To all my dear lords and friends who are now driven out of Leipzig for the sake of Christ, Martinus Luther, Doctor and Preacher in Wittenberg, grace and peace in Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
1 I have, dear sirs and friends, long remained outside with my letter of consolation to you; although there was no lack of good, inclined, and willing will, but itself
The matter was somewhat hindered by the weakness of my heart and other things. Which hindrance was nevertheless all the more bearable to me, because I saw and heard that our dear Lord Christ, without my comforting him, had come before with his Holy Spirit and had thus abundantly strengthened and comforted you, that for his sake you had suffered such tyranny and violence and had surrendered and dared to surrender to him body and soul; which for-
This is not a small gift of God and is given to few, as you yourselves see and experience. For this you and we should thank him from the bottom of our hearts and ask him to confirm and strengthen such a great work in you until the future of our Savior, amen!
2 For St. Paul also exalts and praises such a gift in his Philippians, when he says in chapter 1, v. 27, 28: "You fight together with us in the faith of the gospel and do not let yourselves be frightened in any way by the adversaries; which is a sign to them of condemnation, but to you of salvation; and the same from God. For it is given unto you for Christ's sake, that ye should not only believe on him, but also suffer for his sake. And have the same struggle, which ye have seen in me, and now hear of me."
3 And Christ himself praises such a gift even more highly, when he says, Matth. 5, 10-12: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, and shall lie against you, because of me. Be glad and of good cheer; your reward will be great. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you."
4 And that I confess the truth, I am ashamed that I should comfort you in this case, who, as I said, see such a rich gift in you and feel our Lord's gracious work in you, and myself receive much more comfort and joy from it than you can receive from my writing or speaking. For you comfort and gladden me with deeds, and I you with words, because you, praise God, have stood so firm and steadfast, and have proved the fruit of faith by freely confessing and willingly suffering your cross.
5 And though it be the gift of God both to comfort by works and by words, yet the works are more and greater than the words. And if ye doubt not that Christ hath wrought these things in you, than there is no doubt: for it is not the work of men, nor of reason, to make mammon, good dwelling, good rest, good temper, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat, good meat.
If you despise and forsake your friends and grace for God's sake and dare to put your body and soul on Christ's word, otherwise everyone would do the same: you will not fail to find your heart full of comfort and joy in Christ, your Lord and Master, who has graciously created and given you such a heart and courage and will keep it. But whoever doubts it and thinks that it was done on an adventure, as you do not, but your enemies or other wicked, ungodly people may think, they cannot greatly respect or admire it, much less rejoice in it, praise God or thank Him.
(6) Therefore this is the first consolation, for we must also comfort one another with words to praise and honor God, to defy and displease the devil and his members, that you may be sure in your hearts and not doubt that it is certainly God's gift and work in you, that you confess Christ freely for Christ's sake, as St. Paul says, and suffer for it. For you could just as well have remained in Leipzig in good peace, honor and grace, as the others, where you also would have followed your flesh and blood and denied Christ.
(7) And it is easy to reckon that such a chasing away has not been a string play nor a laughter to your flesh and blood, nor is it a pleasure nor a joy; Duke George, of course, did not do this to you so that it would be gentle and pleasant for you; otherwise he would have let it be; but he wanted to cause you pain and suffering. And he has done it; he knows it well, so you feel it well. Therefore, lest you and we should be proud and ungrateful for such a work, we praise and glorify the right Master of the work, our Lord Christ, who has put into your hearts such defiance and courage against the devil and his servants, and comfort ourselves with all joy in the spirit against the impatient, weak, grumbling flesh and blood; for "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," says Christ, Mark 14:38. 14, 38. But the spirit goes forth, and the flesh is dragged along, like an unruly lazy dog.
8) Second, is your conscience pure and clear?
beautiful, and can take comfort and rejoice in the fact that you are not expelled, nor do you suffer this for the sake of some mischievousness, evil deed or disobedience. For both of you, enemies and friends, as well as Duke George himself, even if he should tear himself apart, must confess and bear witness that you are faithful, submissive, obedient, sincere and honest in all things toward your temporal authorities, as far as they always have power and command, and towards all your fellow citizens you have kept yourselves blameless, peaceful and quiet, also to serve and follow with body and goods, where such secular obedience has to command, always willingly, willingly and obediently, even though all this should not be respected, as pious, honest, honest citizens should do.
(9) Such a fine, blameless conscience stands free before all the world, unafraid; which St. Peter also praises as a great comfort, when he says in the first epistle of the 4th chapter, v. 15, 16: "Let no one among you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or one who takes hold of a foreign office; but if he suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him honor God in such a case. Here St. Peter also shows that it is God's honor and work when we suffer as Christians, that is, before the world innocently and not as evildoers. Now your innocence before the world is certain, and with this saying of the Holy Spirit you are compared to all Christians and Christ Himself, and at the same time comforted.
