Luther expresses his joy at his beautiful gifts and progress, and exhorts him to continue in his studies in the fear of God, and to be an example to all the youth.
Manuscript in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 169. From the von Ludwig collection at Halle in Schütze, vol. II, p. 285 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 452.
To the highly gifted and well-disposed boy, Christoph Rühel, who is engaged in the sciences, his exceedingly dear son in Christ.
Grace and peace in the Lord! I have received your letter, my dearest Christoph, by the hand of your Lord father, 2) which I have read with immense joy and pleasure, and I give thanks to the Lord for the gifts and talents which he has given you, and I wish you especially good fortune in that you have both a father and a teacher who are well suited for these gifts and talents, since they have produced so much fruit from them through their expense, effort and diligence, I pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that he may bestow his rich blessing on your happily begun studies, so that you may become a wholesome example for all your youth, both in learning and in progress. For you are boys who are being prepared to administer the offices in both the ecclesiastical and the secular regiment, in which we are now laboring, and to prepare the rudders for you as much as we can, so that you can hold them comfortably. Only see to it that, with the help of Christ, you add a very good end to the very good firstfruits, and do not let yourself be distracted by any evil example of other, bad boys. Listen to your very good Father, who loves you more than himself, and desires that you be advised in every way for the best. At the same time, give thanks to your dear Creator, who has made you glorious (glorificavit) through such parents, through whose
2) Probably D. Joh. Rühel, Mansfeld councilor.
Letters from the year 1533. no. 1981. 1982.
Duke Albrecht of Prussia to Luther.
The Duke thanks Luther for his letter and regrets his sickness, which God may turn to good account. Given the size of the country, it is not possible to prevent the Sacramentarians from creeping in; given the thin population, it is also not advisable to expel them from the country, so that the country does not become even more desolate. Brismann and Poliander warned against them and taught against them, and the duke ordered that the Sacramentarians should neither teach nor preach in secret or in public. He allowed each one to believe for himself what he wanted to answer for on the last day. News about the Reformation in Riga and the surrounding area, with the request to send preachers there; repeated request for an interpretation of John 6.
The original is in the Wolfische Sammlung of the Hamburg Stadtbibliothek, Cod. I, 65 f. (the inscription comes from a scribe's hand). Printed by Kolde, AnaIecta, p. 187.
To the venerable, our special beloved Lord Martin Luther's, the Holy Scripture Doctori, for his own hands.
God's grace and peace in Christ. Reverend and most beloved, beloved, beloved 3) father and friend! Your letter, 4) done to me.
I) Virg. Aen., lib. IX, v. 641.
2) Kolde has (probably by mistake) in the heading "12. Juni", although the date in the letter is "den 11. junij".
3) In the original: "love".
4) Here Kolde notes: "The same in De Wette IV, 348 ff. under the year 1532 is therefore considerably later.
I thank E. W. most sincerely, can take from this the special favor that you bear me, because in such writing you consider me not a little, and my poor soul not a little; on the other hand, I also thank my faithful subjects, 5) whom you would like to know along with me in (pey) pure doctrine, because of which you do not consider your head troubles and illness. If I could earn such favor for you according to all my ability, I owe it and will do it gladly. I also feel heartfelt, faithful, brotherly, even childlike compassion for your sickness and affliction, but I want to plead with God with my sinful prayers, and do not doubt that such sickness and affliction will be enough for you, for us many poor sinners, for the best, not only for salvation, but also for great health, and please, do not take too much trouble, so that the divine word will be promoted through you even more 6) and God will be praised. It is also not without the fact that some 7) sacramentans have sneaked into the country, which is also impossible to prevent them from sneaking in, because [it is] such a wide country, since not everyone can see in each one's eyes what is in his heart. Thus, this country is also completely denuded of people beforehand, so that it is to be feared that such people would be chased out even more savagely. But so that nevertheless - because it is not at all possible or useful to ward off the people - so that nevertheless God's honor is not hindered, I thank God, who lets his word go so abundantly here in the land, and especially my beloved godfathers, Doctor Brismann (prisman) and Mr. Poliander (poleander), are so bravely carrying out their ministry of warning and teaching (thereby hoping entirely to God [that] the devil will not harm) 9) I have also ordered (the new ones) everywhere that such persons may not, either openly or secretly, prevent themselves from teaching or (or) preaching, and each one, because
". There can be no doubt that De Wette has correctly assigned this letter to the year 1532, since it was already published in this year by Nickel Schirlentz in Wittenberg in a single edition. Only De Wette's dating: "Perhaps April", which we followed in the St. Louis edition, Vol. XX, 1678, might be too early.
5) Added by us.
6) Original: "geuorder".
7) In Kolde wrongly interpungirt: "Es ist auch nit, an das zumb theil" 2c.
8) "or" put by us instead of: "but" in Kolde. Perhaps "ader" is in the original.
9) These brackets are set by us.
It does not behoove me to force faith into people, to allow them to believe for themselves, and to wait for their reward on the last day, whether it comes from the Scriptures. Consider also that even among you there may be many who will not keep the same faith, even if they keep silent. And if it is too little in this undertaking, because I ever like to see God's honor promoted, I would like to be told by you what to do further with Christian measure. And although good and evil seed (peser somen) must grow here on earth 1), I will ask God; please, you also want to do it with your church, so that his omnipotence will let the best (pesten) grow up and dampen the evil with the mouth of his holy word. For the new newspaper you shall know that the Teutonic Order in Liefland (oifland), my brother, Margrave Wilhelm, shall call him Coadjutor, also Chapter Oesel, and both (peder) monasteries Riga and Oesel 2) knighthood together with the city of Riga among others have agreed and united that the holy divine word (far) according to content and ability of both Old and New Testaments shall be preached loud, pure and clear, and preachers shall be appointed and held; God give his grace. Therefore my brother writes to you. I also ask that you help S. L. with preachers, for although I would like to assign someone to S. L. from time to time, I cannot know what doctrine they are, nor do I want to promote error. Therefore, I ask you once again, for the sake of divine honor, to be helpful in the matter, so that S. L. may come to preachers. Command me herewith in your devout prayer, and, if it is possible, that I may receive from you [the] 6th Cap. If it is possible for me to get from you the interpretation of the 6th chapter of St. John, as I have written to you before, I will gladly earn it for you with all my might. Command you and all of us hereby to our one and only Savior Christ JEsu; who keep us all in his pure, clean word and right doctrine, Amen. Datae in urbe Königsberg (kunigspurgk), the 11th of June Anno 1533.
I ask, will Philippum announce my service and greeting, command me in his prayer, so my dear husband also conveys to you both and your houses and virtuous women equally with uniform request (pete) 2c.
Albrecht, marggraff vnd herczog 2c.
1) In the original: "wash".
2) "Oesel" (osel) an island in the Gulf of Riga.
3) That is: among each other.
Luther's Works. Vol. XXI.
No. 1983.