To Dr. Johann Rühel. June 29, 1534.
Grace and peace in Christ, life and comfort are also there. My dear doctor, kindly dear godfather and brother-in-law! I am truly sorry for your weakness from the bottom of my heart, and much to my regret, that I note from your Justus' writing that you take such weakness so hard.
Be you of the man, together with us. Friend, member, confessor, who speaks to us all through St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12, 9: "My power is strong in the weak. It should make you much happier that you are called by such a man, gifted with knowledge, desire and love for his word, and sealed with his baptism and sacrament. What more can he do who has given you such an inward heart toward him and such a seal on the outside, and after that a confession and testimony of his grace. O dear doctor, see what you have for goods from him, and not what you suffer; yet the scale is immeasurable compared to the other.
He can make you well, let him have the time, even though we are all hours, as St. Paul says, Rom. 14, 8.Sive vivimus, sive morimur, Domini sumus (We live or die, we are of the Lord); yes, vere Domini in genitivo et nominativo: Domini in genitivo, quia ipsius domus, imo membra sumus; domini in nominativo, quia regnamus super omnia per fidem, quae est victoria nostra; Deo gratia, et conculca.
mus leonem et draconem. Summa: Confi
dite, ait, Ego vici mundum (that is: forsooth, Domini, that is, Lords, in the genitive and in the nominative; Domini, the Lord, in the genitive, we are, for we are his dwelling place, yea, his members; äowini, the Lords, in the nominative, we are, for we rule over all by faith, which is our victory, and tread down the lion and the dragon. Summa: "Be of good cheer! - he cries - I have overcome the world"), Joh. 16, 33.
Therefore be of good cheer, my Lord Doctor, et admittite fratrum voces in cor, per quos Deus ipse loquitur vobis, etiam praeter et supra quotidiana sua opera: Ubi ego sum, et vos eritis (that is: and yet let into your heart the voice of your brethren, by which God Himself speaks to you, even apart from and above His daily work, as He says: "Where I am, there you shall be also"). "
Filii vestri apud me erunt, sicut mei (Your sons will be with me like mine). You are not my false friend, I know that and have experienced it enough; so I will not become false to you and yours all, as long as God gives me breath, amen.
M. Philip will say more in a short time, God willing. Greetings to all yours. Date on the day of Peter and Paul, Anno 1534.