Luther's stay in Coburg during the Diet of Augsburg.
A. How Luther told his good strangers about his arrival in Coburg and how lovely he described the area there.
1164 D. M. Luther's report to Jakob Probst, preacher in Bremen, of his stay in Coburg.
See Appendix, No. 2, Z1.
1165 D. M. Luther's joke letter to Justus Jonas from the Coburg Diet of the Jackdaws. The 23?) April 1530.
This letter is found handwritten in Wolfenbüttel, Ooä.Il6lm8t. 108, Iol.9k; in the 6oä. RoKtoeU.; in the Ooä. 4611. d, toi. 214; in Copenhagen, LIs. 1393, L>1.213. printed at Oo6l68tiiiu8, tom.I, toi. 38 d; in Lu6ck6U8, x. 87; in De Wette, vol. IV, p.4 (datirt vom 22. April) and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. VII, p. 305.
Newly translated from the Latin.
3) Walch and De Wette: "the 22nd", which is not permissible, since the Uebersiedelung of Luther on the fortress Coburg happened in the night of the 22nd to the 23rd of April. Köstlin, Martin Luther (3.), vol. II, p. 652 aä p. 198, 2), has drawn attention to it first. The Erl. Briefwechsel brings still further proofs for it.
Grace and peace in Christ Jesus! We are finally sitting here under the clouds and in truth in the kingdom of the birds, dearest Jonah. For to say nothing of the other birds, whose singing is so great that it drowns out the storm, the jackdaws or ravens take up a whole grove just before our eyes. "I mean, there is a Gekecke", 4) from four o'clock in the morning 5) on, all day long tirelessly and incessantly, perhaps all night long, so that I believe that hardly anywhere a larger crowd of birds gathered together. Among them there is not one that is silent for a moment, so that one is not forced to listen to every single one of them, as the older ones with the younger ones, the mothers with the daughters, praise the name of the jackdaws. They may sing so sweetly to lull us to sleep, which, God willing, we will experience that night. It is a very noble race of birds, and to the commonwealth (as you know) exceedingly
4) In this, the Erl. Briefwechsel finds an allusion to Eck; but here Luther seems to speak to us only of the natural birds; only later does he interpret it of the Sophists and people like Cochläus.
5) At this hour Luther arrived there.
1752 Erl. 54, 143 f. Section 12: L.'s stay in Coburg. No. 1165 f. W. XVI, 2126-2128. 1753
necessary and useful. I interpret it in such a way that the whole army of Sophists and Cochleites from the whole world is gathered before me, so that I may become better acquainted with their wisdom and this sweet song, and look with pleasure at their service and benefit both in the physical and in the spiritual community. So far, no one has heard a nightingale, 1) while its lead and accompanying singer, the cuckoo, boasts in the glorious ornamentation of its voice, as befits a victor 2) in the public battles and victorious opponents of the nightingale, in the same way also the other fellow singers of the same, the blackbirds, warblers and larks cheerfully praise the Lord. This is something quite unheard of here. You see that I have nothing that I could write; therefore, in order not to write anything, I would rather joke than remain silent, especially since the jackdaws scream so and fill heaven and earth with their cackling. It seemed shameful to me that one who can speak words did not even dare to murmur. May the Lord be with you, and let us pray for one another. That is necessary. Give my regards to Magister Agricola and Aquila, to whom I will write especially as soon as possible. Farewell. From the realm of birds, especially jackdaws, 1530.
Your Martin Luther.
1166 D. Matt. Luther's joke writing to his table companions in Wittenberg, of the jackdaws and crows Reichstag, behind which is nevertheless a great seriousness. April 28, 1530.
Handwritten in the ooä. 6otti. L. 28, toi. 72; in the Ooä. 4oii. L. 246, toi. 218; in Copenhagen, iVIk. 1393, toi. 209. Printed in the collective editions: in the Wittenberg (1569), vol. IX, p. 406; in the Jena (1566), vol.V, p. 206; in the Altenburg, vol.V, p. 20; in the Leipzig, vol. XX, p. 141; in the Erlangen, vol. 54, p. 143 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 7. The address is found only in the manuscripts. On the other hand, the date offered in the same, "the 22nd of April", is wrong. See the previous number.
