irred up and be heard again, without doubt the whole world
would be aroused and moved, and the greater portion of the kings,
princes, bishops, doctors and clergy, and all that is great,
would oppose it and rage against it, as has always happened when
the Word of God has come to light; for the world cannot endure
what comes from God. This is proved in Christ, Who was and is the
very greatest and most precious and best of all that God has; yet
the world not only did not receive Him, but persecuted Him more
cruelly than all others who had ever come forth from God.

Therefore, as at that time, so at all times there are few who
stand by the divine truth, and imperil and risk life and limb,
goods and honor, and all that they have, as Christ has foretold:
"Ye shall be hated of all men for My Name's sake." [Matt. 14:9
f.] And: "Many of them shall be offended in Me." Yea, if this
truth were attacked by peasants, herdsmen, stable-boys and men of
no standing, who would not be willing and able to confess it and
to bear witness to it? But when the pope, and the bishops,
together with princes and kings attack it, all men flee, keep
silent, dissemble, in order that they may not lose goods, honor,
favor and life.

[Sidenote: Witnessing to the Truth Demands Faith]

III. Why do they do this? Because they have no faith in God, and
expect nothing good from Him. For where such faith and confidence
are, there is also a bold, defiant, fearless heart, that ventures
and stands by the truth, though it cost life or cloak, though it
be against pope or kings; as we see that the martyrs did. For
such a heart is satisfied and rests easy because it has a
gracious, loving God. Therefore it despises all the favor, grace,
goods and honor of men, lets them come and go as they please; as
is written in Psalm xv: "He contemneth them that contemn God, and
honoreth them that fear the Lord" [Ps. 15:4]; that is, the
tyrants, the mighty, who persecute the truth and despise God, he
does not fear, he does not regard them, he despiseth them; on the
other band, those who are persecuted for the truth's sake, and
fear God more than men, to these he clings, these he defends,
these he honors, let it vex whom it may; as it is written of
Moses, Hebrews xi, that he stood by his brethren, regardless of
the mighty king of Egypt. [Heb. 11:24 ff.]

Lo, in this Commandment again you see briefly that faith must be
the master-workman in this work also, so that without it no