Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/311

 God should rejoice greatly, and make signs of gladness, as a new martyr has entered the kingdom of heaven. The Duke is thoroughly Lutheran.

(fn^ LUTHER TO JOHN RUHEL AT MANSFELD.

DeWette, ii, 652. German. Seeburg, May 4, 1525.

This letter was written during the journey of which Luther speaks in no. 672. The Peasants' Revolt, which had begun in South Ger- many, was spreading to the north and threatening the overthrow of the Saxon and Thuringian princes. Vide Smith, i37fF., and literature 455f., and Buchwald, Luther and the Peasants^ War, in American Lutheran Survey, 1917.

Grace and peace in Christ. Honored and dear doctor and friend! I have been intending to answer your last tiding^, recently shown me, here on my journey. First of all I beg you not to make our gracious lord, Count Albert, weak in this matter,^ but let him go on as he has begun, thou^ it will only make the devil still angrier, so that he will rage more than ever through those limbs of Satan he has possessed. We have God's Word, which lies not but says,* "He beareth not the sword in vain, etc.," so there is no doubt that his lordship has been ordained and commanded of God. His Grace will need the sword to punish the wicked as long as there are such sores in the body politic as now exist. Should the sword be struck out of his Grace's hand by force, we must suffer it, and give it back to God, Who first gave it and can take it back how and when He will.

May his Grace also have a good conscience in case he should have to die for God's Word, for God has so ordered it, if He permits it; no one should leave off the good work tmtil he is prevented by force, just as in battle no one should forego an advantage or leave off fighting vuitil he is overcome.

If there were thousands more peasants than there are they would all be robbers and murderers, who take the sword with criminal intent to drive out lords, princes and all else^ and make a new order in the world for which they have from God neither command, right, power, nor injunction, as the lords now have to suppress them. They are faithless and

^7.#., The Peasantt' Rerolt 'Romans xlii, 4.

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