January 20, 1533.
To the honorable and wise citizens of Oschatz, driven out for the sake of Christ, my dear lords and friends in Christ, grace, comfort and peace in Christ.
Honorable, wise, dear friends! The Lady of Daum has told me of your misery, into which Duke George has driven you, and how you had to flee. Well then, you have dared and done a great thing; Christ, our
Dear Lord, for the sake of which you suffer, comfort, strengthen and sustain your heart, so that you may endure and not grow weary or tired.
For the devil will not stop there, but because you have set yourselves against him, he will also continue to resist you, and if he is no longer able to do anything, he will also stir up our people in this principality against you to harm and disfavor. For he is the host in the world, and the world is his
House; therefore, wherever you go, you will find the nasty landlord at home.
Therefore, be firm and confident in the power of Jesus Christ and see to it that you are certain and do not doubt that your escape or misery is very pleasing to God in heaven. And even if people despise it, and perhaps your heart also regards it lightly, you should certainly think that it is a great thing in the sight of God and His angels. For you did not do it so that people would praise and admire you, but to praise and honor God. Now praise or rebuke man, there is nothing to it; it is enough that he loves and praises God.
Therefore you should sing with King David, who was also cast out into misery, from Psalm 56:9: "O Lord, count my flight, put my tears in your sack, without doubt you count them" etc.As if to say, "If no man will consider my affliction, yet, O Lord, you look so carefully that you count all the steps of my flight, how far I am chased, and do not forget any tear that I weep; but I know that you will write them all in your register and will not forget them.
See how this king comforts himself with the fact that he is certain that his escape, his
Let all the tears be counted and reckoned before God, all the footsteps and steps written down, which have become sour to Him, and all the tears put into God's sack, so that not one may fall by or be forgotten; as Christ also says, Matth. 10, 30: "The very hairs of your head are all numbered, and not one shall perish. May he give such power to his word in your hearts, that you may be sure of it and not doubt it, as it is sure of himself and not doubt it, amen!
Let Duke George do with his own, he has his judgment and judge. He does not feel it now. But he shall feel it and must feel it in a short time and will fulfill the saying, Sir. 35, 18. 19.: "The tears of the wretched flow down their cheeks, but they cry out above them against him who brings them out." Amen, and but amen!
Let such my brief, hurried letter be considered good this time, and let us pray with and for one another; for we are surely heard. And even if it is delayed, it will still come and not fail. For God cannot lie nor deceive. To Him be glory, praise and thanksgiving forever through our dear Lord Jesus Christ, amen!