Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/231

 to walk on the sea? If the pestilence and all other scourges of God are to be borne passively, it follows that we have do right to pray the saints of God for bodily health. Then let us remove all physicians and apothecaries, since we are not allowed to seek through them an escape from or remedy of the scourge of God, although even infirmity is a scourge of God. But the divine goodness provides such things for the weak in faith.

But the perfect, who spontaneously seek death, have no need of these things. For when the Church prays to be (te- livered from the plague, lightning and tempest, she does not pray, as it were, for the weak, in trying to avert the scourges of wrath. It would be an evil prayer, were it not allowable to flee from, repel and shun, as far as possible, the scourge of God. But when a man, of fraternal love, perseveres in these as in other ills, his virtue is perfect and very prais^ worthy, and when necessary, is even commanded, as love to one's neighbor. And it is necessary when there is to one else to go to those who are dying of the pestilence, or to serve the sick. For I am sure that the priest who has tb€ cure of souls may not flee or appoint a substitute.

On this matter read the learned epistle of Augustine to Honoratus, which is found in the eleventh part of his l^end written by Possidonius, towards the end.* He teaches that the shepherd must be with the sheep of Christ, and lay down his life for them,^ as one whom it behooves to be perfect Wherefore let us who are strong bear the infirmities of the weak,* and let us give them permission to flee and save thdr bodies, even if we do not praise them for it. Take it in good part that I write briefly. Commend me to Jonas Kammerer/ and please all pray for me, a sinner. I also desire to be well in body,* and I despise the barkings of my enemies. Farewell in Christ. Brother Martin Luther.

^Possidonius* De vUa Augustini, chap. xxx.

'John, X. 12.

'Romans, xv. i.

^Pastor of the Church of St. George at Thalmansfeld.

^Enders refers the words "camem meam quoque yalere capio** to LnAerli family, who lived at Eisleben, not a great distance from Thalmanafeld, hat It is surely far more natural to refer them to the bodily health of which Lother has just been speaking at length in this letter.

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