Answer to No. 2621. The Elector was pleased to hear that Luther was willing to go to Eisenach during the Schmalkaldic Convention, because although there were
Letters from the year 1540. No. 2624. 2625. 2625a.
If it were to be a futile effort for the adversaries, it would be useful and good for the sake of the Confession's allies.
The original concept is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. H, fol. 295, 121, printed in Burkhardt, p. 342.
Our greeting before. Venerable and reverend, dear devotee! Your letter, given on the Sunday after Antony [Jan. 18], we received on the Saturday after [Jan. 24.We truly also fear that little, and nothing at all fruitful, will be accomplished with the papist mob, as unrepentant against the conscious truth, and that you are willing to go with us to Eisenach under the Schmalkaldic Day, we gladly hear, For although it may be a futile expense and effort on the part of the opposing party, it will nevertheless be of use and good to us, our relatives of the Christian denomination, so that they and their preachers, since it is written to them to bring some of them with them, may be all the more confirmed and preserved to remain on the right 1) track with us and you. For you see that Doctor Butzer together with the Hessian Chancellor, with the articles which we sent to you next, 2) went quite far in Leipzig last year, and now fear that some of the Estates, together with their prelates, would want to fall on such a course and opinion, and especially out of fear of Imperial Majesty, 3) if they should be opposed by unfounded objections and counter-reports. For this reason, we again graciously request that you do not complain about such journeys (raißen), in honor of God and His Word, and for the preservation of righteous Christian unity among ourselves, insofar as you would be able to do so without detriment to your health for the appointed time. For if you were to set out on your journey right away, and you felt that wandering and traveling away did not agree with you, you should not be suspected by us if you return home. But that the others nevertheless travel away and with us. We do not want to save you from this in our gracious opinion and are inclined to you with grace and good. Date Weimar, Sunday Conversionis Pauli [January 25] 1540.
1) "rechten" put by us instead of "rethe" [== Räthe]l in Burkhardt.
2) Cf. no. 2611.
3) In Burkhardt with punctuation that disturbs the meaning: "und sonderlich aus forcht, kay. mah. mochten fallen wollen," 2c,
No. 2625.
To Duchess Elisabeth of Brunswick.
Luther recommends M. Justus Waldhausen, who has been appointed syndicus in Hameln.
The original is in the Münden City Hall Archive. Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 91, no. 164; in Walch, vol. XXI, 432; in the "theol. Nachrichten," October 1814, p. 378; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 259 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 276.
To the most illustrious, highborn Princess and Lady, Lady Elisabeth, née Margravine of Brandenburg, and Duchess of Brunswick and Lüneburg, my gracious wives.
Grace and peace in Christ. Sublime, highborn princess, gracious lady! This Magister Justus Waldhausen, a citizen's child in Hamelin, has been appointed Syndicus there; he has therefore asked me to write to Your Grace, because he has now lived in our Gospel for 12 years, but is perhaps not yet in the habit in Hamelin. Ew. F. G. want to be his gracious princess and protect him as much as possible, and also urge Ew. F. G.'s husband 4) to hold such people in high esteem. For as Your Worship will see and experience, he is a finely learned, skillful, pious person, the like of whom is not to be found much. Your Worshipfulness wants to graciously prove itself against him, also for the benefit of the people and the country, since he can and will serve well. In this, Your Lordship is doing God a vain and special service. Hereby commanded to the same dear God, Amen. Thursday after St. Paul's Conversion [29 Jan.] 1540.
Ew. F. G. williger
Martinus Luther.
No. 2625a.
February 6, 1540.