EXPOSITION OF THE IMAGES.

FIRST IMAGE.

The Roman Pontiff with two bears, putting a coin into the mouth of one.

A woodcut illustration depicts the Pope seated on a throne, wearing a papal tiara and holding a palm frond. Two bears stand at his feet; one reaches up toward his hand, and the Pope appears to be placing a coin into the bear's mouth. In the background, there is a landscape with a church steeple, birds in the sky, and stars.

The picture shows the Pope to be recognized by this path. Since he, as the Pontiff of all malice, has given himself over entirely to arrogance and pride, who would not consider him completely alien to God, and that in his life there exists nothing of goodness or sanctity? For this reason, he stops the mouths of those who perceive and understand his deception by giving them gold, silver, and various gifts so that they remain silent. The bears standing by him signify those who have the power to tear the Pope to pieces. Yet, when they open their mouths, they swallow gold and silver. This clarifies for us that all ecclesiastics who receive the Pope's scourge and bear his mark belong to this opinion, whether they hold his side for or against him, so that they remain of one and the same report. Otherwise, unless their mouths were closed with words that nourish hope or with coin, none of them could or would remain. For God does not raise up heralds of his word from the Pope’s vineyard, but in a miraculous way, he calls them from outside said line, just as Peter and Andrew were called from the fishing net, who were not of the line of Caiaphas or Annas; much less will he raise a true preacher of his word from the line of the Roman Pontiff, nor from his number. And not only the Pope, but all who are his along with him, and even any who exist against him out of envy, are included in this, because they do not seek the glory and honor of the Holy Spirit, but rather strive against it, to close the mouth of the bear, so that they may remain unharmed by these. Although not all possess gold or gifts, nevertheless they all have a mind fixed upon a monetary root.