Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/165

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160 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let

thought of me and changed his violence into an easily assu benevolence, pleading with me at great length to recant the honor of the Roman Church. I answered him* to intent: Let the method of recantation be prescribed, and reason of my error given, and let it be such a reason a appeal both to the learned and to the people, lest a recanta on suspicious grotmds should excite more hatred against Re

We finally agreed to leave the matter to the arbitratioi cither the Bishop of Salzburg or the Bishop of Trier, thus we separated amicably, with a kiss (a Judas kiss!) tears — I pretended that I did not know they were crocc tears. Thus far we got; I know not what they will d( Rome.

Miltitz says that no affair has arisen for a hundred y that has caused more trouble to that most idle crowd cardinals and of Romanizing Romanists, and that they w< rather give ten thousand ducats' than let the thing go on ; has begun. I rejoice and commend everything to God.

I wrote you before, advising you not to leave Zwickau, you can get plenty of leisure and books to study Greek tl: You owe more to God, that is, to the people of God, tha yourself and culture. I desire to know what you dislike in doctrine of faith which seems so plain and open to me. F do not separate justifying faith from love; rather we bel on him who pleases us, and he in whom we believe is lo Grace makes the Word pleasant to us, and makes us bel it, which is the same as loving it. All the propositions rece put forward about faith, hope and charity do not please for those who discuss them seem to me to understand non them.

I saw our friend Eck at Augsburg and tried to get hit meet our Carlstadt at Leipsic to decide their dispute, after some demur he agreed. What does the man do tl him with whom he is disputing. You might think it a carr mask.' I am forced to engage the man at close quarter

lOn the meeting with Miltitz at Altenburg early in Janttarj, Smith. S4ff*

>A ducat waa $2.50 or ten shillings.

  • At carnival time in Germany (just before Lent, •'. g., about the time L>

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