Comfort in sickness.
From a copy in Cod. Dessav. B, published in Theologische Studien und Kritiken 1835, Heft II, p. 348; in the Erlangen edition, Vol. 56, p. XI, and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 193.
Grace and peace in Christ our Lord and Savior. Sublime princess, gracious lady! It is also indicated to me by E. F. G. dear son, m. g. Lord, Prince Wolf
1) See St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 1632.
2) D. Jakob Schenk.
I have been so worried about the second corridor 2c., in writing, as E. F. G., that I should have written a consolation letter to E. F. G. a long time ago. But it is prevented until now, without my fate and will. Well, gone is gone! But now that our dear Father in heaven, who made us and gave us body and soul, and then redeemed us from Adam's error and death through His dear Son Jesus Christ, and through His Holy Spirit has given us the hope of eternal life, has fatherly visited us and burdened us with sickness, let us not worry, but accept such gracious visitation with gratitude. Because we are told and know that all who believe in the dear Son of the Father cannot die eternally, as He Himself says: "Whoever believes in Me will not die, and even if he dies, he still lives," John 11:25, and St. Paul. Rom. 14, 4) 8. Says, "We live or die, we are the Lord's." [V. 7:] "No one lives to himself, no one dies to himself," but to him alone who died for us all. Therefore we who believe in him should be confident, knowing that we are not our own, but are of him who died for us. If then we are sick, we are not sick to ourselves; 5) if we are well, we are not well to ourselves; if we are in trouble, we are not in trouble to ourselves; if we are happy, we are not happy to ourselves. In sum, whatever happens to us, it does not happen to us, but to him who died for us and became our own. Just as a pious child, when it is ill and suffers hardship, is more ill to its parents than to itself; for it affects the parents much more than the child, because the child is not its own, but the parents'. Therefore, let us also confidently surrender to the Lord, whether we live, suffer or die, and not doubt that the Lord does not repudiate such things to ourselves, but to Him who purchased the Lord together with us through His blood and death, in whom we also believe, and in such faith we do not die, though we die, but live, nor do we suffer, though we suffer, but live.
3) Maybe: Guilt?
4) In the prints: "Roma xv."
5) "so we are not us sick" is missing from the mscr. at the bottom of the page.
Letters from the year 1538. no.-24I2 to 2416.
who are healthy in Christ, in whom are all things healthy, fresh, living, and blessed, which seem to us to be sick, infirm, dead, and lost according to the flesh. He is almighty, in whom we believe. May the dear God keep such comfort and knowledge in E. F. G.'s heart until that day. F. G.'s heart until that blessed day, to which I hereby faithfully command E. F. G., Amen. Wednesday after Epiphany [9 Jan.] 1538.
E. F. G. williger
M. Luther.
No. 2413.
To Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt.
Regarding the comfort letter to the prince's mother.
The original is in Dessau. Printed in the Altenburg edition, vol. VIII, p. 993; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, p. 567; in Walch, vol. XXI, 406; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 97 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 197 and vol. 56, p. 209.
To the illustrious, highborn Prince and Lord, Lord Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascanien, Lord of Bernburg, my gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! 1) At E. F. G.'s request, I would have written a consolation letter to E. F. G.'s dear mother long ago. F. G.'s request, I would have written a consolation letter to E. F. G.'s dear mother, but I did not have a messenger. For it happens to me that the letters are delivered to me; then no one is found, or perhaps they do not find me, who should receive an answer from me, that I often write letters in vain, which remain lying here, so that I have more to do than to write letters in vain. Therefore, E. F. G. want to have me excused, and certainly consider that [it] has not been lacking in my willing ability, no matter what the fault may be. Accordingly, I write to E. F. G.'s mother, as well as God gives me, and hereby command the same M. G.'s wife together with E. F. G. into the grace of the dear God, amen. Wednesday after Epiphany [9 Jan.] 1538.
E. F. G. williger
1) Erlanger, Vol. 56: "Prince" instead of: "Lord".
No. 2414.