pectedly or crush me with their censures, I am waiting in all readiness for the plan of God. I have even appealed to a future council. The more they rage and seek my life the less am I afraid. Sometime I shall be freer against these Roman hydras. What you have heard about my saying farewell to the people of Wittenberg is false; I said this: "I am an uncertain and unsettled preacher, as you have found out. How often have I left you suddenly without bidding you good-bye? If the same thing should ever happen again, in case I do not come back, I wish to say farewell to you." Then I warned them not to be afraid of the furious papal censures against me, and that they should not blame the Pope or any mortal for them, or wish anyone evil, but should commit the affair to God, and the like. I lecture and teach as before. Farewell.
Brother Martin Eleutherius.
103a. GEORGE SPALATIN TO GUY BILD AT AUGSBURG.
Zeitschrift des historischen Vereins fur Schwahen und Neuburg. 1893. XX. 22a Altenburg, December 10, 1518.
... I am sorry you did not see our Dr. Martin Luther when he appeared before the very reverend legate at Augs- burg, for as far as I can guess you did not meet him. If you ask how he is, for all I know he is well, and, as I who write have found out, of too lofty and strong a mind to be turned by any blast of furious fortune from doing what he has pro- posed and from the path he has set for himself. For the sake of Christ and the truth he shuns no misfortune, he flees no calamity, he fears no evil. His mind seems strengthened to a perpetual pursuit of the gospel truth, or rather to propa- gate the word of the Lord before so many Pharaohs. Now farewell and pray for Dr. Luther and me, for we favor you. In haste, George Spalatin.
- P. S. — ^That most holy, true and German theology, not
fouled by the dregs of metaphysics and dialectics, not polluted by human traditions, not burdened with old wives' tales, but
- h» thb U printed it b not quite certain whether this is a postscript to the
•bore letter, or an extract from another letter. At any rate* it must have been written near the same time.
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