1. to D. Laurentius Zoch, Chancellor of Magdeburg.
November 3, 1532.
May God's grace and peace in Christ be your comfort and strength, amen. My dear Doctor, special friend, I am truly sorry for your great accident and sorrow, that God has taken your dear wife from you in such a way, as your writing indicates, which must be especially grievous.
Well, God's Son had not only to be hated and persecuted by the devil and the evil world, but finally also to be called percussus et humiliatus a Deo (beaten and humiliated by God), as Isaiah, Cap. 53, 4, says and the 22nd Ps., v. 7: Ego sum vermis et non homo etc. (I am a worm and not a man). (I am a worm and not a man.)
So it must also be with us Christians that the last affliction must gain the name that God Himself also punishes us, from whom we should have all comfort. Just as the wicked must come so high that they are not only loved and exalted by the world, but also by God Himself, so that they may boast twofold and we may mourn twofold.
So now God himself has attacked you, as it seems, and the enemies can now boast and say: This is how it is with the Christians, so your new gospel is worthwhile for you. This means not only suffering and dying, but also being buried and led to hell.
But, my dear Doctor, just hold on, now it is time. Remember that Christ also suffered in this way and even worse, and yet God, who attacked him in this way, left him alone and he came out with honor; God will lead us with him as well.
It is a great comfort that the good woman is so Christian and sensible, and that she has undoubtedly gone to Christ, her Lord, whom she has confessed here. But it is much greater that Christ has made you in his image, that you suffer as he suffered, not only from the devil, but as punished and afflicted by God, who is and should be your comfort.
Therefore, though the flesh murmurs and cries out, as Christ Himself also cried out and was weak, Ps. 22:2, Matth. 27:46, yet the spirit should be ready and willing and cry out with unutterable groaning, "Abba, dear Father," Rom. 8:15. That is, your rod is sharp, but Father you remain, that I truly know.
Our dear Lord and Savior, even our dear model of all our suffering, comfort and press Himself into your heart, that you may accomplish this sacrifice of this afflicted spirit and hand over your Isaac to Him with a willing spirit, Amen. Sunday after Omnium Sanctorum (All Saints' Day), Anno 1532.
2. to the same Laurentius Zoch etc.
December 7, 1532.
Grace and peace in Christ JEsu, our comfort and savior! Respectable, highly learned, dear sir. I beg your pardon for not having answered you more promptly. Your good friend left me in too much of a hurry, and I have spent several weeks writing and corriguing myself, so that I might be able to keep my beggars.
and Geiler, the printers, to the Leipzig market did not miss that I had to bind all other letters in a bundle and lay them beside me until I had worked out.
But I have read and heard with joy that God has comforted your heart, also through the cooperation of my writing; the-
2038 D. 54.343.; 85.61. III. Main st. - 0. of the Father-Our esp. 7. petition. W. X, 2357-2359. 2039
May the same kind Father carry out the consolation he has begun to the end. For we Christians must be accustomed to such comfort, which is called per patientiam et consolationem Scripturarum (through patience and comfort of the Scriptures), Rom. 15:4.
Therefore he often withdraws Consolationes rerum (consolation of things) from us, so that Consolatio Scripturarum (consolation of the Scriptures) finds room and to do with us, and does not stand there in vain in the letter without exercise; as he has now snatched away your high consolation and treasure on earth, so that he becomes your consolation instead of it; and nevertheless he also repays all faithfulness, love and consolation, shown to you and others. It is said, ex invisibilibus et non apparentibus fides (faith comes from that which is not seen and is not before the eyes), Hebr. 11, 1.
The wicked turn their backs ad invisibilia irae Dei, quae impendent eis (to the invisible things of the wrath of God that are before them), and their snouts ad visibilia et apparentia (to the things that are visible and before their eyes), and dig therein as swine do; wherefore also at last wrath suddenly and unawares overtakes them.
But we must turn our faces ad invisibilia gratiae et non apparentia solatii (to the invisible things of grace and the unseen things of consolation), hoping and waiting for them; but turn our backs on the visibilibus (visible things), that we may be accustomed to look at them.
