Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/120

 was not ignorant that you constantly, by good deeds, preached the kingdom of God and salvation of souls. Wherefore I decided, relying on the offices of a friend, to send you this note in order that (though I ask it foolishly) I may be inscribed in the register of your friends, even as the least of them, so that aided by your prayers before God Almighty I may rejoice to have merited the kind friendship of such a man. Farewell, and be commended to God and to all the saints.

Guy Bild of Hochstadt.

82. PHILIP MELANCHTHON TO CHRISTOPHER SCHEURL

AT NUREMBERG.

Corpus Reformat orum, L 48. Wittenberg, September 24, 15 18.

Philip Melanchthon (Schwartzerd) (1497-1560), Luther's ablest lieutenant, a grand-nephew of Reuchlin, born at Bretten near Pforz- heim. He matriculated at Heidelberg 1509, and was B.A. in 151 1. he had already attracted the attention of Erasmus, and at the recom- mendation of Reuchlin was called in 1518 to Wittenberg. His inaugu- ral address, De corrigendis studiis, was warmly received. From this time on he became Luther's warmest friend and chief aid. After Luther's death his position approached more nearly the Catholic than many Protestants liked, and he thus caused a schism in the evangelic fold. Lives of him by G. EUinger and in Realencyclop'ddie, and in English by Richard (1898). His works in Corpus Reformatorum, vols. 1-26, to which several supplements have been added.

... I have begun to teach Greek and Hebrew to the Saxons, which undertaking I hope God will favor. I have also deter- mined to publish as soon as possible some sacred writings of the Greeks, Hebrews and Romans with commentaries. Wherefore I pray you either for the love of these studies, or for the honor of the Elector Frederic or of our uni- versity to order at my expense, from the booksellers of Coburg, a Greek Bible, for we have the Hebrew Bible extremely well printed here. You will understand how much this will redotmd to the credit of the elector, the university and your own name, and I would be the first to declare it, did you not already have a witness in Luther, that honored, good and learned leader of true Christian piety. . ..

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