Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/88

 XIII. Since the fall, free will is a mere name; when the wll does what is in its power it sins mortally,

58. WOLFGANG, COUNT PALATINE OF THE RHINE, TO

FREDERIC, ELECTOR OF SAXONY.

l^uthers Samtliche Schriften, hg. von J. G. Walch, Halle, 1745, xv., 517,

German. Heidelberg, May i, 1518.

Wolfgang (1494-1558), brother of the Elector Palatine Lewis V, educated for the Church, matriculated at Wittenberg in March, 1515, and in the following summer was made Rector of the University.

My kind service and love to you, highborn Prince, kind, dear Lx)rd and Cousin: We have received and carefully read your Grace's letter requesting us to help according to our power Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian, lecturer at Witten- berg, in case he should need it. We give your Grace kindly to knoMT that we, as a member of the said university, at your Grace's request, are anxious to help the said doctor in all that is in our power, should he desire anything, but that he has shown us nothing in which he needed our help, as you will doubtless learn from himself. He has acquitted himself so well here with his disputation, that he has won no small praise for your Grace's university, and was greatly lauded by many learned persons. This we would not withhold from your Grace, for we are always ready to serve you.

Wolfgang, by God's grace Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria.

SQL LUTHER TO JODOCUS TRUTFETTER AT ERFURT.

Enders, i. 187. Erfurt, May 9, 15 18.

On the return journey from Heidelberg, Luther passed through Erfurt, where he tried to see his old professors, who were now his opponents, Usingen and Trutfetter. His first attempt was unsuccessful, whereupon he wrote this letter to Trutfetter, fully explaining his posi- tion in regard to indulgences and other matters; later he got an interview, but effected only a temporary reconciliation. The most interesting passage in the letter, showing how far he had already prc^^ressed in his programme for a general reformation of the Church, B the following:

To explain myself further, I simply believe that it is impos-

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