In the answer to No. 2472, the City Council had requested M. Andreas Hügel as preacher; now he is sent there.
Letters from the year 1538. No. 2482. 2483.
From Schenkl's Chronicle of Amberg, p. 207, in De Wette, vol. V, p. 136 f.; in Corp. Ref., vol. III, 612 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 214.
To the honorable, wise and noble, mayors and council of Amburg, our special good friends.
God's grace through our Lord Jesus Christ before. Honorable, wise, noble, special good friends! In response to your other writing, we have spoken with Domino Andrea Hügel, that he would dispose of himself to you in Amburg, and further there hear your mind, which he was willing to do according to his former bidding. And although we do not doubt that he has a good understanding of Christian life, and is blameless in life and morals, and is also reasonable and moral in his actions, and consider him godly, faithful and capable of teaching, we, as we do not know the occasion of your church, do not want to set a measure for you, and ask you, if you will see and hear him, whether he will be accepted for the holy preaching ministry in your church or not; He himself also puts this to God's will and your concern, as he does not seek his own in this matter, but offers to serve for God's glory, if it is considered that his service may bring benefit. But we want to remind and admonish you of good, faithful goodwill, as you have begun to promote the holy gospel for the praise of God and for the blessedness of the Christians in your city, that you want to plant and promote this true, high service of God, namely right worship, which God demands above all things, with earnestness, and, as St. Paul says, you want to be aware of the holy gospel. Paul says, not to be ashamed of the holy gospel, but to consider how highly all men, and especially the rulers and potentates, are commanded to maintain such a ministry, and also how horribly those despise and blaspheme the blood and death of Christ, who condemn his pure doctrine, and help to persecute Christians and shed innocent blood; how great grace also our Lord Christ offers for confession, and what punishment he inflicts on the despisers, saying: "Whosoever shall confess me before the world, him will I confess again before my Father which is in heaven: and whosoever shall deny me, him will I put to shame." This we have told you out of faithful benevolence
and hereby kindly command this Dominum Andream to you. May God grant you His grace and keep you always gracious. Dat. Wittenberg, on the day of Andreä [Nov. 30] Anno Christi 1538.
Martinus Luther, D. Justus Jonas, D. Philippus Melanthon.
No. 2483.
To the Elector Johann Friedrich.
Intercession for former monastery chaplain Wolfgang Wagener.
From Kelpen's histor. Notes on a Letter of Indulgence. Hannover 1723. p.151. III. addition; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 138 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 216.
To the most illustrious, highborn prince and lord, Lord John Frederick, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave in Thuringia and Margrave in Meissen, my most gracious lord.
G. u. Friede in Christo und meinem armen Pr. Nr. Durchlauchtigster, hochgeborner Fürst, gnädigster Herr! This Wolfgang Wagener,1) Chaplain at Jessen, has received a promise from the sequestrators that he should receive his discharge from the Mühlpfort monastery, as he spent 14 years there in the larval life. Now we no longer know what, where or who is sequestrator. It is therefore my humble request that E. C. F. G. graciously give orders so that the good man gets what he hopes from the promise, or as E. C. F. G. will best consider; for there is nothing but mere poverty until he fulfills his time in the captain's office and earns his pay. E. C. F. G. will know how to show mercy. Hereby commanded by God, Amen. Sunday after Andr. [1 Dec.] 1538.
E. C. F. G.
1) This name was added by Burkhardt, p. 314. He notes that on December 15, the sequestrators were instructed to hand the Wagener 2c. from the monastery Mildenfurt 40 Fl. for clearance, according to the Weim. Archiv, Reg. Oo, pag. 792. 594.
Letters from the year 1538. No. 2484. 2485. 2486.
N o. 2484.