About the tree trunks given to Luther by the Elector. Cf. no. 2876.
The original is in the Anhaltische Gesammtarchiv at Dessau. Only the first (Latin) half is found in Buddeus, p. 273; in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 482, and in German translation in Walch, Vol. XXI, 1317. Lindner has communicated the missing part from the original in Dessau in the Theologische Studien und Kritiken 1835, Heft II, p. 354. The same is printed in the Erlanger Ausgabe, Vol. 56, p. LV and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 317 f.
To the highly famous and valuable man, Magister Georg Spalatin, Superintendent of the Churches in Meissen, his extremely dear brother in the Lord.
Grace and peace! Although I, my dear Spalatin, (like Paul) care very little about what serves to preserve life or the belly in this life, as far as I am concerned, nevertheless, since I am a husband, I am also, as the same Paul says, a debtor to my household; whoever neglects the care owed to these has denied the faith, and is worse than a heathen (1 Tim. 5, 8.): therefore I beseech thee, that thou render me in this matter that service which thou wouldst desire me to render against thee, and wouldst justly and rightly desire, namely, that I may not be deceived or abridged or cheated concerning the gift of the prince (which I esteem great). You know the manners of these birds of prey, who easily seek out what serves them, setting aside love for one's neighbor. And in addition to this, it is difficult in that region to obtain such trees as I have obtained, and they may have wanted to make use of this advantage through me. However it may be, I want the trees that you listed in your letter, which are left to me, to be preserved for me as my own, be they taimen or oaks, that is, instead of the sold ones, to remain unharmed and in full number until I have claimed them. 1) De tremulis, or that I commit no error.
1) In the following supplement, there are only a few Latin words in the beginning and at the end, the rest is German.
go in the words, the aspens, my Käthe wants to drive herself, because she must build a Scheunlin.
We don't understand the other one, four boards, because she asked to cut such boards from the trees she had cut down and hewn before. If she had sold them, how could she have others hewn and brought out from the yard? Those who bought them must do so, 2) and restore such trees to me without harm, or it will be like a practice that I will be deprived of the wood that I will send to my most gracious lord. For I will, as your letter also testifies, have my wood, which the pious prince gave me and which is difficult to obtain in this place, completely and utterly and will not knowingly let anything be taken from me. You should thank the Lord of Einsiedel very kindly and I want to earn it (where I can). But how can he have boards cut if he has no wood that is mine? For the sold wood was mine. Now I have to buy it again and bring it from the yard. When will this happen? So I will lose my wood that the prince gave me. But it shall not be kept silent, nor shall it be given to them. Vale in Domino. Cursim et occupatiss. [Be well in the Lord. In haste and very busy]. 1542. s. Margaret. [July 13].
Your Martinus LutheR, D.
No. 2932.
To Melchior Frenzel, pastor in Ronneburg.
Luther rebukes him for two whimsical opinions. Cf. no. 2920.
Manuscript in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 376; in Cod. Goth. 168. 4. and in Cod. Jen. B 24. n, fol. 181. Printed by Schütze, vol. III, p. 204 and by De Wette, vol. V, p. 483. Incomplete (only the first half) by Buddeus, p. 296, and German by Walch, vol. XXI, 1350.
To the highly venerable man, Melchior Frenzel, pastor in Ronneberg, his (friend) in the Lord.
Grace and peace! As for me, my dear Melchior, I bear it with equanimity that you have not yet joined us. You
2) Instead of "bought," it should probably read "sold."
Letters from the year 1542. no. 2932. 2933. 2934.
But in these questions you could have consulted others before, since you wanted to be taken for an inventor of new doctrine (novus auctor). For that you say that warm water is not a pure element, but mixed with fire, I wonder what may have come into your mind. With the same wisdom, another will say that cold water is not a pure element, but mixed with earth, because the philosophers say that the earth is cold and dry. Another will say that moist water is not a pure element because moisture is the very property of air. Let us therefore desist from these inconsistencies. 1) In the other question also, you do not properly distinguish the properties (idiomata) of the natures in the person of Christ. For the Godhead did not die, but that God, namely Christ, who is not God according to his nature, but according to his person, or has the Godhead, died, just as again not mankind created heaven, but the person who is man, or has assumed mankind, created heaven. If thou understandest not these things, depart from thy thoughts, and consult men more learned than thyself, lest thou fall on the right hand with Eutyches, or on the left hand with Nestorius. Be well in the Lord. St. Margaret's Day [July 13] 1542.
Your Martin Luther, D.
No. 2933.