against Duke George of Saxony. *)
New Year 1529.
Martin Luther to all devout Christians grace and peace in Christ.
1) A booklet has recently gone out under Duke George of Saxony's name, in which I am attacked for a letter that I am supposed to have written to the worthy, highly learned D. Wenceslaus Link, preacher at Nuremberg. And it is true that for the same letter, the aforementioned Prince Duke George has requested me in writing 1) and, as his printed booklet shows, immediately demanded such with proud insistence and defiance; to which I replied as follows:
To the Sublime, Highborn Prince and Lord, Mr. George, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, my gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. I have received E. F. G.'s letter, in which E. F. G. requests a note or copy from me. F. G. requested from me a note or copy of half an answer, whether I am aware of such writing.
1) by the letter listed in the sud k. directory above.
and such, as if I had to sit here waiting like the least, obligated or prisoner. To this is my short answer, after which E. F. G. is well aware of my great patience, which I have borne so far over the preface to the New Testament of Emser, and to the answer of my heartfelt, humble writing. 2) Therefore, I will also have patience this time over this piece, which E. F. G. considers to be a great and difficult challenge.
And I humbly ask E. F. G. to leave me untried with such notes or copies. Without a doubt, E. F. G. will know to inquire from those who have given and handed such notes 3) (even without Luther's help) as to what such writing is, which E. F. G. more than
2) countered - which has been reciprocated.
3) In Duke George's "Responsibility," "made" is found instead of "handed. Cf. Seidemann, "Erläuterungen," p. 134, where this letter is included. "gereicht" is the correct reading, as follows from Luther's letter to the Elector John of Nov. 25, 1528 (cf. Seidemann, "Lutherbriefe," p. 36) and from § 4 of the present writing.
*This text was first published in Wittenberg by Hans Luft at the New Year's Fair in 1529; in the same year it was published again without indication of the printer and place of printing. In the collective editions: in the Wittenberg (1569), vol. IX, p. 291; in the Jena (1566), vol. IV, p. 532; in the Altenburg, vol. IV, p. 628; in the Leipzig, vol. XXII, p. 5, and in the Erlangen, vol. 31, p. 1. The letter to Duke Georg once again vol. 54, 48 s. We have followed the latter, which brings the text of the original edition, comparing the Jena edition.
I am related to or affiliated with. I do not want to have written anything harder this time against such pious people, because I would be Christianly inclined to have mercy and to ask for E. F. G.'s challenge, if E. F. G. could suffer it. Hiemit GOtt.befohlen, Amen. At Wittenberg, Saturday of the last of October, 1528.
E. F. G.
Williger
Martinus Luther.
2 And I would have truly hoped that he would be content with such a kind, humble answer. But because he cannot rest, and nothing wants to resist his evil temptation, I kindly ask every pious heart not to blame me if I speak my need, but to look at my need, where the restless man presses and drives me. For God knows that I would gladly have spared Duke George, not only for the sake of his own peace and quiet, but also for the sake of the entire noble house of Saxony. That is why I have so far not replied to the shameful unchristian preface of the New Testament, then to his princely and clumsy answer to my heartily humble letter, but have eaten into myself with great patience, so that no disgrace would remain with our descendants to the noble house of Saxony. Likewise, I would have known how to hit him over the muzzle with such an answer to the next request for my letter, so that he would have been atoned for the pleasure of such a search, if I had not wanted to spare him. Well, the fault is not mine, everyone sees that Duke George wants it that way; so let it go, God willing.
First, he complains that I did not want to answer correctly, to say yes or no, when he had sought nothing but the truth etc. Then I answer: What need or right he has to inquire into such truth, I will indicate afterwards. But I do not know any other way this very day, than if I should give an amicable and kind answer to such inquiries, that it is due to me to say neither yes nor no, which his reason, if it were out of the contest, would be able to do for itself.
For since this is supposed to be a secret writing, written to a certain person, not going out publicly by printing, nor sent to many people (as he accuses me of untruthfulness), and I do not have the main letter, nor did I have a copy of it with me, how should it have stood to me? Yes, how would my conscience have stood, where I would have concluded yes or no in such a matter, since I myself was neither certain nor could conclude yes or no?
4. For if I had denied the letter and said no, I might have been convinced by the handwriting and seal; but if I had said yes to it, and the letter had passed through many hands, fearing that it might have been improved or changed (as also happens to my printed books), I would have been fine again: Therefore I considered it best to act smoothly, if I directed him to the pious people, who would have handed and prepared such writing for him; with whom it would have been more princely and reasonable for him, and he was also obliged to inquire, and not to demand from me, that he had no right nor justification to demand; in addition, he should have reasonably assumed that he would demand an impossible thing, let alone an unjust thing, from me.
But now my kind glimpse is in vain, and should and must be valid; so I say now, I would give ten guilders, that Duke George would have received my handwriting and seal, so we would have arranged a fine game for this carnival. But what shall I do now? The main letter is not there (I hear him say) and the restless man goes out, bases himself on such writing, of which neither I nor he himself is certain nor can be certain; interprets and carries the same play to adorn himself with it, and to disgrace and denigrate me with it. How very fine and praiseworthy it would have been for a wise prince not to lead out so lightly with uncertain writings, but to think: the letter is uncertain and a secret letter's copy, let it go, what can you make of it?
