About Luther's repeatedly prevented journey there. Lament about the evil times.
The original is at Dresden in Cod. Seidel. From the collection of Caspar Sagittarius at Jena in Schütze, vol. I, p. 287 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 599 f. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1512.
1) No. 3056.
To the venerable man in Christ, Mr. Nicolaus von Amsdorf, the fair and right bishop of Naumburg, his superior in your Lord.
Grace and peace in the Lord! I am angry with myself to the point of impatience, venerable man in the Lord, that I have so often intended to travel to you, and since I wanted to leave already the following day, and everything was set in readiness, a cause always occurred which prevented my intention. By God's permission (as it seems) Satan, according to his name, thus sets himself against me. Therefore, henceforth, God willing, I will try to rush to you on some sudden occasion even without a resolution. For I am very eager to see you again before my departure. The condition of my head was reasonably good; although the leg (crus) had been troubled by the physicians' cautery (cauterio), this would not have prevented my journey. They are trying to cause a flow on my left leg, but so far not with luck to help my head. But I believe that my illness is the old age, then also the works and the very violent thoughts, but most of all the fisticuffs of Satan. Against all this, the entire healing art will heal me in vain. Nevertheless, I give in to their opinions so that I do not seem to be hostile to myself, although I believe that they are mistaken. "It is a matter of the lazy rascal, I want to dare him; if it helps, it helps." For the head has again begun to suffer (without cause). I think it is Satan.
I am writing this so that you may know that I have the best will, as soon as God bestows it, to come to you.
I know nothing about news, nor do I desire to know it. The world is the world, was the world, and will be the world, which knows nothing of Christ and desires to know nothing. Let it therefore go on its way, that Christ and we also may know nothing of it; only that we know that what the world knows and desires is not true, nor will it come to pass, because it is written [Ps. 39:6, 7, Vulg.], "All men that live are vanity, and thou, O Lord, wilt make their image nothing.
Letters from the year 1543. No. 3060 to 3062.
make." Nevertheless, they continue to rage and get angrier day by day. This is a great comfort, it shows that the day of the coming of the glory of God is near. For the contempt of the word, which is not to be said, and the inexpressible groaning of the godly, indicate that the world is given over to hasten the day of its destruction and our blessedness, amen, be it done, amen. So was the world before the flood of sin, so before the Babylonian captivity, so before the destruction of Jerusalem, so before the desolation of Rome, so before the misery of Greece and Hungary, so it will be before the fall of Germany. "They shall not hear, but they must know." This is what I would most like to do with you for our mutual consolation. "We must sing with them, Jeremiah 51:9: "We heal Babylon, but she will not be healed. So let her go." Fare well in the Lord, who is our salvation, and will make us eternally blessed. Amen. November 7, 1543.
Yours sincerely, Martin Luther.
No. 3061.