foundation on which our teachingrests, and therefore am becoming more courageous, so that,if God will,not a word shall be withdrawn, come what may.
I am pretty well, for I fancythrough all your prayers the spirit which has been tormenting me is beginningto giveway, but We might arrive at great honour if we only denied
" we must throughmuch tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
I am not pleasedthat you say you have followed me, as you regardedme as the principal adviser in this matter.
I will not be regardedas such.
Is not this business yours as much as mine I shall allow no one to laythe responsibility on me, but if it be mine alone I shall act for myself.
I tried to comfort you in my last letter.
God grant it may be a life-giving epistle, and not a dead letter.
You are torturingyourselfover the issue of the event because you cannot comprehend it ; but if you could comprehendit I would not like to be a partner in the concern, much less its author.
God has placedit in a spot which is not to be found in your rhetoric nor your philosophy.This spot is called faith,and includes all one does not see or understand, and whoever tries to understand all this receives tribulation and tears as his reward, as you know.
He would dwell in the thick darkness,"and Whoever wishes somethingdifferent can try to find it.
Moses waited till he understood how Pharaoh's armies,they might have been in Egypt still.
God so increase your faith that the devil and the whole world may be powerlessagainstyou.
Let us comfort ourselves with the faith of others if we have none ourselves.
For some have faith, else there would be no Christ would have ceased to dwell with us.
For if we are not the Church, or a part of it, where is it ?
Dukes of Bavaria,or the Pope, or the I pray without ceasingthat Christ may be with you.
After sealingthis I find I have not answered your questionvery fullyas to how much should be conceded to the adversary. But you do not say definitely what they expect from us.
I am as readyas ever to grant them everything if they onlyleave us a free gospel, but I cannot giveup the gospel.
Luther inspires him with courage.
High-born Prince, Herr Friedrich,Duke of Saxony.
Grace and peace in Christ, most gracious Grace sees with his own eyes what kind of lord the devil is,who leads captivethrough his wilyways so many greatpeople. AlthoughI know that your
Highness is well armed (thank God) againsthis wicked devices,yet I,in my anxietyfor you, write humbly to beg you not to worry over the wicked onslaughtsof your nearest blood relations.
For when the devil is powerless to do more, he makes the heart heavy through our friends' persecution.
37th Psalm is an excellent medicine againstsuch trials.
It exposes the malice of Satan's emissaries,who unceasingly try to provoke us to an impatientword, act, or gesture,so that therebyhe may accuse us of disobedience and rebellion.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
And we must put up with the knavery of wicked peopleand *' overcome evil with good."
No doubt the Emperor is a piousman and worthy of all honour, but what can one man do against so many devils if God do not give him
Highness'sblood relations behave so disgracefully I must have patience, else I would be wishingall manner of evil.
How much worse then must it be for your