6. i know excellent people, so far duke george of the princely alliance or
The fact that he is held quite innocent in the case of a riot, starts to doubt, and is challenged with suspicion, is why he seeks to adorn himself so anxiously and precisely, also unnecessarily unfairly; and if it were not forbidden to judge by suspicion, I would almost be like that too. For guilty consciences are, among others, also of this kind, that they tend to betray themselves with too industrious and too high unnecessary excuses. Hence also comes the proverb, when one speaks of such apologists: "How white does he hear himself? Happy, secure consciences leave it at simple and necessary excuses; but I leave that to God's command, who will find it well. Suspicion and suspicion, plus his own conscience, I let do what they do.
If then Duke George considers such a copy to be his own, and leaves it out of the print as mine, then I will do according to the teaching of Christ, as he says in the Gospel Matth. 12, 37: Ex verbis tuis justificaberis, et ex verbis tuis condemnaberis. And again Luc. 19, 22: Ex ore tuo judico te, serve nequam. Accordingly, I accept this letter as mine, but with such a measure and difference that I want to keep my conscience, as it cannot be sure before God that such letter is mine, because the main letter is not present; but based on Duke George's conceit and delusion, because he thinks it is mine, I call and accept it as mine, and no more: for this bargain shall not be based on my conscience nor confession, but on Duke George's conceit and delusion.
8) From this it follows that if this letter, in Duke George's opinion, is mine, then the said Duke George should and must consider that he has mine with him against my knowledge and will, and should and must have a conscience malae fidei. 2) For who has given Duke George the power to keep other people's property with him against his knowledge?
1) börnet - burns.
2) i.e. the breach of trust.
and will of him who is the Lord? Yes, who has given him the power not only to keep such foreign property with him, which would still have to suffer, but also to act with it and to give it away with sacrilege and violence, as with his own, according to all his will, to the insurmountable harm and disadvantage of his master or owner? For he lets this stolen, robbed and captured letter go out by pressure to oppress me with it and to rise up. I must give a likeness so that he understands.
(9) If I had received a letter from Duke Georgen's canteen, against his knowledge and will, and acted with it against his honor and glimpf, how should that please him so warmly? And if he allowed me much mercy, he might let me have such a letter secretly, but [I would not be allowed] to do anything with it or on it; 3) otherwise I would have to lose my head, if the neck were like iron and steel. Or, if I had a thousand guilders in the possession of a merchant, against his knowledge and will, and not only confessed the same, but insisted and defied to ruin him with it in the ground: Let Duke Georgen himself judge here, what such a one would have deserved. Yes, letters are not goods! Dear, how? if it should happen that I or you would be more interested in a letter than in a thousand guilders? should not such a letter be as valuable and dear as a thousand guilders? A thief is a thief, whether he steals money or letters.
10. Now I, Doctor Martinus Luther, stand on Duke Georgen's conceit and conscience, publicly call and complain before all the world that the same Duke Georg has received my letter, against my knowledge and will (which I would nevertheless like to suffer, if he has such a great desire for secret foreign letters), in addition to which he has publicly and unabashedly shown his will to suppress my glory and honor: for he can easily reason with himself that Doctor Luther, by the grace of God, can write so much German and Latin, where he wanted to send one of his letters to Duke Georgen, that he could
3) So the Wittenberg and Jena edition. In the Erlangen: "but act with it or nothing on it."
The superscription would and could be put to Duke George, and to the same such letter to own. He would give the Duke of George the power to have and use it publicly, and not attribute or make it for someone other than D. Wenceslao Linken; for Duke George himself confesses in his writings that such a letter was attributed to Wenceslao Linken, and not to Duke George. I must understand this as if he said: I, Duke George, have Martin Luther's letter, which neither belongs to me nor is due to me, against his knowledge and will, but belongs to Wenceslao Linken, and yet I publicly act with it against both of them. Ei! Thank you, dear Lord!
(11) Now here is the right judge, Jesus Christ, and what a man does when he is in temptation and rages against Jesus Christ. Here it is found that my angry nobles, who protect the Christian church and drive out the heretics, defend the faith, when they fence and thump for a long time, fall down and stagger so that it would be necessary to lead them to school and teach them the Ten Commandments, since God says: "Thou shalt not steal. That is (I mean) finely run up against the rock of trouble. Where were the scholars of the law and the Scriptures who would have advised their master (as they are obliged to do for their rich wages) to act differently in this matter? and let him fall into such disgrace.
12 But Duke George, if he had wanted to do so in a princely and wise way, would have approached the fellows who brought him this letter of mine and provoked them against me with princely earnestness and said, "What do you bring from this? Do you want to bring me into such disgrace that I should handle other people's letters, act on them and fool them? even if I did not want to let it happen for the monk's sake, I still wanted to be on my word with such letters for God's sake; because he says that one should not steal, nor have stolen goods in one's possession. This would have been a noble and princely virtue, of which Solomon [Proverbs 20:8] says: "A prince who sits on the chair of right drives out all wrong with his sight." .
13 Or, if he wanted to be so lecherous, to deal with other people's secret letters,
he should keep them secretly with him, and not openly show them and act on them: for what is secret should be kept secret; until he is commanded or gains the right to make them public. There is a great difference between a secret and a public letter, between a foreign letter and one's own; indeed, there is no greater forger of letters on earth than he who makes a secret letter public against the knowledge and will of his master, or makes it his own to a stranger: For he who makes a secret letter public 1) does not falsify four or five words in it, but the whole letter; so that it is no longer the same letter, nor can it be called or be, because the form and nature of the whole letter and the opinion of the writer is all the same reversed and changed; and his own is taken from him by force and publicly stolen and disgraced, as the imperial laws also teach.
