Of Bibles to be sent and the printing of Links Annotationes in Genesim.
From the manuscript in the Helmstädt library in Schütze, Vol. I, p. 216 and in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 486.
To the respectable man, Mr. Wenceslaus Link, Doctor of Theology, the extremely faithful servant of Christ in the Church at Nuremberg, his very dear brother in the Lord.
Grace and peace in the Lord! You complain, my dear Wenceslaus, that your Bibles are late, but you have forgotten my letter in which I informed you that the workers are overwhelmed by so many books to be bound. There are so many that many cannot get theirs before a full half year. And I myself, who gave three copies for binding, have now wrung one out with difficulty a month ago; the remaining two will hardly be returned to me after Michaelmas. The princes from all regions have their copies bound here, and these take precedence over us, you and all, which one must suffer for the sake of the favor that the workers thereby acquire with them.
Letters from the year 1542. no. 2935. 2936. 2937.
You will get your two copies, which in any case can happen in a short time.
I cannot promise anything about your Genesis; our printers and booksellers are reluctant to print large books because, as they have experienced, they often could not sell the copies and would have spent the costs in vain and suffered damage. Otherwise, if I could do some good with my preface, what need is there to ask for it, since you know that I am willing? 1) You would have done well if you had given it (as you write) to Secerius, or could give it to someone else in Upper Germany. For these are so unoccupied that I almost want to burst when I see that such good paper, such delicate type, such careful workers are employed with exceedingly useless, even harmful books. Bucer and his like are writing that should write nothing. You understand me. Fare well in the Lord. On St. Jacob's Day [July 25] 1542.
Martin Luther.
No. 2936.
To Anton Lauterbach, pastor in Pirna.
Of suicide and other annoyances.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 377. Printed in Schütze, vol. I, p. 215 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 487. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1494.
Grace and peace! What dll write about the powers of the devil in the three people, 2) who hanged themselves, I read with fear, my dear Anton. God gives us ingrates and despisers a prelude to the future wrath, since he allows so great things to Satan within our church. What will be the end of those who do not believe in the Gospel? Such things must be presented to the people so that they learn to fear God and not to despise the power of Satan with such certainty. He is the prince of the world, who, to our contempt, invents that these people have hanged themselves, while he is
1) On June 20, 1543, Luther sent the preface to Link.
2) Cf. Tischreden, Cap. 4, z 98. The event recounted there is from the year 1539.
This proves that it is impossible (as you write) that a person sitting or standing could be suffocated by such a small stick that has been driven in. It is the Satan to recognize. By the way, about that whore who opened her sister's womb, write carefully. I am anxious to put some such examples into print, so that they may be told in the sermon, whether the untamed security of the common people could be broken a little. Fare well and pray for me. Mine greets you, and mine greets you and all yours. On St. Jacob's Day [July 25] 1542.
Martin Luther.
No. 2937.