Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/233

 /^ business. If they suffer from their bites, you certainly will confess that human weakness has cause to fear the name and fame of Erasmus, and that it is a very much graver matter to be snapped at by you than to be ground to pieces by all the papists tc^ether. I say this, excellent Erasmus, as an evidence of my candid moderation, wishing that the Lord might give you a spirit worthy of your reputation, but if He delays doing so, I beg that meanwhile,/f you can do nothing

telse, you will remain a spectator of the conflict, and not join our enemies, and especially that you publish no book against me, as I shall write none against you. Remember that the men who are called Lutherans are htunan beings like you and me, whom you ought to spare and forgive, as Paul says, "Bear ye one another's burdens." We have fought long enough, we must take care not to eat each other up. This would be a terrible catastrophe, as neither one of us really wishes harm to religion, and without judging each other both may do good. Pardon my poor style and farewell in the Lord. ... Martin Luther.*

621. LUTHER TO NICHOLAS HAUSMANN IN ZWICKAU. Enders, iv, 329. WrrrENBERG, April 26, 1524.

Grace and peace in the Lord. No answer is to be made to Emser,' my dear Nicholas, for he is that man of whom St. Paul speaks, ''subverted and condemned in his own judgment and to be shunned," * for he is committing a sin which is unto death.^ A little more, and I shall pray against him that the Lord will reward him according to his works.* It is better that he should die than continue to blaspheme Christ, against his own conscience. Let him alone, therefore; the miserable

^ Erasmus answered on May 8, infra no. 624. To Pirckhdmer he wrote Jane 3, 1524 (Opera, 1703, iii, appendix, ep. 327): "Luther wrote me in his own manner, promising to overlook my weakness if I would not write expressly against his dogmas. I answered him briefly, but, as is my habit, courteously." In another letter he says: "Martin Luther wrote me kindly, sending the letter by Camerarius. I did not dare to reply with equal kindness on account of ssrcophants."

'After the publication of the Formula Missae. which was dedicated to Hans- mann (vide supra no. 606). Emser published (February 29, ism) • work entided Missae Ckristianorum contra Lutheranam Mitsandi Pormulam, etc., which ke, too, dedicated to Hausmann.

•Titus iii. 9f.


 * I John V, 16.

•II Timothy iv, 14.

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