praised, the former is called irremissible. And do you fear these judges and their judgments and think the Gospel will be destroyed because of these empty fellows?
In the book ^ that I am forwarding with this, I approve the abolition of the masses. I have not been able to prepare a Consolation,* nor do I see the necessity of it since I have al- ready dealt with that subject in the Tesseradecas* Why not give him that to read ? Better yet, why not refer him to the Gospel and the Passion of Christ, for there is no better con- solation than that ? Must I write a new consolation for every case that arises? What will our opponents say? At the same time I hope that Philip's Consolation will suffice, and I suspect that his spiritual infirmity will abate meanwhile, and my consolation would come too late and so be useless. Nor is there any danger that he will fall into impiety, for if that were the case it would not be safe to put the matter off or neglect it. But the matter on which I am now working con- cerns the present danger of men's souls. For I have decided to attack the subject of monastic vows * and to free our young people from that hell of unclean and damnable celibacy. I am writing partly because of my own experiences and partly because I am indignant. I hope you will be satisfied with it, for I have more than one Satan with me, or rather against me, and I am alone ; and yet I am not alone- Farewell, then, and greet all our friends. I had written to Gerbel before I got your last letter and it was all closed up and sealed. ^
Yours, Martin Luther.
513. LUTHER TO HANS LUTHER. Weimar, viii, 573. German.
The Wilderness (Wartburg), November 21, 1521. This letter is the dedication of the Treatise on Monastic Vows
> De abroganda misso privata (Weimar, viii, 398flf.)>
- Spalatin had evidently a^ked Luther to write another devotional tract for
the spiritual consolation of the Elector. A similar request had been made of Melanchthon in September, and he had suggested application to Luther. {Corpus Reformatorunt, i, 455.)
- Tke Fourteen of Consolation (Weimar, vi, 99^.; trans, in Philadelphia,'!,
loSff.).
- Tli# Treatise on Monastic Vows (Weimar, viii, S73ff.; Philadelphia, iv, iflF.),
published in February, 1522.
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