228 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let ift
185. LUTHER TO SPALATIN.
On the second postscript to this letter, which belong^ to Luther's letter to Spalatin, March 13, 1519, cf. supra, no. 135.
Enders dates this letter as late as early in November, 1519, because of the second postscript, without which, he says, the date mifi^t be the end of October. But the postscript not belonging to this letter, the allusions to Miltitz and the dedication to the Duchess of Brans- wick, indicate the middle of October. The St Louis edition dates October 15. Vol. xxi., no. 225.
Greeting. Dear George, I have been asked by several people for nothing more often or more earnestly, than for that which you write the most illustrious elector asks of me.^ Of all that I do there is nothing I would do more willingly than that, because by this means alone I believe I could succor the priests and monks, so that they might cut off and reject those dirty fables of sermon-writers, which rather proscribe than describe Christ, and that they might have something by which they might publish the pure theology of Christ among the people, and expel those errors which flood the land like a deluge. Would that the great prelates would care for this matter, for it is their duty.
The more I wish to succeed in this matter the less I fear I shall do so, for I am too busy to attend to this, or if I do it I shall have to limit my public lecturing and preaching, which will be difficult. But I will try and arrange it; if it please God, it will proceed, and I only desire to serve him in this. Farewell and commend me to the elector. Stromer's excellent advice pleases me.
I think no answer should be sent to Charles von Miltitz. The thing was done as I wrote and said, and I cannot speak otherwise unless I wish to lie. If he played the riddler witfi me, who attended only to his plain meaning, it was not my fault. Brother Martin Luther, Augustinian.
P. S. — You will be surprised that I may dedicate my sermons to the duchess; I am surprised, too, for I never saw her, but I have been besieged by the prayers of our Otto Beckmann to gratify so highly praised a woman.
- /. e., to write PostUla, or homilies on the gospel and epistle for Sundays and
feast days.
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