Let us not look at what is visible, but at what is invisible.
But it hurts us who are not used to it and the old Adam goes back again sed visibilia (to the visible things); there he also wants to rest and stay, but it does not work. For ea, quae videntur, temporalia sunt (what is visible is temporal), says St. Paul, 2 Cor. 4, 18, and does not remain; therefore he is called Deus sapientiae et Deus solatii (the God of wisdom and the God of comfort), Rom. 15, 5.
These two things, such patientia et consolatio (patience and consolation), are God's work and impossible for our strength; this is the school of Christians; they learn the art daily and cannot grasp it, much less learn it fully, but always remain children and spell ABC in this art.
The rest, which is still lacking, we must bind up in the forgiveness of sins and offer with a pater-noster through Christ, until that blessed day comes and makes us all perfect in all things; then we will be his companions, like Christ our model in all things.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all comfort, help us all, amen. Please accept my washing. At Wittenberg, Saturday after Nicolai, Anno 1532.
3. to author Broitzer, citizen of Brunswick.
August 26, 1534.
Grace and peace in Christ, my dear author! Our dear Lord Jesus Christ has now visited you and divided with you, although it is a hard division according to the flesh, especially so unawares and absentee; which grieves you all the more; as it is right and just that such a case should grieve you, because she is your nearest and best member, to which your own body has been.
But nevertheless Christ should and must be more valid with us than everything we have,
are themselves. For he also for our sakes esteemed himself little, that we might be great and glorious for ever, willingly yielding himself to the most ignominious death, that he might become much less than all men, as it is written in the 22nd Psalm, v. 7: "I am a worm and not a man, a mockery of men and a despiser of the people."
Therefore, because we all owe hours to suffer again according to His will, my friendly Christian exhortation is, let such woes and accidents be remembered in the dear Christ.
2040 D. SS, 61st; 131-133. mm. Six consolatory writings on the death of a wife. W. X. 23S9-23S3. 2041
and consider with right faith how our suffering, which we bear for his sake, is nothing at all compared to that which he bore for our sake; it must all be overcome in his suffering.
Moreover, you have to thank God that the good woman has come to a fine Christian, blessed, reasonable end; which,
as you know, an unspeakable grace and few are bestowed upon you, while many others are confronted with miserable cases. May Christ, our dear Lord and consoler, comfort and strengthen you, so that you may bear his will, praise and give thanks, amen.
Tuesday after Bartholomew, Anno 1534. D. Martinus Luther.
4. to Hans Reineck, master smelter at Mansfeld.
April 18, 1536.
Grace and peace in Christ our Lord and Savior. Honorable, careful, good friend! I have heard how the dear God the Father has afflicted you and taken your dear housewife away from you, which must be quite painful according to love, and I am also heartily sorry for you, as I am favorable and inclined to all good friendly will for many reasons.
But how shall we do it? God has ordered and moderated this life in such a way that we should learn and practice the knowledge of His divine best will, so that we also have to test ourselves and learn whether we respect and love His will more highly than ourselves and everything that He has given us to love and have on earth.
And although the inordinate goodness of his divine will is too highly and deeply hidden from the old Adam, as God himself, that he derives neither pleasure nor joy, but vain mourning and lamentation from it: Yet we have his holy word, which shows us such a hidden will and sparkles in the believing heart, since he tells us everywhere in the Scriptures that it is not wrath, but grace, when he punishes the children, that Jacob also says: we should regard it as all kinds of joy, when we fall into various temptations. Quia tribulatio patientiam operatur, patientia probationem (for trial works patience, but patience works probation).
Therefore, because you have now abundantly known God's word, I hope you will know well how to exercise yourselves, so that you may believe in God's grace.
and fatherly will have more joy than the pain can be in your harm.
It is still good if we are certain of God's grace, if, like Job, we can rely on everything. Although the old Adam is difficult and does not want to follow, the beginning spirit is willing and praises God's will and deeds in our suffering and sorrow.
So we have to drag and torture ourselves with the old brat until we become completely spiritual flesh on that day and have taken off the fleshly rotten flesh.
