21. Demanding Proof from Scripture
J H Merle d’Aubigné
The day fixed for the interview arrived at last. The legate, Cardinal Cajetan, knew that Luther had declared himself willing to retract everything that could be proved to be contrary to the truth. He assumed it would be easy for a man of his rank and learning to reclaim this monk to obedience to the Church.
Luther went to the Cajetan’s residence, accompanied by some friends. He had scarcely entered the legate’s palace, when all the Italians who formed the entourage of this prince of the Church crowded round him wanting to see the famous Luther, and he could proceed only with difficulty. The Cardinal received him coldly, but civilly. In accordance with the advice he had received, Luther prostrated himself before the Cardinal. Many of the most distinguished Italians in the legate’s court particularly desired to see the German monk humble himself before the Pope’s representative.
The legate remained silent. He hated Luther as an adversary of the theological supremacy of Thomas Aquinas and as the chief of a new, active, hostile party in a rising university. He was pleased to see Luther fall down before him and thought the Reformer was about to recant. He humbly waited for the Cardinal to address him; but as he did not speak, Luther understood this silence as an invitation to begin.
He said, “Most worthy Father, in obedience to the summons of his papal holiness, and in compliance with the orders of my gracious lord, the Elector of Saxony, I appear before you as a submissive and dutiful son of the holy Christian Church, and acknowledge that I have published the propositions and theses ascribed to me. I am ready to listen most obediently to my accusation and, if I have erred, to submit to instruction in the truth.”
The Cardinal, who had decided to assume the appearance of a tender and compassionate father towards an erring child, then adopted a most friendly tone. He praised Luther’s humility and said, “My dear son, you have disturbed all Germany by your dispute on indulgences. I understand that you are a very learned doctor in the Holy Scriptures and that you have many fol-
1This is a further abridged extract from d’Aubigné’s The History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century, vol 1, continued from last month. That article told of Luther in Augsburg, where he had come in 1518 to be examined by a cardinal – a legate, or representative, of the Pope – because, as a friend put it, Luther had attacked “the abuses of those who sell Jesus Christ”. The Cardinal decided to try to win him back to Rome by mildness rather than force. It should be noted that Luther had not yet broken with Rome.
lowers. For this reason, if you desire to be a member of the Church and to find a gracious father in the Pope, listen to me.”
Cajetan declared at once what he expected of him, so confident was he of Luther’s submission. “Here are three articles”, said he, “which by the command of our holy Father, Pope Leo X, I have to set before you. First, you must . . . own your faults and retract your errors, propositions and sermons; secondly, you must promise to abstain in future from propagating your opinions; and thirdly, bind yourself to behave with greater moderation, and avoid everything that may grieve or disturb the Church.”
Luther. “Most holy Father, I beg you will show me the Pope’s instructions, by virtue of which you have received full powers to treat of this matter.”
The Italians opened their eyes with astonishment at such a daring request.
Cajetan. “This request, my dear son, cannot be granted. You must confess your errors, keep a strict watch on your words for the future, and not return like a dog to his vomit, so that we may sleep without anxiety or disturbance. Then, in accordance with the order and authorisation of our most holy Father the Pope, I will arrange the whole business.”
Luther. “Condescend then to inform me where I have erred.”
At this new request, the Italian courtiers, who had expected to see Luther fall down on his knees and beg pardon, were still more astonished. None of them would have condescended to reply to so impertinent a question. But Cajetan, who thought it ungenerous to crush this petty monk with the weight of his authority and, besides, trusted to gain an easy victory by his learning, told Luther what he was accused of, and even entered into discussion with him. We must acknowledge that he showed more equity, a greater sense of propriety and less passion, than have often been shown in similar matters.
He replied in a condescending tone: “Most dear son, here are two propositions that you have advanced and which you must retract before all: (1) The treasure of indulgences does not consist of the sufferings and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) The man who receives the holy sacrament must have faith in the grace that is presented to him”.
Each of these propositions, in truth, struck a mortal blow at the Romish trade in indulgences. Indulgences were more or less an extraordinary branch of Roman commerce and the sacraments produced significant revenue. To assert that faith was necessary, before the sacraments could confer real benefit on the soul of a Christian, took away all their charms in the eyes of the people; for it is not the pope who gives faith; it is beyond his province; it proceeds from God alone. To declare its necessity was therefore depriving Rome both of the speculation and the profit. By attacking these two doctrines, Luther had imitated Jesus Christ, who at the very beginning of His
ministry had overthrown the tables of the money-changers and driven the dealers out of the temple. He had said, “Make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise”.
“In confuting your errors,” said Cajetan, “I will not appeal to the authority of St Thomas [Aquinas] and other doctors of the schools; I will rely entirely on Holy Scripture and talk with you in all friendliness.” But he had scarcely begun to bring forward his proofs before he departed from this rule. He combatted Luther’s first proposition by a document of Pope Clement, and the second by all sorts of opinions from the schoolmen. The discussion turned first on this papal constitution in favour of indulgences. Luther, indignant at hearing what authority Cajetan ascribed to a decree of Rome, exclaimed, “I cannot receive such constitutions as sufficient proofs on matters so important. For they pervert the Holy Scriptures and never quote them to the purpose.”
