Luther exhorts the council to strengthen and help promote the unity established with the Augsburg preachers.
Handwritten at Gotha in Cod chart. 91. k., col. 109. Printed by De Wette, vol. IV, p. 693 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 137.
To the honorable, prudent gentlemen, mayor and council of the city of Augsburg, my favorable gentlemen and friends.
Grace and peace in Christ. Honorable, careful, dear lords and friends! I have heard both of your preachers among others and, as much as I could, I acted kindly, like
The concept is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. H, fol. 97, No. 41. Printed by Burkhardt, p. 252.
1) Burkhardt: "to be".
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2243. 2244.
they themselves will show you everything well. And since it is so far, praise God! that we have become one in these matters, as much as is humanly recognizable, then again my humble, friendly request is that you will help and do so that such unity may be strengthened and remain constant, as I have most earnestly requested and most faithfully admonished both of your preachers, so that we may not only teach with one accord in words, but also trust one another in Christ with our hearts (all suspicion eradicated), as true love should and does. And if this union of ours pleases you and your preachers, as we have done here, you will in time know how to make it known to us, as we in turn want to make it known to you, how it pleases our lords and preachers. Then let it be publicly printed in praise of God and shame on the devil and his members, amen. May the Father of all comfort and peace strengthen and guide all your hearts with us in the right knowledge of His dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge, amen. Monday after Exaudi [May 29] 1536.
E. E. willing
No. 2244.
To Margrave George of Brandenburg.
Condolences on account of the death of his father; of the Ansbach students in Wittenberg; of the settlement negotiations conducted there.
From the Ansbach Archives in Reinhard's Beiträgen, I, 143; in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 694 and in the Erl. Edition, vol. 55, p. 138.
To the illustrious, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Georgen, Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Stettin, Pomerania 2c., Opole 2c., and Prince of Rügen 2c. 2c., my gracious lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! I have now received two writings from E. F. G., both graciously written. The first, how E. F. G. Lord father, Margrave Frederick, requires from this world of God 2c., and
It pleases me sincerely that E. F. G. has shown such faithful filial honor to her Lord Father, that she also wants to ascribe such to me 1) as a small person so graciously and kindly, although E. F. G. also have the glory before (by God's grace) that she has kept highly-named E. F. G. Lord Father in all honors in his F. G. life.
The other, what the students (whose E. F. G. entertains here a lot) study, I don't know any other way, because it's right; because walking in the streets and screaming at night is, praise God, not special, as it used to be in times past. But if I find one who has behaved in this way, I will certainly paint him E. F. G. very briefly and soon, and call him home, as I have done to some. But what happens secretly, I cannot judge, and it is quite possible that I do not learn everything; everything is ordered publicly with all diligence.
What is being done here by us, who have come together in matters of the sacrament, will be communicated in writing to E. F. G. after the final action, as will all other princes, lords and preachers who are related to this matter; for without their knowledge and consent, we will and will not conclude anything final, because more is at stake than some might think. But they have already gone so far that they want to keep and teach our Confessio and Apologia faithfully. However, we have negotiated with them about this and in several other articles, so that all danger and cunning would be put aside and a true Concordia would be established; we want to send all this to E.F.G.. Because E. F. G. is one of them in the Confession, they will certainly (like others all) also be present or must know how such a Concordia is decided and made.
E. F. G. want to do their best to help the preachers, so that the old things are not counted too harshly, and the stupid are not deterred. I trust that they are in earnest; if not, they can easily be punished with the accepted Apologia. And it does not matter if they violate the papists' procession and ciboria.
1) This is De Wette's Conjectur instead of: "with minor persons" in the prints.
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2244 to 2246.
of which we have not thought anything so far. Hiemit GOtt befohlen; in kurz[em] will ich weiter schreiben. Monday after Exaudi [May 29] 1536. E. F. G. williger
Martin Luther, D.
No. 2245.