Page:The letters of Martin Luther.djvu/284

 Campegius and the Pope, who first tried by threats to ruin our cause, and now by artifice. You have resisted force and withstood the Emperor’s imposing entry into Augsburg! And now you must put up with the tricks of those cowled monks which the Rhine conveyed to Speyer, and their arrival is closely associated with this talk of unity of doctrine.

This is the whole secret. But He who enabled you to withstand violent measures will strengthen you to overcome feebler. But more of this to Philip and the Elector. Be valiant and concede nothing which cannot be proved from Scripture. The Lord Jesus be with you. Amen. From my hermitage. MARTIN LUTHER.

CCXLVI
TO HANS VON STERNBERG

Luther dedicates the new edition of the 117th Psalm to the caretaker at Coburg Castle.

August 27, 1530.

Grace and peace in Christ our Lord! Most excellent and honorable sir and friend — I lately brought out a little book on the 117th Psalm, but did it hastily and issued it with no dedication, so I have again placed it in the oven to have it better fired, that it might bring forth more fruit. For the Holy Scriptures are well worthy of being adorned and made the best of, so that they may win as many admirers as they have enemies. I wish it to go out under your name, so that it may receive more consideration from certain parties, who know that there are many excellent people among the nobility.

For the majority of the upper classes are acting so disgracefully that they are a stone of stumbling to the common man, making him fancy that all the nobility is corrupt.

And it is most disastrous that the masses should despise and lightly esteem those who bear rule in the