For this reason, Jerome also writes of such secret letters, which were also stolen from him, that they are to be considered void letters: and even if there are blasphemous words in them (he says), they should still not be taken for blasphemous words. And what are secret speeches and letters but vain thoughts, which have not yet come to day, and perhaps shall not come to day? Rather, wiser people belong to secret letters, as Duke George is with his Cibiters and Doegiters [2 Sam. 16, 3. 1 Sam. 22, 9. 22.]. I have also received secret letters from my enemies, both with seal and handwriting, so that I might have wanted to make the world too narrow for them, if I wanted to have followed Duke George's example; but I let them remain secret and despised them, or tore them up without accepting the warning of good friends. I also write secret letters, but always with the thought that the devil (who pursues me in all ways) might betray and reveal them, therefore I keep an ambush for myself, if they would be revealed, so that I can fool the devil.
1) The words from "denn" to "macht" are in the Jena and Wittenberg editions, but are missing in the Erlanger.
that he has to reassure himself in his prudence. It is said: beware of Luther's secret letters, they are full of leg-irons and ropes; he who does not believe it is tempted.
But what does my dear Duke George do? he not only accepts my secret stolen letters, which are not his to have, which I could still suffer; but he rumbles and proudly demands them from me himself, and wants to be a lord over my secret letters, if he does not rule over me bodily worth a penny; just as if he had the right and power to steal mine at once and to force me to consent to such his robbery. Not content with that, he takes the laudable pious Elector of Saxony by surprise, wants to make his robbery demand on me through him, as through his poor servant, as if the Elector were sitting there at his pleasure and service, that he would have to demand and help Duke Georgen to steal my stolen letters. And that there should be no measure of the sacrilegious arrogance, he leads over the fine gentlemen of the council at Nuremberg, also almost as an emperor over his poor subjects, brooding, seeking and demanding the manuscript through them from Doctor Wenceslao Linken; although neither Nuremberg nor Wenceslaus are his subjects, let alone that they should recognize themselves guilty of being helpful to his sent thieves and robbers.
(16) Where will the restless man finally go out with such Moabite pride and arrogance [Isa. 16:6, Jer. 48:29], who refuses to be so mighty on earth that no one, not even his enemies, should secretly speak, write or think of him, because it pleases him? Yes, that would have to be ordered for him, soon before Essen. I know well that he is Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, and indeed, God has given him a fine land and beautiful dominion; but unfortunately, as Solomon says, it is not given to him that he could use it with sufficiency and tranquility of heart. But that he should be duke over foreign letters, landgrave over secret speeches and margrave over thoughts, I will not believe nor suffer this year, God willing.
(17) And if he would be so rude and thirsty that he would rule over me through the Elector, as through means or servant, I will not have it nor approve it, for I will not have or approve Duke George as my lord before God makes and sets him as my lord. He is my renounced enemy, and he shall keep his word against me; so I will also wait for him, even though I am not his enemy, but have heartily and humbly sought and asked for mercy, and have wished for all good. If he now has something against me, then my sovereign shall set judges and he and his scholars shall sue me in the strongest and best way he can; if I do not answer, then I do not ask for mercy. But I do not advise him to do so: Yes, he also feels well that he would not win much with justice, therefore he wants to break into my house with outrage and violence.
18 And what would H. G. make of it if I secretly talked to a good friend today or tomorrow, or wrote to him, how I considered Duke George's apology to be nothing, but thought badly that he was guilty of the prince's sedition, and showed all the pieces from word to word, as they are written in the stolen letter? what would he do to me by right? I would have (said his doeg) dishonored his honor and glory. Where there, my beautiful love? The letter would be secret, the speech would be secret, the thoughts would be secret. De occultis non judicat Ecclesia, inulto minus judicat de eisdem Magistratus. 1) How can his honor and glory be taken, if no public speech, writing, witness or judgment may be had? Or should one still teach the hosschranzen at Dresden what it means to take honor and glory? they shall let secret things be done to me and have no thanks for it.
Yes, I would have secretly talked to my neighbor about it. Ei! Dear, let God and my conscience be the judge, whether I do well or not, since it is not your place to know or to judge. But Duke George made such secret letters public,
1) The church does not judge secret things, much less does the secular authority judge them.
I say: He has it for him, he disgraces himself with it, and leave me undisgraced with his revelation. Yes, how? if I had let it be known in public print that I thought Duke George was a fool and, regardless of his excuse, still did not believe as my enemy that he was innocent of the seditious alliance: what would he do? how would he force me to believe him? especially if he is not a god over my heart, nor lord over my tongue and pen, but my enemy.
20 It would be a strange new right for me, since my enemy would force me to believe him. How must I do, since he blasphemes so shamefully in the preface of the New Testament and in his answer to me, more to the everlasting shame of the noble house of Saxony than to me? If I were his overlord, he would perhaps let it go; but now that he is my enemy, I must suffer it from him. But here, since I do not believe him, he wants to be angry and rage, because he thinks he is my lord, even the lord of the Elector; and he cannot think that he is not lord, but enemy, and should not act in a glorious, but in a hostile manner.
21 Well, enough of that. Let us get down to business and finally conclude. If the letter to D. Wenceslaum is not mine, then it is a fictitious, false, lying letter, which shall be without harm to me. If, however, it is mine, as I have accepted Duke Georgen's confession and deed above, then Duke Georgen is my earnest demand on my account, but on God's account his earnest and strict commandment that he return the said letter together with all copies copied or printed from it to me or to D. Wenceslao in the event of a mortal sin and loss of divine graces and his blessedness. Wenceslao, as stolen and robbed property to his rightful lord and owner; and thus, with full restitution, make the letter secret again and put it where he took it; for there is God's commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," to which G. must be subject as well as other people. And he knows well that he can steal such a letter, as our money and goods, against our knowledge and will.
according to his own confession and this public writing of mine. In addition, also repay both of us for our deprived honor and glory, and other damage and harm, which has arisen to us through him, from such a revelation of our letter, and apologize for it, as a Christian should, for forgiveness, Matth. 5, 23: "When you bring the sacrifice to the altar, and there you will find it" etc.
