Second reply to the letter of the Elector of February 4, concerning the "Regensburg Interim".
From a copy in the Kassel Archives in Neudecker, Merkwürdige Aktenstücke, erste Abtheilung, p. 261 and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 281.
To my most gracious lord, the Elector of Brandenburg, Joachim etc.
Grace and peace in Christ. Most noble, highborn prince, most gracious lord! I have read over the writing with diligence, and at E. C. F. 1) G.'s request I say this, that these people, whoever they are, mean it very well. But they are impossible proposals, which the pope, cardinals, bishops, canons cannot accept now. For who wants to force them, because the pope wants to be unconstrained and above everything, it is called new or old canons. They would or could rather suffer our reformation, neither this one of the old canons and concilia, like the bishop
1) In Seidemann here and at the end of the letter: "E. s. G."
at Mainz itself said by Duke Georgen of Saxony before the Reformation, which was made precisely on this Reformation blow. Truly, most gracious lord, it is in vain that such means and comparisons are made. There is nowhere to go before the pope and his followers. God must be left to do with him as he has begun, for it is the unanimous opinion of all that they do not want to slacken anything, but to remain and preserve as they are and what they have. Moreover, there are many things in them that we will not and cannot raise among our own. The best thing would be to take pious, learned people and let them judge what and where God's word would be; certainly, that would be left first and foremost. If this were to happen, then God's kingdom and His righteousness would be sought first, and the rest would be postponed until God's word had taken root. Then one could also act differently from the other. Otherwise, if both are done at the same time, one will hinder the other. Such is my concern. Hiemit dem lieben GOtt befehlt, Amen. Monday after Valentine's Day [21 Feb.] 1541.
E. C. F. G.
Martinus Luther.
No. 2755.