10. *) Again, it is also certain that Duke George and your traitors and fellow persecutors go much, much too high and take hold of God's office and judgment. For their power extends only over body and goods, or worldly things; but they also go and search the secrets of the hearts and consciences, and want to rule and rage there according to their will; although no angel, no man, neither pope nor bishop has such power, nor do all those who have spiritual offices in the church, even though they are commanded to rule the consciences and hearts by the outward word and holy commandments.
*) From here to the very end of the Scripture, to the words: God honor his name etc., is not in the first edition, with which such has been conferirt.
Sacraments. But to rumble in and secret hearts want to know, to judge, to punish, as your tyrants and traitors do, that is called them the wretched devil from hell, and will give account dear enough to the one who forbade it.
11. Now you do not suffer such things from Duke George nor from your sovereign and overlord; for a sovereign or authority has no power, right or authority to do such things; but as from tyrants, who themselves take from them another new, foreign power, which is not innate to them, not inherited, not commanded by election, neither permitted by God nor man; but, as said, by their own thurst (daring) and iniquity they are subject to steal for themselves; so you can boast with all hope in the spirit that you innocently suffer vain iniquity and injustice before God and the world; in addition, not as from ordinary overlords or sovereigns, but as from tyrants who step out of their ordinary power and rule and submit to foreign forbidden power. If the peasants or you did this, it would be called sedition and a crime of majesty; but now that the princes do it themselves, it must be called Christian and rightly done.
(12) For who has ever read or heard of the same example, that signs should be given to inquire who confesses and what he believes? especially from a secular prince. The pope, who has been the real tyrant over consciences, has never done this. Who ordered Duke George to do this? What does it matter to him who confesses or not? Bishops and preachers should be allowed to govern confession; a prince should wait for his princely office. Who ordered him to take such an oath on his subjects that they should commit themselves to follow the Lutheran doctrine? Is it all superpower and out of the way! There is no more reason there, but vain devilry and wickedness; it would be enough of a man possessed. And I know for certain that such his thunderous and sacrilegious commandments will also cause those with a heavy mind, especially those who are not related to our cause.
13 But let him go; he has what he is supposed to have. God's wrath has come upon him. Let no one curse him, nor seek vengeance against him; it has already been smelled ten times and more, all that he has ever done or can do against our teaching. For St. Paul considers this to be the highest wrath and vengeance, when God causes a man to be hardened or to fall into such a wrong mind, Rom. 1:24, 26, 28, that he cannot stand God's word, and David, Ps. 81, calls it "a prickly or bitter spirit," as the Jews had against Christ. Since we already see such vengeance against him, why should we grumble and be impatient with him? If we had burned him to ashes with all that he has and is able to do, we would not have done him the hundredth part of the suffering and evil that he does to himself with this. He would be worthy of lamentation and intercession to God, but I worry that it would be lost and in vain. I have prayed long and almost for him, but I do not anymore, as St. John teaches me, 1 John 5:14, 15.
If our doctrine is the right word of God and we do not doubt it, then we also cannot doubt that Duke George and his helpers will be condemned before our eyes, of which we must be certain, to the abyss of hell, there to burn in eternal fires as a hellfire. But what Christian heart has ever been so hurt that it would want to grant him such a thing or take joy and pleasure in such vengeance? But what we cannot keep, we must let go of and take comfort in our innocence, that we have given no cause for it, but rather have helped and advised for the best with teaching, praying, counseling, admonishing, reproving, doing and suffering as much as we have always been able. The pious king David wanted to break his heart when his son Absalom, his murderer and greatest enemy, was stabbed to death by God's right and strict judgment, 2 Sam. 18, 33, but he still had to let it happen. Christ Himself did miserably and pitifully to preserve His betrayer Judas, Matt 26:24, but Judas went to his place. St. Paul suffered hellish anguish over his people Israel that
They did not want to accept Christ, Rom. 9, 2. 3. but it was in vain and did not help.
15. and that I come again to our cause, is that also one of your consolations, as said, that you also suffer innocently before the world; not as wicked, disobedient citizens or countrymen, but have kept yourselves honest and upright against your worldly authorities and neighbors, as far and as wide as such worldly law and life extends. Now there is always a good, safe, cheerful conscience in those who suffer wrong; for with wrong suffering, where one is not commanded to punish, there can be no sin; where one cannot sin, there can be no evil conscience. Therefore, innocent suffering naturally brings with it innocence, good, safe and calm conscience; again, doing wrong cannot remain without evil, sorrowful, troubled conscience. Yes, even those who are commanded to punish and avenge, and do right in doing so, must be in danger and worry that they do too much or too little, and cannot have as fine, quiet, pure a conscience as those who suffer injustice.
