Zwilling (Didymus),formerly Augustinian monk in Wittenberg,as preacherin Altenburg.
The grace and peace of God and my most willingservice be with you I was gladto receive your letters about a pastor, and to see how eagerlyyou long for the I am most willing, and consider it my duty to give you any assistance and counsel
There is one called Gabriel,now in Dueben, who is considered an excellent preacher with much experience, so I would advise you to take him.
No doubt some feel a slightaversion to him, because he left the order, and now goes about in the dress of an ordinarypriest, but it was well that he should come out, so that many might have the benefit of his ministration, to the edification of their souls.
If you do not feel shy of him on this account, then I can advise you better.
I have written him to place himself at your disposal, so that you may see him and judge for yourselves. But if you are not pleased,there are still two secular
{weltliche)priestshere, capable men Excellencies let me know, I shall help you to get one or other of them.
Were it possibleI would rather come to you myself,to satisfyyour ardent longings, than see you at a loss.
But if you get Gabriel you have no need of me.
I herewith commit you to the grace of God, who can enrich you with faith and love through Luther advises him to accept the call to Altenburg.
Council of Altenburg asked me to recommend an Evangelicalpastor to them ; so if you are chosen, accept the call,looking upon it as a call from I have recommended you to them.
I plead in the name of the Jesus,who through me and Philipcalls you to accept it.
Go thither in peace, and may you be a blessingto many thousands.
But see that you behave in a circumspectmanner, going about in an orderly priest's dress ; and for the sake of the weak, do away with that broad angular monstrosity of a hat, remembering that you are sent to those who must still be fed with milk
" till they are freed from the meshes of the Pope ; and this you cannot achieve without the Word, as I have often told you, and which you will see in the last small book
Father desires to draw people to Himself through Christ, not to coerce them through ordinances of ours.
One must first instil in them a hatred of all godlessways.
Then godlessnesswill fall away of itself, without compulsion.
A love and longingfor purity must first be implanted " then piety will follow, and the kingdom of heaven will suffer violence,and the violent will take it by force.
Lord give you wisdom and understanding,that you may be a worthy servant of His He bless you in the proclamation of Luther sends him a specimenof his translation of the I send you the beginningof our
Bible,but on no account let it be printed.
I am expectingthe preciousstones, which we shall take the greatest care of and faithfully return.
Hirsfeld to petitionHis Highness to persuade his Chancellor to remit a certain sum, which our Prior is due upon a valuable possession,and for which I am security,till we can pay it.
And there has been no remission of interest.
And now that it is not customary to beg (forthe cloister), we are florins a year poorer.
Here there is nothingbut love and friendship.May all prosper with you, and send a favourable answer.
Link to take up his abode in Wittenberg.
You must either,dearest father, be able to givea good reason for keeping away from us, or you must hate our society.For why sit there ?
Both north and south are shut up to you, so there is no place where you can be more secure or better cared for than with us.
Or does the reputation of our order frighten you, and do you fear association with us banished ones, in case of offendingthose who seem born to seek cause of offence in Christ ?
But come speedily,for God's sake, so that we may enlist you in the We are waitingfor you ; see that you do not turn us into ridicule. advice on many necessary matters connected with our faith,to promote the generalweal.
Luther is busy translating the New Grace and peace in Christ !
I hope, dear Spalatin, that you have received the Gospelof Romans, with letters from good friends.
Corinthians will soon be finished.
I must reply to the growlinglion who calls himself King of England.
The ignorancethe book displays is not to be wondered at in a royalauthor,but the bitterness and lies are gigantic.
I shall embitter him more.
Picardypeoplesent to ask my advice as to their faith.
I objectto their obscure way of expressing themselves, instead of using biblical phrases.
And they under-estimate infant baptism,while usingit,and also rebaptize some who come from us, and teach the seven sacraments.
As to their celibate priesthood, I am pleased in so far that theylet every one do as he sees fit.
But pure doctrine is a rare thing. Whether they highlyesteem faith and works do not know, but am doubtful of it.
I do not think them wrong about the Supper,unless they use deceptivewords, as they do with Baptism.
Farewell,and pray for me.
I do wish you would try to have Philipset free from teachinggrammar, and devote himself to theological lectures.
It is highly improper,as I have written, that he should earn one hundred gold gulden with grammar lessons,while he is givingtwo valuable theological lectures.
We have teachers enough who can give grammar lessons as well as Philip,who are beingdeprivedof the work.
God root out all false teachers, so that the money may io8 I highlycommend this NiirnbergPrior to you.
Luther sends a book for his host in the Wartburg.
I beg of you to send this copy of my book to the John in the regionof the birds,viz.
I wished him to have it before more came.
I am reallyangry at the Lotter^ business,and am not yet on speakingterms with him.
You will see what our I ardentlydesire that the Prince would only attend to his own affairs, and leave me to manage I have alreadywritten,the heaven will not fallalthoughI fall.
Grace does not believe this, I do, and am sure of it.
But why make so many words Who does not see that through this present work of He has turned their threats into ridicule ?
He who has done this will do so to the end.
The whole business is conducted at my risk,and will continue to be so conducted.
Farewell, and pray for me.
I am juststarting for Leipsic,because I have been so often entreated to come.
Luther recommends a poor man.
I found your letter when Spalatin, but the dog had bitten a piece His printer. See p. 83.
I have taughtnothingbut faith and love there I was asked in Weimar to make public what I had once preachedabout the kingdom of God and worldlyauthorities.
It has been printedand dedicated to Hosea ii.19, "I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness," etc., contains simplythis
" that we shall one day become the brides of the gracious, merciful, forgiving, and justifying " not through works, but by the gospel.
Pomeranus, we shall do what we can.
In the translation of the Old I have reached the third book of Moses (Leviticus).For it is incredible how I have been hindered by letter-writing,business matters, company, and many other things. Now
I shall shut myselfup at home, and hurry,so as to have Moses in the press by January. For we shall publish itseparately, and afterwards the historic books, and lastly the prophets.
For the size and the priceof the books compel us to issue them piecemeal. Pray for me.
Reformation progresses.
Johann Esch, burned at Luther if he really wrote to von Luther admitted he did.
Cease fumingagainstGod and Christ,on account of what I have done, most ungraciousPrince I have received your ungraciousdocument, alongwith
Kronberg,and have paid particular attention to the part of which you complain,as injuring your soul,honour, and good name.
As you wish to know the meaning I attach to my words, I answer, that it is all one to me how your ungraciousHighnessmay take them.
I may act or speak againstyour ungracious Grace, whether secretly or openly,I consider I am entitled to do so, and mean to maintain the right.
For were you reallyin earnest, and did not tell so many lies as to injuring your soul,honour, and good name, you would not slander and persecute the truth so shamefully as you do.
And this is not the first time that you have malignedme, so that I have more cause to complain of you.
I am silent as to all this,for Christ commands me to be kind to my enemies,and hitherto you have had my poor prayers and service,and if that be treatingyou with contempt then
I can do no more, nor shall I be frightenedby any water bubble.
Jesus will,He can enlightenthe heart of your most ungraciousHighness,and turn you into a gracious and kind Luther promisesto come to his wedding.
I,Philip, the Provost,Dr. Hieronymus, Jacob, and also James, will certainly come to your wedding,if the Carlstadt is from home, but Hieronymus,Trappe, and Lukas will also come.
Whether the wives of the Hieronymus may accompany them is uncertain.
I heard yesterdaythat nine nuns have left cloister Nimpschau, their prison,among whom are the two Sessatzers, and the Staupitz.May you prosper with your bride.