About the matter of the poor priest at Brettin.
Cf. no. 2363.
Printed in the Wittenberg edition (1559), vol. XII, p. 204; in the Jena edition (1568), vol. VI, p. 505d; in the Altenburg edition, vol.VI, p.11I0; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, p. 566; in Walch, vol. XXI, 404; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 81 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 188 f.
Grace and peace in Christ. Respectable, venerable sir, especially good friend! The priest of N. 2) has reported his distress to me, so I have seen it myself. His wife and child are in misery, poverty, and his housekeeping is getting sour, God knows that. But because he was paid 20 florins by N. 3), others will receive 100 florins, even though he had granted this at the time: but now there is thirst and need, so that such a grant can be considered nothing by all sensible people. And if one were to take it from Christ's feet and give it to him, it would be more of an indulgence than a sin.
Now E. A. can get the most and the best from N.3), and can easily help him from the surplus: so not only my diligent request, but also faithful advice, is that E. A. should attack himself, and fully hand him also 100 florins; considered that E. A. such small money in the case does no harm, and helps the poor man greatly.
For I do not want to save E. A., that not only the conventuals of N., 3) but almost everyone speaks angrily and badly of E. A. taking everything to himself, and the others
1) Cf. letter of Sept. 4, No. 2377.
2) Brettin.
3) Lichtenberg.
and do so with such a powerful appearance that even E. A.'s good friends, and I myself, do not find nor have the means to shut them up, and yet do not like to hear that E. A. should have a bad cry for the sake of money, especially because E. A. otherwise has enough and does not need this poverty (which the good man shall comfort himself with holy things and child). And, as many go out, they consider: it should probably zrftetzt (where E. A. wanted to be so hard) the poor cry to heaven about E. A..
If I were in E. A.'s place, I would throw a few hundred florins or two among them into the Rappuse, and quench such a reputation, and make my conscience the more abundantly secure and happy before God, than that I had done enough; for God gives E. A. more, and can give more. A. give, and may well give more. It says: Facite vobis amicos de Mammona iniquitatis [Make friends with the unjust Mammon].
I ask that E. A. understand such writing best from me, as from a good, faithful heart, which grants E. A. all honor and good, here and there. For I am compelled by the plight of the poor priest and his wife and children.
And if I did not hope that E. A. would not take a hard stand on this, I would perhaps not have undertaken to ask such a thing. I also hope that E. A. will not refuse me this request, if I think that E. A. has given so much to a common box here, as it is much more generous here, because it is more necessary. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. Given from Wittenberg, on the day of Cätharinä [Nov. 25] Anno 1537.
No. 2391