1) In the next letter to his table companions, Luther reports that the first nightingale was heard on April 28.
2) In the Erlanger Briefwechsel, in the explanation of the word tiisroniess, probably due to a typographical error: "singer" 2c.
My dear table companions, Petro and Hieronymo Weller and Heinrich Schneidewin and others in Wittenberg, all and especially.
Grace and peace in Christ, dear lords and friends! I have received all your letters and have heard them as they are due everywhere. So that you may again hear how it is to be done here, I would like you to know that we, namely I, Magister Veit and Cyriacus? are not going to the Diet in Augsburg; but otherwise we may well have come to another Diet.
There is a rubet (4) just outside our window, like a small forest, where the jackdaws and crows have laid down an imperial day, there is such a riding to and fro, such a shouting day and night, without ceasing, as if they were all drunk, full and mad; there young and old are fighting through each other, that I wonder how voice and breath can last so long. And I would like to know if there are still some of these nobles and travelers with you; methinks they are gathered here from all over the world.
I have not yet seen their emperor, but otherwise the nobility and the great Hansen are always hovering and dandling before our eyes; not almost exquisitely dressed, but simple in one color, all equally black, and all equally gray-eyed; all sing the same song, but with a lovely difference of the young and the old, great and small. They pay no attention to the great palace and hall; for their hall is vaulted with the beautiful wide sky, their floor is vain field, paneled with pretty green branches, so the walls are as wide as the end of the world. Nor do they ask for horses and armor; they have feathered wheels, so that they too can flee from the guns, and can be seated in a rage. They are great mighty lords, but what they decide I do not know yet.
(4) But according to what I have heard from an interpreter, they intend to make a great campaign and fight against wheat, barley, oats, malt, 5) and all kinds of grain and cereals.
3) Veit Dietrich and Cyriacus Kaufmann.
4) "Rubet" (ruI)(Kuin), a dense copse. In the previous letter: n "rnn8.
5) Of which the name "Malztürken" at the end of this letter.
1754 Erl. Briefw.vii, 307 f. Cap. 13. Of the Imperial Diet at Augsburg in 1530. W. XVI, 2128-2130. 1755
Many a knight will become a knight here and do great deeds.
So we sit here in the Diet, listen and watch with great pleasure and love how the princes and lords, along with the other estates of the empire, sing and live so happily. But we have special joy when we see how chivalrously they play truant, wipe their beaks, and overthrow the armies, so that they win and bring honor against grain and malt. We wish them luck and good fortune, that they would all be impaled on a fence post.
(6) But I think it is nothing else than the Sophists and Papists, with their preaching and writing, I must have them all in a heap before me, that I may hear their sweet voice and preaching, and see how very useful it is to the people to consume all that is on earth, and for that to make merry for boredom.
1167 D. Matt. Luther's letter to Spalatin, the thoughts of which are quite the same, but the words of which are somewhat different from the two preceding letters. April 23, 1530.
The original of this letter is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Handwritten in Wolfenbüttel, Cock. Hslmst. 108, toi. 13 (datirt den 19. Mai); in the 6o<I. Ratscnd.; in the Ooä. Rostock.; in the Ooü. Ootknn. R. 28, lol. 71; in Copenhagen, Ns. 1393, col. 216 (datirt 29 April); in 6oä. u, 221; in Ooä. Icn. k, 138. printed in Goclestinus, toin. I, col. 37 k; in Rucl6mi8, x. 90; in De Wette, vol. I V, p. 12 and in Walch; in all these editions datirt vom 9. Mai. German also in Chyträus, p. 22 (datirt vom 28. April). With the date we gave in the ErlangerBriefwechsel, Vol. VII, p. 307; the original printed there is without date.
Newly translated from the Latin.
