166 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let laj
1502, and later became professor of philosophy and theology there. He was a friend and follower of Luther until his death, May 1, 1521.
This letter is the preface to Luther's Commentary on Galatians, which appeared in print early in September, 1519. This letter, however, was certainly composed considerably earlier. Luther speaks of Erasmus' Paraphrase to Galatians, published August, 1519, as not yet out. Moreover, the absence of all allusion to the debate with Eck, which began to play a considerable part in his thoughts as early as February, leads us to place this letter about January. The Commentary is reprinted Weimar, ii. 476ff.
Most learned Sirs, I have recently been chatting about indulgences, trifling words, as I thought, about trifling matters, but now, as I have found out, serious words about the most serious of all matters. For, foolish and erring, I measured sins and errors by the divine commands and the holy gospel of Christ, but those friends of mine, in their glorious wisdom measured every kind of work by the power of the Pope and the privileges of the Roman Church. This is the reason why we think so differently, and why I have raised such a storm against myself among those most Christian and religious professors of theology. What I always feared has happened to me, namely, that I should be variously judged; to some I seem impious, to others quarrelsome, to others vainglorious, to every man something different. This is the common lot of men who (as is commonly said) build in public and write for the public. I have found almost as many teachers as readers, and that gratis, under whose auspicious guidance I had to learn, under penalty of becoming an obstinate heretic, that no man could sin more gravely than he who doubts the opinions of men and opposes their zeal for disputing, even if by not doing so he meantime denies Christ and Christ's faith and childish matters of that sort.
When I was at Augsburg I had, as you know, a paternal and kind instructor in this matter. And the most illustrious rule of these most illustrious men has brought it to pass that there now obtains a new and admirable Christian liberty, by which men may do what they like with impunity, provided they do not sin against the only law that is left, namely, the power of the Pope and the privileges of the Roman Church. Hence, it is holy to connive at and consent unto all the crimes
