To Conrad Cordatus, preacher in Zwickau. July 10, 1531.
Grace and peace in Christ! I have, my dear brother, read your writing, written to your pastor Mr. Nicolaus Hausmann on the 21st, and have become glad about it, since I have heard your godly zeal, diligent concern, and also your sadness because of the absence of your pastor. May Christ comfort and strengthen your heart until the matter is settled and judged, and may God grant you His grace. Our dear righteous brethren with you among the evil multitude have no lack, however, neither of doctrine, comfort, nor sacraments, because you are with them together with your faithful assistants.
It is not due to the pastor that he should be silent about the outrages and wrongs committed against him by the council, much less approve of them, especially because they defend their sin as right and well done. For forgiveness of sin is not valid only where the sins are recognized and confessed, and the bearing of violence and injustice is valid only for those who publicly confess that they are enemies of the word. But the sins of those who boast that they are brothers must not be endured by faithful pastors, but they must be punished, Matth. 18:15, not kept silent, much less approved, or they must be punished.
The people will wait for the terrible judgment, Ezek. 3:18: I will require his blood at your hand. Therefore, if they want to boast of being brothers, that is, Christians, they must have their sin punished, confess it and amend. But if they wish to defend their sin as rightly done, let them first confess that they are not Christians, but persecutors and enemies of divine doctrine; let us soon be satisfied with this, and be ready to suffer all things from them, as from enemies; but not as from brethren, as has been said. [For we have our own sin upon us more than too much; with others we will not burden ourselves].
Be patient for a while and suffer until the sovereign speaks in the matter; I hope that Christ will put a good end to the game, if the Zwickauers are worth it otherwise, or at least will bring us peace before these mad heads. May the grace of God be with you. Greet all brothers, especially those who help in the preaching ministry. Pray with earnestness for me, who am very weak. Monday after Kilian 1531.
Give my special greetings to Dr. Stephan, the physicist, and urge him to persevere a little longer. Martin Luther.