Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/314

 we can train other men and so serve other cities too. There- fore I am sending you Master Michael Hanlein/ who is in all respects a pious and prudent and well-mannered man. I know of no one here who is his equal, and so I hope that you will be well cared for and protected, and will like him better every day. I commend him to you in the hope that you will receive him well — all the better because in going from us to you he is leaving his own country — and will see to it that he is pro- vided for in a Christian and proper manner, as you have promised, for both Christ and Paul tells us that they who in- struct us in the Word are worthy of double honor.

I beg, too, dear friends, that you will do and suffer every- thing that must be done and suffered in order to have peace with one another. And see to it that no fanatics come among you, such as are stirring up so much trouble here in Upper Germany, of which you have doubtless heard. If anything — images or an)rthing else — is to be changed or destroyed, it ought not to be done by the people, but by the regular author- ity of the city council, so that the bad practice of despising the authorities does not get a foothold among you, as it has elsewhere; for it is the will of God that they shall be feared and honored. But I ask especially that you be on your guard against the doctrine that you ought to rule according to the law of Moses, and more particularly according to the Gospel. I have set this all forth in the enclosed document,' and have also charged Michael, your preacher, with it. He will instruct you; hear him. God have you in His keeping. May He strengthen and increase you, to His praise and honor. Amen.

^ CASPAR CONTARINI TO THE COUNCIL OF TEN AT

VENICE. Brown, 1520-6, no. 920. ISadbid, May 6, iS^S.

Was told yesterday by the Florentine ambassador that the Emperor, when discussing current events with some of his

1 Identified by Endert witk Michael Meurer, a former Cistercian monk from the monastery at Alt-Zelle. Prom his birthplace (Hainichen or Hanchen) he was also known at Galliculus, which I«uther here retranslates Hanlein. Driven out of Danzig in 1526, be held positions in Prussia, where he died in 1537.

'An "opinion" on the validity of the law of Moses, with special reference to the legality of interest

�� �