To the dear man, Mr. Georg Spalatin, the faithful servant of Christ in the Gospel, his superior.
Grace and peace in the Lord! It is not you alone, my dear Spalatin, who have come to the
We, too, arrived at a Reichstag as soon as we left you, and thus preceded you by far. And our journey to the Diet has not been hindered at all, but only changed. You are going to Augsburg, of course, but it is uncertain when you will see the beginning of your Diet; we have arrived here in the middle of the Diet. Here you can see noble kings, dukes, and other great men of the empire, earnestly caring for the affairs and the dependents, and shouting their resolutions and doctrines through the air with a tireless voice. Yes, they do not dwell, or rather are not shut up in such holes and caves as are at court, which you call palaces, yet not with great goods, but under the open sky, so that the sky itself serves them for a ceiling, and the greening trees are their exceedingly richly and variously paneled floor; furthermore, the walls are at the same time also the ends of the earth. They also despise the foolish expenditure of gold and silk, but they all have the same manner, the same color, the same demeanor and speech, and are dressed with incredible similarity and equality. All are equally all black, all have dark-colored eyes, all are unanimous in the same music, but with a lovely difference between the voices of the old and the young. I have not yet seen nor heard their emperor. I see that they also despise the four-footed cavalry, since they have a better, winged one, by which they can also escape the wrath of the guns. As far as I could hear from the interpreter of their resolutions, they have unanimously decided to undertake a war campaign this whole year against barley, both raw and dried, then against winter and summer wheat, and everything there is of good grain. And there is danger that they will gain the victory in many things, for they are a crafty and cunning kind of warriors, wonderfully skilled in stealing and robbing. At this Diet we sit here with great pleasure as idle spectators and listeners.
1) By moving from the city of Coburg to the fortress.
1756 Erl.Briefw.vii,308. sec. 12. L.'s stay in Coburg. No. 1167ff. W. XVI, 2130-2132. 1757
For besides that the common and beautiful Moorish color delights us extraordinarily, seeing that these heroes are so splendidly dressed, the unanimous singing of all, which is interspersed with beautiful modulations, delights us beyond measure. Then the hope and expectation of their bravery and the victories that we assume they will win over the wheat and barley (and other such things) makes these fathers of the fatherland and preservers of the commonwealth exceedingly pleasant and endearing to us, so that, if something could be done with wishes, we would like them to be rid of this disgraceful name "jackdaws" (monedularum), or rather of the accusation that they are thieves, and to be praised with expressions worthy of their virtue, that is, that they would all be spitted or speared (but in a suffering sense). But, if they could find a cheap interpreter, they would have enough honor and praise from their own name Mon Edulae, as it were "Man Edel", or with transposition of the words: "Edelman"; only that here an insult of your imperial Diet is in view, where your noblemen (Edelmani) distinguish themselves too much by Dohlentugeud. But our Man Edulini at their Imperial Diet have in one respect the advantage that they have a smaller and more tolerable court (forum) than yours will have at Augsburg.
This is enough for a joke, but a serious and necessary joke, which should drive away my thoughts, if it would drive them away. The rest you will learn from Jonas and Philip. From the realm of the winged jackdaws at five o'clock, 2) 1530. Yours, Martin Luther.
B. Of Luther's work at Coburg.
1168 Luther's report to Melanchthon of his plan to publish the Psalms, Prophets, and Aesopus.
See Appendix, No. 4, § 1.
1) That is, "impaled on a fence post". See No. 1166, § 5.
2) April 23, afternoon.
Luther's report to Melanchthon that he was still working on his exhortation to the clergy.
See Appendix, No. 5.
1170 Luther's letter to Wenceslaus Link, in which he also commemorates the publication of some Psalms and his translation of the Prophets and Aesop's Fables.
See Appendix, No. 6, § 2.
Luther's repeated report to Melanchthon on his partly completed, partly still intended work.
See Appendix, No. 7, § 1.
1172 Luther's report to Conr. Cordatus that he had finished the translation of Jeremiah and would now take Ezekiel in hand.
