Luther urges them to reform the monastery of Mönchen- Nienburg.
In Lindner, Mittheilungen, II, p. 58; in the Erlanger Ausgabe, vol. 56, p. 221 f. and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 231.
1) We made this addition because De Wette put a question mark after "the".
To the noble, highborn princes and lords, Johanns, Georgen, Thumprobst zu Magdeburg, and Joachim, Gebrüder, Fürsten zu Anhalt, Graf zu Ascanien und Herren zu Bernburg, my gracious lords.
God and peace in Christ. Sublime, high-born princes and lords! I recently visited my Lord, Prince Wolfgang, E. F. G.'s dear cousins. Among other things: Among other things, there was talk about the monastery of Münche-Neunburg, that there the mass and all other idolatries are still in use, and that the abbot treats the goods as his own, steals cash and sells hereditary goods 2c., that I was surprised that the abbot with his own under E. F. G. is allowed to be so modest (thar), since the saying of St. Jacob [4, 17] also applies to them: Scienti donum et non facienti peccatum est illi. Because now such monastery is under E. F. G. rule, and E. F. G. GOtte is responsible for it. Since such monastery is under the rule of E. F. G. and E. F. G. GOtte are guilty of controlling the blasphemy of his name and promoting his honor, I humbly ask E. F. G. not to watch Satan any longer nor to allow his courageous will (for he cannot excuse himself because of his ignorance) under E. F. G., so that they do not make themselves partially responsible for other people's guilt. That they pretend that it is an imperial foundation is true, as far as it concerns the freedom of persons and goods, or perhaps of goods in part. But the idolatry was neither founded nor could be founded by any emperor, but the emperors were deceived by the monks, that such idolatry, previously invented by monks, was afterwards liberated and granted. 2) On the other hand, our Lord God's foundation is established from above, that is, Sanctificetur nomen tuum; to which all foundations that are called Assumere nomen Dei in vanum must give way, and no imperial freedom nor confirmation can defend them, for the emperor himself must also be under the foundation of God and destroy the devil's foundation, as he would do if he knew. Now they want to mend themselves with the emperor's protection and mix the spiritual with the secular, if they have previously trampled the emperor and all secular things underfoot,
2) Here we have deleted "are" which should be in the original.
Letters from the year 1539. No. 2570. 2571. 2572.
and have sat down with the 1) clergy against the emperor himself. E. F. G. continue. It becomes neither colder nor warmer for the sake of the monastery. Christ the Lord, made known to E. F. G. through the Father, give E. F. G. his Holy Spirit to sanctify his name joyfully and to profane Satan's name, Amen. Wednesday after Laurentii [13 Aug.] 1539.
E. F. G. williger
Martinus Luther, D.
No. 2571.