(16) So also the heathen say: It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. Yes, indeed better. It is much too thin and weakly spoken; so they should say: There is no higher treasure on earth than to suffer innocently, and no greater harm than to do wrong. Cause: Joy above all joy is a good, safe conscience, and sorrow above all sorrow is heartache, that is, an evil conscience. For an evil conscience is hell itself, and a good conscience is paradise and the kingdom of heaven. That is why Christ also put his Christians in vain sufferings and let the world remain in unrighteousness. So you are now also separated from Leipzig with innocent suffering and let your tyrants remain there in their injustice. Let it now be decided who is best at it and who has won.
(17) Thirdly, this is a strong and mighty consolation, if you rightly consider the causes why you suffer and are driven away. For the devil and Duke George, together with his fellow tyrants, pretend to drive you out for the sake of the one article of both forms of the sacrament;
But among them is the opinion, which they also prove by deed, that you should deny the whole doctrine of our gospel and worship the abomination of the pope at all times. Here let your heart rejoice that you have come out of the city and out of the country where it is customary to deny and persecute the word of grace and forgiveness of sins, and how we are justified and saved through Christ alone, without merit etc. For this is the main article from which all our doctrine has flowed, and has come to light so brightly that it is also known and recognized at Augsburg before the emperor, as it is founded in the Scriptures; and the adversaries themselves have had to confess that it may not be refuted with the holy Scriptures. Who should not be afraid? Whose hair should not stand on end and whose heart should not tremble in his body, if he wanted to be a Christian, that he should dwell in the city in which the gospel, St. Paul and all the holy Scriptures are forbidden and condemned, and also commanded and sworn to be denied and persecuted? Should one rather run out naked and not stay in it for a moment.
(18) I am sorry, truly, for the fine city of Leipzig, for the fine country and many of its people who are and must be in it. For it is terrible for a Christian heart to hear the name of the city of Leipzig now and to see its form miserable because of the unheard-of abomination, that not one article or two, but the whole Christ with his grace is so shamefully blasphemed in it, in addition to being persecuted and all papal, monastic, devilish abominations and errors are confirmed against their own conscience. For Duke George, with his angry ones, knows very well that we teach rightly about Christ, the sacraments, faith, love, good works, etc.; so they and all the world must confess that no doctrine according to the Holy Scriptures has been taught so gloriously and Christianly by the secular authorities; yes, they confess that many errors and abuses have been punished by our doctrine, and by no other, many erroneous doubts have been destroyed, many dark and uncertain things have been settled.
19. they have also learned from our teaching "both language and sermon, which leads them to
nor must all this be called "Luther's gospel pulled out from under the bench," which is to be a delicious mockery, and must be denied and persecuted against their own conscience. This may be envy and hatred, this may be called the wrath of God, so that the gospel is rightly pushed under the bench, angrier than it has ever been before; yes, this may be called "blaspheming the Spirit of grace, esteeming the blood of Christ unclean, trampling under foot the Son of God," as the epistle to the Hebrews says (10:29).
20 Yes, they say, we do not condemn the gospel, nor Christ, but Luther's gospel etc. Answer: I am not talking to them now, but only to you exiles from Leipzig, who believe and know that this doctrine of ours is not ours, but the right true Word of God, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures, which is not written or made by us. Why do we ask what Duke George calls the gospel with his own, any more than he asks what we call the gospel? Christ is the judge of all of us, and he will be the judge. But because we hold our doctrine to be the word of God and freely confess it before the world, we must, according to such faith and confession, call and confess all those who pursue it enemies of God, blasphemers of God, children of the devil and damned. We must suffer them to call us heretics, devils, and no more, as they wish, in the most disgraceful way; if they are not sure of their doctrine, and do more than one thing against their conscience.
(21) I know very well that Duke George rages when he is called an enemy of Christ and of his word, and cries out in hostility when he is reviled and reviled for his honor. But he does not want to see and hear again how he blasphemes and reviles us; he wants to have his mouth free and open to blaspheme us to his liking and to shut our mouths. Yes, that is what he should be ordered to do. I will gladly keep silent about me, who by the grace of God is a proper doctor in the holy Scriptures, and in the public Christian ministry and pastoral care, so that he and his followers should leave their blasphemy, in honor of my position and ministry, as cheaply as they can.
I hope to God that I have carried out my doctoral and preaching office as honestly as he may always carry out his princely office. For I hope to God that I have carried out my doctoral and preaching office as honestly as he can always carry out his princely office. But I will keep silent about me. But there are so many noble, highborn princes and lords in my teaching, also so honorable and praiseworthy, as Duke George ever was and always can be, whom he blasphemes and reviles unfairly, as a lower prince than I blaspheme him. Why should he complain so much that he is being dishonored, when he has so far dishonored the third Elector, who is higher than he is, as well as many of his fellow princes and countless other highly learned and noble, honorable people, out of his petty reason of human doctrine, yes, out of pure old hatred and envy?