See Appendix, No. 8, § 2.
6. of Luther's temptations and illnesses with which he was afflicted at Coburg.
1173: Luther's report to Melanchthon about his foot, which had not yet healed.
See Appendix, No. 5.
1174 Luther's letter to Melanchthon, in which he complains about his head ailment and satanic temptation.
See Appendix, No. 7, § 2.
Luther's report of this to Conr. Cordatus and Gabriel Zwilling.
See Appendix, No. 8 and 10.
Luther's further report to Melanchthon of his, however alternating, indisposition.
See Appendix, No. 11, s 3 and No. 12, § 3.
Luther's message of this to Justus Jonas and Conr. Cordatus.
See Appendix, No. 13, § 2 and No. 14, § 1.
1758 Erl. 54, IS7 f. Cap. 13: From the Imperial Diet at Augsburg in 1530, W. XVI, 2132-2134, 1759.
D. Luther's prayer and joy of faith, by which he directed himself and others, even though he sometimes grew tired of the Reichstag and even of his life.
1178 Beautiful, exquisite sayings from the Holy Scriptures, so that Luther could comfort himself in his temptations during the Imperial Diet.
See Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. X, 1712 ff.
1179: Luther's song "Ein feste Burg ist unser GOtt" (A Mighty Fortress is Our God), which is said to have been written around this time.
See Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. X, 1460.
1180 Luther's Letter to Duke John Frederick of Saxony. June 30, 1530.
To the illustrious, highborn Prince and Lord Johann Friedrich, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, my gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ JEsu! Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! The Lord sees before his eyes what kind of master the devil is, who leads such great wise people captive in his service, and carries out all his deeds with crafty and cunning trickery. And although I know that E. F. G. is well equipped against this (praise God!), and know and judge all their great art and advice, I still, out of other concern, want to write to E. F. G. to humbly admonish that they do not let themselves be annoyed by the poisonous, evil tricks that their closest blood friends are up to. For where the devil can do no more, he nevertheless works to make our hearts wrong and to irritate us with his (admittedly) unpleasant suggestions. A good remedy for this is the seventh and thirtieth Psalm, which finely shows how evil the devil's mind is and makes us angry.
We must be patient without ceasing, whether he might tear out a word, work or deed, so that he might disgrace us as disobedient and rebellious. But it is written, "If God be with us, who will be against us?" And we must learn to eat up the deceitfulness of evil men, as Saint Paul says in Romans 12: "Overcome evil with good."
It is true that the Emperor is a pious heart, worthy of all honor and virtue, who may not receive too much honor on account of his person; but, dear God! what can a man do against so many devils, if God does not help tremendously? I myself am annoyed that E. F. G.'s blood friends do it so wantonly, and scrape so; but I must have patience, otherwise I would much rather wish them this and that. How much more can I think that E. F. G. would be cheaper to destroy and move. But for God's sake and that of the dear emperor, F.F.G. will have patience and also pray with us for the wretched people; after all, they have not yet made it out. If I have failed here in saying that E. F. G. would be annoyed by the evil treachery of his friends, I am glad, and E. F. G. will be patient with me. I am glad, and E. F. G. will forgive me; for I mean it heartily well, sit here and think: this will go to the heart of this one, that one will go to the heart of that one, or will make me unamused, because I am the devil of all malice without ceasing. E. F. G. be hereby graciously commanded by God, Amen. Given at Coburg on the last day of June, Anno 1530.
E. F. G.
subservient
Martinus Luther, D.
1181 Luther's letter to Spalatin. July 13, 1530.
Handwritten in 6oä. len. d, 67 and in Aurifaber, vol. ill, bl. 53. Printed in Luääerm, x. 148; at 606l68tinu8, tom. II, lol. 228 V and at De Wette, vol. IV, p. 91.
Newly translated from the Latin.