(22) With such a burden we want to weigh down Duke George's conscience: not we, who have no power over him, but God's command (as all the world knows) compels and demands such from Duke George. If he despises this, see whom he despises. And the priests or confessors may also take care that they do not absolve him, nor pass the Sacrament, so that they do not participate in such a sin against God's commandment; he himself also does not pray or sacrifice, for he has previously done enough according to God's commandment and the Gospel of Matth. 5, now indicated. We want to be excused; we have denounced it and done our part: will it help them that we are heretics or lowly esteemed, their conscience shall feel it well with time; and experience shall make it clear which part banishment or excommunication is strongest, whether it is the one who breaks God's commandment and thereby drives it, or the one who makes people dream without God's word; for we are also included under the word neighbor, we know that.
(23) In the same way, we want to have indicated such a commandment of God to all his officials and servants who have advised, helped and served with such a letter, and admonish them not to make a joke of it. For though we have neither authority nor power over them, yet we, as their neighbors, point to him who is over them and requires such of them by his commandment, which says, "Thou shalt not steal." From which commandment we reclaim our stolen letter. They may also see to it that they are not deceived by useless complainers who might say that one cannot do wrong to a damned heretic. For even if I were a damned heretic, God's commandment wants to be undamned.
24. Doctor Wenceslaus has not yet been condemned or sentenced by name, to whom this letter is primarily due; also, at the Imperial Diet at Speier, I was again exempted by a public imperial decree, or at least limited in time, so that I cannot be called a heretic; because there it was decided by all in unison that each one should and may believe as he knows how to answer to God and imperial majesty; and I, as the disobedient to the empire and rebellious, would justly deplore all those who call me a heretic. If the commandment at Worms was valid, since I was condemned without the consent of the best and highest estates of the empire: why should the commandment at Speyer not also be valid for me, which was unanimously decided and accepted by all estates of the empire?
(25) Therefore, I say, let them beware and fear the commandment of God, "Thou shalt not steal. For now, even before the world, I am not a heretic; but that some princes and bishops rage against such a decree issued by the kingdom at Speyer, and nevertheless force the people to believe their pleasure, happens because today or tomorrow, when their hour comes, they will perish without all mercy, as they have not only vowed against God's word and commandment, but also acted against the commandment of worldly authorities and their own vow, as the disobedient and rebellious murderers. Therefore, beware of their example.
26) We also admonish and warn all printers, typesetters, proofreaders, and those who work with such letters in the printing office, as well as all bookkeepers, buyers, and those who receive or read such copies, that they should all and everyone be warned that they have our stolen letter with them, contrary to our knowledge and will. Therefore they may beware, and keep themselves against stolen goods, as their conscience teaches them, lest they be tainted with Duke George's sins, and become partakers of his guilt; for there is the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal"; and if such should want to steal ours, they must be warned.
1) d. i. booksellers.
accept faithful admonition with good will. For we do not hereby arrogate to ourselves any power or authority over anyone. We would not want such a stolen letter to be with anyone, but out of brotherly Christian duty we do this admonition to faithfully warn everyone's conscience, as much as is in us, against sins and God's wrath. For it is not dear to us, indeed not to be suffered, that on our account someone should entangle himself with other people's sins against God; it is already too much of one's own sins.
27 I want to have based this answer, as said above, on Duke George's confession, as if the letter were mine; although I have done it reluctantly, because I would rather have seen that Duke George would have let him be satisfied with the first kind answer, in which I sufficiently indicated that he should leave me untried with such a letter, and that he would not be my lord. But he did not want to accept it nor understand it, so hard was he afflicted with the temptation to dampen and disgrace me. And methinks that I have nevertheless herewith kept my Adam entirely in check, and acted mildly enough against Duke Georgen, my enemy. For if I had been sure to demand my handwriting and seal from Duke Georgen, and had not had to act on an uncertain copy, it would have been feared that I would have given him the spur differently and taught him how he should pore over foreign letters 2) and defy them.
28 Moreover, I have also abstained, and still refrain from answering the preface of the New Testament, and to his answer done to me, whether I could obtain something with patience with the challenged restless man: for if he will continue and not leave the sleeping dog with peace, then it may truly happen once that I push out the bottom of the barrel and pay one with the other. I want to be enough of a man for Duke George and all of his supporters in terms of justice and art, as has been done so far by the grace of God, and my God and Lord Jesus Christ will help me to do this, as he promises and says to us:
2) i.e. research.
I, will give you mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not resist [Luc. 21, 15.].
29 For I do not want Duke George to suffer nor have him as my judge, any more than I want him as my lord or suffer, as he defiantly misses and refuses both. He shall seek justice from my overlord, and not thus defy and rumble: I, Duke George, have judged Luther and the left, and found them wrong. Therefore think thou Elector or City of Nuremberg, and be my executioner and servant! attack them, and command them what I command thee! Not that he speaks such words, but in fact he presents himself as if he would like to speak so. For what else is it when he writes so defiantly, and demands of the Elector and of the Council of Nuremberg, also of myself, that we should deliver the letter to him, confess and fear etc., because so much has been said: Do what I command you; I will teach you the right, and will not seek it nor get it from you?
