alse witness against one's
neighbor.

II. There is a second bearing of witness to the truth, which is still
greater, with which we must fight against the evil spirits; and this
concerns not temporal matters, but the Gospel and the truth of faith,
which the evil spirit has at no time been able to endure, and always so
manages that the great among men, whom it is hard to resist, must
oppose and persecute it. Of which it is written in Psalm lxxxii, "Rid
the poor out of the hand of the wicked, and help the forsaken to
maintain his just cause."

Such persecution, it is true, has now become infrequent; but that is
the fault of the spiritual prelates, who do not stir up the Gospel, but
let it perish, and so have abandoned the very thing because of which
such witnessing and persecution should arise; and in its place they
teach us their own law and what pleases them. For this reason the devil
also does not stir, since by vanquishing the Gospel he has also
vanquished faith in Christ, and everything goes as he wishes. But if
the Gospel should be stirred 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." 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.

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 st