Grace and peace in Christ our Lord! I also believe, my dearest Spalatin, that the emperor's kindness is great, as you all praise him. But I have no hope that
He will become favorable to our cause, no matter how much he wants to. For what can one man do against so many devils? Therefore, our protection is the Lord, who is mighty in weakness, and is pleased to comfort the fainthearted and to help the forsaken. But I have strong thoughts about what may have happened to you in the meantime according to your last letters, and I make assumptions, assuming that the matter has long since come to a decision, and that you are not only condemned, but also suffer threats and wanton behavior. For it is to be wondered at what victories the adversaries are blasting out of Augsburg, that they would already have trampled us underfoot and made a mockery of us. But be of good cheer, saith the Lord, I have overcome the world: he that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them. This is how I think about the matter. For we shall not be helped, we shall feast, for we are forsaken. "Blessed are ye (saith he), when men persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you, when they lie against you" 2c. We have taken upon us the ministry of which it is said, "Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake." And now we wonder that this hatred is there, foretold by Him who has such great credibility and prestige? If we wanted this prophecy to be void, we should either not have taken this office upon us, or should have taken care that this would not be prophesied. For since it is prophesied, and we have taken upon us the ministry, we are too late to want to think it vain and vain, and to want to earn the favor and grace of men. Therefore, may this prophecy be fulfilled, and may we feel such hatred as can rightly and not jokingly be called a hatred. For the Scripture must not only become true, but be fulfilled, become full, full, full, "that it may be called fulfilled, and full, full fulfilled." I am glad to hear from Duke George that he is carrying himself out in this way; God will pay him with the nonsense of which he is worthy, and will add other plagues. May the Lord comfort and strengthen you all. From the desert of Gruboc (Coburg), on the day of Margaret (July 13) 1530.
1182 Luther's letter to Spalatin. July 20, 1530.
Handwritten in 6oä. 36". a, toi. 234 and k, toi. 66, and in Aurifaber, vol. ill, p. 66. Printed in Luääeu8, x. 158; in GoeleMnrm, tora. II, toi. 232; in Schütze, from the Grammische Sammlung in Copenhagen, vol. II, p. 153; and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 101.
Newly translated from the Latin.
To Georg Spalatin, the servant and faithful confessor of Christ, who is now in Augsburg.
Grace and peace in Christ! First of all, I must thank you, especially you, my dear Spalatin, that you write everything to us so diligently and abundantly, as you have material (materiam) and sufficient (sufficientes) causes, or rather abundant both formal and final (finales) and effecting (efficientes) 1) causes. We are hermits here, and as it were a land without water; we can produce nothing worthy to be written to you, except that we go up to heaven with sighs, supplications, and with all the power of prayer and supplications, and, though unworthy, knock at the door of him that hath said, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It is only necessary that we persevere and wait a little while.
O Friends,
You have suffered more severely, God will soon put an end to this as well,
Just persevere faithfully, save yourselves for better times?)
Or rather this word (Ps. 27, 14. 31, 25.]: "Wait for the Lord, be of good cheer, all you who wait for the Lord." [Hab. 2:3.:] "Though he be consumed, wait for him; he will surely come, and the prophecy will not lie." Truly I see that ye are in the battle, and what devils shall ye not hear speaking most venomously in the answer of the adversaries? For I foresee all this now; but it does not mean so much. For since Christ has already given the goods which this world does not comprehend, and has promised even greater, why should he not give them to you?
1) Luther plays here with scholastic expressions.
2) Virß. lib. I, v. 198 8y., v. 207.
do we not suffer this small evil, that the unclean flies stain us with their proboscis or soil us a little, since even the highest and most beautiful queens of the natural flies are forced to suffer this in the middle of their faces? But what are these angry people but buzzing flies that rush against our heads with their wings? But after they have swished very angrily, they emit an outrage that one can hardly hit with a needle. So great is the power of such great rage. But ours is the forgiveness of sins, salvation from death, eternal life; Christ Himself is ours with all that is His, for whose name you now sweat. He will not forsake his cause; and if he forsake it, it would be beautiful and salutary to be forsaken with him, though he were not GOD. But I carry wood into the forest. Greetings M. Eisleben, Aquila, Brenz and all ours. Christ is with you. From the desert Gruboc, July 20, 1530. Your Martin Luther.