30. The laudable Elector of Saxony is, by the grace of God, still so wise, and has so many intelligent people with him, that he does not need Duke George as a guardian or as a legal authority to govern his land and people: so is an Honorable Council at Nuremberg, so appointed by God's grace with wisdom and justice, that Duke George shall not be their master; and I Luther will, if God wills, give him and his clergymen three more years to counsel; for God's commandment, saith David [Ps. 119, 99. 100.], makes me wiser than all my masters, than all wise men and than all old men. So again, it must follow that whoever despises God's commandment and transgresses it, that he must be the greatest fool above all fools; that I cannot lack, that I truly know.
(31) And if the devil himself with all his angels should set such a letter against me, which can make all things evil, yet would I wait for him in Christ, and see what he would do with it. Christ, and see what he would do to me with it. For although the letter is almost similar to my thoughts, so that I myself think it is mine, yet in my conscience I do not know.
(as I said) cannot be certain, because I do not have my handwriting, it is nevertheless not a treacherous letter: for nothing of sedition, treachery, ravaging, or such like evil undertakings is dealt with therein, 1) from which one could have cause to act against me; but only Duke George is secretly judged therein, what I think of him, as my enemy, before God and in my conscience.
Now Duke George shall leave me free to judge him secretly with thoughts, writings, and speeches, as I know how to answer to God, and I shall have no thanks for it; but if he broods about it behind my knowledge and will, and lets me steal it, and then finds that it upsets him, then he shall have it for him, and a good year for it, and leave the Elector, those at Nuremberg, and me satisfied with his pride and thumping and masters. What business is it of his, or who has ordered him, to puzzle out and steal such things? Let him be content that I publicly spare his life before the world.
And who will blame me for thinking, speaking or writing evil of Duke George, as of my most poisonous, most bitter, most hopeful enemy? Although I speak too much good of him all the time, he thinks, speaks and writes nothing but the worst of me, both secretly and publicly, if I am not his enemy; and he should force me not to speak or write evil of him secretly? If he should find out and learn everything that is secretly spoken, written and thought of him, yes, what I alone have heard and read, I mean yes, the tickle and air of finding out secret letters and speech should be atoned for him. I am glad that I did not learn all-
1) This suspicion must have been harbored by Duke Georg and expressed against Scheurl, because the latter wrote to Duke Georg on December 5, 1528 (Seidemann's "Explanations" p. 144) that he had willingly offered against Thomas von der Heiden to compare the copy of the letter against Luther's "handwriting", especially in order to enrage the Duke that Luther had not written to Wenceslas to cause a stir with us [i.e. in Nuremberg]. Scheurl had dictated a copy of the letter for the Duke to his own servant. (Seidemann, 1. o. p. 143.)
I will keep silent about what is said and written against me in public, that I should seek or wish what is done about me in secret. That is enough of it.
34 Of the princely alliance or rebellion, of which he now excuses himself for the third time, I say thus: I consider myself to be the one who has been led to believe such an alliance and to consider it null and void, and I could bet a finger that my defense would have done more than that, because to this day all three excuses do Duke Georgeus. And if I had had nothing else that would have moved me to consider such a covenant null and void, but all three of Duke George's excuses, I would certainly not have built anything on it, yes, I would have given my coat for it, that I would be so sure that Duke George himself believed before God in his conscience that such a covenant was indeed null and void and fabricated.
35 Not that I would have thought Duke George's apology incredible; for I am glad that such apologies have come forth, even if Duke George himself thought them false and fictitious. There would have to be no good in his heart who would not rather consider such an alliance as nothing and false than as true and certain and believe it, if he can only come to such a belief; as by such an excuse everyone comes to it well and easily.
But there is a little word called "but" that has a belly full of many strange glosses. This "but" makes it so that you and I must sometimes neither believe nor know that we do believe and know, and again believe and know that we do not believe nor know. Therefore, it is still my advice and request that everyone consider such a covenant null and void, as it has certainly not been proven with any public evidence so far, and faithfully ask God that it remain so null and void forever, which has truly been and still is my heartfelt prayer and wish. For what could the devil do more abominably on earth, if this covenant were to be considered true and certain? The peasants' revolt would have been a joke and a game against this
Rebellion of princes. We also want to hope that God will graciously hear such a prayer and not let such an alliance be and remain.
But that I should therefore be forced to believe of Duke George or some others that they were secretly innocent, if I had great cause and reason against it, no one will persuade me; for thoughts are duty-free, and I may well speak secretly of this to myself and good friends. Of course, there was no lack of good will on the part of Duke George and this N., for such and such reasons, which I will not tell; for I cannot speak publicly of secret things.
So I can also think and speak secretly: Duke Georgen's apology is out of all measure cold, lazy and loose, as I still today secretly hold them all three cold, lazy and loose. Now I speak for myself alone and secretly of the secret faith of my conscience, so that no one is publicly forbidden or told what he should or may believe; indeed, publicly it is fair and right that one believe and hold that his excuse is vain heat, strength and earnestness, to which I admonish and ask everyone, as said above.
39 In summary, I publicly believe and know that Duke George is deadly hostile to my doctrine, which he confesses with joy, and wants to have honor and glory as he has. So I know for myself that my doctrine is God's word and gospel; he denies this, and is also held before the world as he denies. From this it must follow that he thinks nothing good of me, and I, in turn, can provide no good for him, but must believe where he can, as he also boasts in his answer that he wiped me out with my doctrine, along with all who adhere to it and believe, as is also partly proven by deeds and works in the day. But praise be to God that he cannot do it, nor will he accomplish what he has in mind.
