rejoice to die in the confession of such articles as that we obtain
the remission of sins by faith freely for Christ's sake, that we do
not merit the remission of sins by our works? [Experience shows--and
the monks themselves must admit it--that] The consciences of the
pious will have no sufficiently sure consolation against the terrors
of sin and of death, and against the devil soliciting to despair [and
who in a moment blows away all our works like dust], if they do not
know that they ought to be confident that they have the remission of
sins freely for Christ's sake. This faith sustains and quickens
hearts in that most violent conflict with despair [in the great agony
of death, in the great anguish, when no creature can help, yea, when
we must depart from this entire visible creation into another state
and world, and must die].

Therefore the cause is one which is worthy that for its sake we
should refuse no danger. Whosoever you are that has assented to our
Confession, "do not yield to the wicked, but, on the contrary, go
forward the more boldly," when the adversaries endeavor, by means of
terrors and tortures and punishments, to drive away from you that
consolation which has been tendered to the entire Church in this
article of ours [but with all cheerfulness rely confidently and
gladly on God and the Lord Jesus, and joyfully confess this manifest
truth in opposition to the tyranny, wrath, threatening, and terrors
of all the world, yea, in opposition to the daily murders and
persecution of tyrants. For who would suffer to have taken from him
this great, yea, everlasting consolation on which the entire
salvation of the whole Christian Church depends? Any one who picks
up the Bible and reads it earnestly will soon observe that this
doctrine has its foundation everywhere in the Bible]. Testimonies of
Scripture will not be wanting to one seeking them, which will