apostle, but only for thrice great theologians, to treat of those greatest and chief of all things, the power of the Roman Church and her decretals.
I hope that this work of mine will have better fortune, b^ cause it treats affairs of no consequence, the power of Christ, by which he is strong in us even against the gates of hell, and the privileges of the celestial Church, which knows neither mighty Rome nor holy Jerusalem, nor any other place, nor seeks Christ here or there, but worships the Father in spirit and in truth.* Why should these great men be moved ot irritated by these trifles, since they are outside of th^ province? Wherefore I appear before the public the mo^^ safely because I abstain from speaking of what irritates the^^ and treat little matters stiitable to my mediocrity. But if axf^' thing is left of that old commotion over important matters, leave it to them, because I am one poor, weak man, ai^ while they stand idle all the day, I am very busy. Wheref or^ it, it is sufficient evil that one party grieve and be sad.
Speaking seriously, excellent sirs, I honor the Roman and his decrees. None is above him, without exception, the prince of this vicar of Christ, namely, Jesus himself, Lord of us and of all men. I prefer his word to the words of his vicar, and have no doubt that we should judge all the words and deeds of the vicar by his word. For I desire him to be subject to this universal rule of the apostle: "Prove all things, hold to that which is good."^ I will suffer none to withdraw his neck from this yoke, whether in the name of the mother or of the mistress of all churches. I have the more reason for this position as in our time we see some councils rejected and others accepted,' theology treated as a matter of mere opinion, the sense of law depend on the arbi- trary opinion of one man, and in short, everjrthing so con- founded that almost nothing certain is left to us. But it is
- Jolin, iv. 2o£f.
'i ThessalonianB, ▼. ax.
- The authority of the Council of Bade was formally repudiated by the Lateraa
Council of 15 12, a measure later confirmed by Leo X.'s bull Patter tttmus, ia Septim. Decret. lb. 3, tit. 7, c. 1. Luther had quoted this already in the Act* Augustana (October, 15 18), and in a letter of NoTember 19, xsi8. Enders, L 383.
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