which are listed in this fifteenth part of his complete writings and have now all been newly translated into German from the Erlangen "Briefwechsel Luthers".
No. 1.
Luther to Spalatin.
After a remark about the fact that Spalatin was given the authority to absolve from reserved cases and to remit their penalties, Luther reports that the Bishop of Brandenburg had sent the Abbot of Lehnin to him to ask him to postpone the publication of his "Explanations" on the Theses on Indulgences and to stop issuing the "Sermon on Indulgences," and that he had promised to do so.
The original of this letter is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, Vol. I, p. 39b; in Löscher's Reformation Acts, Vol. I, p. 839; in De Wette, Vol. I, p. 70 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, Vol. I, p. 177.
His Spalatin in the castle at Wittenberg.
JEsus.
Hail! That you have received the authority to remit all cases and to absolve from them, with the exception of a few, be grateful to the one who gave it to you. Well, the authority over the cases pleases me quite well; but how highly I value the remission of punishments, that is, the indulgence, you know, even though I do not firmly affirm anything about it.
1) Aurifaber has set this letter in the year 1517, and after him the other editors of Luther's letters except for the "Erlanger Briefwechsel", which sets it "at the end of March or beginning of April". We believe that it was written in March (according to Kolde, "Martin Luther", Vol. I, p. 150, it should have been written at the beginning of March), because Luther reported to Spalatin on April 3, 1518 (Erl. Briefw., I, 180) that the Bishop of Brandenburg had released him from his promise not to publish the "Explanations on the Power of Indulgences" (St. Louis Edition, Vol. XVIII, 100). About the timing of this letter, see what is said in the 18th volume of our edition, Introduction, p. 14 f., likewise the introductory remarks to No. 128 in this volume.
Head. I have had a similar judgment about the stations of the city of Rome 2) since they are nothing other than indulgences. For I think that the prayers or works that are put up to obtain it are better than the obtained indulgence itself. The rest I do not understand what you write about the patron spirits of the churches.
Yesterday the Abbot of Lehnin 3) came to see me in the name and place of the venerable Lord of Brandenburg, from whom he also brought me a letter, and reported to me on behalf of the same Lord, our Bishop, that he wished and asked that I delay the publication of my "Explanations" and any explanations about indulgences, if I had any; then he would have liked very much that the German Sermon [on indulgences] had not been published, and asked that it henceforth be neither issued nor sold.
But I am quite ashamed that he sent so great an abbot, then also that so great a bishop sent to me so humbly, and for this cause alone I have said, I am well content; I would rather obey than perform miracles, even if I could, and other things that might excuse my presumption. For though he held that in these things there was no error, but that all was orthodox, and though he himself reprobated those immoderate (so-called) proclamations of indulgences, ur-
2) See St. Louis edition, vol. XVIII, 183.
3) Valentin; his family name is not known. He died in 1542 as the last abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Lehnin, 2 miles from Brandenburg and 7-8 miles from Wittenberg. Sent by the Elector Joachim I, he was present at the disputation in Leipzig.
he nevertheless told them that for the sake of the offense, they should remain silent for a little while longer and be forgiven. Fare well in the Lord 2c.
Brother Martin Luther (Eluther.), 1) Augustinian.
No. 2.
Luther to Wenceslaus Link at Nuremberg.
Luther would send him the "Explanations," but they find not yet completed in print. He is warned not to travel to Augsburg because assassins are lurking about him, but he is confident. From his sermon on the ban and a fierce letter from Trutfetter to him.
This letter is printed in Aurifaber, Vol. I, p. 74; in Löscher's Ref.-Acta, Vol.II. p.619; in De Wette, Vol. I, p. 129 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, Vol. I, p. 210.
To the venerable Father Wenceslaus Link, theologian and ecclesiast of the Monastery of the Nuremberg Hermits 2c., his Superior in Christo.
JEsus.
1. Hail. Venerable Father! I would have sent the proofs of my theses, but our printer 3) is so slow that I am also tormented by this delay. There are almost eighteen theses completed which I have undertaken to send you. The trifles, 4) which I had published against my Timon 5) in an exceedingly scanty manner (nudius), are being spread again, far and wide, which I would rather not see, since in this I have yielded too much to the urging of my friends, although I have not done enough for their wishes either. Others write this
1) Around this time Luther very often signed himself Llsuttwrius, as can be seen from several letters that follow.
