Finally, when they are refuted with Scripture so that they cannot escape, they begin to blaspheme God and say, "But St. Matthew, Paul and Peter also were men; therefore what they teach is also the doctrine of men. And if their doctrine is to be observed, let the pope's doctrine be observed as well!" Such blasphemy is now being uttered even by some princes and bishops, who count themselves wise. When you hear such utterly hardened and blinded blasphemers, turn away from them or stop your ears; they are not worthy that one should talk with them. If that argument were to hold, then Moses also was a man, and all the prophets were men. Then let us go our way, and believe nothing at all, but regard everything as the doctrine of men, and follow our fancy.
But if you will talk with them, do so, and say, Well, let St. Paul or Matthew be the doctrine of men; then we ask, Whence comes their authority? How will they prove that they have authority to teach and to be bishops? Or how shall we know where the Church is? If they say that St. Matthew has so asserted in Matthew xvi, 19 [Matt. 16:19], or St. Paul in some place or other, do you say, But that does not hold: they are the doctrines of men, as you say; you must have God's Word to confirm you. And then you will find that these hardened blasphemers put themselves to shame and confusion with their own folly. They cannot even distinguish between a man who speaks for himself and one through whom God speaks. The words of the Apostles were commanded them by God, and confirmed and proved by great miracles, such as were never done for the doctrines of men. And if they are certain in themselves, and will prove it to us, that God has commanded them to teach as they do, we will believe them as we believe the Apostles. If it is uncertain whether the words of the Apostles are of God, who will give us certainty that their doctrines of men are of God? O furor et amentia his saeculis digna!
But we do not condemn the doctrines of men because they are the doctrines of men, for we would gladly endure them, but because they are contrary to the Gospel and to the Scriptures. The Scriptures set the consciences of men free, and forbid that they be taken captive with the doctrines of men. The doctrines of men take captive the conscience. This conflict between the Scriptures and the doctrines of men we cannot reconcile. Hence, because these two forms of doctrine contradict one another, we allow even young children to judge here whether we are to give up the Scriptures, in which the one Word of God is taught from the beginning of the world, or the doctrines of men which were newly devised yesterday and change daily? And we hope that every one will agree in the decision that the doctrines of men must be forsaken and the Scriptures retained. For they cannot be reconciled, but are by nature opposed to one another, like fire and water, like heaven and earth; As Isaiah Iv, 8 f. says: "As the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways." [Isa. 55:8 f.] Now he who walks on the earth cannot at the same time walk in heaven, and he who walks in heaven cannot walk on the earth.
Therefore we request the papists that they first reconcile their doctrines with the Scriptures. If they accomplish that, we will observe their doctrines. But that they will not do before the Holy Spirit has become a liar. Therefore we say again. The doctrines of men we censure not because they are spoken by men, but because they are lies and blasphemies against the Scriptures. And the Scriptures, although they also were written by men, are not of men nor from men, but from God. Now since Scriptures and the doctrines of men are contrary the one to the other, one must lie and the other be true. Let us see to which of the two they themselves will ascribe the lie. Let this suffice.
INDEX
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
INDEX
Abel Abraham Absolution power of Abuses Accident and substance Adam Adjutories Administratio Adversity Agnes, St. Agricola Agriculture Ahasuerus Ahaz d'Ailly Albrecht of Brandenburg Alexander of Hales Alexander VI. Alien sins Allegories Alveld Ambrose Amen, meaning of Amerbach, Boniface Amsdor Angelic Sum Angels Angelus de Clavissio Armas Annates Amie, St. Anniversaries Anniaities Anthony, St. Antichrist Antonius of Florence Antwerp Apostles Apostolic Council Aquinas, Thomas Archbishop Aristotle Articles of faith Attrition Augsburg, Diet of Augustine, St. Augustinian fathers Augustinus Trimnphus Auriaber Avarice
