Luther wished him luck in his new position as commander-in-chief of the army against the Turks.
1) Melchior Freuzel, to whom Luther wrote on July 13, 1542.
Handwritten in Cod. Jen. B 24, fol. 90 and in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 39Ir Printed in the Altenburg edition, vol. VIII, p. 999; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXI, p. 428; in Walch, vol. XXI, 469; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 471 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 23.
Grace and peace in Christ. Most noble, highborn prince, most gracious lord! Since E. C. F. G. has become supreme field commander against the cruel enemy of Christ, we wish E. C. F. G. God's grace and all good; as it is then also necessary to wish and to ask earnestly before God, which we want to do with all our might by God's grace. For we truly consider for ourselves how not only E. C. F. G. Person, but many other fine people, who are engaged in this journey, which is so great that God Himself, moved by the prayer of the churches, must be present, or nothing good will come of it. For our Germany's previous, as well as present sin, of blaspheming God's word and persecuting His servants, is so overwhelming that my prayer has often been weakened by it. Accordingly, my humble request is again that the C.F.G. would have their preachers admonish the people that they, out of a simple heart, for the praise and honor of God, for the benefit of the church or Christianity, should also give up their wives and children, police and discipline, as the C.F.G. themselves point out, and not risk their lives and limb for the sake of their own honor, glory or enjoyment. For the Turks and the devil, our sin and God's wrath are four mighty, great enemies that lie at our necks, against which we are much, much too weak with physical power. We can certainly be sure of this, and have often (unfortunately) experienced it all too miserably, so that it will be necessary for the C.F.G. to keep a good discipline, to forbid and punish the blasphemy and torture of the devils, and also to encourage prayer and godliness through the preachers. For thus the Scripture teaches us that where God is not present, no power, art or wisdom will help, especially among His people who boast of His name. For the strangers, his enemies, he allows to be fortunate and to pass away; but his people shall be holy, or else he
2) "Martern" - cursing. - Instead of "Scharhansen" (sic) reads Cod. Jen.: "sharp and hard", which seems better to us.
Letters from the year 1542. no. 2921. 2922. 2923.
will punish them, Pf. 89, 33. But because we know that ECFG and so many fine people (who are serious) are there, we want to be with you faithfully with our prayers as much as God gives us, regardless of the fact that there is so much loose trash mixed in with the crowd, and we want to take care of you, help you pray and do what we can. E. C. F. G. shall have no doubt about this. For we must believe and be sure that we cannot wish the Turk luck against us, nor stand by him, but must stand by him and ours against the Turk, that is, against the devil, God's wrath and our sin. This help us our dear Lord Jesus Christ, and look not at what we deserve and are worth, but at his holy name, and give us grace that we may at last cheerfully boast that we have served his holy name, sought his honor and kingdom, also his will, amen. If we would do this, or could do this, I hope it would not be necessary, without me also being a little weakened by such great wickedness of the papists; which God, the dear Father, also helps us to overcome, and let us not be repaid for it. For we are all innocent of them, and we are sorry for what they have done. I hereby give my prayer and blessing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Vigilia Ascensionis [May 17] anno MDXLIl.
E. C. F. G. willing servant
Martinus Luther, D.
No. 2922.
To the locksmith Johann Schulteis in Pirna.
A joking letter to make acquaintance, prompted by Anton Lauterbach.
Printed by H. P. Rebenstock, colloquia, tom. I, fol. 147 b and in Seidemann, Lutherbriefe, p. 58 f.
1) In Rebenstock, colloquia, tom. I, fol. 148, dated May 31, 1541, and also Seidemann, Lutherbriefe, p. 58, but the latter says: "perhaps this letter is also only from May 23, 1542, because according to Rebenst. I, 217 b, Lauterbach came to visit Luther in Wittenberg on May 18, 1542." The year and date set by us becomes even more probable by the fact that Schulteis became only Jacobi (July 25) 1541 Schösser in Pirna.
Peace in Christ. Honorable and careful 2) friend! Mr. Anton Lauterbach, your pastor and my special friend, has told me a lot of good things about you, so I have decided to address this letter to you as to an unknown friend. However, I know very well that M. Anton is not lying, but I have sharply disputed with him about the success or the outcome of his proposal, because it has often gone differently than I would have meant. For I have freed many of your class, castles (publicanos == tax collectors), who had stained themselves with abominable sins in this country, from a weighted conscience; I do not know whether I have brought all of them to heaven. But since I cannot say anything good about the wicked, nor anything evil about the good, I will therefore now be satisfied that you are a righteous castor or tax collector. For this is something new in the world. For M. Anton wanted me to have it with him, and so wanted it from me. If, therefore, you are a new castor among the old, as I am a new theologian among the old theologians, God grant that I and you and all who love the gospel may firmly persevere in the true faith and the knowledge of Christ. I ask you not to take offense at my joking mockery, which I made with an unknown friend, but rather to attribute it to M. Anton, who must defend me. In the meantime, I entrust you to the grace of Almighty God. Give my best regards to the Amtmann, about whom M. Anton has informed me of many good and new things. On Tuesday after Exaudi [May 23] Anno 2c. 41 [should read 42).
No. 2923.