Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/424

 needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.*' I bear God's wrath because I have sinned against Him. Pope, Emperor, princes, bishops, and the whole world hate and persecute me, nor is this enough, but my brothers, too, must add to my sorrows, and my sins and death and Satan, with his angels rage without ceasing. What could save and con- sole me if Christ, too, should desert me, on Whose account they all hate me? But He will not leave the poor sinner at the end, though I believe that I am the least of all men. Would that Erasmus and the sacramentarians might feel the anguish of my heart for a quarter of an hour; I can safely say that they would be converted and saved thereby, but now my enemies are strong and live and add grief to my grief, and whom the Lord hath smitten they persecute. But enough of this, or I may be a complainer, impatient of the rod of God, who smites and heals, kills and makes alive. Who is blessed in His holy and perfect will. It must be that one whom the world and its prince thus hates is pleasing to Christ; if we were of the world, the world would love its own.

I am anxious about the delivery of my wife, so greatly has the example of the deacon's* wife terrified me, but He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and requires me, in turn, to bear great things. May my Christ, Whom I have purely taught and confessed, be my rock and my fortress. Amen. My little Hans cannot send his greetings to you on account of illness, but he looks for your prayers for him. It is twelve days since he has eaten any solid food, but now he begins to eat a little. It is wonderful to see how the baby tries to be strong and happy as usual, but cannot because he is so weak.

Margaret von Mochau * was operated on yesterday, and hav- ing thus let out the plague begins to convalesce. She is lodged in our usual winter room; we live in the great hall; little Hans has my bed-room and Augustine's* wife his. We hope the pestilence is passing. Farewell, and kiss your little daugh-


 * Rorer.

'Of Segrehna, a sister of Carlstadt's wife, perhaps. In July, 1528, she mar- ried George Major, Enders, vi, 314.


 * The physician, Augustine Schurff,

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