Comfort in the challenge of the fear of death.
This letter is found in German in the Wittenberg edition (1559), vol. XII, p. 169; in the Jena edition (1568), vol. VII, p. 371; in the Altenburg edition, vol. VII, p. 400; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XII, p. 533; in Walch, vol. X, 2318; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 222 f.; in the Erlanger, vol. 55, p. 250 and in the St. Louiser edition, vol. X, 2006. - Latin in Schütze, vol. III, p. 113 (without citation of the source)and in De Wette, vol. V, p.224.De Wette has supplied both texts, since he was uncertain which was the original one. We do not doubt that the Latin is the original text, in the old translation on the whole well reproduced, but with various additions. Therefore, we leave the translation of the Latin here.
To the man highly esteemed in the Lord, Johann Mantel, your servant of Christ and his extremely dear brother.
Grace and peace in Christ! My dear John, through your intermediaries you have requested a letter on several occasions, through which, as you write, you would like to receive comfort and refreshment. But I have thought that I rather need your letters, which refresh my spirit, since I am already too much tormented with Lot and with you in this satanic and unworthy ingratitude and the frightening contempt of the word of the Savior, seeing that Satan so powerfully possesses the hearts of those who think that they will be the successors in the kingdom of Christ and God. But also for my person (privately) I have my troubles with various plagues and troubles. Therefore, I have so far abstained from writing, or rather I have been prevented from writing to you. I ask, however, that you continue to write to me.
1) The word weiland (instead of "ehemals") is found in the heading of this letter in the Wittenberg and in the Jena edition. In all editions after the Leipzig one it was simply omitted, because it was taken in the here not permissible meaning: "deceased", but the other meaning: "formerly, before, before then" was not known. Duke Georg writes on 23 Dec. 1524 in a letter to Siegmund von Arras (Seidemann, Erläuterungen, p. 98): "Johann Mantel, der sich weiland Prior vffm Kunigstein nennet." According to Rebenstock, tom. II, fol. 39a, we will have to look for Mantel in Mulhouse at that time. In 1542 (in April) Luther asked the Elector that the "weak old man" be left with his fiefdom.
No. 2600.