Majesty to reserve sufficient funds out of the Church property belongingto the Crown for the benefit of the churches and pastors.
For if everythingbe dispersedhow are the preachersto be maintained Perhaps this admonition is not necessary, for doubtless your
; but there are so many among us who wish to grasp everything, and if God had not given us such piousPrinces,who conscientiously see to the welfare of their subjects, many churches and parisheswould lie waste.
So if Satan should try to wrest some of the Church funds in your lands through his emissaries,may Majestyto remember the needs of the Church, whose office it is to proclaimthe
Word of God, through which your subjects, both now and in future,may learn the way to everlastingbliss,and how to escape eternal condemnation, for all this is contained in the Word of God.
Majesty now and for ever.
Majesty'sobedient servant, Archbishop'scomplaintsof Luther.
Briick,Chancellor to the Elector of After you told me that you had been ordered by my most gracious lord, at the instigation of the Brandenburg and his cousins,to ask me as to the proposed pamphlet againstthe Archbishopof Mayence, I beg to say (although
Princes mean well, and I wish them every prosperity) that I informed Royal Highnesses by word of mouth, both here and at Torgau,that I would rather they tried to improve their cousin the Cardinal, and prevent him castingcontempt on the Christ and tormentingpoor people,which would be more salutarythan worryingover what
I cannot be convicted of insulting a whole race when I am forced to tell the truth to a knave ; and if the house of Brandenburgfeels itself insulted throughwhat
I have written of the Cardinal,it would be more seemly if they felt the honour of their house injuredthrough his conduct, and punished him themselves,instead of leavingit to me to do.
It is reallysomethingquite new to defend one who does evil, and persecute those who punish it.
The tribe of Judah was the highestand noblest of the whole human family,and yet it did not feel itself insulted when King Ahab was punished by the prophet Elijah, even as prophetspunishedmany kings. And there is no race so good that it has not at times an unworthy member.
How would it be if judges,nay, even princesand lords,were to be called traducers because they justlycondemned one of good familyto be beheaded or hanged?
Every thief would then have cause to say that he was being ignominiously treated because he was to be hanged. Yes, but,my dear fellow,why steal?
Oh, dear sir,are you not, with all your wisdom, accusingme thus ?
In conclusion, kingsand princes are subject to God, who firstuses gentle means to reclaim them, even when they are very wicked.
When these are of no avail,then God punishesthem throughHis wrath.
If they mock the firstpunishment, they must weep to all eternity over the second.
Please accept this hasty summary of the matter.
I could, by the grace of God, do it better.
I shall justifymyselfto the For he must be laughingin his sleeve at the whole affair.
Lauterbach worried in his pastoral office.
Grace and peace in Christ !
Act thus,my dear Anton