Luther consoled him because of the contempt for the Word of God that he had complained about in Nuremberg.
Manuscript in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 341. From the Kraft collection in Husum in Schütze, vol. I, p. 164 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 398.
Grace and peace in Christ! I received your sad letter, my dear Wenceslaus, and I am very sorry that at Nuremberg the word is so despised. But what is that to wonder, because the devil is the prince and god of the world, since God himself gives him this name? Therefore, if he did otherwise than you complain, he would not be the prince of the world. Only perhaps you believed that the church in Nuremberg was such that it was not a part of the world, or that the prince of the world was dead and crucified there. I strengthen my heart thus: the first 1) challenge of the church (from the beginning of the world) always comes from the tyrants who shed our blood. When the tyrants have almost reached their end, the challenge by heretics follows. After the violence, and when the heretics are to some extent subdued, the most harmful challenge follows in peace, namely the licentiousness and impunity in life, without law, without the word, since we are fed up and tired of the word, which is already no longer necessary, since the enemies are already defeated. Thus, man's worst enemies are his household members. These are the three temptations against the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I have always thought that you would not be threatened by the pope and the tyrants, nor that we would be oppressed by a mint, Carlstadt and "rebaptizers", but ours with us will become suspicious to me as outstanding despisers, according to the common prophecy: After the Antichrist is revealed, there will be people who say: There is no God. We see this coming true today, since they do not even want to suffer the word of God, nor do they want to be a part of it.
1) Instead of primum we have assumed primam, referring to tentationem.
Letters from the year 1541. no. 2834. 2835.
because it cannot be taught without punishing the vices. I have often wondered why John the Baptist and Christ were not killed for the first table, but for the second, because the former had punished incest and the latter had punished avarice, while the apostles and then the martyrs were killed for the first table. Perhaps we too will suffer not because of the first table, which they want to confess with us, but because of the second, by which they do not want to be punished. But be strong and persevere against such words as "Pfaff" and the like. For these words are spoken by those who think that our words are words of men, by which they confess that they do not honor or care for either the first or the second tablet. But it will be exceedingly shameful for Nuremberg if the rumor and writings are spread that they consider the gospel which they have confessed 1) to be the word of men, although we have all destroyed the word of men with so many hard struggles. But if they take it for God's word, it is even more shameful that they deal with it, that they want to remove the ban, which is the word of God, and despise and hate the ministers of the word of God, and blaspheme God, whom they have confessed, so wickedly in his ministers "Pfaff". And this is what I wanted you preachers to consult with each other, and to tell Ebner and Baumgärtner in their ears. I do not believe that the speeches of those people will last or penetrate, but that it is a challenge against the Holy Spirit, or the third challenge. Otherwise it would be the end of Nuremberg, because this would mean to grieve the Holy Spirit, and one would finally have to be anxious to leave this Babylon. [Jer. 51:9: "But we heal Babylon, and she will not be healed. So let her go." But I hope for better, if you first treat her with patience and gentle words, and remind her of the dangers. Now, if any help is needed on my part, I am ready to write to the Senate or to some others. Only may you not be consumed with worries,
1) namely at Augsburg.
and remember that the day has twelve hours. I do not yet believe that all the members of the Senate are such people. We hear a lot from the nobles here, too, but they do not have the power to do what they want everywhere. Although it is true that those who are in the world regiment have almost always been enemies of the church, as they will be, even if this commonwealth should be a hierarchy which, though it has many evil ones, has only a few good ones. It is the same in the household, because God has rejected the world and barely keeps the tenth leper; the rest is devoured by the prince of the world. It behooves us to suffer and worship this inscrutable counsel of God, not to inquire or become indignant. If Nuremberg does not want you, there will be a place where the Lord will provide for you; as much as I can, you will find me ready. Fare well, and henceforth think that the gates of hell, which have been overcome by the Word, must now also be overcome by prayer. Therefore, pray against these evils of ours, but that those who are conquered by prayer must finally also be conquered by the final transition (phase), that is, the transition from this misery into life, so that the Trinity may exist in all and in all, as it is said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life," Amen. On the day of the Nativity of Mary [Sept. 8] 1541. Mart. Luther.
No. 2835.