(22) Yes, it would be a fine thing: if an assassin came to me in the street and wanted to stab and cut me, and if I had to defend myself, he would cry out, "Oh, dear, let it be, you might hit and wound me, you are doing me wrong; but keep still, let me cut and stab you, I am doing you right. So Duke George also wants to be free and right to blaspheme us with our doctrine; and yet again forbid us to say anything to him again. Just as if he were the judge of these things, and what he holds must be considered right by all the world, since his teaching is wrong and unjust - as mere human behavior - but ours is right and certain - as the pure word of God.
(23) Therefore our reproach is not reviling, but the truth; otherwise I would not have to call the devil an evil spirit, a murderer, a liar, nor would I have to call the world false, unfaithful, evil (2c); otherwise they would also be angry and say that I reviled their honor. But if I were to pay for the preface to Emser's New Testament, I would want to say who are the revilers and who are the reviled. This is what I want to say to those who always think that I should spare Duke George. I have truly spared him more at all times than he deserves, for the sake of the noble House of Saxony, which he spares little, both in his own and other persons. For it
means, as the Latin rhetors say: Qui quae vult loquitur, quae non vult, audiet (that is: He who always speaks what he likes must hear what he does not like). So also Solomon says, Sprüchw. 26, 5, "one must answer the fool so that he does not let himself think that he is right or wise".
Fourthly, you should also be comforted by the fact that you already see and feel the vengeance that has befallen Duke George in this very commandment of his. For he did not intend it at all - that is certain - that he should be so highly despised by his own, that in Leipzig, the only city, so many citizens - as I hear, eighty, and with their servants, eight hundred heads - should so freely and publicly despise his anger and raving that they were willing to clear his land before they would grant a single letter of his anger and outrage against Christ. What else will there be, not only in Leipzig, but in the whole principality, who are also so minded, though secretly? How much holier is Leipzig than Sodom, in which God did not find five heads who were his! Because he is an angry and coarse man and wants to be feared by all the world, and yet he is nothing, you have shown him a quite Lutheran - should say Christian - little piece, that is: one is angry, the other gives nothing for it. For Christ at the right hand of God does not ask much whether the devil or Duke George is angry. You have also done this and still do. How sweetly and well he likes it, and what joy he gets from it, let him tell his chamber and bed, even if he denies it and is bold. You alone have smelled enough of the piece and he has paid well, if there were no other wrath of God upon him. I know that for certain.
(25) I hear miracles when I say how shamefully the interrogators at the council in Leipzig have started their examinations. For we have the advantage that they themselves confess how our article of both forms stands clear and bright in the Gospel and in St. Paul; there they cannot pass by, there they must become ashamed of themselves, and it does them wrong that they should be confronted with public Scripture and God's Word.
Therefore, they devil and assassinate their loose zeal, and they cleverly say high things, how one should believe that there is as much in one form as in both. Just as if one asked here, how much or little there is in one or both forms; and their answer is the same as the one who was asked, "Where does the right way go out? And he said: I cut out young woodpeckers. How many miles are there? They have," he said, "beaks like arrows. I mean, you are mad; the nest is just full etc.
The highly learned masters in Duke George's country give just such answers. That is how finely they know how to defend their faith. One asks here: Whether one should be obedient to God and his word in both forms? because we have it clearly and openly before us in the gospel. That is the question. So they answer: It is as much in one form as in both. If one were to ask in Leipzig whether one should pay homage to Duke George there and be subject to him, and if such an answer were given: There are as many citizens in Leipzig as in both of Dresden, that would be a delicious answer. No one but Duke George and his donkey theologians should give such a clever answer and persecute the people about it.
But the priest in Dresden did the very best, who taught the pious people from his profound art: how the church had been earlier than God's word; therefore one should be obedient to the church and not to God's word. To such his foolishness one answered him: It is written: "In the beginning was the Word. Where was the church before God's word? Then all his art fell away from him, and he knew nothing to say to it, but thus: I mean, you were also once in my house. With that, the poor Lutheran heretic was finished. Weiler, the same highly learned man said to some, how one should give the laymen both permissions: one should make a sea-earth out of it. This is how Christ should deliver his blasphemers, so that they disgrace themselves with their own tongues, and call even the holy sacrament a sea-earth, about which they argue so hard and plague the people. I think they will still call it a sea
or sink, call the obdurate, desperate jacks.
What do they have in their mass? Is it a soup or a soup? Yes, certainly a soup, because they break the hosts and throw the soft things into the chalice and make a real soup and sea-earth out of it, which no one is worthy to enjoy but they alone. So they eat the Sacrament three times in the bread: two pieces dry and one in the soup;*) when they themselves say that each piece is the whole Sacrament; they have thus made a fourfold Sacrament and deny us the simple whole Sacrament. Well then, we already see the vengeance, wrath and punishment of God coming upon them, that they are becoming mad and foolish and no longer know what they think, speak or do; that we should rejoice when we are separated from such accursed mouths and do not have to be partakers of their senseless, shameful works and words.