Luther's report to Justus Jonas about how he was tired of the Reichstag and how he wished to be sacrificed in this concilio, like Johann Hus at Costnitz. July 21, 1530.
See Appendix, No. 15.8 6.
1184 Veit Dietrich's letter to Melanchthon, in which he holds up to him Luther's example of faithful trust and zeal in prayer. July 30, 1530.
This letter is found in the Wittenberg edition (1569), vol. IX, p. 430; in the Jena (1566) vol. V, p. 117; in the Altenburg, vol. V, p. 244 and in the Leipzig, vol. XX, p. 188.
To his dear Mr. Preceptori, Philippo Melanchthoni, Vitus Dietrich wishes good luck.
Dear Mr. Philippe! You do not know how distressed I am because of your health. But for the sake of Christ, I beg you not to hold in such low esteem Mr. Doctor's letter written to you. I cannot sufficiently marvel at his excellent constancy, joy, faith and hope in these miserable times. But he multiplies such things daily.
He is able to do so by diligently practicing God's Word. Not a day goes by in which he does not take at least three hours, the most convenient for study, for prayer.
I once succeeded in hearing him pray. Help God! What a spirit, what faith is in his words. He prays so devoutly as one who talks with God, with such hope and faith, as one who talks with his father. I know (he said) that you are our dear God and Father, therefore I am sure that you will destroy the persecutors of your children. But if you do not, the journey is yours as well as ours, the whole thing is yours; what we have done, that we must do, therefore you, dear father, may protect them.
When I heard him pray such words with a bright voice from afar, my heart burned with great joy, because I heard him speak so kindly and devoutly to God; but especially because he pressed so hard for the promises from the Psalms, as if he were sure that everything he desired would have to happen. Therefore, I have no doubt that his prayer will be of great help in this lost matter, which will be dealt with at the present Diet.
4th I would that the Salzburg Doeg, the Edomite, had all the misfortune that he had afflicted you so. The doctor said: if he had been in your place, he would have answered him thus: If your emperor does not want to suffer the disruption of the empire, our emperor will not want to suffer blasphemy either. Only defy your emperor with confidence, and we will also defy ours, and see who keeps the field.
You, my dear Mr. Preceptor, would do much whiter if you followed the Doctor in this case. For with your sorrowful worry and useless weeping you will do nothing but cause a great misfortune for yourselves and all of us (for whom nothing is dearer or more useful than your salvation). I pray diligently for you and all of you, as much as I can.
Our God, which is condemned by the godless people, may destroy the nations that desire war, and may save us, His poor army, from the terrible hand that seeks murder and our blood, amen. Now, dear Mr. Preceptor, God keep you most blessedly in our Lord Christ, and do not charge me with my letter, for you know my heart against you. God bless you once again. Given from our desert, July 30, 1530.
1185 Luther's letter to the Chancellor of the Electorate of Saxony, D. Gregorius Bruck. August 5, 1530.
This letter is handwritten in 6od. den. d, toi. 306. printed by Chyträus, p. 96d; in des Flacius deutscher Sammlung, no. 4; in the collective editions: in the Wittenberg (1569) vol. IX, p. 423d; in the Jena (1566), vol. V, bl. 119d; in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 246; in the Leipziger, vol. XX, p. 182; in the Erlanger, vol. 54, p. 183; and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 127. Latin in Buddeus, x". 172 and in Goslsstiuus, tom. II, lol. 275.
To the respectable, highly esteemed Mr. Gregorio Brück, the Right Doctor, Elector of Saxony Chancellor and Councillor, my favorable Lord and friendly dear Godfather.
