Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/366

 through his legate Eck has attacked Luther and his books and all who adhere to and follow him, with a harsh bull. This wretched instnunent of Satan is now at Leipsic, trumpet- ing forth his bull with great pomp and glory. I know not what will happen, nor am I anxious to know, for I am sure that he who sitteth in heaven takes care for all things and has foreseen the rise, progress and end (which I wait for) of this affair from eternity. Whichever way the lot falls it will not move me, for it only falls where it falls by God's excellent will, who cannot err and is thus bound to please someone. Be not therefore anxious, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him;^ a leaf of a tree does not fall to the ground without his will f how much more must we fall only there where he wishes us to fall.

I thought best to encourage you thus myself, so that if a powerful spirit come up against you, you will not abandon your post, but hold fast what you have, lest another should receive your crown.* It is a small thing for us to die for the Word which was incarnate* and died first for us. We who perish with him and who have gone with him where he has gone, will rise with him and attain to the same place that he has attained to and will remain with him forever. See then that you do not hold your holy calling cheap, but that you gratefully persevere in it through all evil. He will come and will not tarry who shall deliver us from all evil.' Farewell in the Lord Jesus Christ. May he strengthen and preserve our heart and mind. Amen. Martin Luther.

��302. CHARLES VON MILTITZ TO ELECTOR FREDERIC OF

SAXONY, "^"alch, XV. 928. German. Leipsic, October 2, 1520.

Most serene, high-bom Prince, most gracious Lord! My Itumble service to your Grace. As at my departure from Cjotha your Grace gave me a letter to Fabian von Feilitzsch,«

^Matthew* ri. 8.


 * Cf. Matthew, x. 29.

"Revelation, uL ix.

^Johti, i. 14.

'Hebrews, x. 37. a Timothy, iv. 18.


 * A Councillor of Frederic, who died early in December, 1520. He was a warm

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