Fifthly, your chasing away is also comforting in that you confess with such a public act that you are not willing, nor are you partakers of all the innocent blood that the murderous papists have shed these twelve years ago for the sake of this doctrine, with sword, fire, water and all kinds of plagues. For although Duke George and his followers have not yet shed any blood that I know of, they are nevertheless in the murderers' guild and keep company with the bloodthirsty mob, helping to protect and promote the murderers' cause and deed; for which reason all this innocent blood lies on their necks and they will not come out with any excuse. For even if they do not want to consider it murder and innocent blood, but think they are serving God with it, we know for sure that it is murder and innocent blood, shed for the sake of God's word. The Jews did not shed Christ's blood, but Pilate did; yet he said to Pilate, "He who delivered me up to you has greater sin," John 19:11. Thus
*The Roman priests break the host in half after the consecration, then break off another small piece from one half to throw it into the consecrated wine, and thus enjoy the consecrated bread in three pieces. - D. Red.
He also says in Matthew 23, v. 35, that Abel's blood and the blood of all the righteous, shed from the beginning, would come upon the Jews, who had shed none of the blood, for the sake of the community or guild, in which they did the same thing against God's word that their ancestors did against the righteous and the prophets.
(30) And how else can one call the papacy but the real great pit of murder? Since the Roman bishop became pope, he has done nothing for more than six hundred years, but shed blood not only of the heretics, as they boast, but also of all the lands and people of Christendom, and has set kings and princes, lands and people against each other, and even waged war himself, in order to obtain and confirm the blasphemous, false, lying name that the pope wants to be the supreme head on earth, both, in spiritual and worldly being, and God's governor, yes, half God, half man, both, over angels in heaven and over devils in hell; as such threefold omnipotence over heaven, earth and hell means his threefold crown.
31 Therefore also Revelation at the 17th paints the great whore, the spiritual Babylon, as she wears vain red, sits on the red beast and is drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus and is full of blasphemous names on her forehead. Thus one should paint the papacy, thus it has done so far and still does so. For I have seen it myself at Worms and have now experienced it at Augsburg, how even Duke George has lifted and pushed before all others and would have gladly caused a disaster and bloodshed in our dear Germany. And if the pious emperor, whom they fraudulently provoked out of Spain because of the same misfortune, had not been opposed to it, it would truly have happened; then Duke George would have wept and lamented the blood of the disobedient and perhaps sent about a thousand florins to Meissen to buy masses for the slain Lutheran heretics, as if he were so sorry. Then God would have been reconciled, and he would have achieved the glory of unheard-of mercy. But who believes that the
holy God should so easily be fooled and deceived?
(32) It is also a consolation to my joy, and not the least, that I did not expel myself from the ministry; for I stood firm with the red whore and did the murderess all service and humility, but she would not suffer me and banished and expelled me from her pack. She must be thankful that she helped me out of her murder pit with her anger and cleared my conscience of all her abominations, murders and blasphemies. Otherwise, if she were still my gracious wife and I had to serve her in her pit of murder, I would also have to share in her red robe and golden chalice. Therefore, you and every pious Christian should also rejoice and thank God that you are publicly expelled from the pope's pack, so that you may keep the white robe of the Lamb of God pure and unsullied by the blood color of the great red whore.
For you see that there is no end to their murdering; they have so often spoken of it, so sometimes threatened it, and some of them have even defiantly determined the time when the Lutherans should be murdered. And even if they are not able to do so, because they are aware of the saying: Conrad is also evil; and: Beyond the mountain there are also people; yet there is no lack of good will. Who would want to be with people who think day and night about murdering and shedding blood, but wait, like Judas the betrayer, for the time when they would do it with advantage? For how gladly they would eat the leather, if they could, they show publicly by devouring the lappets so greedily; they chase you away and prove to us only the most wicked pieces they can devise. They are murderers and bloodhounds.
Again, we are eager for peace on our side, and desire neither war nor bloodshed; but ask for it, and suffer all things above that we should suffer. And the same they know, and have our heart sure, that they are safe from us, and without sorrow. Yes, I think that if Duke George himself were in need, he should show more kindness and loyalty to us Lutherans.
than to all his papists, and again, the papists more to us than to Duke George, their idol and patron. They know that they have such people in us; nor are they so poisoned that they, I think, would rather have the Turk as their lord than see us alive, and do not want to see that, where the Lutherans would not have been, the papacy would have long since been eaten up by rebels and red spirits. For we have the glory before God that it is our protection what the clergy still are and have; and if we lie down, they shall not long stand nor sit, that I know for certain.
