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 by his lies and curses. Why should I not bear with him, who am compelled to bear with these sons of my body, my Absa- loms,* who withstand me so furiously? They are scourges of the sacrament compared with whose madness the papists are mild. I never knew before how wicked a spirit was Satan, nor did I understnd Paul's words about spiritual wickedness. But Christ lives. Now Theobald Billican,* pastor at Nordlin- gen, writes about Zwingli, Carlstadt and Oecolampadius. God raises up the faithful remnant against the new heretics; we greatly hope that Christ will bless the undertaking, I would write against them if I had time, but first wish to see what he does.

I am glad that my book on The Bondage of Will pleased you, but I expect the same or worse from Erasmus as from Duke George. That reptile will feel himself taken by the throat and will not be moved by my moderation. God grant that I be mistaken, but I know the man's nature; he is an instrument of Satan unless God change him. I have no other news. Farewell and pray for me.

Martin Luther.

725. LUTHER TO THE ELECTOR JOHN OF SAXONY.

Enders, v, 319.

DeWette, iii, 90, German. (Wittenberg), February 9, 1526.

Grace and peace in Christ. Most serene, highborn Prince, most gracious Lord! When your Grace reformed the univer- sity you commanded two hundred florins a year given to Melanchthon; now the man scruples to take them because he is not able to lecture on the Scriptures every day without ex- ception, and says he cannot take them in good conscience, as he thinks your Grace requires such assiduous lecturing from

^ The so-called "sacramentarians," Zwingli, Carlstadt, Oecolampadius, Schwenck- fcld, etc., cf. supra, no. 722.

'Theobald Billican (ti554)i studied at Heidelberg 1512, 1520 became provost of the faculty of arts there, then evangelical pastor at Weil 1522, and soon after at Nordlingen. He married 1529, and ended as professor at Marburg. He changed his religion a number of times. In 1525 he had written his Rgnovatio ecclesiae Nordlingiacensis against Carlstadt, but was almost converted by him soon after. He completely misunderstood both Luther's and Carlstadt's positions. This is the work to which Luther alludes, not (as in Enders) the De verbis coenae dominicae, etc., 1526. He finally became a Catholic. RGG. and Barge, ii. 245.

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