Prefatio: Why the three Crimina are cited — not to litigate, but to show the necessity of one defense
IV.
Thus far I have brought forward the three most atrocious Accusations forged against me by the council of my Adversaries, collected from three Lutheran Doctors (those Orthodox ones, of course, who cannot err), framed in their own words. Not, to be sure, with a mind either to litigate with them about these things and proceed to empty or impious quarrels, or even to try to excuse myself before those most rigid Judges of mine after the sentence already passed against me by them (for that would be nothing else than imprudently and incautiously to provoke a heavier sentence against myself); but partly so that it may become known to a benevolent Reader, free from prejudices and passions, how hostilely they have invaded me, and with what atrocity — never having been injured by me — two of them, not even known to me by name before, have tried to tear the fame of a most innocent neighbor and to divert onto me the just indignation of the whole Lutheran Church (which, as holding directly and entirely the Foundation of the whole Christian Faith, I have always held ought to be pursued with fraternal charity), if what they said were true; partly so that I might show that I did not snatch at an occasion, but that the hardest necessity of snatching it was imposed on me — once only, and never hereafter — of alleging my Deeds and Words and of laying them before everyone's eyes, from which my adversaries have blushed at no one in sucking so much venom against me.
Latin
IV. Adductae hactenus a me sunt Adversariorum meorum ex tribus numero Doctoribus Theologis Lutheranis (Orthodoxis scil. illis et errare nesciis) collecti Concilii, atrocissimae adversus me confictae Tres Accusationes, propriis eorum verbis conceptae; Non eo certe animo, quasi vel de his litigare cum iisdem, et ad rixas inanes aut impias, procedere, vel saltem me illis, rigidissimis meis Judicibus, post jam tum latam ab iis adversus me sententiam, exculpare tentem (hoc enim nil aliud foret, quam graviorem sententiam adversus me, imprudenter et incaute provocare); sed partim, ut benevolo, eidemque a praejudiciis et affectibus libero Lectori innotescat, quam hostiliter isti me invaserint, quantaque atrocitate, nunquam a me laesi, quin duo eorum, ne nominibus quidem antehac mihi cogniti, famam innocentissimi proximi lacerare, et universae Ecclesiae Lutheranae (quam, utpote totius Christianae Fidei Fundamentum Directe omnino tenacem, Fraterna semper charitate prosequendam duxi) justam, si vera dixissent, indignationem in me derivare annisi sint: partim, ut ansam non arriperem, sed durissimam istam arripiendi necessitatem mihi impositam ostenderem, semel duntaxat, nec posthac unquam, tam Facta quam Verba mea allegandi omniumque oculis exponendi, ex quibus adversarii mei tantum adversus me virus exugere nulli verecundati sunt.