Babylon Babylonian captivity Balaam Balaam's ass Bamberg Ban power of greater and lesser purpose of penalty of Ban, danger of harms no one a medicine to be respected to be loved unjust, to be desired or debt abuses of does not exclude from Gospel Banfasts Baptism grace of makes priests foundation of sacraments a ship God's work formula of by wicked minister efficacy of significance of vows of comfort of Bar to grace Barbara, St. Barnabas Basel, Council of Beer-money Begging Belief and faith Belvidere Benedict, St. Benefit of clergy Berlepsch, Hans von Bernard, St. Bethaven Biel, Gabriel Bigamy Birettas Bishops Bishops' paths Blandina, St. Blasphemy Bohemians Bonaventure Boniace VIII. Both kinds in the sacrament Botschaten Brandenburg Bread, Sacrament of the Altar daily, is Christ Breves Brotherhood, Christian Brotherhoods perversion of kinds of proper conduct of Bull, Coena Domini papal Burer, Albrecht Butter-letters
Caesarini, Cardinal Caiaphas Cairo Cajetan Cambray, Cardinal of Campolore Canaan Canon law Canon of the mass Canonical hours Canonization Canonry Captivity of the Church v. Babylonian Captivity. Cardinals Carlstadt Carmelites Carthusian Castor and Pollux Casus reservati Catechisms Cathedrals Celibacy Ceremonialist Ceremonies Certainty of salvation Chancery, rules in Chapters Character indelebilis Charity Charles the Great Charles V. Chartreuse Chastity Christ spiritual body of as king and priest sacrifice of the altar sacrament faith in Christian nobility, duty of Christian, the name what makes marks of a Christianity Church authority of cannot institute sacraments community of Christians our mother and state Church laws Cicero Circumcision Circumstances Clement V. Clement VI. Clement VII. Clergy Coadjutorships Cognatio legalis and spiritualis Collect Cologne Commandments of God Commandments, Ten Commend Commerce Communio Communion worthy in two kinds of saints Complutensian polyglott Compositions Concordat of Vienna Confession Confessionalia Confirmation Congregations, power to elect priests, Consanguinity, spiritual Conscience Constance, Council of Constantine, Emperor Contested benefices Contrition Corporal cloths Corporations Corpus juris canonici Councils Councils can err Courtesans Creed Cremona Crusades Crying sins Cyprian
Daniel the pope as Datarius David Deacons Death must serve the Christian Decretals Devil Dignities Dionysius, Areopagita Disparihtas religionis Dispensations Divorce Doctorate Doctrines of men Dominic, St. Donation of Constantine Donatus, St. Dress, extravagance in Dims Scotus Durandus
Eck, John Economic reforms Edification of the Church Elevation of the host Elisha Elvira, Council of Emperor Emser England Erasmus Erurt Estates of Christendom Eternal life Eugenius IV. Evil spirit Excesses in eating and drinking Excommunication Executio Exemptions Extortion Extreme unction Ezekiel
Fable quoted Faculties Faith not a work and promise and works alone justifies all things depend on fulfils commandments unites with Christ and love Fasts Fathers of the Church Feast days Feldkirchen Fellowship, twofold spiritual Five senses, sins of Florence, Council of Forgiveness of sins Forma sacramenti Foundations France Francis, St. Franciscans Fraternities Frederick, Duke Frederick, Elector Frederick I. Frederick II. Free will Fruits of the mass Fugger of Augsburg
General Council George of Saxony German knights bishops and princes nation emperors empire mass Germans Germany Gerson, John Gibeonites Gideon Glosses God, faith in God's bosom Golden rule Golden years Goldfasts Gospel Goths Government, good, a gift of grace Grammatical sense of Scripture Gratiae expectivse Greek Church emperor Greeks Grimmenthal
Hadrian VI. Halberstadt Halle Hamburg Henry IV. and V. Henry VIII Heresy Heretics Herod Hess, John Hezekiah Himmelsbriee Hindrance of crime error Holy Ghost, faith in Hubert, St. Huss, John Hussites Hutten, Ulrich von Hymns of praise
Iconoclastic controversy Idolatry Ignorance Images Immersion Impediments Impedimentum criminis erroris ligaminis ordinis Impotence Incarnation Incompatibilia Incorporation Indulgences Indulta Infant baptism Ingenwinkel, Joh. Innocent I. Innocent III. Innocent VIII. Inquisition Intercessions Interdict Investiture Irregular monks Isaiah Isolani, Isidore Israel Italy
Jahrmarkt James, St., Epistle of Jehu Jereboam Jeremiah Jerome of Prague John XXII. Jonas, Justus Jordan, crossing of Joseph, affliction of Jubilee years Judas Judgment day Julius II. Jus patronum Jus verbi Justification by faith
Kessler, John Keys, power of Kingdom of God Kingship of the Christian Kirchweihen Koran
Laity Lang, Johan Lateran Council Law, the Law in the universities Laws as snares for souls of men V. Doctrines of men. Lay-baptism Legal relationships Leipzig Disputation Leo III. Leo X. Letters of confession Liberty not external and service Licenses Link, Wenceslaus Livings Lombard, Peter Lord's Prayer Lord's Supper Lotther, Melchior Louis, King of France Louvain Love Luther pastoral concern the German as a fool knowledge of Aristotle not a mathematician as a musician compelled to speak his progress his duty recantation appeal to a council zeal separation from Rome appeal to the pope friend of the pope his faith as a reformer purpose of writing
