Luther warns Hofmann, who had presented certain questions to Carlstadt, against such opinions as the Zwickau prophets had harbored, which even Carlstadt had not yet sufficiently resisted.
Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 308; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 276 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. IV, p. 50.
Grace and peace be with you! From the friends who are well-disposed toward you, best Christoph, I have learned of your questions, which you submitted to Doctor Andreas Carlstadt, about the
1) Link married a daughter of the Altenburg advocate Suicerus on April 14 and 15. Luther married him in the Bartholomew Church and preached a sermon in praise of marriage. For fear of the canons, armed citizens escorted the bride and groom home from the church (Seckendorf, Nist. I^utU., lid. I, p. 214d).
2) Melanchthon's father-in-law and his brother-in-law had the same name.
3) The Cistercian nunnery in Nimpschen near Grimma was founded in 1251 by the landgrave Heinrich the Illustrious of Thuringia. Among the nuns who escaped was Catharina von Bora. She could not return to her family, because her father was subject to Duke George because of his property Hirschfeld, and remained until her marriage with Luther in the house of the town clerk, later mayor, in Wittenberg, M. Philipp Reichenbach. For similar reasons, the other nuns did not return to their home, but to Wittenberg.
4) This letter has the obviously wrong date of 1525 in Aurifaber. It belongs to the year 1522, which is clear from the fact that Carlstadt is still mentioned in a friendly way, also Luther's conversation with the Zwickau prophets is remembered. Jäger, "Carlstadt", p. 298 f., places it "towards the end of the year 1522". - Hofmann was later a pastor in Jena. Cf. St. Louis edition, vol. XX, introduction, p. 18 n.
^personal] Assurance of election, on the fall and rising again of the righteous, on alien faith, on infant baptism, on the persistence of the Spirit in the saints etc. They have also demanded that I, though an unknown to an unknown, should indicate my opinion to you in one word, and I cannot and must not refuse them anything. Therefore, I ask that you also accept my efforts for the best. But I ask you for Christ's sake to beware of these new teachings, for they belong to the prophets who were interrogated from Zwickau in my presence, 5) who are not like themselves in anything and are completely without scripture, speaking from their spirit alone. If I had not seen them myself, I too, moved by the pompous pretensions of others, would have thought that they were something significant. Even Mr. Carlstadt does not yet resist them bravely, either out of guilelessness or good-naturedness. My opinion is this: that we must trust in the grace of God, but remain uncertain about our and other people's future perseverance or providence, as he says [1 Cor. 10:12]: "He who stands there may well see that he does not fall," although there is no doubt that the apostles were certain about their salvation. But, I pray you, how often David fears and cries that he may not be rejected from the presence of God! Finally, we have many examples and passages of Scripture that testify to the fact that it is certain that the faith of others cannot cause me to be blessed through this same faith of others, for each one believes for himself or does not believe; nevertheless, he makes and obtains that I also believe with my own faith. For otherwise what would be the prayers of the believers for the unbelievers, that the name of God may be sanctified, that His kingdom may come? Thus we hold that the infants are given their own faith in baptism, while the foreign faith of the church obtains it and prays for the infant in Christ's Spirit. So we hold that the righteous [Proverbs 24:16] fall seven times and
5) Compare in this appendix the postscript to No. 105 (of April 12, 1522) and the postscript to No. 93 (of September 4, 1522).
get up again, as long as their mistake is hidden from them. And what shall I speak many things to you? You yourself, since the occasion is given to you, will take more from it. Then the friends wanted only my opinion to be written to you, and I have done so. But Christ keep thy heart and thy mind in the simplicity of Christ, amen. Pray for me. Wittenberg.
No. 115.
Luther to Spalatin in Nuremberg.
Luther expects German hymns written by Spalatin; reports that Carlstadt is publishing books in a new printing house in Jena. From one of Eck's writings. An envoy of Ferdinand had visited him in Wittenberg.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 180 b; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 460 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. IV, p. 277.
