less " IndifFerentist," who ridicules allreligion in his Lucian fashion, and is only in earnest when he wishes to gratify his revenge.
We are all well here,thanks to your prayers.
Thanks for the present " a proof of your good feeling.
I shall send you my latest works.
Farewell in Christ, and continue prayingfor me.
Grace's invitation to Marburg to the disputationwith GEcolampadius and the other Swiss divines,to see if we cannot see eye to eye regardingthe sacrament.
Although I have littlehope of this,stillyour Grace's anxietyfor unityand peace is most laudable,and I am willingto co-operate in such vain and for us perhaps dangerousefforts, for the other party must not have the gloryof outstripping me
(ifGod will)in the desire for unity. I beseech you to learn if they feel inclined to yieldtheir opinions, to prevent the evil becomingworse.
It seems as if they were trying,through your Grace's zeal, afterwards to boast that theyhad moved greatprincesto interfere to prove that they wished peace while we were its enemies.
God grant I am no prophet,but if they were really in earnest they do not need such mightyprinces to represent them ; for, God be praised, we are not such worthless characters.
They might have written us longago, sayinghow they wished peace, or could still do so, for I cannot yieldto them, beingconvinced our cause is rightand theirs wrong.
Therefore pray consider whether this Marburg conference will do good or harm ; for if theydo not yieldwe shall part without fruit,and our meeting,as well as your
Grace's outlayand trouble,have been in vain.
And then theywill boast,and load us with reproach, as is their wont. so thingswould be worse than ever.
Grace's fears that bloodshed would ensue from such discord, you know that whatever happenswe are innocent, and God will bringour innocence to the lightof day.
If this spirit of union should result in bloodshed,such action is in accordance with its nature, as was seen in ; and there,too, we were blameless.
I write all this to prove how readyI am to serve you.
Satan under our feet !
Luther says the gospelmessenger must suffer persecution.
Be strong in Christ,my Cordatus, in order to put up with those ungratefulpeople in Do not think of changingyour post.
This is a more testingtemptationthan any you have had.
The world is the enemy of God and It is therefore a miracle if among God's enemies any are friendly to The world loves its own, so we may know that we are not of this world when she hates and despises us.
Hence you have merelyto put up with an incarnate devil,who, throughthe flesh,his sluggishtool,harasses and enervates you, but cannot, much as he wishes,injure you.
But resisthim with all your might. Therefore you act in a brotherly way in comforting me so lovingly and wishingme all good.
Continue so to do and pray, as I do for you, that we may be set free,and tillthat day comes, bringforth fruit in patience.God grant this !
Greet your beloved other half in the Lord.