(Regest.)
The duke sends a copy of a printed note posted under Luther's name to the church in Wittenberg, in which Luther responds to a mocking poem made against him, with the request to avoid the harsh words in it against the Elector of Mainz in the future, since the gospel might suffer.
Printed in Faber's Preußisches Archiv, p. 100. The above regest in Burkhardt, p. 327.
2) Blicardina, the wife of Doctor Juris Bleikard Sindringer.
3) No. 2544 and No. 2557. The first letter shows that Luther had already written to Mrs. Schneidewein before. The fourth letter, which now follows, will have indicated to the relatives that the matter had been taken into one's own hands in Wittenberg.
4) This name will be understood here as the town of "Prussian Holland", located in the administrative district of Königsberg, near Elbing.
No. 2563.
To Duke Henry of Saxony.
Luther asks the duke to let the visitation proceed and be carried out.
In Herings Geschichte der i. J. 1539 im Markgrafthume Meißen und dem dazu gehörigen thüringischen Kreise erfolgten Einführung der Reformation. Großenhain 1839. p. 75-77 from the original in the Dresden main state archives. Then given completely corresponding to the original by J. K. Seidemann in Niedners Zeitschrift für die historische Theologie 1846, Heft III, p. 419 to 421; from it in the Erlangen edition, Vol. 56, p. XLVI f. and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 229. (Only inscription, signature and seal are from Luther.).
To the noble, highborn prince and lord, Henry, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, my gracious lord.
God's grace through our Lord Jesus Christ before. Sublime, highborn, gracious Prince and Lord! Although I do not doubt that Your Grace is Himself most inclined, in praise of God, to order and provide for the churches according to need, as God has especially commanded the potentates and rulers to do, I can nevertheless well assume that such a great work will have much hindrance, for which reason I have caused Your Grace to be honored with this submissive writing. faithful and Christian opinion with this humble letter, and to request that E. F. G. graciously allow the visitation to proceed and be carried out in all points in accordance with the instruction, which, as I am informed, has been set with good measure and somewhat less than the instruction of the visitation, which was issued before this time in M. G. H., the Elector 2c., churches; and in this, we want to consider E. F. G. as a praiseworthy Christian prince, as highly and noticeably situated at the beginning of this church order, which now only has a great stir, and will be a great consolation to the countryside and all the pious, if they will notice that a good, consistent order is being made, and such seriousness will make the opponents' defiance less.
So the matter demands of itself that the churches be ordered diligently now and in the beginning, for I know that many parishes stand unoccupied, much loaded with unfit persons.
If the visitators should not follow the instruction in these common and necessary points, it would follow that many parishes would not be appointed at all, that there would also be inequality of doctrine for lack of competent persons, from which there would be much confusion among the poor people and rejoicing among the opponents. And that some think that it is enough to abolish abuses in the beginning alone, and that it is not necessary to investigate further which persons are there and how to provide for them: this is much different; for in the beginning it is most necessary to work as much as possible with great earnestness, so that one has capable persons, to lay good foundations of doctrine, and to plant right faith and unity.
So also no consistent order can be made, so the persons do not have supply.
Since the Holy Father knows that this is the highest service of God, which is especially commanded to princes and potentates, to promote the Gospel and to order the churches, the Holy Father wants to let the visitators follow the instructions and graciously keep them. Also, no one can complain with fairness if help or allowance is ordered to the parish priests from other foundations, because all divine and human rights teach and command that help should be given primarily to the parishes and schools, as St. Paul says: qui servit altari, vivat de altari, and the poor church is not obliged to feed its persecutors in foundations and monasteries.
Our Lord Christ promises rich rewards to all those who help and support the servants of Christian doctrine, saying: "Whoever gives a drink of water to the least of these for the sake of doctrine will truly receive a reward," so E. F. G. know how Ezekiel is adorned with glorious victory, who in his time established right doctrine again, and created entertainment for the people so that they could walk in the doctrine, as the text says, 2nd Paralip. 31: Ut possent vacare legi Domini. So there is no doubt that God will preserve, protect and graciously bless E. F. G., and therefore all pious Christians will ask and call upon Him for E. F. G., and the
Letters from the year 1539. No. 2563 to 2566.
Because God has commanded such a prayer, it is undoubtedly powerful and will be heard, therefore I also ask our Lord Christ to strengthen and preserve E. F. G. in body and soul. Dat. Wittenberg, on the day of Jacobi [July 25] 1539.
E. F. G.
subservient Martinus Luther.
No. 2564.