XX.

The twentieth erroneous article reads as follows:

“Twentieth, whether some people reproach me as a heretic (for such a truth is quite injurious for their money boxes), I pay little heed to such babblings inasmuch as no one does so except some muddled brains who have never sniffed a Bible, have never read the Christian teachers, have never understood their own teachers but rather are decaying in their riddled and fragmented opinions. For if they had understood them, they would know that they should defame no one without hearing and challenging him. Nonetheless, may God give them and us right understanding. Amen.”

REBUTTAL ¶ It refuted in a Christian and well-grounded manner: First, it is totally erroneous, and it requires no riddled brain to know who is a heretic. Therefore I, Brother Johann Tetzel, Order of Preachers, am forced to leave out several other teachings and positions here, which I intend, with God’s help, to discuss and prove correct in a Christian manner at the respected University of Frankfurt an der Oder on a date to be arranged.^{Citation: 38Tetzel is referring to his forthcoming, disputation-document, “50 Positiones,” a second series of fifty theses in Latin that he (rather than Wimpina) would write. Printed in late April/early May, no original copy exists. Reprinted in Dokumente zur Causa Lutheri, Text 12, pp. 369–375.} That disputation will make anyone with half a brain able to learn and recognize who is a Heresiarcha, Hereticus, Sismaticus, Erroneus, Temerarius, Malesonans, etc., (which is translated: an archheretic, a heretic, a reprobate, a lunatic, a blasphemer or slanderer, etc.) and who is truly a Christian believer or not, granted of course that they have considered this treatise of mine as well as my previous treatise and [also] the sermon on twenty erroneous articles, as well as the treatise that begins, “Amore et studio elucidando veritatis,” and concludes in the last thesis, “Ac sic magis per multas tribulationes intrare celum quam per securitatem pacis confidant.”^{Citation: 39Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. Tetzel quotes the opening words of the “Introduction” (“Out of love and zeal for the truth …”), and the complete thesis 95 (“And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace”).}

From all this it will also become clear who “has a confused brain, who has never sniffed a Bible, never read the Christian masters, has never understood his own teachers.” Therefore, I offer all of this rebuttal and my position that I have written regarding these matters for the consideration and judgment of His Holiness the Pope, the holy Roman Church, all trustworthy Christian universities, and doctors^{Citation: 40Note Tetzel’s subtle but crucial variation of his concluding formula, from “all Christian” to “all trustworthy Christian” (unvordechtig = trustworthy, above suspicion) and his insertion of it three times into the body itself of this rebuttal 20. Note also his inclusion of the formula (unchanged) within the body of rebuttal 16 above (cf. note 24 above).} with sure trust in the truth, with the commitment to suffer whatever they judge just, [if any of it be heretical], be it through imprisonment, the stocks, drowning, or burning at the stake.

I write this as true Christian fraternal admonition, so that from now on no one should believe the sermon on the twenty erroneous articles nor the theses that begin, “Dominus et Magister noster Jhesus Christus dicendo penitentiam agite etc.,” and end, “Ac sic magis per multas tribulationes intrare celum etc.,“^{Citation: 41In this final reference to Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, Tetzel omits the opening phrase quoted in paragraph one above, and cites instead the beginning of the first thesis (“When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’”).} [that is to say], unless their author were to submit to the consideration and judgment of the His Papal Holiness, the holy Roman Church, and all trustworthy Christian universities and shall have proven such submission through his actions. For I am confident that without such submission, the sermon on the twenty articles and the recently mentioned theses would be neither sermon nor redemptive doctrine but rather a seduction and a perversion of the people. For Christ himself says, “Whoever hears not the Church, that one shall be to you as a gentile and a publican.” [Matthew 18:17]

And if that person who wrote and distributed the erroneous sermon on the twenty articles should maintain anything publicly against this rebuttal of mine without the evidence of Holy Scripture, of canon law, and of theologians, or without consideration of sufficient cause and reason, then no Christian should be upset by him, for it is mere prattle. And if this person does not submit his fabrication publicly and in writing to the judgment of His Papal Holiness, of the holy See, and of all trustworthy Christian universities, then I will not write against him again, considering it all unworthy of response and rebuttal. To which I do herewith publicly give my witness.

Submitted for the praise of God, for the salvation of humankind, and to the honor of the holy Papal See.