rl, and they say now this and now that; and in their twisting
of God's Word they lose its true sense, forget where they are, go
completely astray, and yet they would rule the whole world.

[Sidenote: The Keys Given to the Whole Church]

Therefore let every Christian believe that in these passages
Christ does not give either to St. Peter or to the other Apostles
the power to rule, or to soar so high. What then does He give? I
will tell you. These words of Christ are nothing but gracious
promises, given to the whole Church,[65] as was said above,[66]
in order that poor sinful consciences may find comfort when they
are "loosed" or absolved by man; and the words apply only to
sinful, timid, troubled consciences, and are intended to strength
en them, if they but believe. When these comforting words of
Christ, given for the benefit of all poor consciences in the
whole Church,[65] are thus made to strengthen and establish papal
power, I will tell you of what it reminds me.

[Sidenote: A Parable]

It reminds me of a rich, kind prince who threw open his
treasure-house, and gave complete freedom to all the poor to come
and take what they needed. Among the needy there came a rogue,
who made use of the permission all by himself and allowed none to
come in who did not bow completely to his will, and arbitrarily
explained the words of the prince to mean that the permission was
given to him alone. Can you imagine what the kind prince would
think of this rogue? If you cannot imagine it, hear what St.
Matthew says of that selfsame servant: "If that evil servant
shall say in his heart. My lord delayeth his coming, and shall
begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the
drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he
looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and
shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." [Matt.
24:48 ff.]

And now see: in the same manner as this servant interprets the
intention of his lord, so the Romanists interpret the words of
God, and this is the very best that can be said of their
interpretation. For when they go stark mad, they act as if yon
servant had not only made barter of his lord's kindness for his
own profit, but as if he actually changed the goods, and gave
chaff and stubble for com, copper for gold, lead for silver, and
poison for wine. And therefore it is still a matter o