A Letter from Martin Luther To Duke John Frederick
Serene, Noble Sovereign, Gracious Lord: Before all else, my humble prayer and all my services are always at Your Grace’s disposal. Gracious Lord, I have received Your Grace’s letter, and read it with great joy. From it I have learned of Your Grace’s special good will and favor toward me, unworthy though I be, and also of your great steadfastness and enthusiasm for the holy and divine truth. Although I am too lowly to have brought this about in Your Grace even in a small way, yet at all times I want to be diligent in thanking and praising God for it, according to my humble ability; may he strengthen and preserve Your Grace’s heart and mind in such a Christian attitude. Your Grace’s constant concern in this cause, so as to write so assiduously to my Most Gracious Lord, Duke Frederick, elector, etc., stirs up great hope in me that God will help his gospel through Your Grace.
As the bull has in no way frightened me, I intend to preach, lecture, and write in spite of it. I suspect, however, that the people of Leipzig, if they could, would drive me out of Wittenberg, with the help of Duke George and the Bishop of Merseburg, who have developed toward me a hatred defying description. But I have commended all this to the divine will. I well realize that they try to destroy not me but rather Your Grace’s small university at Wittenberg. They have played with this thought for some time, and now they rejoice that they have found a “just” reason. May they do whatever God has destined them to do. I shall await the next throw of the dice.
With this, I want humbly to commend myself—but before all else, the cause of the Christian truth—to Your Grace. May God bless, strengthen, and govern you for us, according to his divine will. To him be praise and honor. Amen.
Wittenberg, October 30, 1520
Your Grace’s dedicated priest,
D. Martin Luther
Augustinian
