Erasmus, but I am very sorry that such a war should have arisen between two such princes of letters. Erasmus, indeed, conquers and speaks the better, even if a little bitterly, though in some things he acts as if he wished to keep his friendship with Lefevre. Farewell, dear Spalatin.
Brother Martin Eleutherujs.
48. LUTHER TO GEORGE SPALATIN. Enders, i. 152, Wittenberg, February 15, 1518.
Greeting. What you request, or rather command, excellent Spalatin, I now do, namely, send through you my thanks to the most illustrious elector for the splendid and princely gift of game donated by him to our students newly promoted to the degree of master. I told them all it was from the elector. And personally I am wonderfully pleased by the kindness of the clement and generous prince, for even a man loveth a cheerful giver.
You again subjoin two little questions. First, as to what should be the attitude of mind of one who is about to sacrifice^ or to do other pious works. I answer briefly : You should be at once despairing and confident in doing any work, despairing on account of yourself and your work, confident as regards God and his mercy. ... To speak plainly, whenever you would sacrifice or do a good work, know positively and firmly believe that this work of yours will not please God at all, no matter how good, great and difficult, but that it will be worthy of reprobation. Wherefore judge yourself first, accuse your- self and your work and confess before God. . . . Therefore when you are thus desperate, and have humbly confessed be- fore God, you must without hesitation assume that he will be merciful. For he sins no less who doubts God's mercy than he who trusts in his own efforts. . . .
Secondly, you ask me how much indulgences are worth. The
made him a little lower than God*' instead of "than the angels." Erasmus by rejecting this interpretation in his New Testament, had drawn down the animad- versions of the French scholar in the second edition of Paul's Epistles, Paris, 1517, and it is to this that his Apology is directed. Lather got the work yerj promptly, as it only appeared late in 1517. Cf. BibKotheca ErasmUna, Adfnomiti^, etc. (Gand, 1900), p. 89fF.
- The Roman Catholics regard the mass as a sacrifice offered by the priest to
God, and as a good work.
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