Ueber die Concordie und das gegen die Domherren in Augsburg zu beobachtende Verhalten.
Handwritten in Cod. chart. Goth. 91. f. Printed in De Wette, vol. V, p. 28 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 150.
To the worthy Lord in Christ, Caspar Hubern, the faithful servant of the Word of the Church at Augsburg, my beloved brother in the Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ! I am writing, and yet I am very burdened with business, my beloved Caspar in the Lord; in addition, I am also old and almost dead, and I am hardly fit for half the day. Therefore, if some wish to know my thoughts and opinion, you may inform them. I can see how hard the Concordia is proceeding, but because they are acting faithfully, there is still good hope that God, who has begun his work, will also complete it. For he knows the ordained course of his church, namely that the chariot and the horses go through the mud of great waters, and yet the chariot retains the victory, as Habakkuk the prophet indicates. Therefore, let us hope and pray that God the Lord will crush the head of the serpent under our feet, amen. Furthermore, for the sake of the canons, my opinion is not bad, that neither they nor their abominations should be spared, but even though a head does not attack them with action and force, the preachers should by no means remain silent, but should punish their worship and being with a joyful spirit and powerful sermon, and that the same should be done.
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2299 to 2304.
make the hearts of the believers hateful and disgusting. For God's word shall not be bound, but the spirit shall punish the world because of sin. But if one wants to worry that the cathedrals will be reserved for the emperor, one can easily find advice for this in the meantime. For this is not to be feared, that the princes will let all such ecclesiastical goods be appropriated to the emperor. They will also want to say in the Ausburt 1) and not unreasonably, if it should ever come to that. In addition, the cities will also find approval. 2) But for the sake of peace, let such idolatrous houses use their great wisdom. However, Ulan diligence with God's word, so that Mail at the same time turns the hearts of the pious and also the wicked away from their abomination. This is my brief concern. If it seems good to you, you may communicate it to your and the Strasbourg preachers. For I cannot write to many at once, much less to all in particular. Give my regards to the pious Magister Forster with all his and all yours. With this you are commanded to the Lord. Date Wittenberg, 23 Oct. 1536.
M. Luther.
No. 2300.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
(Regest.)
The Elector sends two barrels of must, which comes from his own vineyards, with the wish that he may enjoy the must with his own in happiness.
The original concept is in the Weimar Archives, Reg, N. pag 109. Printed by Burkhardt, p. 269.
No. 2301.