(40) If he rages against God's word in My conscience, I must secretly believe that he rages against God Himself and His Christ. If he rages against God Himself, I must secretly believe that he is possessed with the devil. If he is possessed with the devil, then I must
I secretly believe that he has the worst in mind. I now speak this secretly from the secret faith of my conscience, which is not necessary to prove publicly or to believe others, so that Duke George does not have cause to brood again and to steal my secret speech. For from all this it does not follow that Duke George is to be blamed for the covenant, or that such a covenant is something, but only how I secretly believe for myself and know that [there is] no lack of good will even today, although such are not yet the right nodes even with myself that move me to secretly believe the covenant. Whether I believe rightly or wrongly is for no man to judge, but for God alone, who searches and tests the hearts and kidneys, Ps. 7, 10.
Therefore, I am amazed at the audacity or rather blindness of the people that they presume to omit my letter before they are certain that it is mine; and they act even more foolishly by presenting it as a public letter that has gone out, when they themselves confess that it was written secretly to D. Wenceslas. There should not be such an ass as chancellor in a princely chancellery, who called secret letters omitted letters. But the furious, restless, vengeful hatred and envy drives and chases them, that they neither see nor hear. For Duke George calls me a desperate, dishonorable, perjured villain, so I say Deo Gratias, that should be my emeralds, ruby and diamond, so that princes should adorn me for the honor, so worldly authority has from the Gospel. For since Duke George considers my doctrine heresy, I may well have excused him from it; but Christ will find it well.
42. but this is not to suffer me, because I have taken care of the stolen letter, that they translate the piece, Deus confundet μωρό- τατον 1) μωρόν, so, God disgraces the most foolish fool; although the coarse donkey heads, whoever they are, have almost nothing well Germanized, so this piece is not only bad, but also harmful ver-
1) In the Erlangen edition: xxxxxxxxx. The from
The reading given to us is according to Seidemann, Erläuterungen, p. 131.
deutscht. For I do not think that Duke George himself has Germanized; 2) every German must testify to me that in the German language this is a curse when I say that God is desecrating, and, as I respect, the most terrible curse that is in the German language. Therefore, the devil and a knave have joined forces to make me appear before the world as if I had cursed Duke Georgen most severely, so that he would nullify all my teachings on secular authority, when he knows well that no doctor has taught and written about the majesty or secular authority so magnificently almost since the time of the apostles as I have.
43 For although Duke George is my enemy, yet because he sits in majesty, I have certainly never had in mind to curse either him or some of the authorities, but I know that one should bless them and pray for them; they also need it. I did not want to curse the devil himself like that. It has been Pabst's work to curse kings and princes to the third, seventh and ninth generation, as 2 Petr. 2:10 ff. 3) is said of him. Rather, through my gospel I have removed this and all curses from them and set them in honor: not I, but God's word, through me and my helpers. But that I punish and judge them for unrighteousness or ungodliness is also done by God's word, and I by 4) my office.
44 Confundere means pudefacere, Confundi pudefieri, that is, Confundere means to disgrace or to bring to nothing, Confundi to stand with disgrace or to be disgraced, as Rom. 10, 11: He who believes in him will not stand with disgrace. Therefore hear, thou ass's head at Dresden in the chancery, Confundet non est optativi vel imprecantis, sed indicativi praedicentis. Confundet legis, et transfers Confundat. So you should do it right
and have well Germanized, God will put the great fool to shame. Want
2) The letter is Germanized by Duke George himself, according to: Ein kurzer bericht, So wir Georg etc. 1529. sheet B ij; not by the chancellor Pistoris. Seidemann, Erläuterungen, p. 132.
3) In the old editions erroneously 1 Petr. 2. The Erlangen edition has reprinted here again from Walch: 1 Petr. 2, 17.
4) Thus the Wittenberg and Jena editions; "of" is missing in the Erlangen edition.
do you know how? Namely, that Duke George acts foolishly, that he goes against me and my word, therefore also God attacks him, that he disgraces himself over this letter, falls into a public theft, in addition lets the letter go out that he is uncertain and has neither seal nor handwriting, and writes against me in such a way that he causes great disgust, contempt and suspicion for himself among reasonable people: to this you have perhaps helped and advised him; so both of you also have what you gain from it.
45. Finally, my humble request to Duke George and all his followers is that they stop for once and leave our doctrine in peace, especially because they know that we are allowed to believe at the Speyer Imperial Diet, as we trust to answer to God and the Imperial Majesty, and do not want to fight themselves over and against such a decree of the entire Empire; we will, as we have done hitherto, again serve them in all peace and quiet, sincerely pray for them against God, help, advise, carry and lift, according to all our ability. Let us ask for nothing more than peace and silence, as it is, praise God, in the Electorate to be silent with doctrine and life. We ask, I say, one more thing for God's sake, that you would be our dear gracious lords, if it is possible to ask; and as a sign of my earnestness, I hereby sincerely forgive Duke Georgen and all my comrades, and have relieved him of the burden that I witnessed above by God's commandment to him, and have burdened myself with it before God, for the sake of the more certain acquisition of God's graces, and everything that has happened to me through this letter shall be bad and gone, forgotten and erased.
If that is not enough, then let the right go; my gracious lord send to Altenburg or Eilenburg two from the Electorate, two from Duke George's Electorate, two from the Palatinate, two from the Margraviate, two from the Mainz Monastery, or however many one wants, and let Duke George sue me as best he can, I want to suffer my right, what more should I do? Not that I offer myself for such a right.