These things I have spoken to you in haste, as to one of my best friends, and I hope that our dear Lord Christ, with his Holy Spirit, will himself comfort your heart better at this time. For he has begun and called you to his word; he will not withdraw his hand nor let you go.
It is also a great consolation that your housewife has left this pit of misery with such grace and so cleanly and Christianly; God shows you tangibly that he does not deal with you out of anger, but out of pure goodness. It is the highest treasure on earth, a dear housewife; but a blessed end is one. Treasure above treasure and an eternal consolation.
May God help us all in the same way to get out of this sinful maggot sack, as from the misery to our home and fatherland. The grace of Christ be with you forever, Amen, Amen. Tuesday after Easter, Anno 1536.
Your willing
Martinus Luther.
2042 L. SS, 217; SS, SS. III. Main st. - 6. from the father-our esp. 7. petition. W. X, 2S82-2S65. '2043
5. to Hans von Taubenheim.
January 10, 1539.
To the strict, firm, Hans von Taubenheim, my favorable and kind dear lord and godfather, grace and peace in Christ.
Strict, firm, dear Lord, kind Godfather. It has become known to me how our dear Lord God has once again let His rod pass over you and taken your dear housewife to Himself. I am truly sorry for your sadness and pain. For I know that there is much else to be said for you, neither for the loose people who like to see their wives die, and I respect myself for knowing you well, as one who is not hostile to Christ, but loves his word and his right, and is also heartily averse to all unrighteousness and dishonor, as I have well experienced. In sum, I consider you to be a pious man, of which I am not lacking; just as you in turn also consider me to be pious. God grant that you do not lack. For it is different with me than with someone who is in great things and therefore, if God were to remove his hand, would have to sin more dangerously, as is the accident of this state. Because I know this about you, that you are not God's enemy, he, in turn, cannot be your enemy, as he gave you before that you are not his enemy, and thus loved you much sooner than you loved him. As it is with all of us.
Therefore, let the little moon of the dear
Father's will towards you much higher, and in the struggle of pain you hold the peace of God, which hovers over all reason and senses, the triumph, even if the flesh swallows and grumbles. How I understand that even without my consolations, reported by God's word, you yourselves know how divine peace should not hover in the five senses or reason, but far above it in faith. Our dear Lord Jesus Christ be with you. For I am favorable to you, God knows that, and I hope that you will not doubt it, and I love you earnestly: even though I am nothing and am of no use to you, Christ must have such a poor, rusty instrument and tolerate me in his kingdom behind the door; and God help that I am worthy of it.
I also ask you to let our castle, my dear godfather, be in your command, and if he needs your favor and support, show you kindness. For I have not yet found him otherwise, because he is quite righteous. But envy and hatred also do injustice to God and crucify His Son to Him. The world is not only of the devil, but the devil himself. Hereby commanded by God, Friday after Trium Regum (Epiphany), Anno 1539. Martinus Luther.
6. to Wolf Heinze, organist at Halle.
September 11, 1543.
To the honorable, prudent Wolf Heinze, organist at Halle, grace and peace in Christ.
Now, at this hour, D. Jonas informs me how he has received a letter from Halle, my dear Wolf Heinze, that your dear Eva has gone to God, her father. Now I can well feel how such a parting goes to your heart, and I am truly sorry for your heartbreak; for you know that I have told you in all earnestness.
and faithfulness, I also know that God loves you, because you love His Son Jesus, and therefore your sorrow touches me well.
Now, what shall we do? This life is thus set in misery, so that we may learn how small all misery is compared to the eternal misery from which God's Son has redeemed us, in which we still have the best treasure, which will remain with us forever, when all temporal things, we
must also perish with it. Our dear Lord Christ, whom you love and honor his word, will comfort you and know how to change such afflictions for your good, and first for his honor.
Your dear housewife is better now that she was with you. God help
Blessed be to you and to all of us afterwards, although it cannot and should not happen without mourning. The devil's head in Mainz and his kind are crying, they are really miserable people. Hereby commanded by God, Amen. Tuesday after Nativity of the Virgin Mary, 1543.
Martinus Luther, D.