35 But let go. I have often said, although I am not a prophet, since I saw at Worms and before how the bishops drove the little wheel with Duke George, and he with them: The priests, I said, are now watering Duke George, and Duke George is watering the priests; what does it matter if they now get drunk, one will spit all over the other's bosom? And Duke George now starts this finely and does the pope's thing so that both, pope and priests, wish they had never known Duke George nor aroused him. And I know that they would rather suffer the damned heretic Doctor Luther with his teachings than the holy spiritual patron, Duke George, with his strict right to rule over them, which he intends to do.
36 In summary, I have come to the end: We are all indebted to Christ, and each one in particular, to bear the cross, as he says, Matt. 10:38: "He that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me." Thus says the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 12, 7, 8: "Where is there a son whom his father does not discipline? If then ye are without chastening, ye must not be true children, because all children must suffer chastening." But such crosses and sufferings are delicious and precious, of which we are sure that they are endured not because of our guilt, but for the sake of Christ. The same Christ, because he is the cause, and is in our suffering, touching them, taking care of them as his own suffering, makes it all sweet, lovely, joyful, rich and glorious.
37 Therefore you have no cause to complain.
nor to mourn for the sake of suffering. See what others must suffer, and not just for the sake of God. What must those suffer who have lost their dearest son, wife, father, mother? What must the good man, Doctor Fax, suffer now along with his family? What would we do if we had to die of pestilence or in war? We must die without that, and not only Leipzig, but leave everything we love; and yet not for the sake of God's word, but for the sake of Adam's and our guilt. Although such sufferings also become holy through faith, which sanctifies all things in us, they are nowhere so noble and exquisite, because they do not have exquisite and noble causes, namely the word of God.
(38) And though the damage you suffer to goods, houses, and good quarters may be painful, you should think that all this is not your own, but God's, just as you yourselves are God's own. Now perhaps you have not yet offered fief money or interest, treasury or tithes to your liege lord JEsu Christo, so let it herewith be settled against each other. How much of it you would have had to give to monasteries, churches, priests and monks in the papacy, since it would have been lost and repugnant to God; but now you give it to God Himself, and it is a much more glorious gift than that which is given to the poor, the miserable and the needy for the sake of God; although Christ also values it as given to Himself, Matth. 25:40: "Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it to me.
39. but of this gift he says thus, Marc. 10, 29. 30.: "There is no one, if he for my sake and for the sake of the gospel leaves house, brothers, sister, father, mother, wife, children, fields, who does not receive it a hundredfold; now in this time houses, brothers, sisters, mother, children, fields with persecution; and in the world to come eternal life." For everything that you lose or have to do without for the sake of the gospel is sacrificed and given to God Himself in His person, as if it were given to Him above in heaven, and as the three holy kings to Christ Himself personally.
1950 D- -^> 261-263. III. Main st. - 0. from the father-our esp. 7th ple. W. X, 2249-2252. 1951
offered their gifts in the cradle, Matth. on 2, v. 11.
40 Without a doubt you would have considered yourselves blessed if you had been at the same time and had been found worthy to sacrifice your goods to the infant Jesus, or afterwards to serve him in his own person with yours during his life with Mary Magdalene. And now, because you know him, you would gladly do it with all your heart. Now your will is fulfilled according to all your wishes. For your loss, whatever it may be, of temporal goods in such a case has been sacrificed to Christ Himself, and has become a holy and heavenly treasure, adorned and decorated by Christ Himself. A single penny has become better than ten thousand guilders. Oh how well your goods are invested, because they are placed in the Lord Himself! This may well mean a hundredfold, as Christ says, Marc. 10, 30, here on earth, and there eternal life. He says with joy in your hearts, "Well, the least farthing that I have lost for this man's sake and for his name's sake is better to me than an hundred thousand florins; yes, one farthing lost or given for Christ's sake is better than all the world's goods received without and against Jesus. As he himself says, Matth. 16, 26: "What good is it for a man if he gains the world's goods and yet suffers damage to his soul? For what can a man give that he may redeem his soul?"
Finally, let us wait a little while and see what God will do; they will not rage forever. In the twelve years after the Diet of Worms (1521), so many great things happened by the power of God that no man could have imagined or imagined; in addition, many of the bloodhounds and murderers, who had wanted to devour us every year, perished with the public, terrible judgment of God. Who knows what God will do after this Diet of Augsburg, before ten years are up, which will soon pass and are a small hour before God? They are drowned in blood and want to murder us by all means; we know that, and they have no secret;
and so we sit among them as in a murder pit, since they think without ceasing how they will shed our blood and murder us; they turn to no warning of God, who has so often destroyed and disgraced all their bloodthirsty plots, even the Diet itself at Augsburg, since it should go right as they thought. They also know that they have no reason to come to us at all, asking nothing for signs and wonders; for I would have thought that they should have been moved by the single miserable example of Doctor Kraus or the preacher's accident in Leipzig; but there are no hearts in their body, but only stone, iron, steel and diamond.