For the sake of my secret letters or speeches, I want to leave them in the secret court of God and have them used by all the world without being accused and judged, but freely, yet secretly, although, where it could or should be, I would not be afraid to have them come before the public courts; but because it is not necessary nor appropriate, I do not want anyone to be justified with them, and I want to be unchallenged and unconcerned by Duke George and everyone else because of them, that and no other.
But if Duke George has something against me in this regard, such a right shall be open to him. For, as I have said, I do not want Duke George to be my judge, legal advisor, master or lord, but my enemy, accuser and adversary. Duke Johannes, the Elector, is my lord, and Emperor Carl; the same Duke Johannes is by God's grace prince enough to take care of Duke Georgen and everyone's rights over his subjects; furthermore, I do not grant anyone any rule on earth over me this year. But if they do not want such grace and right, then let them remain my ungracious lords and be angry until the gray skirts pass away, and may well cut off both cones and tubes of their favor and grace, and keep the barrel and well alone, God grant that it may become vinegar or leach 1), is worth the same to me.
For I see that the more you humble yourselves and plead, the more proud and defiant they become, and make believe that you humble yourselves and therefore give such good words that you should fear them to death and not know how to stay in front of them. No, dear angry nobles, they give you such good words because they hope that the devil who rides you will leave, and that a good word will find a good place; and it happens to you too well whether they could protect you from sins and prevent your harm, which you neither can nor want to see. One knows almost well that you will not eat the world as raw as you think. There are also people on the other side of the mountain; so Christ is also still king and lord on earth, even if he presents himself weakly. But beware of him, for it is truly said, "Beware of him.
1) In the old editions: Lawer, that is, tart wine.
Cannot, and still waters are deep, the rushing waters are not cruel. Because they want to play with me the saying: Whoever flees is hunted down, and interpret my humility as a flight, then I would have to rise again with Christ and play the saying on them: If one pleads with a farmer, his belly grows.
Is it not the wretched devil who does not let him be content that he is also God on earth, but wants to be God alone, and does not accept the right God as anything bad. Then the decree of the whole realm at Speyer is decided that everyone may believe as he trusts to answer to God and imperial majesty, to which Duke George and his companions not only live and strive contrary, but also want to force us and everyone to strive contrary, to rage, murder, chase away, persecute, rob and forbid interest and goods that they have not founded nor have the right to do so; Nor shall they be called rebellious, disobedient, nor murderers.
50 Therefore, as if they were over the whole realm, no one is subject to them: I, Junker of all Junkers, am the only lord and prince over all princes of the German land, over the whole realm and all its commandments and order; I alone am to be feared, I alone am to be obeyed, what I will, that shall be right. Defy whoever thinks or speaks differently. Rather, where shall such a puffed-up Moab go out at last, but that he may also go to heaven, to God's chair and office, and begin to investigate, judge and punish secret speech and letters and thoughts? And in all these things he will be praised and honored, feared and worshipped, my lord.
51 Therefore I will henceforth do this: First, I will let the seventh commandment of God, of which I have spoken above, remain on the conscience of Duke George and his courtiers, with all the burdens and obligations it entails, so that nothing will help, neither humility nor supplication, neither favor nor mercy, neither good words nor kind offers, neither equity nor justice. So I will also, as Moses did against his Korah, turn my prayer, which I have done for them up to now, against them; if Duke Georgen meets with it, he will have it for him, he is
sufficiently warned. And lest he should send out thieves to steal my prayer in secret, I will herewith publicly declare it, and it shall be the 7th Psalm, which reads thus:
V. 2. "In you I trust, O Lord my God, save me from all my persecutors, and deliver me."
Yes, dear Lord Jesus Christ, you know that just as the boy Shimei blamed the pious David and cursed him as a bloodhound who had taken the kingdom from Saul [2 Sam. 16, 7. f.]: so now evil mouths also reproach me, as if I had disgraced the pope's kingdom through sectarianism, rebellion, bloodshed. How shall I do? They are too many, I know neither counsel nor help, but only in you: therefore I trust in you, help me, my Lord and my God, from such tyrants and persecutors, who know well that they lie to me falsely, and are themselves vain bloodhounds and murderers.
V. 3. "Lest, like lions, they devour and tear my soul, because there is no Savior."
They truly have it in mind, dear Lord, and rage like lions against me; no matter is so hard for them as Luther, if they had torn him apart, they would be blessed. Here, no humility or reverence, no pleading or praying helps, but there is only lion's fury and rage, only strangleholds and harm.
V. 4. "Lord, have I done these things, and is wrong in my hands";
V. 5. "Have I recompensed evil to them that were peaceable unto me, or stripped mine enemies without cause:"
V. 6. "So my enemy persecutes my soul, and captures it, and tramples my life into the ground, and lays my honor in the dust."
Yes, my Lord and God, is my teaching seditious and red or heretical, as they say, and have I not rather taught the right unity of faith and love, and have I not rather taught the right unity of faith and love?
1) Thus the Erlangen and Jena editions. The Wittenberg edition: erbieten.
If I have also weakened and stripped the papacy of its tyranny wilfully and not through their own activity and agitation, then be thou judge and punish me without mercy, let my enemies be honored and me put to shame, let their thing fall up into heaven and my doctrine into the abyss of hell. But if he be none, and my doctrine be right and acceptable in thy sight, and yet they will not cease from raging and raging:
V. 7. "Arise then, O Lord, in your wrath, and lift up yourself above the wrath of my enemies, and raise up to me the judgment which you have commanded."