1. grace and peace in Christ. Respectable, esteemed, dear Lord and Godfather! I have now written several times to my most gracious Lord, and to ours, that I think I have done too much, especially to my most gracious Lord, as if I doubted that God's comfort and help would be more and stronger with S. C. F. G. than with me. But I did it because of the suggestion of our people, some of whom are so wistful and careful, as if God had forgotten us, if He cannot forget us, He would have to forget Himself first. Unless our cause was not his cause, and our teaching not his word. Otherwise, if we are certain of this, and do not doubt that it is his cause and his word, then our prayer has certainly been heard, and help has already been decided upon, and prepared, so that we may be helped; this cannot be lacking. For he saith, Can a woman forget her child, that she should not have mercy on the fruit of her womb? Though she forget the same, yet will I not forget thee: behold, I have marked thee upon mine hand."
I saw two miracles the other day: The first, when I looked out of the window, saw the stars in the sky, and all the beautiful vault of God, and yet saw no pillars anywhere, on which the Master had set such a vault; the sky had not yet fallen, nor did such a vault still stand firm. Now there are some who seek such pillars and would like to grasp and feel them. Because they are unable to do so, they wriggle and tremble, as if the
The heavens will surely collapse for no other reason than that they cannot grasp or see the pillars. If they could grasp them, the sky would stand firm.
3rd The other, I also saw great thick clouds hovering over us, with such weight that they might be likened to a great sea; and yet I saw no ground on which they rested or footed, nor runners in which they were bound; nor yet did they fall upon us, but greeted us with a sour countenance, and fled away. When they had passed, both the ground and our roof, which had held them, shone with a rainbow. It was a weak, thin, small ground and roof, that it also disappeared in the clouds, and was more a shadow (as it is used to shine through a painted glass), than such a mighty ground, that one should despair even of the ground as much as of the great load of water. Nevertheless, it was indeed found that such a fainting (to look at) shadow carried the water load and protected us. There are still some who look at, respect and fear the thickness and heavy load of the water and the clouds more than this thin, narrow and light scheme, because they would like to feel the power of such a scheme; because they cannot, they fear that the clouds will cause an eternal flood.
I must joke about this with your respectability in a friendly way, and yet write unjokingly; for I have had special joy from the fact that I have experienced how E. A. above all others has a good courage and a brave heart in this challenge of ours. I had well hoped that there should have been at least pax politica to obtain; but God's thoughts are far above our thoughts. And is also right, for he (saith Sanct Paul [Eph. 3, 20.]) heareth and doeth supra quam intelligi- mus aut petimus. For we do not know how to ask, Rom. 8, 26. Should he hear us, then, as we ask that the emperor give us peace, it might be said, infra, not supra quam intelligimus, and the emperor, and not God, should get the honor.
5 But now he himself will make peace for us, that he alone may have the glory that is his alone.
is due. Not that we hereby despise Imperial Majesty. Majesty, but ask and wish that Imperial Majesty do nothing against God and imperial rights. Majesty does nothing against God and imperial rights. If, however, she does so (since God is in favor), we, as loyal subjects, do not want to believe that His Imperial Majesty does so. Majesty, but think that other tyrants do it under the name of Imperial Majesty. Majesty, and thus Imperial Majesty. Majesty. Majesty's name and the work of the tyrants, just as we also distinguish God's name, which heretics and liars use, and honor God's name and avoid lies. Thus, we should not and cannot approve of the actions of tyrants, nor should we accept that they should be punished under Imperial Majesty. Majest. name.
6. but such work as God has graciously given us, He will bless and promote by His Spirit, and will well arrange the time and place to help us, and will not forget yet.
miss. They have not yet reached the halfway point, the viri sanguinum, which they have now begun, have not yet all returned home, or where they would like to be. Our rainbow is weak, their clouds are mighty; but in fine videbitur cujus toni. Your respectability gives me credit for my talk, and comfort Magistrum Philippum and all the others. Christ shall also comfort and uphold our most gracious Lord. To him be praise and thanksgiving forever, amen. To whose grace I also faithfully commend E. A. Ex Eremo, 5 Aug. Anno 1530.
Martinus Luther, D.
1186 Luther's report to Melanchthon, according to which he looks forward to the outcome of the Diet with great desire.
See No. 1103, s 1, in this volume.