Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/555

 Wherefore, as humbly as I can, I pray your Sacred Ma- jesty, not to consider this opinion born of evil suspicion and prejudicial to the Word of God, and not to interpret it un- mercifully. For I conceived the opinion from the said Script- ures, to which every creature rightly yields. For, says Au- gustine, the authority of this Scripture is greater than the capacity of the whole of human reason. Your Sacred Ma- jesty can easily see my loyalty and trust to your Sacred Ma- jesty, in that I appeared most obediently before you under safe-conduct, fearing nothing, although I knew that my books had been burned by my enemies and an edict against me and my books publicly posted in many places under your Majesty's name. These things might well have terrified this poor little monk, had I not expected (as I still do) the best of God Almighty, your Sacred Majesty and the Estates of the Empire.

Although I could not obtain a refutation of my books from Holy Writ, and am forced to leave unconvicted. . . never- theless I thank your Sacred Majesty humbly for observing the safe-conduct at Worms, and for having promised to keep it until I get to a safe abiding place. Again I beg your Sa- cred Majesty by Christ, not to allow me to be crushed by my enemies, nor to suffer violence and be condemned, since I have so often offered to do what a Christian and an obedient subject ought. For I am even yet prepared to stand, under your Majesty's protection, before impartial and learned judges, lay as well as ecclesiastical, and to submit my books and doctrines most freely to all, if your Majesty or any of the Estates, councils or doctors or any one else, can and will in- struct me on them. I will accept their judgment, provided only that the Word of God, which ought to be the judge of all men, is kept open and free.

In sending this letter back, I plead not my own cause, for I am nothing, but the cause of the whole Church, and I set forth what reason demands. With my whole heart I wish well to your Sacred Majesty, to the whole Empire and to the most noble German nation, and I hope God's grace will keep you all happy. Hitherto I have sought nothing but the glory of God and the salvation of men, not considering my own advantage nor even whether my enemies condemned me or

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