Therefore, if the last day itself does not strike, they will be like the Jews at Jerusalem, who could not stop killing and shedding blood until they killed Christ himself and his apostles; then the Romans came shortly after them and gave them enough killing and bloodshed until this day. So now the papists struggle and press for it, and will not cease until the little song is sung over them, which the third angel sings, Revelation 16:5, 6: "O Lord, thou art just and holy, that thou hast judged these things. They have shed the blood of thy saints and of the prophets: so hast thou given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Our prayers, which we have made until now and have cried out so earnestly for peace to heaven, have so far kept the peace and saved our bloodhounds and murderers; otherwise they should have learned long ago what they seek and want to learn, for they do not ask for peace. Yes, for peace! They do not wish that God should help them to kill the Lutherans; they are powerful and clever enough of themselves and need neither God nor angels. Therefore, let us wait and hope a little; when we have prayed it out, it will be found, and God will know how to keep his lot when he turns our Sodom and Gomorrah around. .
43. to sum up: if we look at it with the right eyes of faith and truly hold Christ in his words, Duke George has done you such service with his anger and rage.
and helped to such honors that not only he, but all the world with all its grace, riches and power, could not serve and help like this. For he has made your hearts and consciences very free and confident, so that you are assured by his raving and can prove by deed how you suffer for Christ's sake and are thus conformed to the image of the Son of God, as St. Paul teaches in Romans 8:29, and to all the saints. O, this is a noble treasure and the highest honor before God. Item, he has urged you to the glorious public confession of Christ, that you have freely confessed the word of Christ before all the world, both in word and deed.
44 Therefore you may be sure that he will confess you again before his Father in heaven and before his holy angels. He has saved you from the community of bloodthirsty murderers. For all the world now sees and knows that you do not keep company with the papists, murderers and liars, but have separated yourselves from the red whore of Babylon by public deed and confession, and have not remained partakers of her blood. Item: He has served you, that you have offered your temporal goods to God Himself for a sweet pleasant odor over all sacrifices, incense and thyme; and in this you are sure that all these things are pleasing to God, and that He is your gracious God and dear Father, and says of you in heaven, These are sacrifices that please Me and praise Me rightly; and all the angels say a joyful Amen to them, and are all glad over you. For if they rejoice over one sinner who is converted, Luc. 15:6, how much more should they not rejoice over you so many, who have shown such strong conversion from that which was dear to you in the world?
45 You also know that Duke George's raging cannot last forever and will end sooner than he thinks, or perhaps someone thinks; as the Psalter says, Ps. 55:24: "The bloodthirsty do not bring it to an end. Now if any man be accused, it is not ye; but Duke George, who is most grievous in it. But he wants to be unaccused; this shall also happen to him, as it says in the 109th Psalm, v. 17: "He did not want the blessing, he shall also be far enough from
come to him." May Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, who has so graciously blessed you, strengthen and sustain you in the work he has begun in you, and make you, together with us and all Christians, perfect and constant until the day of his blessed future and our final redemption. To him be praise and thanksgiving with the Father and the Holy Spirit, our one, eternal, right God forever and ever, amen.
46 But it has come to our attention, dear friends, as if some in Leipzig had misled your hearts and consciences and suggested that a piece of advice should have come to them in writing from us or from ours in Wittenberg; namely, that one might well avoid both forms of the sacrament and use only one, especially because the authorities had commanded this and the danger could thereby be avoided. But, dear friends, stand firm and immovable. Even if an angel from heaven and we ourselves tell you differently, that both forms are right and one form is wrong, do not believe it. For we cannot contradict the clear, revealed text of the gospel and of St. Paul. And whosoever therefore hath declared us unto you, hath done us wrong, or hath not rightly understood our word.
47 For what would we have done in the Diet and before the emperor if we had openly confessed and defended both figures there and were now to secretly deny or change them? What would be our concern? It would have been much safer, openly denied and secretly confessed, as the Priscillans did with their faith. Why should we have had so much trouble and work over this article for so many years, and should many a pious heart have surrendered in vain to danger and fear? If only the papists in Augsburg would have let us keep both forms of custom, where we in turn would have wanted to keep one form of custom; but we did not want to do it, could not do it either, because it is not in our power, but God's word and order. From this it can be seen that we are wrong with you in our supposed advice.
(48) But this I have often done: when some have come to me from another dominion and asked me, "How should they conduct themselves in this article?" I have asked them, "Whether they are certain that it is the word of God and the truth to use both forms and not one? If they then wavered and first wanted to ask and learn it from me, I did not advise them to take both forms, but let them go and learn the truth and become certain. For though I should baptize that man, and he were uncertain of the truth of baptism and the gospel, yet would I, even as I should, truly not baptize him. For an uncertain heart should not be sworn to God's words and sacraments.
