To Balthasar Jöppel. May 10, 1534.
Grace and peace in Christ. Careful, dear good friend! Your dear son Johannes has now been with us in Wittenberg, a cheerful, pleasant guest, and has shown much airy friendship through his musica. Among them fell a word or two from you, as you should be almost weak; am therefore moved to it, because both, Weller and his good friends, asked me to write you this little letter, as they respect it, for comfort.
For they also show me how God, our Father, has nevertheless shown you such grace and love that your heart may earnestly desire the dear Man, who is called His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, and His word may please you, which to my mind should and will be a great comfort and joy to you, which can easily alleviate and make bearable all kinds of pain and misfortune. For how great can even a calamity be here on earth, because we do not doubt, God the
May the Father love us and be merciful to us through and for the sake of His Son; all misfortune must ever have a temporal and transient end for such a believing heart.
But the comfort in Christ is and remains eternal, as Is. 54, 7. is written: "I have left you for a little while, but with great mercy I will gather you", and Paul, 2 Cor. 4, 17., says, "Our tribulation, which is temporal and light, create an eternal and exceeding glory," etc.; item, Christ, John 6:33.: "In the world ye fear, but in me ye have peace"; and still more, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We will not lack such sayings of truth and certain promises. Therefore, we should also cheerfully rely on them with all deliberation.
Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, confirm in you the work He has begun in firm faith, amen. Pray for me also. On the Sunday Vocem Jucunditatis, Anno 1534.