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First; you know that under the papacy it is not only taught that



the saints in heaven intercede for us … even though we cannot know



this as the Scripture does not tell us such … but the saints have



been made into gods; and that they are to be our patrons to whom



we should call。 Some of them have never existed! To each of these



saints a particular power and might has been given … one over



fire; another over water; another over pestilence; fever and all



sorts of plagues。 Indeed; God must have been altogether idle to



have let the saints work in his place。 Of this atrocity the



papists themselves are aware; as they quietly take up their pipes



and preen and primp themselves over this doctrine of the



intercession of the saints。 I will leave this subject for now …



but you can count on my not forgetting it and allowing this



primping and preening to continue without cost。







And again; you know that there is not a single passage from God



demanding us to call upon either saints or angels to intercede for



us; and that there is no example of such in the Scriptures。 One



finds that the beloved angels spoke with the fathers and the



prophets; but that none of them had ever been asked to intercede



for them。 Why even Jacob the patriarch did not ask the angel with



whom he wrestled for any intercession。 Instead; he only took from



him a blessing。 In fact; one finds the very opposite in revelation



as the angel will not allow itself to be worshipped by John。 'Rev。



22' So the worship of saints shows itself as nothing but human



nonsense; our own invention separated from the word of God and the



Scriptures。







As it is not proper in the matter of divine worship for us to do



anything that is not commanded by God (and that whoever does is



putting God to the test); it is therefore also not advisable or



tolerable for one to call upon the saints for intercession or to



teach others to do so。 In fact; it is to be condemned and people



taught to avoid it。 Therefore; I also will not advise it and



burden my conscience with the iniquities of others。 It was



difficult for me to stop from worshipping the saints as I was so



steeped in it to have nearly drowned。 But the light of the gospel



is now shining so brightly that from now on no one has an excuse



for remaining in the darkness。 We all very well know what we are



to do。







This is itself a very risky and blasphemous way to worship for



people are easily accustomed to turning away from Christ。 They



learn quickly to trust more in the saints than in Christ himself。



When our nature is already all too prone to run from God and



Christ; and trust in humanity; it is indeed difficult to learn to



trust in God and Christ; even though we have vowed to do so and



are therefore obligated to do so。 Therefore; this offense is not



to be tolerated whereby those who are weak and of the flesh



participate in idolatry; against the first commandment and our



baptism。 Even if one tries nothing other than to switch their



trust from the saints to Christ; through teaching and practice; it



will be difficult to accomplish; that one should come to him and



rightly take hold of him。 One need not paint the Devil on the



door … he will already be present。







We can finally be certain that God is not angry with us; and that



even if we do not call on the saints for intercession; we are



secure for God has never commanded it。 God says that God is a



jealous God granting their iniquities on those who do not keep his



commandments 'Ex。20'; but there is no commandment here and;



therefore; no anger to be feared。 Since; then; there is on this



side security and on the other side great risk and offense against



the Word of God; why should we go from security into danger where



we do not have the Word of God to sustain; comfort and save us in



the times of trial? For it is written; 〃Whoever loves danger will



perish by it〃 'Ecclus。 3'; and God's commandment says; 〃You shall



not put the Lord your God to the test〃 'Matt。 4'。







〃But;〃 they say; 〃this way you condemn all of Christendom which



has always maintained this … until now。〃 I answer: I know very



well that the priests and monks seek this cloak for their



blasphemies。 They want to give to Christendom the damage caused



by their own negligence。 Then; when we say; 〃Christendom does not



err;〃 we shall also be saying that they do not err; since



Christendom believes it to be so。 So no pilgrimage can be wrong;



no matter how obviously the Devil is a participant in it。 No



indulgence can be wrong; regardless of how horrible the lies



involved。 In other words; there is nothing there but holiness!



Therefore to this you reply; 〃It is not a question of who is and



who is not condemned。〃 They inject this irrelevant idea in order



to divert us from the topic at hand。 We are now discussing the



Word of God。 What Christendom is or does belongs somewhere



else。 The question here is: 〃What is or is not the Word of God?



What is not the Word of God does not make Christendom。







We read that in the days of Elijah the prophet there was



apparently no word from God and no worship of God in Israel。 For



Elijah says; 〃Lord; they have killed your prophets and destroyed



your altars; and I am left totally alone〃 'I Kings 19'。 Here King



Ahab and others could have said; 〃Elijah; with talk like that you



are condemning all the people of God。〃 However God had at the



same time kept seven thousand 'I Kings 19'。 How? Do you not also



think that God could now; under the papacy; have preserved his



own; even though the priests and monks of Christendom have been



teachers of the devil and gone to hell? Many children and young



people have died in Christ。 For even under the anti…Christ;



Christ has strongly sustained baptism; the bare text of the gospel



in the pulpit; the Lord's Prayer; and the Creed。 By this means he



sustained many of his Christians; and therefore also his



Christendom; and said nothing about it to these devil's teachers。







Now even though Christians have done some parts of the papal



blasphemy; the papal asses have not yet proved that they did it



gladly。 Still less does it prove that they even did the right



thing。 All Christians can err and sin; but God has taught them to



pray in the Lord's Prayer for the forgiveness of sins。 God could



very well forgive the sins they had to unwillingly; unknowingly;



and under the coercion of the Antichrist commit; without saying



anything about it to the priests and monks! It can; however; be



easily proven that there has always been a great deal of secret



murmuring and complaining against the clergy throughout the world;



and that they are not treating Christendom properly。 And the



papal asses have courageously withstood such complaining with fire



and sword; even to the present day。 This murmuring proves how



happy Christians have been over these blasphemies; and how right



they have been in doing them!







So out with it; you papal asses! Say that this is the teaching of



Christendom: these stinking lies which you villains and traitors



have forced upon Christendom and for the sake of which you



murderers have killed many Christians。 Why each letter of every



papal law gives testimony to the fact that nothing has ever been



taught by the counsel and the consent of Christendom。 There is



nothing there but 〃districte precipiendo mandamus〃 '〃we teach and



strictly command〃'。 That has been your Holy Spirit。 Christendom



has had to suffer this tyranny。 This tyranny has robbed it of the



sacrament and; not by its own fault; has been held in captivity。



And still the asses would pawn off on us this intolerable tyranny



of their own wickedness as a willing act and example of



Christendom … and thereby acquit themselves!







But this is getting too long。 Let this be enough of an answer to



your questions for now。 More another time。 Excuse this long



letter。 Christ our Lord be with us all。 Amen。







Martin Luther;



Your good friend。



The Wilderness; September 8; 1530



















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