# Articles Or Charges Against Michael Sattler. · Page 2 of 3 [Previous page: ARTICLES OR CHARGES AGAINST MICHAEL SATTLER.](/en/stories/mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ARTICLES OR CHARGES AGAINST MICHAEL SATTLER.](/en/stories/mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler/part-3/) “Eighthly, If the Turks should come, we ought not to resist them; for it is written: Thou shalt not kill. We must not defend ourselves against the Turks and others of our persecutors, but are to beseech God with earnest prayer to repel and resist them. But that I said, that if warring were right, I would rather take the field against the so-called Christians, who persecute, apprehend and kill pious Christians, than against the Turks, was for this reason: The Turk is a true Turk, knows nothing of the Christian faith; and is a Turk after the flesh; but you, who would be Christians, and who make your boast of Christ, persecute the pious witnesses of Christ, and are Turks after the spirit. Ex. 20:13; Matt. 7:7; Tit. 1:16. “In conclusion: Ye ministers of God, I admonish you to consider the end for which God has appointed you, to punish the evil, and to defend and protect the pious. Whereas, then, we have not acted contrary to God and the Gospel, you will find that neither I nor my brethren and sisters have offended in word or deed against any authority. Therefore, ye ministers of God, if ye have not heard or read the word of God, send for the most learned, and for the sacred books of the Bible, of whatsoever language they may be, and let them confer with us in the word of God; and if they prove to us with the Holy Scriptures, that we err and are in the wrong, we will gladly desist and recant and also willingly suffer the sentence and punishment for that of which we have been accused, but if no error is proven to us, I hope to God, that you will be converted, and receive instruction.” Wis. 6:4; Acts 25:8; Rom. 13:4; Acts 25:11. Upon this speech the judges laughed and put their heads together, and the town clerk of Ensisheim said: “O you infamous, desperate villain and monk, shall we dispute with you? The hangman shall dispute with you, I assure you.” Michael said: “God’s will be done.” The town clerk said: “It were well if you had never been born.” Michael replied: “God knows what is good.” Town Clerk: “You arch-heretic, you have seduced the pious; if they would only now forsake their error, and accept grace.” Michael: “Grace is with God alone.” One of the prisoners also said: “We must not depart from the truth.” Town Clerk: “You desperate villain and arch-heretic, I tell you if there were no hangman here, I would hang you myself, and think that I had done God service.” Michael: “God will judge aright.” Thereupon the town clerk said a few words to him in Latin, what we do not know. Michael Sattler answered him: Judica. 403 The town clerk then admonished the judges and said: “He will not cease from this talk to-day; therefore my Lord Judge, proceed with the sentence; I will commit it to the law.” The judge asked Michael Sattler whether he also committed it to the law. He replied: “Ye ministers of God, I am not sent to judge the word of God; we are sent to bear witness of it, and, hence, cannot consent to any law, since we have no command from God concerning it; but if we can not be discharged from the law, we are ready to suffer for the word of God whatever sufferings are, or may be imposed upon us all for the sake of the faith in Christ Jesus our Savior, as long as we have breath within us; unless we be dissuaded from it by the Scriptures.” The town clerk said: “The hangman shall convince you; he shall dispute with you, arch-heretic.” Michael: “I appeal to the Scriptures.” Then the judges arose, and went into another room, where they remained for an hour and a half, and determined on the sentence. Matt. 6:10; John 16:2; 1 Cor. 4:5; John 1:8; Job 27:3; Acts 25:11. In the meantime, some in the room treated Michael Sattler most unmercifully, heaping reproach upon him. One of them said: “What have you in expectation for yourself and the others, that you have so seduced them?” With this, he also drew forth a sword which lay upon the table, saying: “See, with this shall they dispute with thee.” But Michael did not answer upon a single word concerning his person, but willingly endured it all. One of the prisoners said: “We must not cast pearls before swine.” Matt. 27:14; 7:6. Being also asked, why he had not remained a lord in the convent, Michael answered: “According to the flesh I was a lord; but it is better so.” He did not say more than what is recorded here, and this he spoke fearlessly. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_403) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: ARTICLES OR CHARGES AGAINST MICHAEL SATTLER.](/en/stories/mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ARTICLES OR CHARGES AGAINST MICHAEL SATTLER.](/en/stories/mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler/part-3/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler/part-2/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Articles+Or+Charges+Against+Michael+Sattler.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+3&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AArticles+Or+Charges+Against+Michael+Sattler.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+3%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler%2Fpart-2%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-articles-or-charges-against-michael-sattler--b00037-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)