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 thoughtlessly, or sought worldly honor or my own advantage, but obeyed conscience, as a humble teacher of the Holy Scriptures, to the praise of God, and for the salvation of a common Christianity, the good of the German nation, and the deliverance of a united Christendom out of an abyss of tyrannical narrowness and blasphemy against the Most High.

That your Electoral Highness, along with His Imperial Majesty, may extend a loving, watchful eye over the troubled condition of Christendom, is ever my earnest prayer, as is only the duty of a poor humble chaplain and subject. At Wittenberg. On the day of St. Paul’s conversion. Your Electoral Grace’s obedient chaplain, MARTIN LUTHER. (De Wette.)

LIII
TO JOHN STAUPITZ

The Pope accused Staupitz to the Archbishop of Salzburg of being an adherent of Luther, and Staupitz agreed to submit to the Archbishop’s verdict.

February 9, 1521.

I rejoice that you have been assailed by Pope Leo X., and can now let the world see how the cross which you have so often preached to others may be borne. For I do not desire that wolf to derive more satisfaction from your too complaisant answer than he should receive, else he would fancy that you have repudiated me and mine when you suffer him to be umpire.

Therefore, if you love Christ, may this letter lead you to recant, for all you have preached and taught up till now of the mercy of God is condemned in this Bull.

And it appears to me that as you are well aware of this, you cannot, without insulting Christ, appoint one of His opponents as judge — one whom you see emptying the vials of his wrath against the word of grace, — for it was your duty to rebuke him for such godlessness.

This is no time for cowardice, but for raising the alarm when we see our Lord Jesus slandered and condemned.