Luther comforts him in his temptations.
Handwritten at Wolfenbüttel in Cod. Helmst. 107 and in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 228. Printed in Unschuldige Nachrichten 1705, p. 639; in Strobel-Ranner, p. 247 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 660. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1439.
To the highly venerable brother in your Lord, Urban Regius, the sincere and faithful servant of Christ at Celle in Saxony.
Grace and peace in Christ, "who is peace and our consolation. I am not very grieved, my dear Urban, that you show that you suffer the angel of Satan and a stake in your flesh. For by this I know that you are being conformed to the image of the Son of God and all the saints. And I hold that you, as well as other brethren who are in high position, shall suffer this affliction, which shall humble us. Therefore "be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord" [Ps. 27:14], who says to Paul [2 Cor. 12:9], "My power is mighty in the weak." He who has called us is faithful, and will make us complete in that day, Amen. This Lord have I heard, and have comforted, as much as the Lord hath given. I have commanded [you] to be of good cheer, and to know that he who is afflicted at times is not alone. For the same happens to our whole! Brotherhood, which is in the world. We must carry one another and be carried. Thus Christ carries us all from the beginning of the world to the end. We cannot always be firm and strong, nor always weak and frail, but as it seems to Him who blows where and when He wills, that He may instruct us by this change, that if we were always firm we should not be hopeful, if we were always weak we should not despair. "He knows what manner of made things we are," says David [Ps. 103:14.] "and that we are dust," and then are at our best when we likewise realize that we are a very dusty and made of dust.
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2200. 2201. 2202.
No. 2201.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
The Elector demands Luther's opinion: since Melanchthon had already given his opinion on the marriage case of the King of England, but now the English embassy has expressed the wish that Melanchthon also be present at . the negotiations, whether Melanchthon should be summoned to Wittenberg for this purpose?
From the Weimar Archives, Reg. H, fol. 99, No. 42, printed in Corp. Ref., vol. III, 10, No. 1387.
To Doct. Martin Luther. Johann Friedrich etc.
Our greeting before. Venerable and reverend, dear devotee! After our bailiff in Saxony, Hans Metsch, arrived here yesterday, he reported to us, among other things, that the English embassy would like to see and want us to require and describe Mag. Philipp Melanchthon to Wittenberg, so that he, along with you and other of our fellow citizens, may also be present at the hearing concerning the marriage of the King of England, which is why this embassy to Wittenberg has been ordered.
Now we do not want to reassure you in your gracious opinion that we noted Philippi's mind next to Schmalkalden: that he would not be of any use in such a conversation, because he had indicated his reservations beforehand; so necessity would also require that he remain at our university in Jena etc. Thereby we have left it at that time, and considered, where one could dispense with his touched speech, that it would be best, he would be left at our university in Jena.
But because we note from our bailiff's report that the English embassy also wanted to have Philip at the speech,
and we may not know whether this is necessary or not, because we know in advance about your concerns in these matters: our gracious request is that you inform us of your concerns, and also first, if you consider it good, talk to us about it. For if you consider it convenient and useful that Philip should come to Wittenberg for the discussion, we shall not be in want to require him to go there. We have graciously not wished to restrain you from doing so, and we are graciously inclined toward you. Date at Lochau, Sunday after Epiphany [Jan. 9] Anno 1536.
The original of this letter received by Luther, which is in the von Wallenrodt library in Königsberg, still has a handwritten postscript of the Elector, which unfortunately is not completely preserved, since the inserted note is missing, and only what is written on the third page of the letter is still present. It reads (Burkhardt, p. 244, note):
- - you not also Magister Franz further
report, which is our concern because of Philippi (Philip), after he has now reported to us how it is happening because of the dislocation of the university.
As far as the marriage affair with England is concerned, do not doubt me, you will take good care of the matter, 1) that nothing is admitted which may not be Christian and honest before God and the world, and may be misinterpreted and interpreted by our opponents, as no doubt all kinds of inquiries will be made to you for this reason by the message, which I have indicated to you in my gracious opinion, with gracious desire, how things will turn out with the king's and your fortunes, you will actually report such things to me in writings, you do me a special favor, and commend me to your Christian prayer.
Jo. Friedrich Churfürst m. ppr. sspt.
No. 2202.