Magdeburg Magistrate Mainz Man, nature of inward outward of sin Manichaeans Manoah Marcus Aurelius Margaret of Braunschweig Marriage of the clergy forbidden degrees a type a sacrament hindrances Martyrs Mass sacrifice of letters anniversary mortuary endowed Maximilian, Emperor Mecklenburg Medicine in universities Meissen Melanchthon Melchizedek Memorial days Mendicants orders Merchants Merseburg Miltitz, Carl von Ministerium Ministry Miracles Missa catechumenorum and fidelium Monasteries Monastic life Monstrance Moses Moses' seat Mother of God Muhlphort, Hieronymus Murner, Thomas Mute sins Mystery and sacrament Mystics
Name of God Naples and Sicily, Kingdom of Nathan Natural law revelation New Testament Nicaea, Council of Nimrod Noah Nobility, German Nurnberg, Diet of
Oblations Observance Occam, William of Officia of the pope Officials Old Testament Opus operantis Opus operatum Order to be observed Orders, monastic Ordinaries Ordination Origen Ottilia, St. Our Lady
Pallium Palmers Papacy Papal court secretaries months family servant letters homage Parents, duty toward Participations Passover Patience Patron saints Paul, St. Penalties to be abolished Penance second plank Penitence Persia Peter, St. Pfeffinger, D. Philip of Hesse Philosophy Picards Pilate Pilgrimages Pius, Pope Pope power of can be deposed errors of tyranny an idol compared with Christ wealth of infallibility of worldliness of vicar of crucified Christ vicar of absent Christ duty of temporal power of letter to Power not to be trusted Prague Prayer Preachers Preaching, true Prebend Precepts of the Church Presbyters Prierias, Sylvester Priesthood of believers why men seek is ministry of the Word Priests Priests, officeholders duty of Primate Private confession mass Privilegium fori Promise of God Proprius motus Prostitution Proverbs quoted Purgatory
Quedunburg, convent
Real presence Reason Reformation Reforms suggested Regeneration Regensburg Regression Remission of sins Rentenkauf Repentance Res sacramenti Reservatio pectoralis Reservation, right of Reserved cases Rhine-toll Rods, three Roman curia Roman Empire Roman See Romanists Rome Rulers, wicked
Sacrament of the Altar institution of reception of not a law not a sacrifice daily use of significance of preparation for benefit of a sign purpose of misuse of faith of right use of necessity of Sacrament, types of and the pope Sacraments parts of signs of two principal grace of fount of love not a good work efficacy of of Old and New Law significance of not effective signs of grace institution of Sacramentum is mystery Sacrifices Safe conduct Saints Saints' days Samuel Sardica, Council of Satisfactions Saul Schism Schismatics Schools, Christian for girls Scrinium pectoris Scriptures commands and promises Sebastian, St. Secret sin Sects Sedulius, Coelius Sentences Sententious theologians Sermons Signatura gratiae and justitiae Signiicasti, Chapter Simony Sins demand punishment seven deadly Siricius, Pope Sixtus IV. Slanderers Social evil Sodalities Solite, Chapter Solomon Soul immortality of Spalatin Spice trade Spiritual, what makes us duties relationship law States of the Church Stationaries Staupitz Stephen, St. Sternberg Strassburg Students, restriction of Substance and accident Sycophants Synaxis
Tatianists Teachings of men, v. Doctrines of men. Temporal estate power Temptations Ten Commandments Testament Testament, words of Tetzel Teufelsbriefe Theodidacti Theodosius Theology in the universities text-books Theses, XCV Thomists Timothy Titus Transaccidentation Transubstantiation, of communicant Trent, Council of Trier Triple crown Truth Tulich, Herman Turks worst in Rome Types Tyranny, Roman
Unbelief Unchastity Unio Unity of the Church Universities Usury
Valentine, St. Valla, Laurentius Varna, Battle of Venice Vergil Vienna, Council, of Virgin Mary Visions Votaries Votive masses Vows of celibacy ceremonial laws triple
Wallbruder Walls, the three, of Rome Wartburg Wicked, success of Will of God Wilsnack Witchcraft Wittenberg Wladislav Word of God Works measure of good, are sins do not justify Works of love six, of mercy World Worms, Diet of Worship, true Wurzburg, 82 Wyclif
Zedekiah Zink, Johaimes Zinskau Zwickau Prophets Zwilling, Gabriel
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Genesis-- 1:31 2:15 3:15 3:17 3:19 4:5 9:12 9:15 12:3 13:5 17:10ff 18:19 19:24 21:12 49:3
Exodus-- 12:8, 11 12:35ff 13:2 13:13 20:4 20:12 20:17 22:28 23:15 34:20 37:7
Leviticus-- 8:27 11:19 18:6ff
Numbers-- 3:13 21:9 22:28 24:24
Deuteronomy-- 1:31 4:2 4:19 8:3 10:16 12:32 14:18 16:16. 23:12f. 24:1 25:5 28:14 32:35
Joshua-- 3:7 6:20 9:19
Judges-- 6:36ff 9:2 13:19 20:21
I. Samuel-- 2:30 16:13
II. Samuel 7:16
I. Kings-- 1:38 12:26 12:31 18:21 19:20
II. Kings-- 9:1 18:4 24:20 25:4
Esther 1:5
Job 31:27