October 17, 1524.
To his dearest brother in the Lord, Otto Brunfels, the servant of Christ.
Grace and peace in Christ. It is nothing that you suspect, dear Otto, that I do not recognize your willingness to serve and your affection for me. I certainly acknowledge them, but I am too small for such esteem and not worthy of it. I am glad that John Hus, a true martyr of Christ, will come to light in our time, that is, will be properly canonized, even if the papists should burst. Would God that my name were worthy, that such a man would be dedicated to him and go out under him.
Only I wanted them to refrain from praising me. Otherwise, by God's grace, through the long habit of hearing curses, I have now come so far that it makes no difference to me in this life whether I am blessed or cursed. Therefore, prepare yourself, and also bring to light what is left, so that he may be completely canonized. I have nothing to say against it. I ask only one thing of you, that you command me, a wretched man, to Christ in your prayer. In him you are quite well. I have not been able to write more, I have so many things to do. Farewell and greet all of us. October 17, 1524.
"Otto Braunfels, school rector in Strasbourg, later physician in Bern, published some writings of Johann Hus in 1524 and provided them with a dedication to Luther. Luther responds to this in this letter. In Latin it is found in Aurifaber, torn. II, toi. 364; in Seckendorf, Hist. Luth., index III, supplenda ad 1524, no. 14; De Wette, vol. II, p. 553 and in Erl. Briefw., vol. V, p. 36. According to the latter we have retranslated. German in Hallischer Theil, p. 474; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 82 and in Walch.