They hang around my neck and offend the Gospel and sadden my heart. My letter, most gracious Lord, was for those men, and not for myself, that your Grace might see the devil in the drama now enacting at Wittenberg. Although the admoni- tion was unnecessary to your Grace, yet it was needful for me to write. As for myself, most gracious Lord, I answer thus : Your Grace knows (or, if you do not, I now inform you of the fact) that I have received my Gospel not from men but from I Heaven only, by our Lord Jesus Christ, so that I might well ^ be able to boast and call myself a minister and evangelist, as I shall do in future. I offered to be tried and judged, not be- cause I had doubts myself, but to convince others and from sheer humility. But now I see that my too great humility abases the Gospel, and that if I yield a span the devil will take all. So I am conscientiously compelled to resist. I have obeyed your Grace this year to please you.* The devil knows I did not hide from cowardice, for he saw my heart when I entered Worms. Had I then believed that there were as many devils as tiles on the roofs, I should have leaped into their midst with joy. Now Duke George is still far from being the equal of one devil. Since the Father of infinite mercy has by the Gospel made us happy lords of all devils and of death, and has given us rich confidence to call Him dearest Father, your Grace can see for yourself that it would be a deep insult to such a Father not to trust Him, and that we are lords even of Duke George's wrath. I am fully persuaded that had I been called to Leipsic instead of Wittenberg, I should have gone there, even if (your Grace will excuse my foolish words!) it had rained Duke Georges nine days and every duke nine times as furious as this one. He esteems my Lord Christ a man of straw, but my Lord and I can suffer that for awhile. I shall not conceal from your Grace that I have more than once wept and prayed for Duke George, that God might enlighten him. I shall pray and weep once more and then cease forever. Will your Grace please pray, and have prayers said by others, that we may turn from him the judgment that (God knows) is always in wait for him? I could slay him with a single word.
1 1.e., by staying at the Wartburg,
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