Luther announces his visit to Erfurt and that he will bring Melanchthon, who has recovered from his illness.
1) "Wise" put by us instead of: "will".
2) Paul Eber.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 289. Printed in Schütze, vol. III, p. 140 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 297.
To the Christian man, the Doctor of Theology Johann Lang, Bishop of Erfurt, his brother who is extremely dear to the Lord.
Grace and peace! Yes, you may rather expect and receive us (if God gives grace), either on the next Sunday or Monday, my dear Laug. For it is firmly decided to take supper (coenare) at Erfurt, either on Sunday or on Monday, if God does not refuse it. At the same time we will bring the Lord Philip with us. Namely, we are traveling again straight to Hagenau, I would like to think, to see perhaps for the last time that terrible Syrian, 3) the Behemoth, 4) whom in the second Psalm he who dwells in heaven has laughed at for twenty years, more or less. But they will not understand this laughter until the lamentable end of the psalm 5) is upon them: You will perish in the way, because his wrath is unburned, because they will not kiss the Son. Auren, Amen, be it done, be it done, so they deserve it, so they want it. Farewell and pray for us. Philip is quite well after such a great illness, for the same was more significant than I would have believed. For we found him dead; by a miracle of God he is alive. Again, be well. On the day of the Visitation of Mary [July 2] 1540. Yours, Martin Luther.
No. 2688.