Answer to Amsdorf's letter of consolation on account of the death of Magdalena; from Duke Heinrich von Braunschweig; from the Turkish War, and more.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, Vol. III, p. 382. Printed in Schütze, Vol. I, p. 228 and in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 502.
Grace and peace! I thank you, dear man, for wanting to comfort me over the death of my extremely dear daughter. I was indeed fond of her, not only because she was my flesh, but because of her so gentle, quiet manner and her great obedience to me. But now I am glad that she lives with her father in sweetest sleep until that day. And as our times are and will be worse and worse, I desire from the bottom of my heart for me and all mine, also for you and all ours, that we may be given such an hour of departure, with such great faith and gentle rest; that is, in truth, to fall asleep in the Lord, not seeing nor tasting death, nor feeling a hair's breadth of fear. I hope that now is and will be the time of which Isaiah says Cap. 57, 1. 2.: "The righteous are raised up, and come to peace, and rest.
1) In Burkhardt: "Mechte", which he probably resolved by "möchte", because he makes the incorrect remark at the end of this sentence: "Fehlt der Nachsatz im Orig.
Letters from the year 1542. no. 2955. 2956. 2957.
in their chambers", so that when he gathers the grain into his barn, he may deliver the chaff to their fire Matth. 3:12.], which the world has deserved and still deserves by its appalling ingratitude, contempt and hatred of the word of grace, so that it grieves me to live and see anything in this appalling Sodom.
I wish to write to you more often, but I have no messenger and you write very rarely. I easily believe that rumors about Heinz are being spread and threats. Thus your Meissen have become vain, especially through this larva at Merseburg, since they falsify that they are brave, and we fearful. But we despise them. In the matter of the war, there is nevertheless the suspicion that a conflagration might also arise from this noise. May God protect us. I had thought before that only against the Turks nothing would be achieved but losing money and being ridiculed. What would God do through such people? But one must pray persistently that God, by Himself or by the angels, will destroy this beast, as He has done with the Pabst and his alarming hypocrisy and abomination.
No. 2956.
To Leonhard Beier, pastor in Zwickau.
On the Elevation of the Sacrament.
Handwritten in Cod. Palat. 689, p. 41. Printed in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 503 f.
To Magister Leonhard Beier, pastor of the church in Zwickau, who is greatly honored by the Lord.
Grace and peace. My dear Leonhard! I believe that the elevation of the Sacrament is free, and I have always held this opinion. But I have never condemned the churches of Saxony, which I knew had the elevation. That is indeed true, that there is no sin on either side. In the beginning, when Carlstadt cried out that the elevation of the sacrament was a crucifixion of Christ, I resisted him and kept the elevation out of contempt against the devil who blasphemed so furiously, otherwise I might have dropped it. Now I let each of the two parts of his mind rule: each may do what he wants and seems suitable to him. That is why I did not want to oppose our bishop and did not want to fight for a cause in which nothing was at stake when he wanted to abolish the elevation. For my part, I would not have cared about it, as I still do not care if the elevation continues. I do not want a sin or a snare of conscience to be made in any piece. Therefore, do what pleases you. Be well in the Lord. Wednesday, All Saints' Day [Nov. 1], 1542.
Martin Luther.
No. 2957.