Frederic has not returned, therefore I am still waiting to know what the Lord will do in my cause through you. But I have heard that the Very Reverend Cardinal Cajetan has been particularly commanded by the Pope to do everything possible to alienate the minds of the Emperor and princes from me. So much does conscience make such popes cowards, or rather so intolerable is the power of truth to works which are done in darkness!
But as you know, Spalatin, I fear nothing. For even if their sycophancy and power should succeed in making me hateful unto all, yet my heart and conscience would tell me that all things which I have and which they attack, I have from God, to whom willingly and of my own accord I refer them and to whom I offer them. If he takes them away, let them be taken away, if he preserves them, let them be preserved, and may his name be holy and blessed forever. Amen.
I do not see in what way I can escape all their censures unless the elector helps me. On the other hand, I would much prefer to be always under their censures than to make the elector incur odium for my sake. Therefore, as I formerly offered myself, believe that I am still ready to be offered up, and convince of this any other whom you may think fit. I will never be a heretic; I may err in debate, but I wish to decide nothing. Yet I would not be captive to the doctrines of men. . . .
I send my Resolutions, very badly printed on account of my rather long absence.* Prierias' Dialogue^ with my answer are being printed at Leipsic. . . .
Brother Martin Eleutherius, Augustinian.
77. LUTHER TO JOHN STAUPITZ. Enders, i. 222. (Wittenberg), September i, 1518.
Greeting. Doubt not, reverend Father, that in future I shall be free in examining and treating the Word of God. For neither does that citation to Rome, nor do their threats
^Lather had recently been to Dresden, on which, cf. infra, no. 117, having preached there on July 25. But he is here probably referring to his trip to Heidelberg, April 11 -May 15.
"Luther himself printed Prierias' Dialogue, with his answer. Reprinted Weimar. L 644. Cf, supra, nos. 68, 72.
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