Let it be seen whether thy wrath be higher and mightier than their fury; let them run and thrust themselves, that they fall and tumble, and confirm thereby the judgment and ministry of the word which thou hast commanded me and appointed me to do: For thou knowest that I myself have not entered into such an office and work against the pope and mine enemies, nor sought the same; but thou hast brought me in upon and against my thoughts and knowledge, by their turbulent raving and bloodthirsty raging.
V. 8. "And let the congregation of the people be gathered about thee, and for their sakes come up again."
My heartfelt request and wish, my diligent teaching and writing, is not directed to anything else but that the wretched multitude of your people, so miserably divided and chased by human dreams and sects, and scattered and lost like a flock of sheep, would be gathered to you again, and converted to you in the unified faith and spirit by the sects everywhere, recognizing you as their unified shepherd and master and bishop of their souls [Ezek. 34, 23. 1 Petr. 2, 25]. For whose sake I also beseech thee, that thou wouldest exalt and sustain thee and thy word through our ministry, that they may abide with thee and around thee in such united faith. For I have not sought that they should cleave unto me, or that they should cleave unto me.
I have directed them to you, and have hanged them on you, that you may be high and lifted up, glorious and praiseworthy among them.
V. 9. "The Lord judges the people."
Thou alone art judge, master, teacher, preacher among the people; but we are but thy instruments: we plant and water; thou givest the flourishing [1 Cor. 3:6.]
"Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and godliness."
Though I am a poor sinner before thee, and cannot suffer thy judgment, yet I know that I am right against mine enemies, and pious, for my doctrine is right and blameless: so also in life I do them no harm, but all good, for I seek peace; I pray for them, teach them, but they will not, and condemn both my doctrine and life. Therefore I ask for justice; judge, judge and prove that they do me wrong, both in life and doctrine, amen.
V. 10. "Let wickedness come to an end, and promote the righteous; for you, righteous God, test hearts and kidneys."
If they will not cease, make them cease their raging and persecuting, and confirm our doctrine and actions, which are right, by thy word and spirit, and expose and disgrace their false doctrine and life; for thou knowest that their heart and kidneys are full of deceit and mischievousness, though they adorn themselves outwardly with all hypocrisy and good appearances, to find favor and chance with the poor man. I know that you will do all these things. For
V. 11. "My shield is with God, who helps the upright from the heart."
I know that you will defend me and protect our doctrine, and should the tyrants burst and become mad: for our God helps the sincere from the heart, and not the false-hearted and mocking saints. For
V. 12. "God is a righteous judge, and a God that travaileth daily."
Yes, indeed, a right judge for us poor innocent, who have his word purely simple, so that we are redeemed from the tyrants' rage. Again, also a God, 'who daily dreads such tyrants, who rage against his word and against his own without ceasing. He still forbears and is longsuffering over them, whether they want to convert and fear him. If not, he will certainly not give it to them and will not fail to do so. For,
V. 13: "If you do not want to convert, he has sharpened his sword and drawn his bow and is aiming,
V. 14. "And hath laid deadly projectile upon it; his arrows hath he prepared to destroy."
He is soon armed and now wants to fight against them, and destroy them with sword and arrows, all kinds of plagues, to death. Oh, that the tyrants and the scoundrels could believe this! But nothing will come of it; they must, shall and will know it. But we believe it, and are sure of it, and say Amen to it; for they will have it no other way.
V. 15. "Behold, he hath evil in his mind, with mischief he conceiveth; but he shall bring forth a defect."
This is said for our comfort; here we have certainty and are sure that the tyrants may well undertake many evil deeds and alliances to do us misfortune and harm who keep God's word; but they shall not lead it out, as has often happened until now, unless God lies, which is impossible [Ebr. 6, 18], but the end of their raving and hearing shall be called fault, they have failed, they have failed the angry squires, they have born a fault. The fruit of their angry mind shall be called fault. And not only this, but that they also may have harm for mockery, and mockery for harm, their wrath and malice shall go out upon themselves, and what they think and do against us shall fall upon themselves, even upon their heads, as follows.
V. 16. "He dug a pit and carried it out, and falls into the hole he made."
V. 17. "His calamity shall come upon his own head, and his. iniquity shall fall upon the top of his head," Amen.
So shall it be, we shall hope, we shall believe, and we shall pray. That they think and intend evil and wickedness against us, they may secretly hold: but this verse is our spy, and betrayeth us also their heart and mouth, let their letters and seals be silent. For this verse is also with them in their chambers and council chambers, sees and hears everything they do: after that, when we read it, it speaks to us through a long reed, and secretly tells us what they are doing, so that we know and experience it, and prepare ourselves with prayer against them before they become aware of it; and so their thing goes back, as they have often found before, and also complain that so many attempts have been made against Luther, and all of them have come to nothing. Yes, why do they not leave this verse out of their counsel, and keep their heart and mouth more secret? Yes, how can they? Therefore we praise God our Lord and sing joyfully:
V. 18. "I give thanks to the Lord for His righteousness, and praise the name of the Lord Most High," Amen, Amen.
He judges righteously, and overthrows both tyrants and hypocrites, but rescues us from their iniquity and wickedness; thanks be to him, praise and glory be to him forever and ever, amen.
I will have prayed and set this psalm against Duke George, along with all his letter thieves and followers, if they do not mend their ways; in addition, I ask all my friends to help me pray this psalm, and unanimously say Amen and take comfort in the glorious promises that are written in it for us against them. Let us see what the devil, together with his ravagers and his boys, can do. Peace is with us, but they do not want to have peace, so let them have trouble, and what this psalm forebodes, amen.
Other interpretations of Luther on the 7th Psalm can be found in the old edition, Vol. IV, 688. 1908. 1916 and Vol. IX, 1526.