, indeed,
he would be in duty bound to do), they be publicly delivered
in order to set forth the Confession of our Faith.

But though the Romish court is so dreadfully afraid of a free
Christian Council, and shuns the light so shamefully, that it
has [entirely] removed, even from those who are on its side,
the hope that it will ever permit a free Council, much less
that it will itself hold one, whereat, as is just, they [many
Papists] are greatly offended and have no little trouble on
that account [are disgusted with this negligence of the Pope],
since they notice thereby that the Pope would rather see all
Christendom perish and all souls damned than suffer either
himself or his adherents to be reformed even a little, and his
[their] tyranny to be limited, nevertheless I have determined
meanwhile to publish these articles in plain print, so that,
should I die before there would be a Council (as I fully
expect and hope, because the knaves who flee the light and
shun the day take such wretched pains to delay and hinder the
Council), those who live and remain after me may have my
testimony and confession to produce, in addition to the
Confession which I have issued previously, whereby up to this
time I have abided, and, by God's grace, will abide.

For what shall I say? How shall I complain? I am still living,
writing, preaching, and lecturing daily; [and] yet there are
found such spiteful men, not only among the adversaries, but
also false brethren that profess to be on our side, as dare to
cite my writings and doctrine directly against myself, and let
me look on and listen, although they know well that I teach
otherwise, and as wish to adorn their venom with my labor, and
under my name to [deceive and] mislead the poor people. [Good
God!] Alas! what first will happen when I am dead?

Indeed, I ought to reply to everything while I am still
living. But, again, how can I alone stop all the mouths of the
devil? especially of those (as they all are poisoned) who will
not hear or notice what we write, but solely exercise
themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully
pervert and corrupt our word in every letter. These I let the
devil answer, or at last Gods wrath, as they deserve. I often
think of the good Gerson who doubts whether anything good
should be [written and] published. If it is not done, many
souls are neglected who could be delivered: but if it is done,
the devil is there with malignant, villaino