of penalty and fear of God is easier to put in syllables and let- ters than to recognize in actual fact and in the state of one's own heart All the wicked fear penalty and hell; but God helps His own to fear God and penalty at once. There can be in this life no fear of God without fear of penalty, just as there can be no spirit without flesh, even though the fear of penalty is of no account without fear of God. When we teach the fear of God, then, I believe, we are doing just what we do when we teach the freedom of the spirit. There are some who distort the latter into security of the flesh, and so there are some who distort the former into despair, that is into fear of penalty. Who can prevent them?
Qirist is hearing our prayers and mercifully lightening our plague. We shall try to do what you ask, if your Visitation Articles are sent to us to be printed.
Pray for me, wretched and despised worm that I am, vexed with a spirit of sadness by the good will of the Father of mercies, to Whom be glory even in my wretchedness. My only glory is that I have taught God's Word purely and have not adulterated it because of any desire for glory or riches. I hope that He Who has made the beginning will be merciful even to the end, since I seek for nothing else and thirst for noth- ing else than a gracious God, and He offers Himself as such and asks to be received as such even by those who spurn Him and are His enemies. May Christ, Who has taught us to teach His Gospel, despite the rage of Satan, make us by His sure and free Spirit to believe this and confess it constantly in the midst of this wicked and perverse nation.
I believe Zwingli is worthy of holy hatred, so insolently and unworthily does he deal with the holy Word of God. The Hyperaspites I have not yet read; and why should I read it, who am Qirist's sick man, and barely manage to keep alive, let alone do anything or write anything? Does God afllict me with all his floods?* They who should have mercy are killing the wounded man. God be merciful to them and turn their hearts. Amen.
Yours, Martin Luther.
^ Psalm Ixxxviii, 7.
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