Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/495

 berg and we, at Wittenberg, have acted thus. For, in order to avoid trouble, we should not, if possible, suffer contrary teachings in the same state/ Even unbelievers should be forced to obey the Ten Commandments and attend church, so that they may at least outwardly conform. Your pastor will tell you my opinion further. God bless you.

Martin Luther.

847. LUTHER TO NICHOLAS HAUSMANN. Enders, vii, 151. (WrrrENBERc), August 27, 152^

Grace and peace in Christ. I would not let this messenger go without a letter from me, even though I had nothing of importance to write. The English plague is said to be epi- demic among you ' and in Zerbst. Many think it is epidemic here also, but I do not believe it. Our prefect* has made himself ill with his own imagination, though he showed no other s3ntnptoms of illness except his own ideas. For if these things were really the beginning of that disease I should have had it often in these last three years or more. Even last night I broke out in a sweat and awoke in distress, and my thoughts began to trouble me; if I had given way to them I should have taken to my bed, as others who make martyrs of them- selves have done. I write this so that you may join me in telling the people not to be fearful and not to allow their thoughts to hurry them into an illness which they have not yet. We have aroused almost by force many who had already taken to their beds with the sweat — Aurogallus,* Bleicard,* Dr. Bruck,

> Luther expremtd these ideas more fully in 1530 in his Exposition of fjb# Bightysecond Psaln^, Weimar, xxx,^ 2o8ff. There he says the magistrates should punish four classes of dissenters: x. Heretical who are seditious, teaching that no government should be allowed, or that no Christian can be a magistrate, or that there should be no private property, are rebels, like thieves, murderera and adulterers, and cannot be tolerated. 2, Those who teach against some article grounded in Scripture and universally believed, as if one should say, Christ were not God but a mere man, are blasphemers, and should be punished. 3. When there are two sects^ like Lutherans and Catholics, the magistrates should expel one for the sake of unity. Luther says he would advise his own followers to 3rield in such a case. 4. If any taught against an old custom of the Church, even if not grounded in Scripture, he should be silenced.

this time, cf. Buchwald, Witttnhtrger Brief t, nos. 71, 73, 74.
 * /.#., in Zwickau. On the existence of the "English sweat" in Wittenberg at


 * Hans Metzsch.

♦C/., Vol. I, p. 465, n. 3.

'Bleicard Sindringer, professor of law, afterwards (1537) rector of the ani- irenity, one of the founders of the University of Jena (1S48). He died issi*

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