October 4, 1532.
To my dear lords and friends in Christ N. and N., who are now to be expelled from Leipzig for the sake of Christ, all and especially, grace and peace in Christ; otherwise there will be no peace until the Lord Himself comes and overthrows the enemy of peace;
My dear gentlemen and friends in Christ! Wolf Kremlein has shown me all your supplications to your gracious Lord, which are almost pleasing to me, and I would like to see you light two candles for the devil. For this will bring you all the greater happiness and the more unhappiness and accident to the troubled head.
If this will not be the case with the unrighteous man, and if there is no testimony from H(Archduke) G(eorg) of your honest conduct, then you have more than enough that both God and the world, even H(Archduke) G(eorg's) own people, testify that you do and suffer such things as Christians and only for the sake of Christ. For everyone knows that H(Archduke) G(eorg) does not attack you for any other reason, especially now, as all the world knows, because the Emperor has given us Lutherans peace; which grieves the wretched head.
has. But hold fast; Christ begins to reign and wants to put an end to the game.
In our principality, of course, there is no need for anyone to move you up or hinder you in trade, because our most gracious lord stands by the confession that has gone out. Therefore, I ask you to give the mad head only good words and do not forgive yourselves anything; as you are doing now in this supplication. If it helps, it helps; if it does not help, it does not harm; yes, promote yourselves before God: he will soon find the devil and his own. It is said, "I am a God of the wretched, and know the worthy from afar."
Be confident, dear friends, sourness must precede before laughter comes. Dulcia non meminit, qui non gustavit amara. (That is: The sweet does not feel, who has not tasted the bitter before), Ante gloriam conteritur cor (That is: Before the glory the heart is contrite). God the Father strengthen you by his right spirit in Christ JEsu, and not in H(erzog) G(eorg). For Christ lives and Duke George dies, that is certain and will soon be proven, amen. On the day of St. Francisci, 1532.