49. A certain faith is required, and God wants to be unpunished in His promises. Therefore, I not only deny such fickle hearts both forms, but I advise and instruct them that they not tempt God and anger Him more than before. But if they say that they are sure that it is the right truth, I ask them further, whether they also want to confess it publicly before their authorities, if it comes to that? If they say, "No," or if they cannot know what they will do, I will let them go and let them remain unsworn with the sacrament. If they say: Yes, they want to confess it with God's help and dare to do it as they please; then I wish them grace and strength, and let them dare and do it in God's name.
(50) From this report it cannot be said that we are right to use one form; then let it be interpreted maliciously and deliberately force such a meaning from it. For if I do not advise someone, nor do I want to advise someone, because he is uncertain or unsteady in using both forms, I have not said or permitted that one form is right. Just as if I do not or cannot advise a Turk or a Jew to receive baptism because he is uncertain or does not want to be known, I do not say that his Jewish or Turkish faith is right; but I say what Peter says, 2 Ep. 2, 21, about the gospel: "Let it be better,
not to know the truth, but to fall away from it". So it is better to remain in the sacrament beforehand than to fall away from it afterwards, or not to believe or confess it. For such people are not yet true Christians, because they are so uncertain or do not want to remain steadfast in their confession; just as many others are not true Christians either, because they do not want to give up their avarice, usury, fornication and other vices. A Christian should be certain of his mind and faith, or strive to be so, and then, when the time and the matter demand it, confess it freely and constantly.
Item, I am also told how some revile us, as if we ourselves are not sure of the matter, therefore nothing can be built on our doctrine at all; and attract, as we got along with the Zwinglians in Marburg (1529), to pray for each other according to love type etc. Dear God! how they brood! how they seek it so variously and precisely that they mislead the good consciences and bring them to their One Form! Truly, I would have to have a lot of paper and scribes if I were to answer any fool in particular. A fool can talk more than ten wise men can tell. Whoever does not want to rely on our teaching, let him do so; we must not give an account for him. So we teach no one who does not want to have it, but only those who desire to know it. Let him also who would reproach us, that we ourselves are uncertain of our doctrine, reproach him nevertheless, deceive and deceive himself and others with it, as long as he can; we can do nothing about it, and are innocent of their blood and destruction. For they know that I have previously made my confession in the most certain and strongest way, not with a book alone, against the Sacramentarians publicly before all the world.
52: In Augsburg, too, our general confession was made orally before the emperor and the entire empire, and then by printing it throughout the world, and it was made certain enough; but regardless of all this, they want to make our doctrine uncertain from the article at Marburg, which is about love. And yet, it is clearly stated in the same article that we have not tolerated the sacrament;
1956 D- 31.267.; 55,1. 2. Troftbrief to the Leipzigers after their expulsion. W. X, 2257.; 2224. 1957
But we have remained on our doctrine and have kept it as certain, and have also separated ourselves from those; without wanting to persecute and murder one another for it, as the papists do, but leaving room for love, which keeps peace even with enemies and prays for them. But the papists are such learned people that they do not consider anyone to be sure of his doctrine, because he murders others, sheds blood and chases away pious people. This is their sign, so that they prove their faith's certainty and their love's ardor, the great saints.
But what shall I say much? There are my writings and public confessions, and many of them. Our Confession and Apology are there and go about, along with many of our own books. There are before our eyes our use and manner in our churches, so that we may abundantly prove what we believe and hold to be certain, not only in this article of the Sacraments, but in all things of faith. Whoever does not want to be content with this, but wants to talk about us in a different way or to be talked about in a different way against us, must not think that we are sitting here and want to make something special for every useless mouth or unwashed ear. Our light is not hidden under a bushel, but burns and shines freely on the lampstand, so brightly and clearly that it can be seen by all devils together with their
Papists and Sacramentists in the eyes hurts and before rage and Grintm then throw sword, water, fire and whatever they can grab. He who does not yet see it, let him rebuke his blind eyes and not our bright, certain light, and let him always go. If he cooks it well, he will eat it well. It is called and should be called: Verbum Domini manet in aeternum (that is: the word of the Lord abides forever). No lying, chattering, blustering or raging will help.
Therefore, dear friends, as I have said, be and remain firm and do not let anyone mislead you, and do not adhere to any of our precepts, even if one of our own does so; but adhere to our confession and apology, and to our use and deeds in our churches, and you will not allow us to be reviled among you, nor will you believe any other precepts against us. But in the matter of the holy sacrament itself, hold fast to the gospel and the doctrine of St. Paul, to which also our apology and the custom of our churches adhere, and let the papists boast and cry: Church, church, church! We say against it: If not only the church, but also an angel from heaven and St. Paul himself said otherwise, let it be accursed, Gal. 1, 2. How much more should it be accursed that the devilish whore, who against and without God boasts of herself the church, says otherwise! May God honor His name and increase His kingdom and help us from all evil, amen.