2) In the editions (except for the Erlangen correspondence), this letter is dated: äis XII k'rutrum, which is September 1. According to the content, however, the letter must be earlier, because the "Erläuterungen" were not yet ready for printing when it was written, but went out after mid-August. Therefore, instead of XII, it will read VII; that is July 10.
3) Johann Grünenberg in Wittenberg.
4) "Luther's Defense of his Sermon on Indulgences and Grace against Tetzel." St. Louis edition, vol. XVIII, 296; see the note there on the many editions of this writing.
5) This refers to Tetzel.
to my vehemence (impatientiae), while I rather played in it than was angry. If you want to know something about us besides, these your [two] Conrade 6) will tell enough.
Our vicar, Johann Lang, who is here today, says that he was warned by letter by Count Albrecht of Mansfeld that he should not suffer in any way that I leave Wittenberg. For it had been decreed by I don't know what kind of great men that I should be deceitfully put to death either by strangulation or by drowning. 7) I am clearly with Jeremiah [Cap. 15,10.] the man against whom everyone quarrels and wrangles, because I daily provoke the Pharisees with new teachings (as they call it). But I, as I am aware that I teach nothing but the purest theology, have known for a long time that it would happen that I would preach an annoyance to the exceedingly holy Jews and a foolishness to the exceedingly wise Greeks.
(3) But I hope to be a debtor to Jesus Christ, who may also say to me (Acts 9:16), "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. 9, 16.): "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." For if he does not say this, why did he put me in the quite insurmountable office of this word? or why did he not teach other things that I should speak? It has been his holy will. The more they threaten, the more confident I am: my wife and my children are provided for; the fields, the houses and all property are ordered; now my honor and my name will be destroyed. Only one thing is left, the weak and broken wretched body: if they take it away, they will make me poorer by two or by one hour of life, but they will not take the soul. I sing with Johannes Reuchlin: 8) He who is poor fears nothing, he can lose nothing, but he sits joyfully in good hope, for he hopes to gain.
4. I know that the word of Christ comes from An-
6) Perhaps Conrad Kleies from the monastery of the hermit brothers in Nuremberg and Conrad Volckamer (Wittenberger p. 64 and p. 70) are meant. (Erl. Briefw.)
7) In Latin: vsl daptiser morteru - or to be baptized unto death.
8) Compare No. 132 a. E. in this volume.
The word of Christ, which began in the world, is of such a nature that the one who wants to lead it in the world must necessarily leave everything with the apostles and renounce everything, expecting death at every hour. If this were not so, it would not be the word of Christ; with death it was purchased, with many deaths it was spread, with many deaths it was resounded; with many deaths it must also be resounded or brought again. For thus our bridegroom is a blood bridegroom to us [Ex. 4:25 ff]. Therefore, pray that the Lord Jesus may multiply and raise the spirit of his believing sinner.
The other day I delivered a sermon to the people on the power of the ban, in which I casually punished the tyranny and ignorance of the dirty rabble of the officials, the commissioners and the vrcare. They are all surprised that they have never heard such a thing. After that, we are all waiting to see what evil will befall me in the future; I have lit a new fire. But so does the word of truth, the sign that is contradicted. I had wanted to publicly discuss (disputare) the same thing, but behold, the rumor of it came out beforehand and moved many great people so much that my bishop of Brandenburg sent a noble messenger to me and demanded that I should postpone this discussion, which I also did and still do, especially since my friends also advise me to do so. See what a monstrous man I must be, whose intention is also unpleasant.
The Doctor of Eisenach 2) has sent me a letter that is completely full of great zeal (for that is what one must call this man's exceedingly passionate outpourings [passio- nissimas passiones] with an honorable name), far more bitter than the one you heard in the chapter with ears (coram); he said the same thing to my face at Erfurt. These people are tormented to madness by the fact that they are to become fools in Christ, and that it is judged that the honorable Magistri nostri have been completely wrong (toto orbe) for such a long time. I do not care about all the fools and blamers, if only Christ will give me a
1) St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, 874. Compare also the introduction there, p. 39d.
2) Jodocus Trutfetter at Erfurt.