wise. God has more Schneebergs/ and your Grace's do- minions need not fear that they will be impoverished by char- ity; it has never happened so before. The saying is true, Date et dabitur vohis;* if date is rich, dabitur is far richer, and to whom much is given of him shall much be required.
Your Grace may be sure that I shall not leave the man in this state, even though I have to go out and beg for him my- self. If that does no good, I shall even rob, and steal the first thing I lay my hands on, especially if it belongs to the Elec- tor of Saxony. Therefore I ask your Grace graciously to hear this my request for my own sake, so that I may not have to go to stealing. I would not like your Grace to hang me for stealing one of the treasures of the Castle Church * to help this man's need,
I hope that your Grace will not take this thirsty, or foolish, letter of mine amiss. My heart is in God, so far as I know. May Almighty God mercifully keep your Grace well and happy.
Your Grace's humble servant,
Martin Luther.
��544. LUTHER TO SPALATIN. Enders, iii, 324. WrrreNBERC, March 30, 1522.
Greeting. Here you have the letter you wanted, my dear Spalatin. What I wrote to Duke John Frederic * I do not quite remember, except that I am sure I told him to make no inno- vations unless it could be done without giving offence to the weak, since charity is to be preferred to ever3rthing else. I wrote the same to Duke Charles.'
I had translated not only the Gospel of John, but the whole New Testament while I was at my Patmos, but now Philip
^Schneeberg, a town in Electoral Saxony on the slope of the Engebirge. the center of an extensive silver-mining industry, which was one of the Elector's great soures of income.
"Give and it shall be given you (Luke vi, 58).
- I.g,, one of the relics of which the Elector was so proud.
- A letter of advice concerning the administration of the sacrament in both
kinds (DeWette, ii, 154O.
■Duke Charles of Munsterberg (147^1 53^) • For a time he favored the Refor- mation, but after 1524 he was hostile to it. Enders, iii, 410, n. i.
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