Luther comforts the imprisoned king with the fatherly will of God, who humbles him here on earth, so that he may raise him eternally to heaven.
The original is at the Frankfurt City Library. Printed by Enders, in Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte XX, 235 and in Erl. Briefw., vol. IX, p. 227.
1) Gronau later (probably in 1543) became a preacher at the Virgins' Convent Church at St. Michael, in 1553 pastor at St. Olai and city superintendent, as which he died in 1563.
2) Christian II, who was deposed from the throne in 1523, attempted to regain his lost kingdom, but in 1532 he fell into Danish captivity in Copenhagen, where he had gone to negotiate with his uncle and successor, Frederick I, and from which he did not escape until the end of his life, Jan. 24, 1559, especially at the behest of the nobility.
Grace and peace in the consolation of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Most noble, most powerful King, most gracious Lord! Out of the desire of your sister, 3) my most gracious Lady Margravine, Electress, and also out of my duty of Christian love, I have not failed to write this" letter of consolation to your sister. Well, my most gracious Lord King, I am sorry for such a burdensome concession to E. K. Mt. It is miserable enough, no one else can say etc. But I pray that C.M. would earnestly consider God's will in this with patient faith, for the same kind God shows with such punishment that He has not forgotten C.M., nor does He want to, as it is written [Heb. 12:6]: "He prods all the children He accepts"; item [Revelation 3:19]: "Those I love I prod." And E. K. Mt. wanted to mean how much better she was before God than the majority of other kings and princes, whom God lets live unpunished in His wrath in blasphemy and all kinds of hopefulness and blindness, finally also dying in their sins and unbelief, as the rejected and naughty and unpunished children. But C.M., punished and humbled, is protected from such hope and sins, and is admonished to turn to God, so that, if it is to be valid for the wimps, C.M. should a thousand times rather desire to be such a chastened and punished king, than the most glorious king, who is unpunished, unpunished and condemned in sins. After all, this life is a moment, and [we] hope for another, and yet both, pious and wicked kings, must leave their crowns behind. The wicked kings, who die unpunished, cannot have such hope as E. K. Mt. certainly has, where she recognizes and accepts such ruths of God with patience and faith. For he cannot leave it alone, he must be a God of the afflicted, as he boasts everywhere, and his way is to overthrow the hopeful and to receive the miserable. Therefore, my most gracious Lord King, place such a case in the home of the gracious, fatherly will of God, which humiliates K. Mt. in time, on earth, so that he may
3) The sister of King Christian II, who had fled to Wittenberg from the wrath of her husband, was Electress Elisabeth of Brandenburg.
raise them eternally in heaven. There is nothing (if we want to believe it) that we lose and leave here on earth, compared to what we shall find and keep there in heaven. May Christ, our all-sufficient consolation and treasure, strengthen and comfort your heart with His Word and Spirit in all the fullness of His consolation, and make such sour and sharp ruts in your heart. K. Mt. heart sweet and lovely according to his power, so that he also creates everything out of nothing, and without doubt can also make comfort out of affliction, pleasure out of ruts, joys out of misery. What I am able to do with my poor prayer, I will gladly serve E. K. Mt. with all diligence, and E. K. Mt. will take such comfort from me. K. Mt. graciously accept such comfort from me, as from God from heaven itself. For he has commanded and commanded that we should comfort one another. Therefore our comfort is surely God's comfort, as commanded and given by Him, amen.
Vigilia Michaelis [Sept. 28] 1532.
E. K. Mt. willing
Doctor Mart. LutheR. manu sua, propria.
No. 1932a .