To Magister Georg Spalatin, evangelist at the court, his most trusted friend in the Lord.
Grace and peace! I have nothing new to write, my dear Spalatin, only that I await your German poems 1) of which I wrote to you the other day.
Carlstadt, after his fashion, does not stop; in a newly established printing house at Jena he has published books and, it is said, will publish eighteen more. 2)
Eck seems to all, not only to me, not worthy of being answered; 3) it is believed that the sophist, full of wine, 4) and drunk, is making this slobber among the lapiths.
1) Spiritual songs, of which the letter Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 920 is about. In De Wette, it is without date and placed at the end of the year 1524, vol. II, p. 590.
2) Carlstadt's printer in Jena was Michael Buchführer. For the writings that Carlstadt had printed in Jena in December 1523 and later, see Jäger, "Carlstadt," p. 301 and pp. 369, 381 and 393. See also St. Louiser Ausgabe, Vol. XX, Einleitung, p. 19 ff.
3) He had a protective writing for the book of the King of England against Luther go out, which had been printed in Rome in May 1523.
4) Cf. Ovid. iVlstaworxU. 12, 120.
have spat. The King of England, the defender of the church, is worthy of this defender, and he in turn is worthy of Emser's 5) as defender, therefore they may defend themselves.
I send the seal 6) of the provost Justus Jonas.
Ferdinand's legate, or something else, came to me to see what kind of person I was and what I was doing. He said that I had been rumored by his lord to go armed and surrounded by a guard, to spend my time with whores, playing dice and in taverns, and to shine with I don't know what other honors at the same court. But I am sufficiently used to lies. Farewell in the Lord and pray for me. Wittenberg, Thursday after Octave Epiphaniä [January 14] 1524.
Martin Luther.
No. 116.
Luther to Spalatin.
The first part of the book is a description of Carlstadt's writings and undertakings at Orlamünde, and of the error of those who claimed the validity of the Mosaic rights for the Christians.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 185; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 488 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. IV, p. 305.
To the venerable man, Magister Georg Spalatin, servant of the Gospel at the Court of Saxony, his [friend] in the Lord.
1. grace and peace! Lucas has brought the packages of your letters, my dear Spalatin, from which I have learned everything I wanted in abundance. Incidentally, I have heard with sadness the monstrosities of Carlstadt 7).
5) Emser had translated Henry VIII's book into German. Emser had translated Henry VIII's book into German. See St. Louis edition, Vol. XIX, 134, note.
6) Probably the song: "Wo GOtt der HErr nicht bei uns hält", No. 438 in our hymnal, about the 124th Psalm.
Writings.
But God resisted the Jews for a long time, so that they would not kill His Son; at last, since they would not desist, He gave Him up, so that they would not only kill Him, but also condemn Him to the most ignominious death, and thus, after the iniquity of the Amorites was fulfilled [Gen. 15:16], wrath would be executed upon them. And through us Christ has long resisted Carlstadt, but he does not desist, and continues to bring upon himself a swift destruction, and I fear that by compelling us to pray against him also, he will at last merit to be permitted to do harm to his destruction. May Christ prevent him from doing so by his grace, amen. Thus man is inflamed by the unrestrained desire for honor and great name. Pray also, I beseech you, for them. By the way, in the name of the university, we will first call him away from the place where he is not called to the service of the word that he owes here in Wittenberg; finally, if he should not come, we will sue him 1) before the prince. Perhaps I will also admonish him by letter. But this is also another part of the cross and the right destiny of the word, that he who ate his bread should lift his foot above Christ; but Christ lives, who is also the master of Satan.
Those who exalt the administration of justice of Moses must be despised. We have our civil rights under which we live. Thus neither Naaman the Syrian, nor Job, nor Joseph, nor Daniel, nor any other Jews kept their laws outside their country, but those of the nations among whom they were. The laws of Moses alone bound the Jewish people in the place which he had chosen; now they [the laws] are free; otherwise if the judicial things must be kept, there is no reason why we should not also be circumcised and keep all ceremonial ordinances. Fare well and pray for me. Wittenberg, Monday after Judica [March 14] 1524.
