thoughtlessly, or sought worldly honour or my own advantage,but obeyed conscience, as a humble teacher of the Scriptures, to the praiseof God, and for the salvation of a common
Christianity, the good of the German nation,and the deliverance of a united Christendom out of an abyss of tyrannicalnarrowness and blasphemyagainst the Electoral Highness,alongwith
Majesty,may extend a loving,watchful eye over the troubled condition of Christendom, is ever my earnest prayer, as is only the duty of a poor humble chaplainand subject.At Wittenberg. On the day of St. PauFs conversion.
Grace's obedient chaplain, Salzburg of being an adherent of Luther,and Staupitzagreed to submit to the Archbishop'sverdict.
I rejoice that you have been assailed by Pope Leo X,, and can now let the world see how the cross which you have so often preached to others may be borne.
I do not desire that wolf to derive more satisfaction from your too complaisant answer than he should receive,else he would fancy that you have repudiatedme and mine when you suffer him to be umpire.
Therefore, if you love Christ,may this letter lead you to recant, for all you have preached and taught up till now of the mercy of God is condemned in this Bull.
And it appears to me that as you are well aware of this,you cannot, without insultingChrist,appoint one of His opponents as judge
" one whom you see emptying the vials of his wrath againstthe word of grace, " for it was your duty to rebuke him for such godlessness.
This is no time for cowardice,but for raisingthe alarm when we see our Jesus slandered and condemned.
Hence, as you admonish me to humility, so much the more would 1 exhort you to pride. For, you are far too humble, while I am too proud.
This is a serious matter.
When we see the beloved Himself for us, beingheld up to derision everywhere,ought we not to fightfor Him, and offer up our necks for Him
The dangeris greater than many suppose.
*' Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.'* I would not be ashamed of beingaccused of any vices, or being called an enemy of the Pope,if no one can accuse me of keeping a godlesssilence when the ** I looked on my righthand, and beheld,but there was no man that would know me
; no man cared for my soul I hope, throughthe power of such a testimony,to be purified from all my sins.
I have so joyfully showed the horns against this Roman idol and true Word of God is not one of peace, but of the sword Behold the simpleteachingthe wise !
I write this in all good faith to you ; for I much fear that you will hover in suspense between Christ and the Pope, althoughthey are at open defiance with each other.
But let us pray that the Lord Jesusmay destroythis child of perdition with the breath of So if you do not follow now, let me go on alone.
If God will,I shall not be silent as to this monstrosity.
Your declension has indeed vexed me not a little, and showed me another Staupitzthan he who was wont to preach free grace and the cross.
Had you acted thus before you knew of this Christ's reproach,it would not have grievedme so.
Hutten and many others write boldlyon my behalf,and songs are being dailyproduced which will certainly not be cause of rejoicing to that Prince is not onlyacting judiciously and believingly, but is also steadfast.