Cajetan answered, “The Pope has power and authority over all things.” Luther responded quickly: “Except Scripture!” Cajetan sneered, “Except Scripture! Do you not know that the Pope is above councils; he has recently condemned and punished the Council of Basle.”
The dispute between the Cardinal and Luther then turned on the second point, the faith that Luther declared necessary for the efficacy of the sacraments. Luther, according to his custom, quoted various passages of Scripture in favour of the opinion he maintained, but Cajetan treated them with ridicule. “It is of faith in general that you are speaking”, he said. “No”, replied Luther. The Cardinal’s master of ceremonies was irritated at Luther’s resistance and burned with a desire to speak. He continually tried to put in a word, but the Cardinal at last reprimanded him so sharply that the master of ceremonies quitted the hall in confusion.
“As for indulgences,” Luther told the legate, “if it can be shown that I am mistaken, I am very ready to receive instruction. . . . But as to the article of faith, if I made the slightest concession, I should renounce Jesus Christ. I cannot . . . yield on this point, and with God’s grace I will never yield.” Cajetan grew angry and said, “Whether you will, or whether you will not, you must retract that article this very day, or, upon that article alone, I shall reject and condemn your whole doctrine.”
Luther. “I have no will but the Lord’s. Let Him do with me as seemeth good to Him. But if I had 400 heads, I would rather lose them all than retract the testimony which I have borne to the holy Christian faith.”
Cajetan. “I did not come here to dispute with you. Retract, or prepare to suffer the penalty you have deserved.”
Luther saw clearly that it was impossible to put an end to the subject by a conference. His opponent sat before him as if he were himself pope and
pretended that he would receive humbly and submissively all that was said to him. Yet he listened to Luther’s replies, even when they were founded on Holy Scripture, with shrugging of shoulders and every mark of irony and contempt. Luther thought the wiser plan would be to answer him in writing.
When Luther showed a disposition to leave, Cajetan said, “Do you wish me to give you a safe-conduct to go to Rome?” Nothing would have pleased him better than for Luther to accept this offer. He would thus be freed from a task of which he now began to perceive the difficulties; and Luther, with his heresy, would fall into hands that would soon arrange everything. But the Reformer, who saw the dangers that surrounded him even in Augsburg, took care not to accept an offer that would have delivered him up, bound hand and foot, to the vengeance of his enemies. He therefore rejected it, as often as Cajetan proposed it. He dissembled his vexation at Luther’s refusal; he took refuge in his dignity and dismissed the monk with a compassionate smile, under which he endeavoured to conceal his disappointment.
Luther had scarcely reached the court of the palace before the master of ceremonies, burning with desire to confound the abominable heretic with his reasonings, ran after him and began, as he walked along, to speak to him. But Luther, disgusted with this foolish individual, replied to him with one of the sarcasms he had so much at his command, and the poor master slunk away abashed.
Luther did not carry away a very exalted opinion of Cajetan. He had heard from him, as he wrote afterwards to Spalatin, propositions quite opposed to sound theology and which, in the mouth of another, would have been considered extreme heresies. Yet Cajetan was reckoned the most learned of the Dominicans. “We may conclude from this”, says Luther, “what they must be who are in the tenth or the hundredth rank.” On the other hand, Luther’s noble, decided bearing had greatly surprised the Cardinal and his courtiers. Instead of a poor monk asking pardon as a favour, they had found a man of independence, a firm Christian, an enlightened scholar, who required unjust accusations to be supported by proofs, and who victoriously defended his own doctrine. But everyone in Cajetan’s palace cried out against the pride, obstinacy and effrontery of the heretic. Luther and Cajetan had come to know each other, and both prepared for their second interview.
A very agreeable surprise awaited Luther on his return to the Carmelite convent. The vicar-general of the Augustine order, his friend and father, Staupitz, had arrived at Augsburg. Unable to prevent Luther’s journey to that city, Staupitz gave his friend a new and touching proof of his attachment by going there himself in the hope of being useful to him. Staupitz foresaw that the conference with Cajetan might have the most serious consequences. He
was equally agitated by his fears and by his friendship for Luther, who told Staupitz how impossible it had been to obtain an answer of any value, and how the Cardinal had insisted on a recantation, without trying to convince him. “You must”, said Staupitz, “positively reply to the legate in writing.”
After what he had learned of the first interview, Staupitz entertained few hopes from another. He therefore resolved to do what he now thought necessary – to release Luther from the obligations of his order. By this Staupitz hoped to attain two objects: if, as everything seemed to forebode, Luther should fail in this undertaking, he would thus prevent the disgrace of his condemnation from being reflected on the whole order; and if the Cardinal should order him to force Luther to be silent or to retract, he would have an excuse for not doing so. The ceremony was performed with the usual formalities. Luther saw clearly what he must now expect. His soul was deeply moved at the breaking of those bonds which he had taken upon him in the enthusiasm of youth. The order he had chosen rejects him; his natural protectors forsake him. He is already a stranger among his brethren. But although his heart was filled with sadness at the thought, all his joy returned when he directed his eyes to the promises of a faithful God, who has said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”.
The Emperor’s councillors informed the Cardinal that Luther had been provided with an imperial safe-conduct; at the same time they told him to take no proceedings against the Reformer. Cajetan lost his temper, and abruptly answered in this truly Romish language: “It is well; but I will execute the Pope’s orders”. We know what they were.