For how can one reconcile Perhaps the marriage of the priestsand the Sacrament in both kinds may be left an open question,but this is after all only a I hope that the religiousquestion may be deferred, and meantime a world-wide peace be established.
If by Christ's blessingthis be achieved, then much has been accomplished at this Diet.
First, and greatest of all,Christ has been publicly proclaimed through our glorious Confession, so that the great ones of the earth cannot boast that we have fled and were afraid to confess our faith.
I grudge you the privilegeof being present at the reading of this grand For it has been my lot,even as it was that of our great warriors at ; they had no share in defending it against the Turks, so none of the honour of the victorywas theirs.
I am well pleased that my Vienna has been defended by others.
How can we hope for good from the Emperor, as he is surrounded by numberless devils ^ Christ lives,and does not sit at the God's righthand, else we would have been lost long ago.
Philip,when his faith fails,could share this,my belief.
But perhaps it is Augsburg alone which is disputingabout there being a right hand of God, so that we may be forced to believe that Christ has, through the Sacramentarians,been cast down from God's right hand, and that the Papists have given another rendering of If this be so, we know nothing of it at Coburg.
Jonas, tell me if this be the case, for then Christ,and compose another psalm whose every line will not mock me.
But a truce to this blasphemousjesting. May you believe that He have lost the title in Augsburg, He has lost it neither in heaven nor on earth.
Luther explainsthe device on his seal.
Honoured dear sir and friend As you wished to know the real meaning of my seal,I shall write my thoughtson my coat-of-arms as indicative of my theology.
The first thing is a cross, black on a red heart,to remind me that the blood of the Crucified One makes the man blessed.
Whoever believes this is justified.Now, althoughit be a black cross and inflicts pain,it does not kill,but rather makes alive.
Such a heart is placed on a white rose, to show that faith yieldsjoy,consolation, and peace, and not the peace and joy of the world
; and that is why the rose is white and not red.
For white is the colour of the angelsand the spirits.
This rose should be placedon a field tinted with the hues of heaven,to signify that the joy and faith of the world to come have alreadybegun to bloom here below, and through hope we are even now in possessionof that which is only manifest to the eye of faith.
And on such a field there is also a goldenring,to show that the bliss of heaven endures for ever, and that its joys and possessions are far above allearthlypleasures, even as gold is the most preciousof metals.
Lord, be with your spirit till it attain to this life.
From the wilderness of Coburg.
Luther admonishes him to steadfastness.
I sit here planning and sighingfor you, now that thingsare coming to a climax, but hope for the best.