To Wenzel letter 13 - Martin Luther

TO WENZEL LINK

Upon the same subject. October 8, 1533.

Grace and peace in Christ! We shall write to your magistrate concerning the dispute about public absolution, my Wenzel, and I have also written to Osiander. Now I beseech you and your colleagues not to shut the eyes of your brotherly compassion upon those who have such opinions, but treat them as sick persons, not turning them into ridicule, so that the tiny spark may not burst into a flame, but tactfully try to reclaim them from their errors. One must ponder well how to redeem the soul of this brother. I could not have believed (but pray do not spread this) that this man could have had so many strange opinions, and could have strayed so far from our doctrine. But, as I say, if we irritate him further we would only cause greater offence, and fresh disturbances would ensue which it is better to avoid. If you are satisfied with our counsel, we trust that this business may, through time, quiet down, and he meantime draw nearer to us. We lose nothing through forbearance, while, if he do not repent, he will only injure himself through his obstinacy. May the Lord smooth all these disturbances.

I commit you to Him, my brother. Greet Dr. Thomas Venatorius, and I hope he will not be displeased because the publication of his theses has been so long delayed. We have reasons for this, waiting for this dark cloud to pass away.

MARTIN LUTHER .

Dr. Pommer and I beg you not to show this letter to anyone except Spengler. (Schutze.)