Martin Luther.
1) Compare St. Louis Edition, Vol. XX, Introduction, p. 19 f.
No. 117.
Luther to Amsdorf in Magdeburg. 2)
Luther apologizes for his late writing. Says that he did not handle translating Melanchthon's I^ooi. He reports that Reinhard in Jena published the events in Orlamünde to Carlstadt's honor and Luther's disgrace. Of Carlstadt's letter to Orlamünde after he had been expelled from there. About Egranus, about the pastor of Kahla, and Reinhard's dismissal.
faber, vol. II, p. 237; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 55V and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. V, p. 38.
Grace and peace! I am answering late, my dear Amsdorf, because there is a lack of messengers. Now tell Johann Lohr 3) and his wife that they need not worry about any danger from me. I have nothing wavier in mind than that I want to translate Melanchthon's Loci. Although this was requested of me a year ago and accepted by me, I have dropped everything that has to do with this work because I was overwhelmed with other work, since I can hardly do enough for our presses by daily and continuous work.
Martin Reinhard, preacher at Jena, has published the prelims in Orlamünde in an unworthy manner to my disgrace and to Carlstadt's honor. Therefore, I do not answer, so that I do not seek my own and strive to take away his glory, since nothing of the matter is dealt with there. Carlstadt meanwhile wrote to the Orlamünders, and it was also especially the signature added: Andreas Bodenstein "Unheard and unconquered, driven out by" Martin Luther. You see, since I, who should have become a martyr, have reached the point of making martyrs myself. Egranus also boasts of martyrdom, writing that he was "persecuted" by both the papists and the Lutherans.
2) The Magdeburgers had requested Amsdorf from the Elector of Saxony, initially for one year, as a preacher. Around September 24, he entered as a preacher at the Ulrichskirche.
3) Hans Lohr was a city councilor and the only important bookseller in Magdeburg, and was at that time the city's envoy to the Imperial Regiment in Esslingen to defend the city against the charge of introducing the Reformation.
No. 118.
Luther to Spalatin.
Luther sends letters from Araula von Staufen, recommends a certain Frau Mocha, whom a churfürstlicher Schösser was harassing, and mentions Carlstadt's departure from Orlamünde.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 235d; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 558 and in Erlanger Briefw., vol. V, p. 42.
To the Lord Georg Spalatin, Christ's servant at the Court of Saxony, his godly and faithful, in the Lord most trusted [friend].
Grace and peace in the Lord! See, there you have the letters of Argula, 2) which she wrote to me and to Philip. She remembers some answer which she gave against the Ingolstadters, 3) but I have not read them.
1) Johann von Schwarzenberg, together with his colleague Vogler, prevented a supporter of Carlstadt, Sylvius Egranus, from receiving the pastorate in Culmbach. At the beginning of 1525 he had already completely left Luther's party.
2) Argula von Staufen.
3) Argula had been attacked by an Ingolstadt student with a crude mocking poem because she had stood up for Arsacius Seehofer in Munich. Against this she published: "Eyn Antwort in gedichtß weiß, ainem auß d' hohen Schul zu Ingolstat, auff amen spruch, nemlich vö jm außgagen.... Anno M.D.XLiiii." This writing may be meant here.
not yet seen. Incidentally, the other day I had instructed Lucas that he should intercede with the prince on behalf of poor Mochin 4), who is being harassed by the shepherd because of ten bushels of wheat that she borrowed from the prince's storehouse, four of which she has returned, but which he denies, and urges her to return them all, although she can prove that they have been returned. Then she promises to return the remaining six in the next year, since she cannot do it this year. It is also known to him that, since the Elbe has raged so much, also her seeds have perished this year: unless he wants her to be completely deprived of bread and seeds also for the future year. She is a good and righteous woman, but a wretched woman, who is joined (as you know) to a man who is of no use. Therefore, you will do right if you do this thing for her instead of the wicked Lucas.
