Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/462

 be with us all and bless us. Amen. Greet Eberhard* and Ehrhard * and all the Hards that are with you.

Your Martin Luther.

810. LUTHER TO SPALATIN AT ALTENBURG. Enders, vii, 11. Wittenberg, October 2g, 1528.

Grace and peace in Qirist. You ought not to grieve, my dear Spalatin, because your marriage is called harlotry, but you ought rather to be glad, knowing now for certain that this way of life is approved by God, praised by the angels, honored by all the saints. Now you have this seal in addi- tion, that it is given the sign of the Cross, forsooth that it is evil spoken of by devils and wicked men, and even by false brethren, a thing which happens to every work and word of God. /See to it, then, that you do not think the sacrilegious words that the wicked hurl against you to be anything else than precious jewels, by which you are indeed befouled in the world's eyes, but glorified^ in God's eyes, remembering that the world is not worthy to see the honor and glory of this work of God, which you see and have. It is the same with your ministry, only more so. Let the world and its prince go, with their foolish, rash, blind, mad condemnations and calum- nies. It is written,* "The wicked shall be destroyed that he may not see the glory of God," but * "the heavens declare the glory of God.'" Beyond doubt the world belches up dishonor against God.

I do not understand what you write about the danger to your livelihood, for I do not believe that the priests of Bethaven " can make you any trouble. But whatever they are, you now have the office of visitation, and the especial favor of the Elector, who will not allow your living* to be taken from you. The Lord Jesus strengthen you with His Spirit and direct you in this bishop's work * of yours. Amen. Pray for me, I beg of you.

Your Martin Luther.


 * Brisger.

churches.
 * Either Steinbach or Schaubis, both of whom were serving in the Altenburg

^Paalm xix, x. * These words in Greek.
 * Ecclesiasticut xt, 7. ' The canons of Altenbui^.

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