Testament at Rostock/ They fear that this may do great harm to pious souls, and have earnestly requested me to labor with my gracious lord, the Elector of Saxony, and get him to write to you. This I have done, and am hopeful that he may have written or will shortly do so.
To be sure I can put up with the text of Emser's Testament, for it is almost exactly my own text and is stolen from me word for word, but his poisonous additions and glosses and annotations may be dangerous, and it is chiefly because of them that this Testament of Emser's is being printed. There- fore I humbly beg that for the honor of the Word of God and the salvation of all souls (if such a thing is possible), your Grace will not permit this publication, considering that if this publication were issued by your Grace's favor or negli- gence, Satan might hereafter rmkt great disturbance and trouble for your Grace, as though your Grace had consented to this great injury done men's souls, inasmuch as your Grace did not prevent it when there was still time. But I hope that Christ will grant your Grace, since your Grace is a lover of God's Word, to do what is in accordance with His divine will. Amen.
Your Grace will graciously take this necessary and well- meaning letter of mine in good part. May God have your Grace in His keeping.
Your Grace's obedient
Martin Luther.
86i. THE LANDGRAVE PHIUP OF HESSE TO LUTHER. Enders, vii, 1991 German. Fuedewald, December g, 1529.
We make no doubt that you have knowledge of the unkind, offensive and unheard of treatment which his Imperial Maj- esty has inflicted on the representatives of the electors, princes and cities that subscribe to the holy Gospel, which they call your doctrine, and to the protest lately made at the Diet of Spires. We sent our agents to his Majesty with important, but humble and submissive petitions and requests, and with
^As a restslt of tiib letter the publlcttlon of tlifs 1>w Germm edition of Eraser's New Testament was prohibited. In sirite of this prohibition, the Gospela and the Book of Acts were printed, but the copies were confiscated.
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