Elector that you have acquired. Therefore remain, or, if you must go, let it be for no less a reason than to take a wife. Perhaps you fear to give this as a reason, and prefer some excuse in its place — a course of conduct of which I fail to see the advantage, as the real cause would come out as soon as you nVarried.
I thank Argula^ for what she wrote me about marrying, nor do I wonder at such gossip when so many other things are said about me; please give her my thanks and say that I am in the hand of yO^y a creature whose heart He may change and rechange, may rail and make alive, at any hour or minute, but that hitherto I nave not been, and am not now inclined to take a wife.^^ot that I lack the feelings of a man (for I am neither wood nor stone), but my mind is averse to mar- riage because' I daily expect the death decreed to the heretic However, I shall not ask God to bring my labors to an end, nor shall I strive in my heart, but I hope He will not let me live long. Farewell and pray for me. y
Martin Luthbr.
649. LUTHER TO SPALATIN. Enders, ▼, 81. WrrrENBEsc^ December 2, 1524.
Grace and peace. About giving up your office ' I am of no other opinion than before. The reason you give does not satidfy me, viz., that there are others who have better com- mand of languages and greater gifts than you. I know of no one, unless you wish Philipthimself or Bugenhagen or Jonas to be your successor. I have no one in our flock whom I should prefer to you. But beware lest this be a temptation that will afterwards, if you leave your office, inflict on you an irremediable regret. Satan is a knave. Therefore I now strongly advise you to keep on, so that you may try the spirit, whether it be of God or whether it be merely a temptation that is assailing you. For why will you desert the Elector when he is perhaps very near the grave,* and trouble his last days with a new minister ? If it should happen that you were
^Argula von Stauff. ' Cf. supra no. 648. ■Frederic died the following year.
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