Manuscript at Gotha in Cod. 402, fol. 187. 4. and at Wolfenbüttel in Cod. From the collection of Caspar Sagittarius at Jena in Schütze, vol. II, p. 340 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 605.
I, Martin Luther, Doctor and Preacher of the Gospel of the Church at Wittenberg, for the sake of Christ, our hope, ask all brothers in Christ, especially the pastors and ministers of the Word and of the churches, to whom the bearer and presenter of this letter, Mr. Theobald Diedelhuber, who is a faithful and diligent pastor in our country, will come or ask them for advice, out of necessity of his journey, that they want to practice the love or the law of Christ on him, for he is worthy, if my testimony in Christ is of any value to you, that Christ himself be honored in him as in his least member. For he has right and necessary causes of his
1) Blaurer, who had previously been suspected of adhering to the Zwinglian doctrine, and who disagreed with Schnepf, with whom he was simultaneously consulted by Duke Ulrich of Würtemberg for the work of reformation, finally declared himself in favor of the Lutheran doctrine in a confession at the behest of this prince, which Scultetus, Annales, p. 421, cites. This was taken as a recantation, and he defended himself in print. Cf. Seckendorf, Hist. Luth. lib. III, p. 123a (De Wette).
2) De Wette has put a question mark on exaruerint, but we think that exaresco can be taken quite well in the meaning we have given.
Journey that I myself must approve. The grace of Christ be with you all. Given at Wittenberg, on the day before Pentecost [May 15] Anno 1535, with my seal and my own handwriting as witnesses.
No. 2132.