The prince was comforted by the temptations he had to suffer at the hands of his cousin Wolfgang.
2) Burkhardt: "mit den anderen unsern christenlichen religionsverwandten stende, gelerten vnd" 2c.
3) In the text: "nach einsten". Luther had already had the Schmalkaldic Articles printed in 1538 in 4. at Wittenberg by Hans Luft. This edition was followed in the same year by two others, also in 4. J. T. Müller, Die symbolischen Bücher, p. LXXXVII.
4) That is, in octavo. The editions published in 1543 and 1545 were in this format.
The original is in the Dessau Archives. Printed in Lindner, Mittheilungen, Vol. 11, p. 85, No. 823; in the Erlangen edition, Vol. 56, p. 240 and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 351. De Wette, Vol. V, p. 597 has only a
Piece.
To the noble, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Georgen, provost of Magdeburg, prince of Anhalt, count of Ascanien, lord of Bernburg, my gracious lord.
G. and F. in the Lord. Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! M. Forcheim 1) has indicated to me what kind of challenge the tempter now wants to inflict on E. F. G. through E. F. G.'s cousins, Prince Wolfgang 2c., which I am truly sorry about, and for this reason I have attributed quite a bit of writing to S. F. G., hoping that S. F. G. will remember it and mean something. For I notice that bad mouths have got involved between his and E. F. G.'s. F. G., who are stirring up the pious prince against E. F. G., as the devil and the old serpent always has his seed and sows against the seed of the woman. It will not be otherwise: the serpent's seed must always prick the heels of the woman's seed; but at last his head must be crushed. Therefore, let us be patient and let God take care of everything 2) according to the words: "Cast your care upon the Lord; he will take care of you," as Peter says [1 Ep. 5:7]. "If He is for us, who can be against us?" [Rom.8:31.] Perhaps this contestation is but an hour, as Abraham was contested an hour. "I live (says our life [Jn.14:19.]), and ye also shall live," and [Luc.21:18.] "One hair of your head shall not perish." And though we suffer some loss in this time, yet shall we recover it a hundredfold at the same time with eternal life, if only we follow not the eyes, but faith toward that which is invisible, until it be seen. But what do I teach the unwise to the wise (sus Minervam)? I only wanted to show in any case 3) my zeal and affection against E. F. G., who
1) M. Georg Held von Forchheim.
2) We have translated the following to the end from Latin.
3) Instead of utrumque we have assumed utcunque.
ther Prince. E. F. G. is quite at ease in the Lord, whom I not only honor, but also love forever. The 29th of October 1543.
E. F. G.
devoted
Martin Luther, D.
No. 3059.