Page:The letters of Martin Luther.djvu/278

 Hosea, and for this had to seize every fragment of time and every bright moment. The difficulty of translating Ezekiel stopped me.

The attacks of Bucer and his friends please me, for, as I have said, they who dishonor the Son of God will be brought to shame. If you hear anything more of Carlstadt tell me. The Lord be with you. Amen.

From the desert, where the daws have long ago finished their diet before you had well begun your negotiations. MARTIN LUTHER. (Schutze.)

CCXXXVIII
TO GEORGE BRUCK, CHANCELLOR TO THE ELECTOR OF SAXONY

Myconius said that Bruck was more learned in the Scriptures than all the theological doctors, although only a lawyer.

August 5, 1530.

Grace and peace in Christ! Highly esteemed lord and sir — I have written several times to you and others, as if I fancied I experienced more of God’s help and consolation than was afforded to his Electoral Grace. But I was impelled to do this through the depression into which some of our friends had sunk, as if God had forgotten them. But He cannot do so unless He forget Himself first. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, she may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.”

Lately, I saw two wonders. First, as I looked out of the window I saw the stars shining in God’s beautifully vaulted heavens, and yet there were no visible pillars supporting this firmament, and still the heavens fell not. Now there are always some who search for those pillars to grasp them, and, failing in their quest, they go about in fear and trembling, as if the heaven must fall because they cannot grasp the said pillars. If they could, then all would be right, they fancy.