#2012-To Johann Agricola

To Herr Johann Agricola, Servant of Christ.
Grace and peace in Christ! Finally, my dear Agricola, you have a fine opponent. This man Wicel gives the impression, to say nothing of what his words and writings indicate, to be completely put together with lies and empty show and truly lost and despairing as he always was when he was with us although it was covered up and completely hypocritical. You (of this I am confident)will so deal in the matter of the Gospel that you will consider this viper as not yet born (not merely dead). What he holds and teaches is all too much nothing and entirely unworthy that anyone who is experienced in our doctrine should be agitated. He will fall by himself if ours (doctrine) is clearly and richly taught. The essence is of the sort that it cannot easily be taught or understood and it is neither understood by himself or by those like him. The LOrd be with you and your wine-stock and your grapes. My lord Kaethe greets you and yours. Greet respectfully Herr Doctor Caspar (Huettel)and all of ours.1533 midweek after the Eleven Thousand Virgins (22 October). Your Martin Luther.

NOTES: Graf Hoyer of Mansfeld had place Georg Wicel as pastor of St.Andrews.
The saints' day of the 11,000 or was it 1100 or 11? has been explained in correspondence of previous Octobers but see the following above.