Writing Georg Rorarii au the Christian reader, in which he indicates that some of Wittenberg with
Untruthfulness to him that he omitted a necessary piece 2c. Folio 423b.
Ps. 35:11, 12: "There are false witnesses who accuse me of not being guilty. They do me evil for good, to bring me into heartache.
Phil. 4, 5. 6.: The Lord is near; do not worry, but cast all your care on Him, for He cares for you.
What is understood between the two little crosses above, is all omitted (few lines excepted) in the other Tomo of the Streitschriften D. M. L. seliger Gedächtniß, issued at Wittenberg Anno 48, as in the same print, who has it, can still see toi. 167, Parag. 4 at the end, except for the words: "is not eradicated."
Now I have Anno 50, since the same Tomus for the second time and then Anno 51 in the fast is completed, just now reported piece, time before my departure from Wittenberg in Denmark, with all diligence and faithfulness from word to word in the said print of the 51st year put, as I refer to the testimony of truth to the same print toi. 164a, Parag. 4 at the end.
In addition to this, I have had several other pieces, especially two that do not appear in the first printing, added at the same time for further proof and indication. The first with this title: A writing of D. M. L. de transsubstantia- tione, fol 265 a. The other: Etliche Sprüche Herrn Niclas von Amsdorf, wider die Wiedertäufer zu Münster; item, Wider die Sacramentirer, toi. 396 d, 398 b.
But all this notwithstanding, some go from Wittenberg to carry me now to the other time.
out of and in order to persuade the people, pious hearts, as if I should have omitted the above-mentioned noticeably necessary part (which the dear Lord and Father D. M[artin] would have been very interested in) for my person, out of my own nobility and thirst, intentionally, to please the devotees of the sacraments. I should not and cannot remain silent about this; for this accusation concerns not only my good reputation among the people, but primarily the confession of faith of pure divine doctrine of this high article of the Lord's Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ; for the wicked Satan wants to make me an enemy of the Sacrament against my thanks, knowledge and will.
Here I say: No, no, because I can stir up a vein; for I have never, that God, the denouncer of all hearts, knows, taken in mind or thought to practice such a blasphemous knavery against this article of our holy faith, to please the Sacramentans, yes, I have always been hostile to this blasphemous mob and raving with right earnestness.
Say further that those who accuse me in this way, crying out from time to time as a devil's liar, thereby profaning and desecrating my Christian name, which Christ, my dear Lord, has purchased and earned for me, do so with untruth against God, who earnestly commands, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Dear God, how can men be so bold as to speak so publicly against their own conscience, without any need or just cause, in such a high matter, which is not a physical honor, good 2c..,
*This appendix is found in the Jena edition (1556), vol. Ill, in the register under the year 1527, and has also passed into the Altenburg, vol. Ill, p. 740 and into the Leipzig, vol. XIX, p. 439. It is written about the play Col. 888-891. We give it after the above-mentioned first printing of the Jena edition.
894 Srl. so, 152 f. II. writings Against Zwingli and his followers 2c. W. XX. 1117-1119. 895
but God's word and the soul's bliss! Where is and remains Christian love here?
What however often reported necessary piece, so in the first pressure Anno 48 is omitted, concerns, know two high persons good report beside me, namely, who are those, so initially to it advised, the thing driven, to the other time again stimulated, also finally insisted and received that it is omitted 2c.
For this reason, however, I do not want to tell these people who and where they are. In case of need, however, I will tell in God's name what I know, and also indicate how I have behaved and acted in this matter.
This is enough now in the hurry to answer this piece, so omitted 2c. What concerns the preface of Mr. Niclas von Amsdorf, 1) and the five causes of the same, is none of my business; for I have indeed done nothing about it 2c.
1 Cor. 15:58: "Be ye firm, immovable, my brethren, always increasing in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
1) This refers to Nicolaus von Amsdorf's preface to the first volume of the Jena edition, in which he gives five reasons why it was necessary to produce a new edition of Luther's works.