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 mond. At the same time the chiefs of the Dominican mon- astery acted in such a disgraceful way as to alienate the minds of all good men. One of their number said in the hearing of some laymen: "Would that I could fasten my teeth in Luther's throat ; I should not fear to go to the Lord's supper with his blood on my mouth." . ..

315. LUTHER TO MICHAEL MAURER, CISTERCIAN AT

ALT-CELLE.

Enders, ii. 497. Wittenberg, October 20, 152a

Maurer, a friend of Mosellanus, a learned philosopher and theologian and a musician, taught for some time at Alt-Celle before his death in 1523-

Greeting in the Lord. Dear Michael, you would hardly be- lieve how much I am pleased to see enemies rise against me more than formerly. I am never prouder and bolder than when I hear that I displease them. They are doctors, bish- ops, princes — what then? If the Word of God were not as- sailed by them it would not be the Word of God as it is writ- ten: "The heathen raged and the people imagined a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves and the princes took counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ."^ Lo, here you see the attitude of princes, kings and bishops towards the Word of Christ ; what more do yott want? I would greatly grieve if they praised me, for what misery is greater than to please them? Let everything pass, Michael ; the things of God are hidden and spiritual. . . . S^^ to it that you preserve your soul in this Babylon. The judfe' ment of God hangs over them and works terribly, which xX^^ blind men do not see. Let the blind lead the blind, says h^^ If the Word of God had to be defended with the might art^ eloquence and genius of man, Christ would not have call^^ fishermen to do it, nor would he have defended it with h^ own blood. I do what I ought. Having received for noth^ ing, I give for nothing,' even with danger to my life, fame an^' goods, yea even of my soul. I wrote at home, I worked sin ^

'Psalm ii. if.
 * Matthew» xv. 14.

'Matthew, x. 8. I give the true sense of the word translated in our Bibl^^ "freely" and sometimes misunderstood.

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