To an unnamed person. April 14, 1540.
Along with Dr. Mylius' recommendation of this letter.
To the honorable, prudent, Nicolaus N., citizen of N., my favorable friend.
Your dear son, Mag. John, has shown me, miserable, even fed up, dear friend, how you have abstained from the Sacrament for so many years to the great annoying example of others, and has asked me to admonish you to turn away from such dangerous undertakings, because we are not sure of an hour of life.
Thus his childlike faithful concern for you, his father, has moved me to do this writing to you; and is my Christian, brother
As we owe one another in Christ, we exhort you to refrain from such presumption and to consider that the Son of God suffered much more and forgave his crucifiers, and that in the end, when the hour comes, he will have to forgive, just as a thief on the gallows has to forgive. But if the matter is right, let it be done, and wait for what is right. This does not prevent us from going to the sacrament. Otherwise we and our princes would not have to go to the sacrament either, because the matters between us and the pa-
Hang the slopes. Command the matter to the right; but in the meantime clear your conscience, and say, Whosoever shall do right, let him be right; but I will forgive him that hath done wrong, and go to the sacrament. So you do not go unworthily, because you are
Desire justice and want to suffer injustice, where the judge recognizes it as right or wrong. Take such admonition for granted, which your son has pleaded with me with diligence. Hereby commanded to God, Amen. Wednesday after Miseric. Domin. 1540. Martin Luther.
Dr. Georg Mylius' recommendation of this previous epistle.
Honorable and honorable Mr. Mayor! I have read with special pleasure the beautiful and Christian missive of the holy man of God, Mr. Luther, which he himself wrote with his holy grace to your blessed father. And since I noted from your Superintendent that you should not be displeased with its publication in public print, I had the pleasure of ordering it. Would God,
it communicates to everyone with even fidelity and mildness, what such gems of this man may lie hidden now and then. God would undoubtedly reward it well, who also be your rich reward and protection, amen. Given the 26th of October, Anno 1594.
E. W. F.
Georg Mylius, D.