done in summer.[125] Consider that they have declared the Pope, their chief, worthy of death for his enormous crimes. Courage, and reply to these preachers who teach that the Pope is God on earth; that he can sell the sacraments, as the canonists declare; that he is the head of the Church in administering it purely; that he is the heart of the Church in vivifying it spiritually; that he is the source whence springs all virtue and all good; that he is the sun of the holy Church, the certain asylum, where it is important that all Christians should find refuge. Behold! already this head is, as it were, severed by the sword; already this terrestrial god is enchained; already his sins are laid bare; this never-failing source is dried up--this divine sun is dimmed--this heart has been torn and branded with reprobation, that no one should seek an asylum in it. The Council has condemned its chief, its own head, for having sold indulgences, bishopricks, and other things. But among those who have condemned him are to be found a great number of purchasers, who have, in their turn, engaged also in this unworthy traffic. There was amongst them the bishop, John Litomissel, who twice wished to buy the bishoprick of Prague; but others had the advantage over him. O! corrupt men! Why have they not, first of all, torn the beam from their own eyes; since it is written in their own law: “Whoever shall purchase a dignity with money shall be deprived of it.” Sellers, therefore, and buyers, and whosoever shall interfere in this shameful contract, be ye condemned, as St Peter condemned Simon, who wished to buy from him the virtue of the Holy Ghost.

They have anathematized the seller and condemned him, and they themselves are the purchasers; they have affixed their hands to this pact, and they remain unpunished! What do I say? They traffic in this merchandise even in their very dwellings! There is in Constance one bishop who has bought, another who has sold, and the Pope, for having approved of the bargain, has received money from the two parties. * * If God had said to the members of this Council, “Let him amongst you who is without sin pronounce the sentence of Pope John,” undoubtedly they would have withdrawn one after the other. Why did they formerly bend their knees before him? Why did they kiss his feet? Why did they term him most holy, when they saw in him a homicide, a heretic, and a hardened sinner? For in this manner did they already speak of him in public. Why did the Cardinals elect him Pope, knowing that he had caused the death of his predecessor?[126] Why did they suffer him, since his accession to that office, to traffic in holy things? Do they not form his Council, to remind him of what is just? and are they not as much to blame as he for these crimes, since they tolerated in him vices which were common to them all? Why did no one dare resist him before his flight from Constance? They all feared him then, as their very holy father; but when, with the permission of God, the secular power laid hold of him, then they conspired and resolved that he should not escape death.

Truly, already have the malice, abomination, and turpitude of antichrist been revealed in the Pope and other members of this Council. The faithful servants of God may now understand these words of the Saviour, who has said, “When you shall behold the abomination of desolation foretold by the prophet Daniel,” &c. Truly, the supreme abomination is pride, avarice, and simony in deserted places,--that is, in dignities, where neither goodness nor humility, nor any virtue, is now to be found, as we now witness in those who are high in honour and places. Oh! how much I desire to unveil all the iniquities that I am acquainted with, in order that the faithful servants of God may keep on their guard against them! But I hope that God will send after me more vigorous champions; and there are now already those who will better expose all the cunning tricks of antichrist, and who will expose themselves to death for the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will give unto you and me eternal beatitude!

I write this letter on the day of St John the Baptist, in prison and in chains, and I bear in mind that St John was beheaded in prison for the word of God.

FOOTNOTES:

[124] _Hist. et Monum. Johann. Huss_, Epist. xiii.

[125] John Huss was burned to death in the month of July.

[126] See the _Reformers before the Reformation_, vol. i.,