Christ  is  the  forgiveness  of  genuine  sins,  murder  of  parents,
pubhc  blasphemy,  contempt  of  God,  adultery — these  are  true
sins."  Perhaps  it  is  to  this  that  Luther  alludes  in  a  letter  to
Spalatin,  written  as  late  as  1544.  "Thus  was  my  Staupitz
wont  formerly  to  console  me  in  my  sorrow.  Thou  wishest,
he  said,  to  be  a  sham  sinner,  and  to  have  Christ  as  a  sham
Saviour.  Thou  must  accustom  thyself  to  the  thought  that
thou  art  a  real  sinner,  and  that  Christ  is  a  real  Saviour ;
the  doings  of  God  are  neither  unreal  nor  absurd ;  He  is
not  jesting  with  us  in  sending  His,  Son  and  delivering  Him
up  for  us."  ■*

But  this  appeal  to  what  may  be  called  the  common  sense  of
conscience  would  have  availed  little  without  some  means  of
putting  conscience  to  rest,  and  setting  the  Godward  will  in
happy  motion.  A  phrase  which  Staupitz  is  said  to  have  often
used  paints  the  situation  vividly.  "  The  law  of  God  says  to
us  men,  'Here  is  a  high  mountain,  thou  must  over  it.'
Then  says  the  flesh  and  presumption,  '  I  will  over.'  Where-
upon conscience,  'Thou  canst  not.'  'Then  I  will  let  it
alone,'  answers  last  of  all  despair."  What  outlet  from  this
difficulty  ?  Another  word  of  Staupitz's  supplies  the  answer.
