To Caspar Müller, Mansseld Chancellor. November 24, 1534.
To the honorable and prudent Caspar Müller, chancellor of Mansfeld, my favorable lord and godfather, grace and peace in Christ.
My dear Lord and Godfather, Mr. Chancellor, that I call you, as fair, although some have it beside you unwillingly. I have received your writing and the ruffs, which please me well; and thank you kindly. Especially the one is beautiful, and is already the concern, who, where, when and how it will be broken etc.
I am sorry that you are overburdened by God with more sickness; for I truly know, because you are by God's grace one of the rare birds, to whom the word of God and the kingdom of Christ is serious with faithfulness to my of the heathen; that your health and fortune can be useful and comforting to all of us, especially with the strange roofs that lie over the brain. But if God will have you so ill, His will will certainly be better than all of ours, since even His dear Son's all-better and innocent will had to be subjected to the higher and above all goodness good will of His dear Father; may His will also be done in us with joy or ever with patience, amen. Summa, it is said: Confidite, ego mundum (Be confident; I have overcome the world). How shall we do otherwise than Victorem mundi, diaboli peccati, mortis, carnis, morborum, malorum omnium in corpore nostro glorificare et portare (that is: the victor over the world, devil, sin, death, flesh,. (That is, to glorify and carry the victor over the world, the devil, sin, death, the flesh, diseases, and all kinds of ills in our bodies). His yoke is gentle and his burden is sweet. But our yoke and burden, which he carried for us, that was the devil, yes, God's wrath; God protect us from that; yes, he has already delivered us from that, and we carry his dear burden and sweet burden for it. O, this is yet to be done, and the bill to be accepted with joy. It is a good merchant and a gracious trader who sells us life for death, righteousness for sin, and in exchange sells us a disease or two.
He lends more generously and borrows more kindly than the fuggers and merchants of the earth. Well, Dominus (Lord) Jesus Christ is called the man and the right man: qui militat in nobis, vincit in nobis, triumphat in nobis (who fights, conquers and triumphs in us). He should and must be, and we with him and in him. There nothing else becomes from, let rage Portas Inferi(the gates of the hell).
Therefore, since you desire comfort from me, "this is my comfort in Christ, that you may be cheerfully grateful to the Father of all graces, who has called you to his light and his Son's confession, and at least has given you grace in abundance, that you are not favorable to the enemies of his Son, that is, to their preeminence, unless Cochleus, Vicelius or Albert at Halle please you better or equally as well as St. Paul or Isaac. Paul or Isaac, which I do not hope. What is it then, that God lays you on your bed and calls you ill, who has so richly graced you and separated and chosen you from such darkness and hell? Think and give the interest honestly and pay your vows, as the 116th Psalm, v. 10, says: "I believe, that is why I am in such a bad way; but how can I pay what God has done to me? Well, I will drink the cup of joy and praise my Lord's name and give thanks," that is, I will bear the misfortune and suffering in joy and sing hallelujah in it. Hoc fac, et vives (Do this, and you will live). Christ our Lord, who has begun his work in you, will lead it out blessedly and with all of us, even though we are poor sinners, tamen infirmitatem nostram etiam ipse novit, et Spiritus ejus interpellat pro nobis (yet he also knows our weakness, and his Spirit represents us), to him I hereby earnestly commend you. Behold, have I not afflicted the sick person enough? My Käthe greets you and wishes you soon healthy and with us. Wittenberg, Tuesday Vigiliae Catharinae (the day before Catharina), An. 1534. Martinus Luther, D.