Carlstadt wrote letters to Orlamünde, one to the men, the other to the women, which, after the people were called together by the bells, were read out publicly while everyone wept with each other. But the signature was this: "Andres Bodensteyn unheard unconquered by Martinum Luther expelled." So much the Rector C[aspar] Glatz 6) from Orlamünde writes to me. Farewell. On the Sunday after Simonis and Judä [October 30] 1524.
Martin Luther.
No. 11S.
Luther to Spalatin.
Luther asks for a book by Urban Rhegius and reports that Carlstadt has written to him about a meeting and settlement.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 299; in De Wette, vol. II, p. 586 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. V, p. 89.
4) Perhaps the wife of the miller Mocha in Segrehn (Walch, old ed., vol. XXI, 148).
5) Instead of 6i8, which seems to us to be either a typo or a reading error, we have assumed ei.
6) The Rector of the University of Wittenberg, D. Glatz (Olstiu8) was sent to Orlamünde; later he was pastor there (Köstlin, Martin Luther, Vol. I, p. 729 and p. 763).
To the noble (optimo) man, Mr. Georg Spalatin, the servant of Christ at his gospel at the court of Saxony.
Grace and peace in the Lord! In any case, send me the booklet of Urban Rhegius, 1) my dear Spalatin, so that I may see what others assert against such a spirit. I do not trust Martin Reinhard's letter, nor the man himself at all; I did not want him to be at Nuremberg either. 2) I will serve Jodocus Kern 3) as best I can. I will report news about Carlstadt when he arrives, which I expect. I have written to him 4) in the hope that we will meet and negotiate peace, if Christ wills. He is (as I suspect) pressed by the banishment, or rather by the evil consciousness, that he has offended the good name of the princes of Saxony. There are people who have told us this from his mouth. Christ do what is good. Fare well and pray for me. Wittenberg, 1524, 5) Thursday after Christmas [Dec. 29].
Martin Luther.
No. 120.
Luther to Spalatin.
Luther approves of the fact that Carlstadt's escort was refused and complains about his behavior. About the inability of D. Glatz in Orlamünde to raise the income for the canons in Wittenberg. From Luther's council regarding the preceptor at Lichtenberg, Wolfgang Reißenbusch, marriage.
1) "Wider den newe irrsal Doctor Andreas Carlstadt, des Sacraments halb, Warnung. D. Vrbani Regii." At the end: "M.D.XXiiij."
2) After being expelled from Jena, Reinhard had turned to Nuremberg, but was soon expelled from the city with his wife and child "because he was an all-city fanatic.
3) He had married a nun in Nuremberg who had left the convent, but she did not accompany him to Saxony right away, but wanted to follow him after he had found a place to live there. In the meantime, her former prioress made her conscientious objections, so that when Kern became Münzer's successor in office in Allstädt, she only followed him at the urging of her relatives when he came to fetch her. The marriage was and remained an unhappy one and was finally separated.
4) This letter does not exist.
5) In the original "1525" after the way to start the new year with Christmas.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. II, p. 277 d (with the wrong date: feria 2.); in De Wette (with the wrong date: March 20), vol. II, p. 634 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. V, p. 140.
To Georg Spalatin, evangelist at the Saxon court, his brother in the Lord.
6) Spalatin's answer of March 20 (Burkhardt, p. 81) to Luther's letter of March 4 (Document No. 692 in this volume).
7) Wolfgang Reißenbusch, preceptor of the Antonite monastery in Lichtenberg. As early as March 27, 1525, Luther addressed to him an admonition to marry in spite of the vows of the order. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. X, 674. (This writing was originally written in German, therefore not in the Latin Jena edition, and translated into Latin by Obsopoeus. According to this, the preface, vol. X, 73 is to be corrected). On April 25, he became engaged to Hanna Herzog, the daughter of a poor tailor's widow in Torgau, and married her the day after. He remained in his position as preceptor and administrator of the Antonite estates under the electoral name, but was also used as electoral councilor.
No. 121.