Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/456

 putative wife, grace for conversion in Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Woe unto you, poor, misled woman, not only that you have been led from light into darkness, from God's grace into His disfavor, from the holy monastic devotion into a damnable and shameless life, but also because you left the cloister in lay clothes, like a dancing girl, and went to the University of Wittenberg and cast your eyes on that old spitfire, Luther, and lived with him, as they say, in flagrant immorality, and finally took him for your husband, by which breach of faith to your bridegroom Christ you became faithless and perjured. . . . You had better think of eternal punishment, and speedily leave this devilish life and free yourself from that nasty, black monk, and betake yourself again to the Christian cloister, and there heavily bewail all your past sins, as did Magdalene, and repent, after her example, and lead a severe life and give back your perjured soul to the Lord, for in remorse, con- fession, penance and a new life consists true repentance. Therefore let neither your monk nor your children nor any- thing which might make you stubborn hinder you, since noth- ing is more dangerous than perseverance in sin. . ..

805. ANDREW CARLSTADT TO THE ELECTOR JOHN OF

SAXONY. Barge, ii, 585. German. Kemberg, August 12, 1528.

After his "recantation/' cf, supra, no. 703. Carlstadt was not allowed to live in peace. In August, 1527, he was asked for another statement of his views, and handed one to Gregory Bruck, Chancellor of Electoral Saxony, pointedly refraining from expressing his agreement with Luther. The Wittenberg professor remonstrated with him quite gently, end of November, Enders, vi, 127, cf. Barge, ii, 381. Carlstadt was exasperated by Luther's Confession on Christ's Supper (1528), and Luther, intercepting a letter written by his old friend to Schwenck- feld, believed he had found evidence of a conspiracy. He demanded satisfaction, and even said that Carlstadt should be imprisoned (Barge, ii, 388), instead of which he got two pamphlets arguing the case. Early in 152^ Carlstadt fled from Saxony. Luther's hatred of him became almost demoniac. He said he hoped God would never be gracious to him (Luther), if Carlstadt really believed in a God. Smith and (jallinger : Conversations with Luther, 1915, pp. 38^.

... I humbly thank your Grace for your permission, in case my recantation is sufficient, to live in your Grace's land;

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