Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/482

 allow himself to be involved in them ; for we cannot even con- ceive the evil that will come out of it.

In the first place, it is certain that such an alliance is not of God and does not come of trust in Him, but is a device of human wits. Its purpose is to seek for human help and rely on that which has no firm foundation and can have no good results, in view of the fact that the alliance is unneces^ sary. For the papists are not strong enough and have not courage enough to begin an3rthing, and God has already pro- vided us with a defence against them in the good walls of His power. Then, too, such an alliance does nothing more than cause our opponents also to make alliances, and, perhaps, in self-defence, they might do some things that otherwise they would leave undone. Moreover the fear is only too well grounded that when the landgrave, who is a restless young prince, has made this league, he will not be quiet, but, as he did a year ago, will find some occasion not only for self- defence, but for aggression. It is not God's will that we should so act when as yet no one either pursues or seeks us.

In the second place, the worst thing of all is that in this league the most of the members are those who strive against God and the Sacrament,^ willful enemies of God and His Word. By making a league with them we take upon our- selves the burden of all their wickedness and blasphemy, be- come partakers in it and defenders of it. In truth, no more perilous league could be proposed for the shaming and the quenching of the Gospel and for our own damnation, body and soul. That is what the devil, sad to say, is seeking. If it cannot be otherwise, God help your Grace to desert the land- grave and be separate from him, as I hear that my gracious lord, the Margrave George," has said he will do. Our Lord Christ, Who has marvelously helped your Grace hitherto, without the landgrave, nay, against the landgrave, will con- tinue to give you His help and counsel.

In the third place, in the Old Testament God always con- demned leagues for human help, as, for instance, in Isaiah vii, viii and xxx. He says," "If ye remain quiet and trust, ye

^ I.e., the Zwinglians and the Strassburgers.

'George of Brandenburg. 'Isaiah xxx, is*

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